Goodreads 100 books you should read in your lifetime

dutchgirl76 · January 2016

Saw this, thought it might be fun. How many have you read? Anything you agree with, anything missing, anything you think shouldn't be on the list?

http://redefinedmom.com/goodreads-100-books-you-should-read-in-a-lifetime/

I'm surprised I've read 21, however at least 2 were abridged, illustrated Children's classic versions so I don't know if those count. I didn't like Water for Elephants and I don't know that the Hunger Games was so good you should read it before you die, but maybe they thought that was more for pop culture, everyone read it reasons?

SnShne322 · January 2016

I do wonder about a few on there. I suppose they are all on there for different reason. Some for popularity, it's influence on pop culture and it's historical importance.

I've read 28.

dmlk413 · January 2016

I've read 69.

There are a couple on there I am surprised by, like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

CeeCeeSugaPie · January 2016

29 for me.

I was surprised to see Memoirs of a Geisha on there. It was a good book, but I think there are better ones out there that should be on the list.

SusieBW · January 2016

I've read 57, I think. Right around there anyway.

I seriously question some of them.

sassypants527 · January 2016

65 for me. What a random list!

dutchgirl76 · January 2016

sassypants527 said:

65 for me. What a random list!

Exactly! Classics, newer murder mystery (Gone Girl, Dragon Tattoo)

kelliebeans · January 2016

I've read 42. That list is pretty random. A lot of them are on my to-read list so maybe I'll check back in a year and see if I've gotten any farther.

julie37619 · January 2016

I've read 60 but I really question some of these as "must reads" versus books that were very popular for a few minutes in the recent past.

AyshM · January 2016

I was shocked as I kept going through the list. I've read 80 of them! I feel like a lot of the books are generally "classics" of particular generations and are recognized as must-reads for students, rather than categorized as the "best" books of all time. I'd consider lots of them generally important literature, with the exception of like, Gone Girl, etc.

pinkybooklover09 · January 2016

What a random ass list! I agree that "best" books of all time is a stretch for some of them.

Side note - I was happy to see Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, and The Little Prince on it for some reason.

GilliC · January 2016

62

You can tell it was a popular vote on Goodreads, because it's full of stuff that everyone has read lately but that isn't THAT amazing in the grand scheme of things.

All of Hunger Games? I at least think they should have treated HG and HP as sets the way they did with "Lord of the Rings."

I was glad to see on the list: Night, Handmaid's Tale, Brave New World, Ender's Game, and Life of Pi* on the list as I feel they have some unique discussions that make them must-reads for self-development.

*I know my opinion of LoP is not universal, but I still think it has some interesting insights about religion in general.

GilliC · January 2016

If they did this 10 years ago, what would be on there that we questioned?
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
The Lovely Bones
The Da Vinci Code
The Pilot's Wife

The Reader would definitely be on there in place of The Book Thief.

dutchgirl76 · February 2016

GilliC said:

If they did this 10 years ago, what would be on there that we questioned?
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
The Lovely Bones
The Da Vinci Code
The Pilot's Wife

The Reader would definitely be on there in place of The Book Thief.

Great point, one would think these books should stand the test of time i.e. The Lovely Bones or Da Vinci not making the list now. I wonder if they did a survey, or just went with what books had the highest percentage of read, perhaps reviews with high ratings?

GilliC · February 2016

dutchgirl76 said:

GilliC said:

If they did this 10 years ago, what would be on there that we questioned?
She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
The Lovely Bones
The Da Vinci Code
The Pilot's Wife

The Reader would definitely be on there in place of The Book Thief.

Great point, one would think these books should stand the test of time i.e. The Lovely Bones or Da Vinci not making the list now. I wonder if they did a survey, or just went with what books had the highest percentage of read, perhaps reviews with high ratings?

The list "was created and voted by avid readers on Goodreads." I assumed that it was a popular-vote list like the others on Goodreads.

I'm pretty sure it's this one:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/69635.100_Books_to_Read_in_a_Lifetime_Readers_Picks

Raeily · February 2016

I have read 39. Started more than that but of course that means nothing. :P

I was side-eyeing a lot of those.

Goodreads 100 books you should read in your lifetime

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