Really?! 1001 Books you must read before you die. I was searching for some inspirational/motivational titles yesterday for a binder I'm putting together for an upcoming class and I stumbled across this rather humbling list.
1001?!
That's a lot of books, even for some who loves to read. I couldn't help but think about how one undertakes the making of such a list.
I had questions.
How is each book evaluated? Is there a panel? Has everyone on the panel actually read all 1001? Are these books that Americans should read? Men should read? Those with a Master's degree should read? Or is this a working list for the general population of the world? Are there other such lists? All of which really boils down to the real question - who says? I'm sure I could have found answers to some of these questions had I not spent so much time asking the questions. Clearly, I did not.
What I did do, with a very convincing "who says?" in my belt, is spend nearly an hour trudging through the list, highlighting the ones I've read, kicking myself for the ones that have been sitting (unread) on the shelf for over a year, thinking "My God! There just isn't enough time!", and finally, resigning myself to thinking again - "who says?!"
I was pleased to find some of my favorites on the list, but was surprised at some omissions as were many of the web prowlers who posted hateful comments and even lists of their own on the site.
What do you think? Do you ever feel like you couldn't possibly climb that mountain just ahead? Have you ever thought, "If I could just learn more, read more, write more then ____________ (fill in the blank)"? Or are you able to say easily "waste of time" and get on with your life?
I had visions of quitting my job, sending the children away to boarding school and investing in new glasses with which I would systematically and incredibly read all 1001 books in the next year. I thought about Julie and Julia (or is it the other way around?). I thought about the brilliant, book/movie landing blog that I could write if I undertook such a daunting task.
Ahhhh, the sweetness of disillusionment. And then back to the reality where the number of books you've read does not equal the sum of your person. The reality where reading books that some guy or some panel somewhere decides you should read hardly seems reason enough to read them.
And so I read now, once again, because I love to read. Because the beauty of the words on the page rivals the most spectacular sunsets. Because the people I find there are intriguing, terrifying and magical. Because the adventure inside those pages has never failed me. I think maybe spending a little bit of time in that world, I become a better person in mine. I begin to see my own adventures and characters, the beauty and strangeness of this life with fresh eyes.
P.S. I've read just 77 of these 1001. I wonder how many more will find their way into my hands. . . Perhaps I'll give an updated count next year. How many have you read?
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4 comments:
At this point, even making it through the LIST of 1001 books was, alas, too much for me :) I think they should call it "1,001 books to think about reading if you have time." The rebel in me doesn't like the mandate of "MUST." And I can't say I think they are right about all that many of them! I think a better challenge would be to create one's own list of must-reads, or rather would-like-to-reads, whether 10 or 1001. Which seems to be the conclusion you've come to as well.
I am a rotten blogfriend since I JUST NOW noticed that you had begun posting again.
I got to # 203 (I think) and had only read like THREE of the books on the list. Epic fail-on my part or the listmakers' parts. So I asked Brian to print it out for me to bring to the library.
And I really don't think that Murakami is THAT FRICKEN GREAT.
Oh, my. With the luxury of two boatloads of degrees in English, I'm clocking in at 101. It is really strange to see what's on (and to think of what's off) the list... Happy reading!
I've since finished Their Eyes Were Watching God and One Hundred Years of Solitude.
Both very much deserved their places on the list. So different and so rich. I can recommend both without hesitation.
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