> -----Original Message----- > From: Dana [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 1:46 AM > To: CF-Community > Subject: Re: "Books to Read Before you Die" > > I think this list suffers from not knowing whether it wants to be a > bestseller list of things you should read in order to keep up your end > of a conversation (Harry Potter and the Bible are in this category I > think) or a list of great literature. It is also omits everything > outside the US.
Well... the list was generated by British Librarians. That's still outside the US, isn't it? Neener neener neener! ;^) > On 8/18/08, Jerry Barnes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee > > I agree that it is an important piece of literature but isn't it > almost a cliche? Yes, but clichés are often clichés because they're true, aren't they? It reminds me of a line from "Diesel Sweeties": "Nothing everybody likes can be any good." > > A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens > > > > I have it, but have not read it. It is on my medium list. > > Sentimental crap :) Read it to know what people are talking about but > don't take it too seriously. This is another one (like Tarzan) that I think people should read just to have an understanding of what the original story was - it's been retold, spoofed, and paid homage to so many times the original's been all but subsumed. Although unlike "Tarzan" this one (maybe because of its length) generally survives more or less intact . > > The Prophet by Khalil Gibran > > > > Never read it. Probably never will. > > mmm not sure. A lot of people rave about this book. Have not read it. It's worth reading, I think. If nothing it definitely belongs on the "short list of short classics"... sure you can slog through "War and Peace" or "Moby Dick" but this one you can read in like a 1/2 hour! ;^) > I'd add: > > Beowolf Never read it... surprisingly since I voraciously anything even remotely dealing with monsters or adventure as a kid. > King Lear I'm still iffy about any plays being on "must read" lists. Nobody ever suggests reading the script for "Citizen Kane" - they say "go watch it" so why do we constantly get told to read plays? I LOVE "Hamlet" but I can't argue with those that say it's hard to read... because I don't think it was meant to be read. It's an instruction manual for the actors. ;^) Definitely see the play tho', especially if you get a chance to see it done by a really good troupe. > Nine Princes in Amber - Roger Zelazny I love it and I think it's a definite classic of the genre.... but I'm not sure about its overall "classitudity". If you're talking fantasy however I do think that the "Amber" series in general is often, criminally, overlooked. I'm surprised how often I hear that people have never heard of it... people that (rightly so) inhale Tolkien, Moorcock, Leiber, Donaldson, etc Although I did find this recently: It's the original list of "Inspirational Reading" that was published as an appendix in the first edition of the "Dungeon Master's Guide" by Gary Gygax: http://ulmo.mux.net/fantasy/gygax.html It's another good list to dissect (although it was written in 1978, I believe, so some many modern classics like the "Thomas Covenant" books aren't represented). Jim Davis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;203748912;27390454;j Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/message.cfm/messageid:266236 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/CF-Community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5
