My list is a bit of a hodge-podge and by no means full of classics or literary greats, though there are some included. My participation in the challenge is a vain attempt to get through some of those books I feel I’ve had for far too long.
#1 Gormenghast by Mervyn Peake:
Just after I’d added it to my longlist Jackie @ Farm Lane Books suggested a readalong. It was a sign!
#2 Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen:
I’ve only ever read Pride and Prejudice and loved it so I don’t know why I haven’t picked up any other Austens.
#3 Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin:
Diana Norman (Ariana was a pen name) died earlier this year. It’s sad to think I never read this during her lifetime.
#4 To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee:
No, I wasn’t made to read this at school and I generally avoid anything cited as the great American novel but I think it’s time I gave it a go.
#5 In Cold Blood by Truman Capote:
I really enjoyed the film, Capote, which is based on his time researching and writing this book.
#6 Do Androids Dream In Electric Sheep by Philip K Dick:
The book behind Bladerunner, I really wanted to read this so no idea why I haven’t yet!
#7 Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte:
Do I hear gasps of shock? Nope, never read it and I have an ancient copy that hasn’t endeared me to picking it up. I think I’ll have to download it onto my Kindle.
#8 Out by Natsuo Kirino:
I think this is the unread book I’ve had the longest. About time I read it.
#9 The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger:
Sometimes I feel I’m the only person on the planet that hasn’t read it.
#10 Schindler’s Ark by Thomas Keneally:
Schindler’s List is an amazing film but I’ll have to brace myself for the book. I don’t think I’ve ever really been in the mood for it because I am expecting it to be depressing.
#11 The Strain by Guillermo del Toro:
I bought this in hardback years ago. I don’t why it’s got forgotten as I have loved his films and was excited about his writing.
#12 Life of Pi by Yann Martel:
People keep referring to it, I have a copy, I will read.
#13 The Green Mile by Stephen King:
I need to read more King in general, this is a good place to start I think.
#14 Notes From a Small Island by Bill Bryson:
I’ve never read any of his travel books, can you believe that?
#15 The Conjuror’s Bird by Martin Davies:
One of my early swaps from ReadItSwapIt.
#16 The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid:
I feel the need to read this whilst it’s still topical.
#17 The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson:
The hype has put me off a bit, but people keep recommending it to me and I do have this and the second book stashed away somewhere.
#18 Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks:
Another one I really want to read that has got forgotten about.
#19 Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood:
One of those authors I’ve hoarded and then stopped reading.
#20 I’m Not Scared by Niccolò Ammaniti:
I’ve had it so long I’ve forgotten what it’s about.
#21 Breakfast At Tiffany’s by Truman Capote:
I didn’t really want to duplicate authors but it’s one of my favourite films plus it’s a nice short novella for when things get tough.
Disclaimer: I reserve the right to change my mind about the contents of The List at any time!
This challenge is behing hosted by Gabe @ Gabriel Reads and starts on the 1st June 2011.
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To Kill a Mockingbird lives up to its hype. In Cold Blood is chilling but SO well-done. Life of Pi is definitely worth the read. Year of Wonders was good, but I enjoyed Brooks' March more.
I don't think the Reluctant Fundamentalist was worth the time it took to read and, after reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I make the recommendation to give Steig Larsson a pass.
Just my thoughts….interesting list!
I agree with Debbie, To Kill A Mockingbird is a wonderful book. Life of Pi bored me silly tho, altho it's possible I didn't give it a fair chance since I was mad at the person I borrowed it from.
Stephen King is of my all time favourites and Green Mile is a fantastic, if incredibly sad, book. Looking forward to hearing your opinions them all 🙂
You have picked some great books. To Kill a Mockingbird is my overall all time favorite, Sense & Sensibility is my favorite Austen, loved Time Traveler's Wife (make sure you have little-no distractions while reading it), and I agree with Debbie about Larsson… I wasn't impressed. Hope you enjoy these books!!
I've not read The Time Traveler's Wife yet either. Made my mom dig out her copy of it so I can get through it eventually.
I love The Mistress of the Art of Death series. It was sad hearing the author had died, and that there won't likely be any more to it. But I've not read her books under her own name, so will give those a read sometime. But I think of this series as the medieval Tempe Brennan
Oryx and Crake is definitely interesting. I read it last month and am still not sure what I make of it. But Atwood is one of those authors who make me think it is a weird but interesting place inside their heads (like Gaiman)
Interesting and rather varied picks. I have read 2 (or is it 3?) Austen Books to date, but not Sense and Sensibility, though I am planning on reading it sometime this year. To Kill A Mockingbird I read too many years ago and I honestly cannot remember a thing about that book. Same goes with Year of Wonders. Maybe a reread is in order. Wuthering Heights, The Green Mile and Oryx and Crake are books I would love to read too. The Conjuror's Bird I read a couple of years ago and I remember enjoying it. The Time Traveller's Wife is a lovely book. It took me quite a long time to read (as I was in a bit of a reading-rut when I read it), but I loved it in the end. Last but not least, I haven't read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo either, precisely because of all the hype. It has made me feel unsure as to whether I am going to like the story or not, to the point that I have been avoiding it altogether.
Sorry for the ramble! Hope you enjoy reading all these books!
A great line-up of books there, Ellie. PKD is my favorite author so I am curious what you will think of "Do Androids Dream In Electric Sheep." Have you read anything else by him?
A lot of great books on this list and a lot that I haven't read either. Sense and Sensibility is on my list as well.
I wasn't a fan of Wuthering Heights but I absolutely loved To Kill a Mockingbird. Such a great book; incredibly powerful. Also, Oryx and Crake is amazing.
I have read all of the Jane Austen novels. Pride and Prejudice is my all time favourite Austen novel, closely followed by Persuasion and Northanger Abbey but I have to say I didn’t enjoy Sense and Sensibility as much.
Wuthering Heights has made Emily Bronte one of my favourite authors. Though most people see it as a mere love story, it was a ground breaking work when it first came out.
Read Do Androids Dream In Electric Sheep last year and really enjoyed it. Marvellous book!
I hated The Time Traveler's Wife! The premise is good but the writing was abominable! I have read all of Larsson’s Millennium books. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was extremely disturbing. Certain scenes left me feeling violated.
Haven’t read To Kill A Mockingbird yet. Maybe I should.
This looks like a fantastic list. There are a few on there that I want to read eventually too.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is good but very slow in starting. A few people give up early because of the slow start.
The Green Mile is very different from a lot of King's other books. I read it when he published it in sections. He was trying to do it the same way Dickens and other novelists of that time published books. I loved it.
I shockingly haven't read any of Bryson's travel books either. Feel like I am missing out on that one. Have plans to fix that when my tbr pile goes down a little.
Out is the only book on your list that I didn't like (out of the ones I've read that is). I just didn't take to it at all. Everyone else I know who read it loved it though.