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2.03.2012

A Gift: 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die


I don't anticipate receiving books on holidays, birthdays, or any other occasion where exchanging gifts is expected because I never think to ask for them.  So, when I  acquired 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die from J's Mom for Christmas, I was ecstatic.  You can ask J, he was there.  I immediately pulled out a pack of post-its (you know, the tiny size, designed for bookmarking) and began noting the titles that I wanted to accomplish this year.

The week that followed was no doubt some Olympic-medal-worthy action.  I flipped through every single page in one sitting, counting the titles I had completed as I went along.  I scribbled notes on each chapter and compiled the numbers.

The grand total: 36 out of 1001 (it's something!)

I broke it down by time period ("chapters" in the book):

  1 from the 1700s

  14 from the 1800s

 19 from the 1900s

  2 from the 2000s

Then I figured I'd make more lists to complete the experience.

Favorites:
Madame Bovary*
Gustave Flaubert
Pub: 1857
Anna Karenina*
Leo Tolstoy
Pub: 1877 
Jude the Obscure*
Thomas Hardy
Pub: 1895 
Ethan Frome*
Edith Wharton
Pub: 1911 
Middlesex*
Jeffrey Eugenides
Pub: 2002
Most Anticipated TBR:
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Pub: 1892  
Surfacing
Margaret Atwood
Pub: 1972 
If On a Winter's Night a Traveler*
Italo Calvino
Pub: 1979 
Birdsong
Sebastian Faulks
Pub: 1993 
Felicia's Journey*
William Trevor
Pub: 1994  

Titles new to me:
The Return of the Soldier
Rebecca West
Pub: 1918 
The Well of Loneliness                                            
Radclyffe Hall                                                                        
 Pub: 1928
* Owned

I've enjoyed making lists and thinking back on all the books I've read in my life.  I'm looking forward to exploring new work and finding new favorites.

I know this is quite a popular title in the book world, so I'm hoping you'll share your own experience and favorites!




15 comments:

  1. I always love this blog because I get exposure to titles I've never heard about before. Thanks, Beth!

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    1. Yay! Glad I could do that, Brent. There are actually many titles in this tome that I had never seen before (far more than what I listed above). You should think about taking a peek at a copy!

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  2. I received this for Christmas a few years ago, too, and I love it! It's a great source for discovering new books. I forget what my grand total is up to, but I've starting writing in the date every time a read a book from the list.

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    1. Oh! That's a perfect idea. I wouldn't even mind recording in the book itself (gasps!). I doubt I'll tackle every title listed but I'm sure there's a good portion of those that I will eventually. It really is such a perfect gift for book lovers.

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  3. I got this book last Christmas from my sister and I sat with it for weeks with post-its! I had one color to label the ones I read, one for the ones I owned but haven't read and another for books I wanted to read in the next couple of years. So dorky and so much fun! I'm glad you are enjoying the book so much! Guarantee this will be a book you go back to over and over.

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    1. Brenna,
      It really is so dorky. But, I mean, it's just so awesome. Really. I know it's going to be the center of the coffee table for the rest of my life. Haha. I love the color label comment! I should have done that... I just made little abbreviations. :)

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  4. I have the older edition of this, I think I'm on about 75. I'm always gutted when I read a classic and it isn't in the list - Villette isn't in it and neither is The Beautiful and the Damned!

    Nancy Pearl's Book Lust and Book Lust To Go are great for list making too.

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    1. Sam,
      75! Wow.. I've got some work to do. And I think Villette is in this edition. I've read other reviews on Book Lust and it seems pretty good too. Perhaps most book lovers and obsessive list makers as well?! I know I am.

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  5. What a great gift idea! I know a bunch of people who would love to receive this but am rather tempted to just buy it for myself instead... what fun to look through and make lists!

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    1. Anne,
      It really is a perfect gift for those readers in your life. You may never finish all 1001 (especially when the editions add/subtract certain titles), but it's fun to thumb through and learn a little bit more about the authors and the reasons why they were chosen. You should definitely grab a copy, or add it to a wish list!

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  6. FUN! I think my list of "already read" books would stack up much the same. Looking forward to your thoughts on these as you work through!

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    1. Andi,
      Honestly, I thought I had read more than what I finally figured. I'm on a classics kick after reading your Madame Bovary review. I'm even contemplating War and Peace... yikes!

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  7. I have a spreadsheet of this list but not the book although I really want the book!

    I have read around 75 so far and according to the spreadsheet if I read 8 per month Ill be done be the time im in my late 40s lol

    I have mostly read the ones around the 1900s like Dickens and the Brontes period and then again around the 1900 - 1930s

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    1. Jessica,
      A spreadsheet! I didn't think about that. I'm pretty partial to my post-its (I might even have a problem). I need to up my game because 75 seems to be the norm. Could I finish 50 this year? Not likely. I'm actually in an Austen mood because I feel like I haven't read some titles that I thought I had and just want to revisit a few.

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  8. I got this for Christmas a couple of years ago, and I'm (very) slowly making my way through. I've read several, but I'm planning to re-read any from my pre-blogging days. I'm aiming to read 24 a year, so I'll finish in about 40 years! Enjoy!

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