I am not a morning person. Yet I am drinking a cup of Waitrose Earl Grey tea at 6:30 am on a Saturday morning. Mushu, my pug, is trying to wedge his head between my lap and the laptop. The dogs and I are all wondering why we are up so early. And to be totally honest, I'm not sure. Something feels unsettled inside me, though. I haven't been able to sleep. You know the feeling.
So I decided this morning, while hopelessly keeping my eyes closed in bed, that I would give myself a project for distraction. I'm going to read 100 of "the best books," whatever that means. There are so many lists out there that I'm not sure which one I will use - and that is what this first post is about. I'll blog as I read because ever since I left college, I've missed writing about books. As some of you know, I have very little patience for a book that bores me, so though I will keep on reading, I also promise to frankly share my feelings about the books right here.
I realize this is a somewhat meaningless project for anyone but myself, but I have enough book-loving friends that I doubt I'll have trouble finding some moral support in the endeavor. And, like many bloggers before me who keep navel-gazing diaries online, I feel restless right now and need some psudo-intellectual centering.
It shouldn't surprise me that there are so many "top 100" lists online, but I am a bit baffled. The lists come from odd sources, also respected ones, and all of them are varied. Amazon.com readers don't hesitate to share their opinions on the best books. The whole concept of "Important Thing You Need to Do Before You Die" has never appealed to me though.
So here are the lists up for consideration. My initial idea was to read classics - which would mean re-reading some and picking up others for the first time (perhaps embarassingly for an English major). But I sort of love the Time list and NPR's oddball beachreads appeals to me too. I'm really just undertaking the project to help me focus - and as an amusing distraction. I'm not very good at distracting myself for very long unless I have a real "project" and a goal. So here are the lists up for consideration:
TIME's best English-language novels from 1923 to the present
Modern Library's 100 best novels, parallel to the site's readers' list of the 100 best
The Guardian's top 100 books of all time
NPR's Audience Picks: 100 best beach books ever
Couple o' thoughts. First, I really think you should pick the list that most appeals to you,m since any of these is a huge commitment. That said, since you are trying to take your mind off of things, the beach reads definitely looks like the most entertaining. The 100 books of all times lists always carry an appealing clout, but man, there's a lot of stuff in there that just looks to be a chore!
ReplyDeletePersonally, the Time list seems to me the most thematically intriguing -- you'd come out with an amazing sense of the breathe 20th century English lit. (Although why they start at 1927 is a mystery to me. Is it because Woolf/Joyce/Fitzgerald totally rewrote the rules for fiction?) And bonus -- it contains a good mix of high-falutin' and entertaining while guaranteeing you won't have to read scads of Ayn Rand. That said, the Modern Library list is also fairly recent works, so it might serve the same purpose.
Can't wait to start reading your literary thoughts!
-Megan
I vote for the beach list....it's a good mix of classic and contemporary. I think you'll appreciate the variety once you're in the depths of it all. I like the idea--happy reading! :)
ReplyDeleteHey hon!
ReplyDeleteI vote for doing half and half. Take the top 50 beach books and the top 50 of one of the literary lists. That way you'll get a good mix of impossible-to-put-down and supposed literary value. The beach reads may help with your stamina--maybe go every other as you work your way up the list(s).
The modern library lists seem to be the only literary lists that are ranked--so reading the top 50 of one of those could take some of the anguish out of picking and choosing from an alphabetized list of 100. (Though the alphabetized ones look great too!)
My first instinct was to go with smth like the Guardian list. But once you start looking through it you can sense their obligation to nod to literary greats rather than choose books people actually enjoy. Old Goriot and Things Fall Apart? Just...ok...But Borges, P&P, 100 Yrs of Solitude--obviously fabulous.
Since you're such a voracious reader I recommend that once you get to a book you've already read and don't feel the need to re-read, you fill in that spot with a book a friend recommended or one elsewhere on any one of these lists.
If you stick with the top 50 of two (or at least the beach read) lists, then you're still reading the supposed best books out there. It could also be fun to hear your thoughts on the quality of different lists. (And you can always mix more than 2 lists, 25 from each--in the end this will be YOUR list.)
As to random books I've read and loved this last year? The Cure for Modern Life--fun read. I was up til 3:30AM worknights reading it. Couldn't put it down. And as much as there's always a backlash against perceived chick lit, Eat Pray Love.(why is it always chick lit when there are female protagonists but just literature when they're men?) Just don't read it too soon after a breakup--otherwise you run the risk of either hating it or loving it (either/or and no in between).
What a great idea and goal! Can't wait to hear your reviews.
Also, request: could be neat if you ranked your own personal top 100 list at the end of this or even as you're going along(though if that's asking too much, no pressure, just enjoy!)
ReplyDeleteI love this project! Let me say I love the idea of compiling your own list. The Guardian list appeals to me the most because I really think it has no missed targets. I mean, you might not like all of them, but ALL of them are worth reading. And I love the way it doesn't have national or chronological restrictions. Talk about insights into the human condition--perfect for an inspirational life project!
ReplyDeleteBut I like the idea of the beach read too, for a different reason, because it's like committing yourself to being in the mindset of the beach every week out of the year, not just on vacation.
Which brings me to another point: I think you need a deadline for each book. I'd say a book a week. It sounds insane, but I think it might help from getting bogged down, and be kind of fun! I'd love to read about you reading through these.
I had another idea, too, about making up your own list. What if you asked 100 people for one book that they felt changed their life? Then you'd make your own list. I know it might be disappointing to them if you didn't like that book as much, but I think it could generate some interesting connections and collections, more so even than the wonks at NPR or the Guardian...