# Top 100 books of the C20th- How many have you read? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 16, 2002, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164 "2002-08-16T08:29:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/1 "2002-08-16T08:29:46Z")
You can view the Waterstone’s Top 100 list [here…](http://www.curious.org.uk/top-100-books.htm) (Mods, I know this is a sort of poll, but thought it best suited in here. ) You may disagree with the choice of books on this list, as no ones list would ever be the same due to the extreme subjectivity of the subject. But the question is: How many of the books listed here have you read? _(Don’t count feature film or cartoon adaptions you may have seen)_ I have read **43** of the books on this list, and currently reading no. **44.** (Paddy Clarke ha ha ha by Roddy Doyle) ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/2 "2002-08-16T09:40:56Z")
1. The list seemed very Brittish. I missed a lot of American books I think are worthy of such a list. And there were quite a few clasics that I’ve tried to read, but found an utter waste of time and dropped: e.g. Huxley’s Brave new World. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/3 "2002-08-16T09:46:46Z")
The survey was carried out by Waterstone’s and Channel 4 in the UK, so a British bias is to be expected. I’ve read 24, but some of the books on that list makes me wonder. Books like **It** , **The Stand** and **Jurassic Park** might be enjoyable, well-written and popular, but 20th century classics? Nahh. And as for **The Rainbow** – well, that is one of the worst, most overblown books I’ve ever had the misfortune to read. ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/4 "2002-08-16T09:55:33Z")
Yep, guess it it is very British. The New York Times pubilshed a similar list at the same time, and the two lists had about 30 books in common, if I remember correctly. So there is a lot of difference in opinion. “Brave New World” is one of my favourite ‘Dystopia’ books. ( Along with Fahrenheit 451, Clockwork Orange, 1984 etc…) You should try to perservere. ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/5 "2002-08-16T10:00:05Z")
**Crusoe** , I think it was readers votes list, so Stephen King got more books voted for than any other writer. Enid Blyton was second, Agatha Christie third. Its not a literary critics list by any means. I think they took a book from each ‘catagory’ to add in somewhere, hence Delia’s cook-book being included. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/6 "2002-08-16T10:14:12Z")
Only 22. (And I majored in English lit. ☹ But my focus was 19th century Romantic poets, so there.) Yeah, it’s very UK-centric. You’ve got to be kidding me, though, ranking Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting at 10, HHGTG at 24, On The Road at 14, but Nabakov’s Lolita gets a lowly 31? 31??? And Master and the Maragrita at 63! Hey I love Douglas Adams and all, but sorry, he’s no Bulgakov, Give me a freakin’ break. I mean, zheesh, even friggin “High Fidelity” makes the top 100, yet not one Hemingway or Faulkner novel? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/7 "2002-08-16T10:16:58Z")
Ah…missed your post, Aro. But if it’s a readers list, how does Ulysses get on at number 4? I know it’s the “greatest novel of the 20th century,” sure, but even the avid readers I know tend to shy away from it. ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/8 "2002-08-16T10:20:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pulykamell \* > \*\*Ah…missed your post, Aro. But if it’s a readers list, how does Ulysses get on at number 4? I know it’s the “greatest novel of the 20th century,” sure, but even the avid readers I know tend to shy away from it. \*\* ‘Ulysses’ is the only one in the top 15 I’ve not read too. I guess people voted for it 'cause they had _heard_ it was a great book. Who knows? The general public are very fickle. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/9 "2002-08-16T10:20:34Z")
36–after I finish _Beloved_ for a class that starts on the 26th. ---
**Author:** ![Jabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@Jabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jabba)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/10 "2002-08-16T10:28:47Z")
34 and yes that is a depressing list. ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/11 "2002-08-16T10:38:14Z")
Would people have been happier if I had posted [this list?](http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100best/novels.html) (by the board) It has more of an American slant to it. On this list (By the Board, not the readers) I have read only 17 books. In fact, there are books on it I have never even heard of. I never realised there would be such a gulf between the US and Europe in Western Literature opinions. Mmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/12 "2002-08-16T10:45:24Z")
I didn’t know Roald Dahl played _Doom_. Only 19, though the fact that _Jurassic Park_ made it, but _Atlas Shrugged_ didn’t suggests the list is a crap-pile of hooey. ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/13 "2002-08-16T10:52:31Z")
I’ve not read _Atlas Shrugged_, but reviews seem varied. > [@](#): > > This novel is not well-enough written to be literature, not coherent enough to be a thesis, not exciting enough to be an epic, too repetitive to carry the reader along. A thousand-page novel has to be entertaining, but this one just leaves the reader wishing Ayn Rand had employed a decent editor. Every word spoken by every character adds up to a two-dimensional representation of the views that the author presents in an utterly unbalanced manner. The novel makes some valid points, but why does it have to be so damn turgid? > > The book is extremely well-written with an entertaining plot. The fact that English was Rand’s second-language makes it even more momentous. Her philosophy however, well it’s a bit of a joke really really. Unconnected to the real world, and whilst has specks of truth is too idealistic to ever be true. He bad guys are mega bad and her good guys, (or gal), are mega-good. A bit cowboys and indians and I suppose some might say a bit too American. They’d be right, but remember, whilst the Lone Ranger and co might not be accurate, it’s pretty good to read. Would you recommend it? ---
**Author:** ![kitarak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kitarak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitarak)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/14 "2002-08-16T10:52:35Z")
I’ve only read 15 on that list. And I live in the UK. ::hangs head in shame:: If it helps, 10 more are on my ‘to read’ list. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/15 "2002-08-16T10:56:49Z")
34, and yes, there’s a lot to disagree with. (_Delia Smith???_) On the American ones: 21 on the board’s list, 37 on the readers’ (but I don’t trust any list that includes _that_ much Ayn Rand and L. Ron Hubbard.) ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/16 "2002-08-16T11:30:48Z")
Ugh, post got eaten. I’ve read 17 on the list, some on the list suprised me like _The Unbearable Lightness of Being_ and _Master and Margarita_ that I did not expect to be there. Reading some of the childrens books,mostly from Dahl helped too. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/17 "2002-08-16T11:31:48Z")
Yes, I’d recommend _Atlas Shrugged_, but the material has to be put in context. At a time when it seemed downright plausible that communism was going to take over the world (or at least make one hell of an attempt), Rand argues for embracing capitalism. In the post-Gorbachev world, her work might seem outdated and even a bit silly, but it couldn’t sneak onto a list containing _High Fidelity_ and _The Horse Whisperer_? The list is bull-plop. Bull-plop! ---
**Author:** ![Banger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@Banger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banger)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/18 "2002-08-16T11:53:29Z")
27 on the UK list, 28 on the Modern Library Board’s list, and 32 on the Modern Library readers’ list, plus each list had about 10 books each (or overlapping titles) that are sitting on my bookshelves waiting to be read. My count on each list will go up by one shortly, as I started **Brideshead Revisited** by Evelyn Waugh last night. So far, so good 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@Jabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jabba)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/19 "2002-08-16T11:53:59Z")
I’ve read 21 from each of the Modern Library lists and no, neither of them struck me as noticeably better than the Waterstones one. If we’re comparing lists, there’s also [The Radcliffe List](http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100best/radcliffe.html), [Anthony Burgess’s list](http://www.interleaves.org/~rteeter/grt99.html) and, if you’re really in the mood for self-improvement, [Philip Ward’s list](http://www.interleaves.org/~rteeter/grtward.html). ( This last is not just of 20th century books). ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2002, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164/20 "2002-08-16T11:59:26Z")
Only 23 here. Saw a lot of the movie versions, tho. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-100-books-of-the-c20th-how-many-have-you-read/124164.md?page=2)