"The 10 Greatest Books of All Time"

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by FarrahWaters

Are you saying I was unsophisticated at 17? Sometimes a reread of a book carries less weight than it used to. Sometimes it becomes more profound. I guess that's when you know it's a great book.

No mention of Hemingway from anyone?

I did really like For Whom the Bell Tolls.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

I would NEVER attempt to make a list of the ten greatest books since I can't imagine having read enough books to feel qualified to make such a presumption.

I agree with this. My list was not my own; it was my prediction as to what a poll of academics would select as the top ten. I will boast, however, that I have read seven of the ones I identified, and they would all make my top ten list of personal favorites. I have not read the Divine Comedy, Paradise Lost or Don Quixote.

Note that they all deal with man and his relationship with God or gods in some significant manner. In my personal top ten I would add Great Short Works of Leo Tolstoy, On the Nature of the Universe, and Blood Meridian.

[Surfah]

Originally Posted by Detroitdad

Any list of great books must have Catch-22 on it. I refuse to take any other list seriously.

In addition my list would include:
Don Quixote
Grapes of Wrath
One Flew Over the CUckoo's Nest
Watership Down
Hiroshima

That's a good list. Watership Down is the only book I haven't read and may need to pick up a copy since I enjoyed the others listed. Hiroshima I read in an AP Chemistry class in HS. It was required reading. I always thought that was interesting. It sure beat the hell out of the electron cloud configuration.

I also liked Cali Coug's mentioning of Lord of the Flies. As far as other books I read while a teen that I loved would be anything by Robert Cormier. I Am the Cheese and The Chocolate War stand out.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by Detroitdad

Any list of great books must have Catch-22 on it. I refuse to take any other list seriously.

In addition my list would include:
Don Quixote
Grapes of Wrath
One Flew Over the CUckoo's Nest
Watership Down
Hiroshima

Pardon my ignorance (again), but several books have been published with the title "Hiroshima". Are you referring to the John Hersey book?

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by surfah33

That's a good list. Watership Down is the only book I haven't read and may need to pick up a copy since I enjoyed the others listed. Hiroshima I read in an AP Chemistry class in HS. It was required reading. I always thought that was interesting. It sure beat the hell out of the electron cloud configuration.

I also liked Cali Coug's mentioning of Lord of the Flies. As far as other books I read while a teen that I loved would be anything by Robert Cormier. I Am the Cheese and The Chocolate War stand out.

I love Hiroshima (as much as one can love a book about the aftermath of an atomic bomb being dropped) and not many people have heard of it.

As for Watership Down, it is a kid's book, but I loved it so much as a kid that I had to include it.

[Detroitdad]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Pardon my ignorance (again), but several books have been published with the title "Hiroshima". Are you referring to the John Hersey book?

Yes, that is the one. It is a first hand account of the aftermath of the dropping of the atomic bomb.

I also love "A Bell for Adano" by John Hersey. Two of my favorites and very sentimental, because my dad gave me his copies from growing up.

[UteStar]

Best List, I don't know...but man, when I was in high school, I sure thought 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' was an amazing book. I haven't read it since then but it sure did stick in my head for a lot of years.

[mpfunk]

Originally Posted by marsupial

Since you like satire, I was wondering if you have read A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole?

I have not, perhaps I will check that one out. Yes I think it is obvious from my list that I enjoy satire.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by mpfunk

I have not, perhaps I will check that one out. Yes I think it is obvious from my list that I enjoy satire.

I've started it many times, just never finished it.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

I did really like For Whom the Bell Tolls.

Me too.