Read These Before Dying: Top 10 Books

[PrezLeefun]

http://shopping.aol.com/articles/2008/07/08/10-books-to-read-before-you-die/


Gone With the Wind

Lord of the Rings

Harry Potter Series

The Stand

The DaVinci Code

To Kill a Mocking Bird

Angels and Demons

Atlas Shrugged

Catcher In The Rye

The Holy Bible



Which have you already read? Which ones will you read?

I have read the Harry Potter Series, as you know because I can't shut up about it.

I also read To Kill A Mockingbird. I love that book.

I have read parts of the Bible.

The only books I want to read from the list are The Catcher In the Rye and the Lord of the Rings.... but I would need patience for that one.

[TeenageRepublican]

Gone With the Wind

Lord of the Rings

Harry Potter Series

The Stand

The DaVinci Code

To Kill a Mocking Bird

Angels and Demons

Atlas Shrugged

Catcher In The Rye

The Holy Bible



Which have you already read? Which ones will you read?

I have read the Harry Potter Series, as you know because I can't shut up about it.

I also read To Kill A Mockingbird. I love that book.

I have read parts of the Bible.

The only books I want to read from the list are The Catcher In the Rye and the Lord of the Rings.... but I would need patience for that one.

I've read:
"To Kill A Mockingbird"
"The DaVinci Code"
"Angels and Demons"
"The Stand" (It took me a couple of months, but I finally did it. I actually finished it last week.)
"Lord of the Rings"
and "Gone With the Wind".
I'm working on "The Bible" right now.

[hosl]

"Angels and Demons"
"DaVinci Code"
"Harry Potter" series
I need to get around to reading "The Bible"... or at least my half (old testament).
And I also need to read "Gone w/ the wind," "Lord of the rings," "Atlas Shrugged," and "Catcher and the Rye".

[PrezLeefun]

hosl, you're Jewish? Me too. And both halves are ours.

[hosl]

hosl, you're Jewish? Me too. And both halves are ours.

Yep, culturally and genetically I'm Jewish. But religiously I'm an atheist. But that's cool if you're religious. I'm not one of those people who flips out when he meets someone religious. So, nice to meet you. :D

[PrezLeefun]

Yep, culturally and genetically I'm Jewish.

Ditto.


But religiously I'm an atheist.

Its good you know atheism is a religion. lol.

But that's cool if you're religious. I'm not one of those people who flips out when he meets someone religious. So, nice to meet you. :D

Nice to meet you too. Though I have seen you on the boards quite a bit.

[Neil Peart]

I read the first three Harry Potter books, and I don't really have much interest in reading the rest.

I've read LOTR and parts of the Bible. I want to read Atlas Shrugged.

[hosl]

Its good you know atheism is a religion. lol.



:thumb:

Just like being bald is a hair color.

However, I am going to have a Bar-Mitzvah in respect to the Jews who've died/carried on the right for me to have one.

[TeenageRepublican]

Yep, culturally and genetically I'm Jewish. But religiously I'm an atheist. But that's cool if you're religious. I'm not one of those people who flips out when he meets someone religious. So, nice to meet you. :D

Same here, except religiously, I'm Christian.
I would rather have you be an Atheist than a Satanist or Scientologist.

[jayson]

Atlas Shrugged is a classic and should be required reading in high school. It sets the stage for a lot of modern (small L) libertarianism and conservatism.

[roguemerc]

Atlas Shrugged is a classic and should be required reading in high school. It sets the stage for a lot of modern (small L) libertarianism and conservatism.
Some of those libertarians are ridiculously inflexible when it comes to their political beliefs. They probably would have had a lot of what they wanted by now if they did not bitch at each other over the smallest things.

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

Gone With the Wind - Read it, multiple times

Lord of the Rings - Read it, loved it

Harry Potter Series - Never read it; will never read it; I would replace this one in the top ten with The Chronicles of Narnia series instead

The Stand - Read it, twice, best of King's books, period.

The DaVinci Code - Never read it; will never read it; I would replace this one with A Tale of Two Cities

To Kill a Mocking Bird - Will be reading it with my daughter for school this upcoming school year

Angels and Demons - Never heard of it; replace it with Watchers by Dean Koontz

Atlas Shrugged - Read it; would like to read it again as part of a book club so I can discuss it ... it's too heavy just to read it like a regular novel, imho

Catcher In The Rye - Never read it, doubt I ever will; Would replace it with A Modest Proposal

The Holy Bible - Read it, multiple times; will continue reading it; I highly recommend it to everyone

[PrezLeefun]

Homes you should totally read Catcher in the Rye. I forgot to link this.... it was a suggestion list from an aol article.


Now I have to go hunt for the link....

[M.C.]

Gone with the Wind-Average

Lord of the Rings-Read them, a bit nerdy, but I liked them. Guilty pleasure I guess.

Harry Potter Series-Never read, never will, stupid book, I'd like to hit JK Rowling with a hockey stick.

The Stand-Never Heard of it.

The DaVinci Code-Read it, didn't like it.

To Kill a Mocking Bird-Great book.

Angels and Demons-Never Heard of it

Atlas Shrugged-Never heard of it

Catcher In The Rye-One of my favorites, although I didnt shoot any of the Beatles after reading it, so I didn't get the full effect.

The Holy Bible-This is a great book.




I can think of some other great literature I may add some if you don't mind.



The DaVinci Code - Never read it; will never read it; I would replace this one with A Tale of Two Cities

Tale of Two Cities is a very good read

My favorite book is Henry Darger's In The Realms Of The Unreal. 19000 pages.

[PrezLeefun]

^^^Why the hate toward Harry and JK?

[PrezLeefun]

I had a little revelation in another thread. I would replace Gone With Wind (because I hate the story) with Roots. That is a powerful book I think every American should read. Took me about three times to do it but I did finish it.

[Maggie_T]

Gone With the Wind - Read it, multiple times

Me too, Sis. I know it almost by heart in two languages.

Lord of the Rings - Read it, loved it

Never read it. Saw all 3 films. :tongue:

Harry Potter Series - Never read it; will never read it; I would replace this one in the top ten with The Chronicles of Narnia series instead

I have the Chronicles of Narnia. As for HP, I'm not interested. I even lost interest in the films. Right after film #2.

The Stand - Read it, twice, best of King's books, period.

The only book I liked by Stephen King was The Shining. I don't know why I always get the impression that he never knows when or how to end a book, and so, he drags things on interminably. Well past the point of interest.

The DaVinci Code - Never read it; will never read it; I would replace this one with A Tale of Two Cities

Read TDVC. Laughed Out Loud. Trashed it.

Tales of Two Cities was wonderful.

To Kill a Mocking Bird - Will be reading it with my daughter for school this upcoming school year

Only saw the film. :blush:

Angels and Demons - Never heard of it; replace it with Watchers by Dean Koontz

Another Dan Whatshisname anti-Catholic fantasy. See my above post on The DaVinci Code.

Atlas Shrugged - Read it; would like to read it again as part of a book club so I can discuss it ... it's too heavy just to read it like a regular novel, imho

Agreed. Fine novel. But it could have used some editing.

Catcher In The Rye - Never read it, doubt I ever will; Would replace it with A Modest Proposal

Heard about it, of course. But never read it.

The Holy Bible - Read it, multiple times; will continue reading it; I highly recommend it to everyone

Revelations is my favorite part.

[Maggie_T]

I don't know about postponing going to your Maker to read them, but if you want to arrive on Judgement Day with a smile on your face and a sunny disposition (regardless of your record), read P.G. Woodehouse's books.

Written in perfectly flawless English, they are death-by-laughter funny. :thumb: Whenever I need a booster, I read one of Woodehouse's books. Puts Prozac to shame.

My other all-time favorite author is W. Somerset Maugham. I know some of his short stories by heart.

[Timberwolf]

The list:
Gone With the Wind - Haven't read it...don't know if I will

Lord of the Rings - Read them all, including The Hobbit and part of The Silmarillion (lost interest very quickly)

Harry Potter Series - Haven't read any of the books, but am watching the movies as they become available

The Stand - Read both versions, twice...this is the only novel that has truly scared the crap out of me.

The DaVinci Code - Haven't read it and won't.

To Kill a Mocking Bird - I think I read it in High School, but I'm not sure (hey...that's a long time ago, sue me :tongue: )

Angels and Demons - Don't recognize the title

Atlas Shrugged - This is one I haven't read, but want to

Catcher In The Rye - Read it in HS...it was alright

The Holy Bible - Best one on the list. Have read it and still do.
I would replace TDVC with The Dragon Riders of Pern and the Harry Potter series with The Chronicles of Narnia.

[Naturalized-Texan]

I've read:

Lord of the Rings
The Harry Potter Series
The Holy Bible

I have no interest in reading any of the others on the list. In fact, I've never even heard of The Stand or Angels and Demons.

[Valerie]

I've read:

Gone With the Wind

Lord of the Rings

The Stand

To Kill a Mocking Bird

Atlas Shrugged

[HomeschoolrsRUs]

I've read:

Lord of the Rings
The Harry Potter Series
The Holy Bible

I have no interest in reading any of the others on the list. In fact, I've never even heard of The Stand or Angels and Demons.

You should at least read Atlas Shrugged, it's worth it.

[Naturalized-Texan]

You should at least read Atlas Shrugged, it's worth it.
I tried reading The Fountainhead and gave up on it because it was too boring. I have no interest in Ayn Rand or in reading any of her books.

[jayson]

Angels and Demons is the prelude to The DaVinci Code. It's an excellent novel, better than TDVC, in my opinion. Both are great reads if you take them in the right light (that light being that they are fiction and should be thought of as such).

[DesertFox]

Only read Ayn Rand if you're young. As you gain experience, you lose all patience with her.

Prez's top 10:

Gone With the Wind -- Read it maybe a hundred times. Saw the movie 50 times. This is dramatic human psychology on the printed page, carried thru some of the most interesting history ever made in the best book of all time IMO.
Lord of the Rings -- Read 'em all several times, including the Silmarillion which has one of the most enchanting takes on creation you'll ever read anywhere.
Harry Potter Series -- Read none and plan to read none.
The Stand -- Read it. Disappointed.
The DaVinci Code -- Haven't read it. No plans to. My 10-year-old granddaughter did read it and recommends it highly.
To Kill a Mocking Bird -- Haven't read it. Plan to. Saw the movie. Great story
Angels and Demons -- Never hearduvvit
Atlas Shrugged -- Read it several times. It's enchanting when you're young. Then you find out Ayn Rand was just as much a petty lying swindler as those she attacks in this waaaaay overlong book, and it deflates her.
Catcher In The Rye -- Read it. A waste of time unless you're in high school, in which case it's a decent read.
The Holy Bible -- Read it long, long ago. I need instruction from someone who also knows philosophy and has some years on him.


My list of the most readable ten books ever penned follows:

Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell, fiction
War and Peace, Lev Tolstoy, fiction. This is Russia's GWTW, not as well done because not as cleanly done.
Witness, Whittaker Chambers, autobiography. The searing tale of one man's fight against Communism. Moral courage on display here, folks, along with almost incredible learning.
2001, Arthur C. Clarke, science fiction. One puts this book down feeling it is prophecy.
Monty Walsh, Jack Schaefer, western fiction. Schaefer makes you want to be Monty Walsh, to live in that narrow era when it meant something to be a cowboy.
The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck, psychiatry. Peck reveals in this book at the follow-on volume, People of the Lie, the origins of human evil. For spiritual people this may be the single most important book published in my lifetime. Peck is a practicing psychiatrist who discovered Christianity the hard way.
Birth of the Modern, Paul Johnson, history
The Gulag Archipelago, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, "literary" history. What were Stalin's gulags like? Here's the answer in three thick volumes. I'm the onliest person I know who read all three, including college professors.
The Closing of the American Mind, Allan Bloom. Cultural history of the implosion of American higher education. Bloom shows how we have followed the Germans, not even knowing we're doing it. This book and the next one, together, pretty-much constitute an education all in themselves.
Sexual Personae, Camille Paglia, art and culture.

If you read and master these ten books, you will have educated yourself well in the humanities.

[GreatDredScott]

Quick thoughts on the Top 10 at that link:

Gone With the Wind: Probably the best book on the list (excluding the Bible)

Lord of the Rings: Read The Hobbit and the trilogy of the LotR. Best of its kind, period.

Harry Potter Series: I've read the entire series. I now realize what time I wasted reading such crap.

The Stand: Decent, not great.

The DaVinci Code I have no desire to read this book.

To Kill a Mockingbird: Not sure it deserves the praise it gets, but it is a good book.

Angels and Demons: I have no desire to read this book.

Atlas Shrugged: I've changed my mind on this book. I used to think that it was mildly interesting. Now my opinion is that Rand couldn't write worth a damn and could only think slightly better than that. It's probably the weakest of the books that frequently find themselves on Top 10 lists.

Catcher In The Rye: Crap. At least it's short.

The Holy Bible: Read it.

[Naturalized-Texan]

I've never read Gone With the Wind, but I have a copy of the 1939 edition of the book that was published at the same time as the movie was released. It includes photo clips from the movie. It belonged to my Mother. I'm sure that it is now a valuable collector's item.

[Charity]

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
http://shakespeare.mit.edu/works.html

[Longhorn_Platinum]

:moo: I'm not interested in reading more books before I die. I'm more inclined to visit all 50 states. I only have six to go.

:biggrin: Say, Timberwolf, you wouldn't happen to have a nice guest room, would you?

[Longhorn_Platinum]

:moo: In the spirit of this thread, though, I'll just say that my past reading accomplishments include 12 times through the Bible, & once through The Kent Family Chronicles. I'm just not an avid reader.