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2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 I agree this book is misnamed Jul 13, 2009
I agree with some other folks that this book should not be called "1001 Books" but rather "1001 Novels." One reason that people compile lists like this one is to get people arguing about what was left out, what was included, etc. There is some valuable information in the book and if it leads some readers to some great novels, that is a wonderful thing. But it is heavily weighted toward late 20th century novels and leaves out many great works from earlier in the century and from the 19th century as well. There are a number of books listed, particularly from the last 10 or 15 years, that I am entirely comfortable leaving the earth having not read. The book can be a fun read, but by all means don't make it your only source as a reading list. Make sure you check out the most recent version of the New Lifetime Reading List for some balance.
 WHY MUST I READ THESE???? Jun 12, 2009
Recently I have been in a "reading rut" and purchased this book hoping to get some really great recommendations. My first thought after reading the first book suggestion was "why should I read this particular book?". The short summaries included do not tell you what is so great about the book. It's just like every other synopsis. That's not good enough for me. I was hoping to get an actual real-life "this book is great because...". I could have just looked at any recommended book list and saved myself $28.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Excellent resource for what it is, a simple run down of books May 15, 2009
I was prepared to be annoyed and dislike this book, I was fully prepared to feel let down by its casual reference to various books and eras - but I have come away from it inspired by it. I think it is a perfect resource for what it seems to set out to do - list 1001 books that you should read before you die.
Well now, here is the issue. There is no way I am going to read some of them - American Psycho? No way - I just can't get into the ultra voilence of that kind of book - and Tristram Shandy - no way - I've tried that it was virtually unreadable. What the book does extremely well, however, is that it reviews the book succinctly and puts the book in context for not its own time and in history.
The editor, Peter Boxall, did an excellent job on keeping each review to a page, and ensuring that each of them made excellent reading on their own. It is a bit like reading a good Haiku after you have read the Lady of Shallot, both are excellent, but the Haiku leaves you savouring for more. Each review I read left me wanting to read more.
There will always be arguments about other books which should be included and ones which should be left out - and I can think of several in both cases, however all technical arguments aside, if you are going to pick 1001 books through the entire history of printing to put in a list, I think this has been an excellent job.
Certainly from my especial interest in Early nineteenth century literature (Jane Austen, Edgeworth, Shelley and co) I felt the list was comprehensive, the selection very reflective of the times, and the reviews were exceptionally well done.
Overall I think this is an inspiring book, well done and extremely useful.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Not exactly a must-read May 06, 2009
This is a curious book with a curious notion behind it: That one must read certain books in order to feel well-read. It's not enough to be a voracious reader if all we read are the latest magazines and newspapers, or the latest best-seller, or loads of junklit. This is a book which purports to be a reference to literature which has had an impact on the world, and on our collective imagination, but it omits such obvious influences as Shakespeare and The Bible without explanation of any sort. Surely these two works have had as much influence on the Western world as all the rest put together, and Shakespeare, at least, has a universal appeal which cuts across any religious lines.
A quick examination shows a volume weighted heavily towards contemporary literature. More than 700 of its 900+ pages are devoted to 20th and 21st century works. While I don't doubt that many, if not most, of these works are worth reading, I would question the notion that all have and will continue to have a great impact on world thought. While I am heartened to find works by many non-Western authors within the same two chapters, I have to wonder why so few appear in earlier chapters. I also can't help but wonder about why pre-eighteenth century literature is limited to about 20 pages, and we go from Aesop to the 19th century in about 150 pages.
I spent a couple of hours marking each book I'd already read - an occupation more amusing than useful - and discovered to my dismay that I'm not nearly as well-read as I'd hoped. At least by the standards of this book. And yet by most standards I know I am well-read. Again, curious.
In all honesty, as interesting and even useful as I find this book, I find that my objections to both inclusions and exclusions to be about equal. While the commentary is good, often fascinating, I don't see that it can make up for the weight given to contemporary and Western literature, particularly English-language works.
1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die Mar 05, 2009
A brilliant resource! An aggregation of literary minds have compiled the top 1001 works of fiction available in English. Each half-page review is a delight to read in itself. And as a guide for further reading - for the rest of your life - this book is unequalled.
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