I entered a contest on a young man's blog (age 14) who promised extra entries if you told him what book he should read before he dies.
Now, I don't know about you guys, but when I think of the one book you should read before you die, I'm thinking a life-altering piece of art that you can't help but reread and perhaps use to define your own world because of the impression it has made on you.
So, I copied down the book each commenter wrote (minus their names to protect the innocent - but most are fellow book bloggers). And I'd like to know what you think of the list, if it's worthy of a 'before you die' choice. And of course, what would you choose as the one book a person should read before they die?
(I've bolded the ones I've read. Green is trackgeek. My suggestions that I used on his blog are also blue.)
Garden of Angels, by Lurlene McDaniel
Watership Down
The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Signal to Noise, by Neil Gaiman
The Giver, by Lois Lowry
Poison Study, by Maria V. Snyder
The Hunger Games
Catcher in the Rye, by J. D. Salinger
Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak
Vampire Academy Series, by Richelle Mead
anything by Jane Austen
anything by William Dalrymple
Vampire Academy Series, by Richelle Mead (2)
The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky
The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde
A Dirty Job, by Christopher Moore
Fablehaven, by Brandon Mull
American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton
The Awakening, by Kate Chopin
Vampire Academy Series, by Richelle Mead (3)
Harry Potter Series, by J. K. Rowling
To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
The Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein (2)
The Hunger Games (2)
The Knife of Never Letting Go
The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
Shadowfall, by James Clemens
City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare
Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
Tuck Everlasting
City of Bones, by Cassandra Clare (2)
Before I Fall
The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
Graceling, by Kristin Cashore
When You Reach Me
The Outsiders (2)
Memoirs of A Geisha
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Giver, by Lois Lowry (2)
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak (2)
Shiver, by Maggie Stiefvater
Fallen
If I Stay
The Dark Divine, by Bree Despain
Harry Potter Series, by J. K. Rowling (2)
The Rag and Bone Shop, by Robert Cormier
anything by Jasper Fforde
The Awakening, by Kate Chopin (2)
The Five People You Meet In Heaven, by Mitch Album
The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak (3)
The Shack, by Wm. Paul Young
Paper Towns
Looking For Alaska, by John Green
anything by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Hawksong, by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (2)
Spud, by John van de Ruit
Persuasion, by Jane Austen (2)
Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging, by Louise Rennison
The Hunger Games (3)
The Hunger Games (4)
Middlemarch, by George Eliot
The Ranger's Apprentice series, by John Flanagan
Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo
So what do you think? Are these appropriate for a 14 year old boy? What about when he's 60? Is it really necessary to read these books before you die?
6 comments:
I happen to agree with most of these (I really agree on Persuasion!). Although, I find the list lacking, too. I mean how can you not have The Jungle on there? Or Shadow of the Wind? There are so many goods books I've read that I'm glad I found and I'm sure there a bunch of books still out there that will continue to astound me. I'll have to check on some of the books listed.
I agree with you when you say that books you need to read before you die are life-altering pieces of art. To be honest, I wouldn't consider many of the books on the list to fit into that life-altering category. To be fair, there are many books on this list that I haven't read yet and I'm sure many of them are great, but not life-altering. For example, I think The Hunger Games is an incredible book, but I wouldn't put it on the list of 'must read before you die.' I'd say it is a must read, but not quite in the league of books that you really need to read before you die.
He is only 14, so I suppose a lot of these books are more age-appropriate for him, but I would go with books like To Kill a Mockingbird and The Giver instead of some others on the list. I may be biased here because those are two of my all-time favorite books, but I also feel they are very thought-provoking and could potentially be considered life-altering.
I think all books are for all ages, but that is just me....
you did good at any rate.
I don't think some of these books are even books a 14 year old boy would want to read. I know I don't. (I won't go into that.)
I agree with you about books to read before you die, I think they should be books that are life altering pieces of art. However, who is to say what that is for people? I thoroughly enjoyed "Three Cups of Tea". It changed me, but others do not appreciate it. I try not to suggest books to a person unless I know them and can give them something they would truly appreciate.
No, I don't think these are all "Must read before you die". If I was compiling the list, I would research and get opinions from people (that I know personally), but make it my own.
Okay. True story. When I first saw this I thought it said, "What books should I read before I DIET?"
First thought was, "Ummm, some very good cookbood with LOTS of photos!"
Hah.
I have a lot of reading to do... ;)
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