What’s the best book that YOU haven’t read yet?
Well, of course, the best book I haven't read is the book I haven't written yet!
Seriously, I'm not sure exactly how to answer that question. I mean, there are many thousands of books I haven't read out there on all those lists. How could I possibly know which is the best one of that unread number? I can say that there are several books that keep turning up on each of the best-book lists that are surprising to me. I hesitate to mention titles because – well, one person's trash is somebody else's certified classic, and I don't want to stir up a lot of ire and indignation.
But I will admit that there are quite a few books I myself consider "classics" that I haven't read yet. Some I fully intend to get to someday (Swann's Way, A Farewell to Arms, Sense and Sensibility, The Ambassadors, Rabbit Run, among many others); and some, although I know they're "worthy," just don't sound like my cup of tea (Last of the Mohicans, War and Peace, Tristram Shandy, The Naked and the Dead, anything by Charles Dickens).
This question was especially interesting to me because I recently read one of the classics I've had on my to-read list for many years – Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence. Don't know why it took me so long to get around to it. I'd been putting it off and putting it off, year after year, thinking it would probably bore me to death – one of those things you read because you know you should, like medicine you know you should take. And then I finally made myself sit down and read the thing, and loved it. It's become one of my absolute favorite books – one that I know I'll probably re-read in years to come. So I guess there's just no accounting for taste, is there? Not even one's own.Edith Wharton, 1915
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
I love The Age of Innocence too! It's one of my two absolute favorites.
ReplyDeleteWhen I answered I picked what I knew I was likely to love but for some reason was avoiding. There are plenty of books I should read, but usually I don't know if I'll really like it or not.
- Meghan @ Medieval Bookworm
I love your first line!
ReplyDeleteI guess I answered this a bit differently than everyone else. I chose a book from my TBR that people have been raving about and I haven't got around to reading yet. I really didn't think in terms of classics as I don't read them.
Happy Thursday!
'Age of Innocence' sounds interesting. My post is here, The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.
ReplyDeleteI now know it's not Middlemarch -- certainly not the best, anyway, but I will press on. --M
ReplyDeleteI've got some Wharton titles on my list... mostly because I think I need to pay a little homage to female authors who wrote back when it still wasn't easy for them. (I've got some George Elliot of my list too.)
ReplyDeleteI love your first line, too!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like we differ in taste -- I love Dickens. :-)
I just got to Jane Austen's books in the last couple of years, and The Last of the Mohicans is one I should add.
I agree and there are far too many classics that I've not read!
ReplyDeleteI'm gearing up for Sense and Sensibility, though it seems I keep finding another reason to put that one off!
ReplyDeleteI've never read Wharton. She's definitely classic, though!
There are just too many books and not enough time! I wanted to let you know that I gave you an award here.
ReplyDeleteI think I have The Age of Innocence somewhere in my stacks too!
ReplyDeleteI put off reading The Age of Innocence too until last year and loved it as well.
ReplyDeleteI have Wharton's The House of Mirth on my list, along with Elliot's Middlemarch.
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/btt030509
These look good.
ReplyDeleteMine
I like your answer. Let me know when the book is published. I'll put it on my tbr list. thanks for stopping by
ReplyDeleteNever read The Age of Innocence but I might look out for it now!
ReplyDeleteI've got so many but when I reflect upon the type of writing style that appeals me the most, I narrow it down to a short list.
ReplyDeleteAt first I couldn't make of the question because it really depends on what best is. I'm reading a very popular book that I'm probably the last person on earth to read it. Gone with the Wind. :)
War and Peace is really not as bad as the daunting size suggests. :)
A Farewell to Arms and The Last of the Mohicans are two of those books that I was forced to read in high school, and it was evidently such a traumatic experience I have blocked them entirely... lol. I do, however, remember watching their movie-versions after we finished the books themselves.
ReplyDeleteTristam Shady is a title I've been thinking about picking up, and Rabbit, Run is in my library. I recently reread Sense and Sensibility, which is an okay book, but not my favorite Austen.
Happy Reading :-)
I did not even TRY to answer this impossible-to-me question. You did a good job!
ReplyDeleteThe Age of Innocence is one Wharton I haven't read yet, but my daughter just read it last week
ReplyDeleteand loved it!
I'm so glad you loved The Age of Innocence. It's one of my absolute favourites and it steered me towards more excellent books from the same period. Can't agree with you on Dickens though!
ReplyDeleteI would like to read The Age of Innocence, too. Somehow it just always escapes me. :)
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteGreat list of books to read. I've seen several of them when they were made into movies but haven't read the books. Thanks for stopping by my place. Have a great evening!
Sherrie
I don't know why, but for some reason your list made me think of the Picture (Portrait?) of Dorian Gray (Grey?) which I've always wanted to read. I guess I should learn the actual title first though...
ReplyDeleteI just finished Sense and Sensibility last night, and I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see The Ambassadors on your tbr list and Dickens on the probably not list -- I thought I was the only one who was immune to Dickens' charms.
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