The Booking Through Thursday question this week is:
We’ve all seen the lists, we’ve all thought, “I should really read that someday,” but for all of us, there are still books on “The List” that we haven’t actually gotten around to reading. Even though we know they’re fabulous. Even though we know that we’ll like them. Or that we’ll learn from them. Or just that they’re supposed to be worthy. We just … haven’t gotten around to them yet.
What’s the best book that YOU haven’t read yet?
About 7 or so blocks from my house sits a fabulous building FULL of fantastic books I haven’t read yet, most of which I will NEVER read, though they may ALL be priceless gems of literature. Time, interests, inspiration and even the information that the best book ever written might be found among the thousands and thousands of books there stack the odds against me. Therefore, I could not possibly say what the best book I’ve never read is, as I don’t know its title.
However, for the sake of answering this weeks question… my first BTT in a few months, I will answer what’s the best book that I know of that I have yet to read. A still-very difficult question to answer. Mt. TBR’s inventoryis in a sad state of incompletion and in need of updating. And, I suppose there are phenomenal books that I don’t have in my possession whose titles I know. Invariably, no matter what book I mention here, I will later say “A-ha! I forgot about THAT book!” later when I read other answers to this question.
But…. all that babbling aside… a quick answer to a seemingly innocently easy question: It would seem that over and over again Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison pops up on the lists, and is also on Mt. TBR. Another couple books I haven’t yet read but I consider some of the great books of literature are Atlas Shrugged (which I started a couple years ago, but stalled out) and Anthem (which was highly reco’d by a former instructor), both by Ayn Rand. Others on my own personal “I’d love to read that, but I haven’t got to it yet” list include: How Green Was My Valley by Richard Llewellyn (I am Welsh, you know 😀 ), In the Palaces of Memory by George Johnson and The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler (if for no other reason than the title’s hilarious).
Filed under: Booking Through Thursday | Tagged: Anthem, Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, book lists, book reading, Booking Through Thursday, Books, Carolyn Mackler, George Johnson, great books of literature, How Green Was My Valley, In the Palaces of Memory, Invisible Man, library, literature, Ralph Ellison, Richard Llewellyn, Welsh |
In the Shadow of Mt. TBR 
You’re list is funny!
Mine
Atlas Shrugged!!!! A friend of mine who owns a securtiy company bought each of her 50 or more employees a copy of that book for Christmas and encouraged them to read it. I plan to read it as well. It’ll probably take me a year as its 1000 pages or so! Yikes! But I’ve been told its worth the time. I also forgot Life of Pi on my list!
I’m Welsh, too – well, part Welsh (the worst part, my husband says!), but I’ve never read How Green Was My Valley, either. I liked the movie, though!
That’s an impressive list! Thank you for the reminder of How Green Was My Valley. Great film and I’d completely forgotten it came from a book.
I probably need to read Atlas Shrugged. I absolutely adored The Fountainhead (not really sure why… whenever I try to explain it to people, the plot sounds really boring, but it was fantastic). None the less, I’m assuming I’d probably like Atlas Shrugged as well.
Great post! I loved reading it.
Hehehe..gotta love a book title Kool Aid but as good at is I think ‘The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things’ is one book that’s a bit too ‘girly’ for me!
Otherwise great list!
Warmest
Rob
Thank you so much for visiting my blog and for your very encouraging words about Great Expectations. It can’t be bad if you have read it twice, I am definitely going to give it a go! Hope you have a good weekend!
I read Atlas Shrugged. I guess it was worth it! I read it in the 70s!
I haven’t read any of those, but they all look good. Thanks for visiting on BTT.