Re: Before you die lists

Gene Ward Smith wrote:
Having complained so bitterly about the British librarians list, I suppose I should give my own version, and invite anyone else to join in the Tp 30 fun.

First theirs:

The Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Is there someone who actually likes this? This was the book that made me lose respect for literature nobel prize, back when I was in teens. Haven't since cared to pick up a book just because cover said author is a nobel laureate - though I've read several & liked too, it's never because of nobel stamp.

The Prophet by Khalil Gibran
Once I shared a room with someone who liked to keep it - I think for show, that he has great taste - I never saw him reading it but it was always at a prominent place visible to visitors. I tried reading - could never go beyond first few pages.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
I liked both these, but on an all time list? No way.

A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzenhitsyn
Wasn't this about a political prisoner in Soviet Union days - sent to a labor camp in Siberia?

The Republic
OK - I am not very learned in Greek classics - tried only a few Platos & Aristotles. But if I have to put something from that era - at least for non-western audiences, I would go for Apology; at least it was fun to read, & demystified Socrates.

War and Peace
I assume you are familiar with period history of Russia. I found it way too tedious. And any book so thick should probably be disqualified from all time lists :)

Stranger in a Strange Land
Huh - on an all time list?

I know there tend to be varying opinions about Ayn Rand, but Atlas Shrugged is probably among the, if not the, fastest moving western books in Bombay book shops. And among the most bootlegged - according to some, the ultimate test of a book's popularity. Even the urchins that can afford to stock may be just a dozen books every morning & must clear the entire stock by afternoon selling them a signal tend to stock it - it moves that fast. And that for an author who is way too critical of India, & ignorant too! If that is not a test for a classic, I don't know what is. I will unhesitatingly put it on the list. And yes, I'm a fan.


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