December 28: Books of the Millenium

(Don't tell me, I know, I know, but what's one year in a thousand? Well, pretty much, I guess, since two of the top ten came into paperback this year.)


Puzzled sons-in-law.
(Yes, the guru fixed the 'puter so it would talk to the camera.)

Best Books of the Century (as picked by Amazon.com readers.) While surfing around in there, I found the "best books of the millenium." I'm going to discuss the first 25.

  1. The Lord of the Rings ~ J. R. R. Tolkien. I've read this whole series once, when first married. Rich was fascinated by it, but with my experience in Oz and other fantasies, I just enjoyed it. I've reread the first two books about two years ago.
  2. Gone With the Wind ~ Margaret Mitchell. I've read this book three times, at 16, 23 or so, and 30-something. It's time for a re-read. Each time I found new things, or understood the characters better.
  3. To Kill a Mockingbird ~ Harper Lee. I've read this when it was assigned when I was in high school, and again when Bernadette was assigned it in high school. I also loved the movie.
  4. The Catcher in the Rye ~ J. D. Salinger. I went to high school while this was still a subversive book and not assigned, so I read it then, but for fun.
  5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone ~ J. K. Rowling. Good book. I haven't yet read the others, but I will.
  6. The Stand ~ Stephen King. I have to admit I have never read a full-length King. Sunshyn will disown me. (I like his short stories, does that count?)
  7. Ulysses ~ James Joyce. I read "Portrait of the Artist" when Vince was assigned it, but have never tackled Ulysses.
  8. Atlas Shrugged ~ Ayn Rand. You can tell this is an Internet list by all the Ayn Rand. I've not read any of them. I find what I know of her philosophy repugnant.
  9. The Grapes of Wrath (20th Century Classics) ~ John Steinbeck. I've read this one twice, both times before moving to California.
  10. 1984 ~ George Orwell. I first read this in high school, again, not an assignment. I've read it a couple of times since, but didn't read it in the appropriate year.
  11. The Great Gatsby I've never read it. Again, I don't think much of FitzGerald's lifestyle.
  12. The Hobbit I read this as a child, and again and again.
  13. Virtue of Selfishness : A New Concept of Egoism (Ayn Rand) Ayn Rand. I've not even heard of this one.
  14. Dune I read this in my early 20s and LOVED it, and I've reread it once. I bogged down in the later books. He should have stopped with this one.
  15. Pride and Prejudice The first time I was about 14, the most recent re-reading was last year. Love it love it love it.
  16. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [UNABRIDGED] Yeah, most of it. And many times.
  17. Hamlet Huh? Well, lots of times for this one, too.
  18. War and Peace My Mom never made it through this, but I read it and loved it. The BBC version with Anthony Hopkins as Pierre is wonderful, too. I intend to reread it. I got started on that in 1996 but got sidetracked. Maybe in 2000.
  19. Left Behind (Left Behind #1)
    by Tim F. Lahaye. I've never even heard of this one.
  20. Catch-22. Heller just died. I've not read the book, but of course I know about it.
  21. The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin. I should have read this one, but I haven't.
  22. A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving. I'm probably the only person in the world who didn't like this one. I didn't like the anti-Catholicism, and the SHOUTING irritated me to excess.
  23. Angela's Ashes : A Memoir
  24. The Fountainhead. Ayn Rand again.
  25. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams. Of course I've read this and reread this. I am totally amused that now there are telephone sanitizers. A laugh-out-loud in public book. (Another, I discovered one day in the jury duty holding room, is EMMA. It helped that I had seen "Clueless.")

One of my faves, Count of Monte Cristo, wasn't in the top 100. Let's assume it's number 101, though.

Read any good books lately?


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