A Study In Contrasts
So I’ve spent a lazy Sunday doing silly things like signing up for stuff like StumbleUpon, which is what lead me eventually to stumble upon this list of the “100 Best Novels” from randomhouse.com. This list includes a critics list and a reader’s list. Comparing the top 10 from each confirms my deep rooted suspicions that the internet is populated predominantly by crazy people.
I am torn on which list I should scoff more. I have read the first chapter of Ulysses and wondered how anyone could thin that was worth the effort to read. The other list predominantly covered with L. Ron Hubbard books, although I have never read any of his fictional books, I have read his book on dianetics and if the quality of writing is the same then if the content was not adult in nature, it surely would be on the top 10 children’s list.
I really can not comment on other books on the lists; although I have started 1984 and plan to read Catch-22, I just couldn’t get into Lord of the Rings. Regardless, I would concur that the people who compiled this list teetering on the brink of sanity at best.
Comment by Rob — April 17, 2008 @ 7:54 amWell, my intent was not so much to laud Ulysses, nor was it to impugn 1984, Catch-22 (highly recommended!), or LOTR. More to call into question a top 10 with 4 Ayn Rand books and 3 LRHs.
Comment by Nathan — April 17, 2008 @ 5:10 pmYeah, I sorta on the soapbox for a bit. But I agree to questioning that list with Rand and Hubbard.
After reading up on Rand and knowing the type of writing Hubbard does it was quite perplexing that such a list could be complied. However, I then remembered of the people I knew who read highly in depth philosophical books and how smart they felt by reading them and regurgitated the book’s ideas as if it was their own, and the mass amount of science fiction geeks who consume vast amounts of sci-fi material and paraphernalia … not to mention all those kooky scientologists who insist upon reading all of Hubbard’s work.
As for Catch-22, I have read a few pages of it and thought it was great. My problem is getting through all the books I keep buying and never really getting around to reading.
Comment by Rob — April 18, 2008 @ 2:56 pm