Comments on Best Books Ever - page 70

Pretty accurate.

I still like thinking " highbrow" would be my thing. All I do.is.read but,I was honest and not let ego get in my way I just have a collect of 679 books Allllll romances of different genres.

Embrace the simple books too! The highbrow ones will still be in your collection.

Richard wrote: "Embrace the simple books too! The highbrow ones will still be in your collection."

Precisely!

Yet both simple and highbrow can be either a wonder or a load of crap...

My experience with young readers (I'm part of an active readers' network) is that they read at least as much as my friends used to when we were in high school. However, there's a much greater diversity of texts available: online, self-published, even such new forms as visual novels, which can contain as much text as The Lord of the Rings--and compare in quality. (Try e.g. The Devil on G-string .) Actually, I've been thinking of proposing to add visual novels as a new book category here; since we can rate manga and other comics, they definitely fit in, too.

So, I attribute any worries about the quantity and quality of reading in our age to the "good old days" fallacy. Reading these days is no worse; it is different.

I'll be happy to hear about your experience in getting young people (20-) to read more; or discovering new patterns in their reading.

Listen, I don't think that books these days are less clever. Just it always will be the less clever and well written books that are popular, John Grisham was the same for my parents generation and the likes of the books on this list are for this one (again I like Harry Potter). I can think of a few so-called "highbrow" novels I have snubbed in my time, The Lord of the Rings (though I really liked the Hobbit), and I find that some general fiction is superior to the literary ones, Stephen King is probably the best writer I think who can transfer from genre to literary fiction (don't believe me then read one of his horror classics like Pet Sematary and then go read his short story collections like Different Seasons), so I am not a literary snob. Just some of these books that are highly ranked are absolutely ludicrous. We may have our books we enjoy as children and we carry them on into adulthood, then they do merit this list, but these books for pre teens and horny old women that are being presented here are actually very bad. Look me in the eye and say I prefer highbrow and only like books for the good old days, I'm not even eighteen, the good old days are today for me, just because I think (as well as a lot of other people) that the likes of Twilight and Fifty Shades of Grey are terrible books. A book should never be judged by its popularity, just because you like the book when making a list you have to take into account what this piece of entertainment has taught you and or how insightful and subtle the use of it was, in other words a book needs themes. With movies also, do people think Schindler's List is superior to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, of course they do, but Bill and Ted is still a much funnier and a film more likely to entertain, but its still the lesser film. Surely books should be treated in the same way. Twilight just teaches girls to have no personality and Fifty Shades of Grey is a poor pastiche of those in the real world who partake in sexual experimentation. To say that I miss the good old days, well I think most people would considering in the past writers who were considered the greatest now because of their classics which have stood the test of time lived, but as I said in a previous comment they need to stand the test of time. 1984 teaches us about totalitarianism and why our society should not be taken for granted, Twilight teaches us that vampires sparkle and that teenage American girls act like forty year old women.

Sean wrote: "Twilight teaches us that vampires sparkle and that teenage American girls act like forty year old women"

Have you actually read all four books? You may be surprised what the later installments teach us. :) (Incidentally, this is, I suppose, why they are not as well-loved as the earlier ones. They relied on their readers' growing up, at perhaps a faster rate than the time that passed between their publication. A similar fate befell The Host, S. Meyer's more mature book; it never caught on with most of Twilight's fans. They were still too young for it.)

I am neither defending nor attacking any of the books on this list. I don't see the point in that. For all intents and purposes, I see this list as "Our Most Favorite Books." ("Best Books" is hazy and unhelpful anyway: best how?) And why would I argue with what inspires other people?

So, I see your point, but I find nothing fruitful in pursuing that direction, so I won't go there.

Kalin wrote: "Sean wrote: "Twilight teaches us that vampires sparkle and that teenage American girls act like forty year old women"

Have you actually read all four books? You may be surprised what the later ins..."

No, I suppose the other books might be better and I am being a little presumptuous but I honestly think Meyer can't write, and people can be inspired by whatever they want Mein Kampf for example though Twilight is superior to that book. I have never read the Hunger Games and Order of the Phoenix is probably my favourite HP book, but yet all the books I and any of my friends who are still readers since their early teens ended dislike Twilight and a lot of the other crap here too. Most of the girls I know who liked Twilight five years ago couldn't give a rats ass about it now. I honestly think its high ranking derives from people who do read regularly not being on this site and being passionate enough to lobby against it, and my point is proven by the fact that it ranks high on Worst Books Ever lists as well. Inspiration comes from all corners but come on the voting system is a little hackneyed on this site (it's worldwide and there's a reason global elections don't happen), there should just be lists saying "My Favourite Books" from various goodreaders instead of a voting system, though I don't know why I'm complaining, I was expecting something like the Bible or the Koran to be on top (which in my opinion would be stupid because not many people alive today have actually read it) Also, can I just make a statement to all the people here bashing the Book of Mormon, if your going to come onto a website and say your holy book is better than someone else's prepare to have yours taken down a notch. I'm not a Mormon in fact I'm a secularist, but quit thinking you have superiority to them.

I quite agree. This new narrow one author one book ruins it.

I agree 100%. The list was perfectly fine. It's interesting to see what authors fan such passion that a bunch of their books pop up in the upper tiers, and what authors have a first book in a series super-high but can't maintain that in subsequent works...

Also, I've read all 4 Twilights and The Host. They are all horrid, and Meyer shows zero signs of improving as a writer.

Hunger Games, Twilight and Harry Potter?? This list is made to children for children.

Kalin wrote: "I attribute any worries about the quantity and quality of reading in our age to the "good old days" fallacy. Reading these days is no worse; it is different."

So it is. Yet concerning the "good old days" fallacy, um... Just some facts:

For at least a decade now, many a book boasts errors, typos and "scanos". Few seem to care, thanks to texting, for one thing, and poor quality becoming more and more acceptable, for another. It scares the Really Reading Readers away, though. At least, it causes a distaste.

For I do not even know how many decades now, various "Virtuous" and "Politically Correct" have been maiming and banning books they do not like. Mark Twain is but one example of many. At least, they demand the books either purged or banned. But for most RRRs a purged book is worse than Purgen (a laxative I hope they produce no longer, but one can never be sure).

Then (this might be happening in my own country only, but I cannot be sure, again), rather than support literature, they tax books like beer. They even tax the books publishers donate to libraries and such. What with a crisis after a crisis, many folks simply cannot afford books...

Oh well, this is sorta Off Topic here...

ETA: Description of list has changed, so I leave only this part of my original comment:

Neat how there are 342 pages, 34,129 books, that are the "best ever".

It's also neat that 125,844 people have voted on the list.

Adam wrote: "It's also flawed in that the same book with a different cover might be on the list twice in drastically different places (see Catch-22 or Lord of the Flies).

At least Mockingbird is #1, though."
i know right.

Bruce wrote: "I'm not going to argue with the Book of Mormon--either all religious texts are valid for a list like this, in which case it's merely interesting, or all religious texts should be off the list, in w..."
Huzzah!

Hunger Games above 1984?
I am seriously starting to doubt the credibility of the average GoodReads user.

No Offense

Josef wrote: "Todd wrote: "Best and worst list are certainly not meant to be definitive. Best and worst are so subjective. They are merely meant to elicit conversation and thought which they obviously have don..."

Are you really so dense to think more people have died because of the book of Mormon than The Bible or the Koran? How narrow minded you sound, did you even think before you said that or are you really that young?

Marla wrote: "this is the second list--worst books was the first--and i'm done. this is madness. i mean, how many mormons congregated to vote the book of mormon as a top 100 book? really?"
lol, that's awesome

Shanna wrote: "Marla wrote: "this is the second list--worst books was the first--and i'm done. this is madness. i mean, how many mormons congregated to vote the book of mormon as a top 100 book? really?"
lol, ..."

How many Mormons does it take to convert a light bulb?

Ed wrote: "How many Mormons does it take to convert a light bulb?"

Brilliant, Ed!!!

Dodo wrote: "Ed wrote: "How many Mormons does it take to convert a light bulb?"
Brilliant, Ed!!!"
Oh man, this is halarious, you guys make me laugh.

This list. Lol, thank you, I needed a good laugh today. Well, I suppose I should be grateful reading books is still a relevant pastime. :)

Shanna wrote: "Dodo wrote: "Ed wrote: "How many Mormons does it take to convert a light bulb?"
Brilliant, Ed!!!"
Oh man, this is halarious, you guys make me laugh."

Answer : It depends on how dim the bulb is !

To Kill a Mockingbird loses out to Hunger Games, Harry Potter #5 (the WORST Harry Potter book), and Twilight? I'd vote, but I cannot lend my participation to such a tragic list.

Ed wrote: "Answer : It depends on how dim the bulb is!"

:D

Doesn`t it also depend on how bright the Mormons are?

:D

Brandon wrote: "To Kill a Mockingbird loses out to Hunger Games, Harry Potter #5 (the WORST Harry Potter book), and Twilight? I'd vote, but I cannot lend my participation to such a tragic list."

Completly agree, I like the other Harry Potters, but number 5 was terrible. One of the few cases were the film was better. (Haven't read to Kill A Mockingbird yet)

I love all books. Some are better than others but who am I to judge when everyone has their own opinion. You like what you like. My favorite is The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. It's very good....and has depth for anyone who has a brain.

There are some good books on the list.

So...there are over 33,000 best books of all time? And the very best books ever written just happen to have been written mostly in the last fifteen years, and aimed at a teen-aged audience? What's wrong with this picture?

This list badly needs pruning to no more than 500 titles. I'd also suggest that there should be separate lists for children's, young adult and adult titles. No serious adult reader is going to bother with a list clogged up with Harry Potters and their like.

Well said Paul. That would work splendidly and then everyone can pick there best books ever list or two. I like it.

But there are such lists already. :)

Nikki wrote: "proof that the truth is not democratic =/

seriously, jane austen? errughhh."

I tried with Jane Austen. It didn't work out.

This goes at the top of my most worthless lists, list. ;-)

And there are much worse things than Jane Austen on this list in the top 10.

Eh i dont like it i mean my top 3 books are very low rated :(
Don Quixote
Brothers Karamazov
War and peace :DDDD

This list is awful, the first three books belong to 'tween' franchises which are now nothing more than than multi-million £/$ corporatocracies. There should be some rule in place for no mega franchise fan girls/ fan boys

How is Twilight sooo high!!!!!!!!!!!

The hunger games as #1?? come on there has to be better books

There is a most meaningful book list which has a much better set of books going. This one is a teenage lost cause.

Lorena wrote: "I am rooting for "The Perks of Being a Wallflower."
I can understand how "The Book of Mormon," is on that list but before The Bible? No way..."

you cannot compare the bible to to this list the bible is better than ALL these books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can see why they'd say don't edit the description, as any sane person would agree that most of these most definitely aren't the "best books ever." We're talking thousands of years, here folks.

Michael wrote: "I can see why they'd say don't edit the description"

Not quite. ;) They added it just recently, after an overbold librarian had added "one book per author only" ... and chaos ensued. Some of it lingers still.

Seriously. How is Twilight even on this list?!

Don't you know?????Twilight is on every list.

What!! Twilight!! Give Me A Break.!! On Who's List?

9 out of 10 scientists agree, this list is utter bunk.

which 10?????? and shouldn't the be "utter bunkum"????

Actually most of the lists here fall under that category...whichever is correct.

Bunk

slang

1. meaning wack or extremely strange, originating on a low rent island in Maine. For some thing to be bunk it must make you want to cry, laugh hysterically or most commonly; run for your life.

2. Used to describe something shitty.

3. Nonsense, utter rubbish, BULLSHIT.

4. Bogus. Not genuine. Counterfeit. A total sham. Illegitimate. Nonsense.

You get the idea.

I can tell what the major demographic of Goodreads is!

@А: I can see you're reading some pretty grown-up books.

Now ... can your comments be just as grown up?

Jus' marvelin' ....

@Kalin, nah I like my comments the way the are.

Thanks for the suggestion though.