Comments on Must Read Classics - page 2

I was pleased by most of the choices for this list; however, I was disappointed that the list includes only one book by Faulkner.

I must mention Faulkner AGAIN: He not only won the National Book Award, he won the Pulitzer for Fiction,AND the Nobel Prize for Literature. How can you include Harry Potter and Clockwork Orange but only one of Faulkner's books? What about Light in August, The Reivers (sic), A Fable, Sanctuary, Absalom, Absalom, As I Lay Dying, Go Down Moses, and A Rose for Emily?

I voted for some books with overlap--single volumes and the whole sets that include them--(Tolkien, Baum, Cooper, etc) because you never know what a list-hawk librarian will delete as a double, but I prefer the complete sets for the most part. Also, I saw that "classics" was being pretty expansively interpreted (Malcolm X, Tacitus, other nonfiction had multiple votes) and went with it. I hope that doesn't offend someone, but "classics" was left pretty wide open in the list description, along with the clear caveat about "new classics."

Tyler wrote: "I love the classics for sure, but I just don't get the fascination with Gatsby or Catcher in the Rye... just because it's old doesn't make it a classic."
I'm with you Tyler. I would add that Faulkner and Dreiser always make an appearance on these lists, and I have no good words for them either. Great for torture!

I have only read 2 books on this list. The Holy Bible and To Kill a Mockingbird. I have made a vow to myself to read some classics in 2017. We will see how that pans out. If I can find some close to my favorite genre, which is historical fiction, I may actually read a few.

it needs at least 9years to finish these books

I love George Orwell, H.G. Wells, and J.R.R. Tolkien, among other authors on this list. I am in middle school, and the only book I suggest on this list is: Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. This is the only thing this list needs. I have read several books on this list, including Animal Farm, which I read in 6th Grade, and The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. All good books. Highly suggest.

Eli wrote: "I love George Orwell, H.G. Wells, and J.R.R. Tolkien, among other authors on this list. I am in middle school, and the only book I suggest on this list is: Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jul..."
Greetings Eli! Books are added by readers like you. So go ahead and add that book to your list! When they get as long as this one it does take a while to move up the list to the first page though.

Check duplicates is not working.

Check duplicates still not working.

deleted user wrote: "Some of these are not classics yet."

I was kind of wondering that myself. Some books don't seem like classics.

this list is so bad...

Removed 5 duplicates and several books published in 2010, 2018 (6) and 2019, 2012 (2), 2014

There are many great books on the list, but a few repeats and some trash (an adult coloring book?!). I'd like to see a true classics lover sweep through it and clean it up.

“Danielle wrote, I removed diary of a wimpy kid but I am not sure if I should remove Harry Potter or not since I don’t know how old a book can be until it’s deemed a “classic”.

Well I put diary of a wimpy kid back!

Archie wrote: "“Well I put diary of a wimpy kid back!"

Just curious, why? I don't think it's been out long enough to be considered a "classic" and not sure it fits the usual other guidelines to determine if a book is a classic or not.

Who keeps removing books?

Good point.

~☆~Autumn♥♥☔ wrote: "Candycloud wrote: "Charlotte's web should be on that list. Its a true classic."

But it is NOT old enough yet."

I tend to think conservatively with regard to canon, but Charlotte's Web was published over 70 year ago. It's older than the #1 book on this list To Kill a Mockingbird, and 3 other books in the top 20 of the list, and half a century older than books like "Diary of a Wimpy Kid or the Harry Potter books.

Since the list description doesn't have a definition of 'classic,' I'm genuinely curious how many years do you think are needed? It seems to be a common point of conflict about what is a classic.

I sure didn't realize it was 70 years old! Thanks for pointing this out.

Tyler wrote: "I love the classics for sure, but I just don't get the fascination with Gatsby or Catcher in the Rye... just because it's old doesn't make it a classic."

Gtasby is not even old

May I ask if anybody is aware of an anthology/website where it would be possible to find the most (possibly) complete list of all the “classics” ever written (any age, any genre, any country)? Thanks! Nice list, thanks everybody for helping with the work.

Is there a way to print a list of the books I have read from this list (those I have clicked that I have read)? I see there is a way to make a new list. I want to make a list of those I wish to read and print that also. How can I do that? Thank you.