,

The "BBC" Book List Challenge

This is a list of 100 books which has been widely circulated on the Internet with the tagline "The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books on this list. How many have you read?"

However, this list was *not* created or endorsed by the BBC. A history of this internet meme is here: http://www.purplecar.net/2009/03/how-...

The list bears some similarities to the BBC Big Read list from 2003 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top... and available on Listopia here https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...) which was based upon a UK public vote. This fake list contains a number of titles which were not on the original list - eg the Bible, the complete works of Shakespeare (the BBC Big Read was a search for the UK's most popular novels and did not include plays), the Da Vinci Code, The Five People You a Meet in Heaven etc.
List Challenge
The average Goodreads member has read 24 out of 100 books on this list — how many have you read?
1

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4.47 avg rating — 9,534,691 ratings
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2

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3.91 avg rating — 2,288,907 ratings
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3

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4.26 avg rating — 5,834,057 ratings
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4

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3.98 avg rating — 3,686,692 ratings
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5

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4.32 avg rating — 1,991,352 ratings
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6

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4.19 avg rating — 4,343,821 ratings
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7

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4.52 avg rating — 656,440 ratings
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8

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3.99 avg rating — 815,538 ratings
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9

by
3.88 avg rating — 1,726,738 ratings
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10

by
3.90 avg rating — 2,889,208 ratings
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11

by
4.28 avg rating — 3,769,041 ratings
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12

by
3.69 avg rating — 2,800,734 ratings
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13

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4.23 avg rating — 1,778,444 ratings
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14

by
4.29 avg rating — 888,223 ratings
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15

by
3.87 avg rating — 924,419 ratings
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16

by
3.93 avg rating — 1,577,859 ratings
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17

by
4.28 avg rating — 4,060,137 ratings
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18

by
4.14 avg rating — 2,021,358 ratings
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19

by
3.80 avg rating — 3,389,577 ratings
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20

by
4.14 avg rating — 2,136,312 ratings
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21

by
4.24 avg rating — 600,389 ratings
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22

by
4.06 avg rating — 547,546 ratings
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23

by
4.31 avg rating — 1,190,313 ratings
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24

by
4.19 avg rating — 1,758,585 ratings
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25

by
4.15 avg rating — 1,123,279 ratings
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26

by
4.16 avg rating — 817,568 ratings
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27

by
4.01 avg rating — 1,208,617 ratings
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28

by
3.93 avg rating — 507,081 ratings
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29

by
3.93 avg rating — 4,971,002 ratings
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30

by
4.11 avg rating — 935,664 ratings
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31

by
4.27 avg rating — 629,754 ratings
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32

by
4.15 avg rating — 1,956,080 ratings
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33

by
4.08 avg rating — 1,152,281 ratings
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34

by
4.34 avg rating — 3,023,912 ratings
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35

by
4.07 avg rating — 791,724 ratings
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36

by
3.93 avg rating — 490,274 ratings
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37

by
3.88 avg rating — 2,454,222 ratings
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38

by
4.09 avg rating — 316,143 ratings
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39

by
4.53 avg rating — 52,926 ratings
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39

by
3.99 avg rating — 1,753,648 ratings
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41

by
3.80 avg rating — 962,165 ratings
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42

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 879,967 ratings
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43

by
3.79 avg rating — 777,401 ratings
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44

by
3.43 avg rating — 496,847 ratings
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45

by
3.99 avg rating — 1,783,991 ratings
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46

by
3.98 avg rating — 120,655 ratings
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47

by
4.08 avg rating — 818,202 ratings
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48

by
3.80 avg rating — 126,544 ratings
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49

by
4.15 avg rating — 672,114 ratings
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50

by
3.85 avg rating — 2,297,217 ratings
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51

by
4.29 avg rating — 608,726 ratings
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52

by
4.26 avg rating — 851,565 ratings
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53

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really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 693,884 ratings
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54

by
4.28 avg rating — 158,665 ratings
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55

by
4.35 avg rating — 318,793 ratings
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55

by
4.30 avg rating — 938,335 ratings
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57

by
3.88 avg rating — 817,092 ratings
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58

by
3.98 avg rating — 695,527 ratings
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59

by
4.24 avg rating — 315,052 ratings
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60

by
3.61 avg rating — 400,467 ratings
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61

by
3.54 avg rating — 544,463 ratings
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62

by
4.26 avg rating — 652,199 ratings
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63

by
4.04 avg rating — 847,142 ratings
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64

by
3.89 avg rating — 1,437,568 ratings
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65

by
4.47 avg rating — 55,149 ratings
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66

by
4.13 avg rating — 1,947,907 ratings
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67

by
4.20 avg rating — 779,848 ratings
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67

by
4.15 avg rating — 56,673 ratings
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69

by
3.83 avg rating — 276,492 ratings
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70

by
3.88 avg rating — 377,111 ratings
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71

by
4.37 avg rating — 146,323 ratings
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72

by
4.01 avg rating — 158,160 ratings
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73

by
4.02 avg rating — 231,022 ratings
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74

by
4.01 avg rating — 106,919 ratings
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75

by
4.01 avg rating — 108,856 ratings
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75

by
4.15 avg rating — 317,670 ratings
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77

by
4.05 avg rating — 878,761 ratings
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78

by
3.89 avg rating — 78,894 ratings
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79

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 210,514 ratings
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79

by
4.30 avg rating — 291,225 ratings
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81

by
4.14 avg rating — 286,746 ratings
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82

by
3.70 avg rating — 321,415 ratings
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83

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 150,468 ratings
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84

by
3.96 avg rating — 148,663 ratings
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85

by
3.89 avg rating — 49,258 ratings
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86

by
4.01 avg rating — 244,177 ratings
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87

by
4.30 avg rating — 15,598 ratings
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88

by
4.10 avg rating — 77,107 ratings
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89

by
4.01 avg rating — 85,388 ratings
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90

by
4.26 avg rating — 1,257,741 ratings
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91

by
4.08 avg rating — 472,386 ratings
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92

by
4.12 avg rating — 47,433 ratings
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93

by
4.18 avg rating — 644,891 ratings
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94

by
3.83 avg rating — 70,355 ratings
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95

by
3.91 avg rating — 110,455 ratings
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96

by
3.75 avg rating — 125,010 ratings
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97

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 31,074 ratings
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98

by
4.18 avg rating — 36,326 ratings
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99

by
3.78 avg rating — 93,576 ratings
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100

by
3.89 avg rating — 268,592 ratings
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Get Results & Compare With Friends »




Patrick 775 books
641 friends
LVR 148 books
9 friends
Ben 1081 books
71 friends
Otis 1441 books
2026 friends
Lenka 170 books
31 friends
Keriann 628 books
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Brian 1949 books
310 friends
Jenny 1842 books
54 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-50 of 97 (97 new)


message 1: by Ben (new)

Ben It looks like Pride and Prejudice is listed twice.... which means there is one book missing.....


message 2: by LVR (new)

LVR It was Emma! Fixed.

Ben wrote: "It looks like Pride and Prejudice is listed twice.... which means there is one book missing....."


message 3: by Dave (new)

Dave This must be a dynamic list. I printed it several years ago and started reading them and checking them off. Comparing it with this list there are numerous differences. I'm enjoying the reads anyway, up to 75. this difference will just give me that many more to read


message 4: by Megan (new)

Megan I'm at 33. And a whole bunch more are already on my to-read list!


message 5: by Amy the book-bat (last edited Apr 03, 2018 06:04PM) (new)

Amy the book-bat currently at 24, and when I finish the one I am currently reading will be at 25... trying to cross several off the list this year... and I agree with Dave, the list has changed from the one I previously printed off


update 10/29/17: up to 45 from this list


message 6: by Penelope (new)

Penelope This isn't working. Every time I try to add To Kill A Mockingbird it gives me Da Vinci Code. Anyway, I have read 51 of these books!


message 7: by Louise (new)

Louise I have seen several versions of this list with each one having slightly different books. In one version I had read 15/100 whereas in this version I have only read 9.


message 8: by Sherrie (new)

Sherrie Starting my 31st book according to this list...


message 9: by Antonomasia (new)

Antonomasia Ooh, this is annoying. It messes up the shelves by having to mark as read things I've already got shelved as part of collected editions.

Also: history of a meme:
http://www.purplecar.net/2009/03/how-...


message 10: by Lizzy (new)

Lizzy 18/100? That is, yet again, a shockingly low score for me.


message 11: by Ben (new)

Ben 16. Although I hope these aren't in order by perceived quality...


message 12: by Lisa (new)

Lisa Reads & Reviews What a strange list. Does any one know the rationale behind this particular grouping of novels and why the BBC compiled it?


message 13: by Antonomasia (new)

Antonomasia Have a look at the link I posted above. It explains that this is an internet meme containing some books from an old BBC Big Read list, and some others.

It's been doing the rounds on Facebook, in the UK at least, for several years; this is the third or fourth time I've responded to it in some form.


message 14: by Lisa (new)

Lisa Reads & Reviews Antonomasia wrote: "Have a look at the link I posted above. It explains that this is an internet meme containing some books from an old BBC Big Read list, and some others.

It's been doing the rounds on Facebook, in ..."


Thanks Antonomasia! I hadn't seen this on FB, but found the link interesting.


message 15: by Dave (new)

Dave Very interesting reading about the meme. I had never heard of that, helps me understand why I found a different list everytime I searched for it.


message 16: by Bryn (last edited Nov 08, 2012 11:53PM) (new)

Bryn Hammond Unfortunately they won't always be on people's shelves. I've read 61 but have 10 shelved. That's bad for the stats.


message 17: by Ebonny (last edited Nov 09, 2012 03:59AM) (new)

Ebonny Between my husband and I we have read probably 7 of the books. Pretty dismal but I am of the impression that you read what you want to, not what someone thinks you should be reading. :)


小さな N    (.❛ ᴗ ❛.)⊃ [_|_] ♡ ah, well... 6/100. and three out of those I only read because I had to in english class. I liked them, though.


message 19: by Suzanne (new)

Suzanne Read 17 but not able to get the results without messing up my shelves.... (not all I have read are on there as they were read a long time ago)


message 20: by Fatin (new)

Fatin I've read 25, and I have about 20 more at home, and I'm slowly getting around to reading them. And some of them I've just never been interested in.


message 21: by Sharnie (new)

Sharnie Only ten, I shall have to remedy that.


message 22: by Marysue (new)

Marysue I have read 14, but none were on my shelves. I didn't add any books to my shelf that I read before I joined goodreads. It's funny how long ago I read some of them, dating all the way back to high school, more than twenty years ago.


message 23: by M.C. (new)

M.C. Planck Any list that has both To Kill a Mockingbird and The Da Vinci Code is... bizarre. Sorry, Dan, but it's true.


message 24: by Samhy (new)

Samhy That's very interesting. I think I'll try to give a shot at half of that list, if I can. Some of them are in my room, waiting to be picked.

Even though my read shelf doesn't reflect it, so far I've read 13.5 of those books (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is done, but Through the Looking Glass has yet to be read).


message 25: by Stephen (new)

Stephen Yeah! I've read 29 of the top 100! Though I feel like I should get some partial credit for a few others for which I've "only seen the movie" (sometimes multiple VERSIONS of the movie), a few that I've re-read a number of times, and a few that I've only partly read (How many people have read many or most of the Shakespeare plays but not the full canon, the same goes for the Bible)

BTW why is Frank Herbert's first volume of the Dune chronicles on the list rather than the full series?
(Philip Pullman got HIS full series on the list)


message 26: by Belldandy (new)

Belldandy 38 so far!


message 27: by Jessica (new)

Jessica I've read 39 so far. I guess I have a long way to go, but I'm only 24, so I think I have time. : )


message 28: by Eszter (new)

Eszter Ha! I have read 25 books, but this will soon improve, as many of the books are on my TBR pile already!


message 29: by dyanne (new)

dyanne 28/100...i think...something like that...now I need to read the other 72 books that I haven't read that are on this list!


message 30: by Jackie (new)

Jackie Whaley 14/100. Will add a few to my 'to be read' list.


message 31: by Mel (new)

Mel Belstein 20 read! not bad


message 32: by Jai (new)

Jai McGrainer 54 and the rest are on my to-read list.


message 33: by Dave (new)

Dave I must have way too much free time, I just finished the last one. All 100 plus since some are a series, total of about 132. Quite an adventure.


message 34: by Donna (new)

Donna Bond I've read only 31 of these. I have to wonder why *these* particular books and not others. There are many wonderful, quality books that are not on this list.


message 35: by Lolita (new)

Lolita I've read 57 :).

I want to read the other (original?) list.

I've read so many bc it was actually my goal to read all 100


message 36: by Lori (new)

Lori I have read 20 of these. Some I have and not read yet.


message 37: by Ashley (new)

Ashley (Bookaholics Anonymous) I've read 2 that's sad.


message 38: by Marcus (new)

Marcus Lagré 13. But I was positively surprised, considering I've only just started to take an interest in literature other than biographies, history, fantasy, or comic books.


message 39: by Lilac (new)

Lilac 28, which I think is okay. I'll be reading more in the future. :)
My problem with this list is that it's got the bible on it and that's not really fiction, like everything else on the list. I doubt I'll ever read the bible which means I'll never be able to read everything off the list.


message 40: by Monnom (new)

Monnom 11 = -_-
need to read more
I saw another list from BBC before too.
*reads more*


message 41: by Amy the book-bat (new)

Amy the book-bat Antonomasia wrote: "Have a look at the link I posted above. It explains that this is an internet meme containing some books from an old BBC Big Read list, and some others.

It's been doing the rounds on Facebook, in ..."


First version of the list I saw was on Facebook about 3 years ago


message 42: by Ebirdy (new)

Ebirdy Yay, I've read 47!


message 43: by Tria (last edited Jan 04, 2014 08:53PM) (new)

Tria I've read 35 of these in full, a few more in part. I really should go through and rate the ones here that I read before I joined GR, sometime. Not that I particularly fancy rating the King James Bible, since I'd only get dogpiled if I decided to rate it for quality of writing & storytelling (and I am not a Christian, and it's a tertiary source at best!).


message 44: by Amanda (new)

Amanda I've read 85 of these! Not so bad for a list where they think everyone's read 6 of them (and a good number of the others are marked as To Read's).


Melissa (ladybug) I have read more books on this list, but haven't put them under "read". LOL


message 46: by Jomidi (last edited Jan 10, 2014 04:36AM) (new)

Jomidi I have actually read maybe 20 more but read them years ago before I started putting up stuff on goodreads!


message 47: by Amanda G. (new)

Amanda G. (Nellie and Co. 13 books read, about 7 others to-be-read,and I don't think that's all that bad considering I prefer the less classical type!


message 48: by Isabella (new)

Isabella i've read 9 and have a few to-read as well


message 49: by Pamela (new)

Pamela 17 books read ! Not super bad considering a lot of the other books are on my TBR list :)


message 50: by Gemma (new)

Gemma 18 books read. Will scratch some more from this list this year :))


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