28 Books You Must Read to Call Yourself Well Read

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Bookworld have compiled a definite list of books to call yourself well read at every age. How many have you read?

1. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
2. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
3. The BFG by Roald Dahl
4. Harry Potter Boxset by J.K. Rowling
5. The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-time by Mark Haddon
6. The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxset by Suzanne Collins
7. Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden
8. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
9. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
10. Cloudstreet by Tim Winton
11. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
12. The Spy Who Came In from the Cold by John le Carré
13. Rabbit-Proof Fence: The True Story of One of the Greatest Escapes of All Time by Doris Pilkington
14. Neuromancer by William Gibson
15. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
16. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
17. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
18. Persuasion by Jane Austen
19. Animal Farm by George Orwell
20. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
21. In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
22. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond
23. A Fortunate Life by Albert B. Facey
24. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
25. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
26. The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge
27. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. Malcolm Gladwell by Malcolm Gladwell
28. Gallipoli by Les Carlyon

Here's the referring link: http://services.bookworld.trclient.co...

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I've read 13!

[Valerie]

15!

[Marina]

I'm just behind you, Brenda. I've read 12. There are a couple on there that have been on my "I really must get around to reading that" list forever, and one (The Book Thief) that I just bought yesterday. At least there's only one that I've never heard of (Guns, Germs and Steel), so I'm not doing too badly!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

It isn't a bad list is it Michael!

14, 16, 22, 26, 27 - never heard of those! lol

Marina, you'll have to get to The Book Thief soon! A great book IMO:)

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

I've read 17 of them. I have to say that if you are going to choose only 28 books then you would expect them to be 28 well known books!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

They're very diverse Phrynne!

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

I have not heard of 14, 22, 26 and 27. But it is good for a 'well read' list to include children's books and non fiction as well as the usual.

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Oh and I did wonder why they chose Persuasion out of all Jane Austen's books?

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Phrynne wrote: "I have not heard of 14, 22, 26 and 27. But it is good for a 'well read' list to include children's books and non fiction as well as the usual."

Same ones as me;) Yes, we probably all read the children's books when we were young (a long time ago!)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Phrynne wrote: "Oh and I did wonder why they chose Persuasion out of all Jane Austen's books?"

No idea!

[Marianne]

I got 12 too.... including 27 which was very interesting

[Steve]

I've only got seven. Some of them look interesting enough to add to my TBR. I think one of the 'X and Y' books of Austen would have been a much better choice, simply for the fact that they are much better known.

[Michael]

I've only read 10 but I have to say this isn't a very decent list. It isn't really a decent selection of different genres. Also The Harry Potter series is not 'one' book, neither is the hunger games.

Have people forgotten what the definition of books are?

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Michael it's only a bit of fun! Lighten up;)

[Sally906]

I've read 22. More if you take into consideration that Harry Potter is 6 books that I've all read and Hunger Games is 3 books that I've all,read.

Michael I think it is a good range of genre - you are never going to get all of them in a short list like that.

A book is some words between two covers - ok pages with writing on them (either printed or hand written) bound together along one side and then enclosed in a protective cover.

[Dale]

I've read 7 and a half. Some interesting choices in this list.

[Michael]

Brenda wrote: "Michael it's only a bit of fun! Lighten up;)"

Never, they need to learn to do better. This list just looks like the books they want to sell for the week.

[Gregor]

Michael wrote: "Brenda wrote: "Michael it's only a bit of fun! Lighten up;)"

Never, they need to learn to do better. This list just looks like the books they want to sell for the week."

Michael, I got the same impression.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

But Michael, you are so predictable! I knew when I was creating the thread that you would react exactly the way you have :)

[Michael]

Brenda wrote: "But Michael, you are so predictable! I knew when I was creating the thread that you would react exactly the way you have :)"

Maybe if they stuck to 28 books and not 36 I would of been ok with it.

[Zara's Retreat]

I've only read 7 but there are others on this list that I would like to read at some point.

[Michelle]

I've done 7 which isn't really too bad.

[Katie]

10 for me!

[Kelly]

I've read 9. 14 is a sci fi book. I read it a few years ago.

[Kim Marie]

Ten with two more very high on Mount TBR :)

[Stef]

There are some on this list I have no desire to waste my time reading. While there are thousands upon thousands of books in the world I do still want to read. I guess that makes me not well read or something (and fated never to be) but to me it's just a list compiled by someone who thinks very differently from me. I dont have a problem with people recommending books to me as such but I do wonder what makes them think they can be definitive about which books are important for being "well-read". I think I scored about 12 or something. I may want to read one or 2 others on the list...but not immediately

[Sally906]

Stef wrote: "There are some on this list I have no desire to waste my time reading. While there are thousands upon thousands of books in the world I do still want to read. I guess that makes me not well read or..."

I really 100% agree with you. I get annoyed by people who assume I am not well read. I read because I enjoy the book I have picked up. Doesn't matter what the genre is, doesn't matter if some high brow English professor or High School teacher tells me it is 'worthy'. If it is boring I am not going to read it. If someone reads a book and says this is really good give it a try, I probably would. But if they say read it as it will make you well read (implied - compared to the rubbish I think you read now) then I get my back up.

Stef you are just fine reading the books you like to :)

[Dale]

Ditto Sally. Well said

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Well said Sally!!

[B the BookAddict]

I've read only 12. But there are books listed that I just don't wish to read. I'm happy reading the books that I choose to read. I don't want to read what a list tells me to.

[Dale]

With you all the way Bette.

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

I agree but isn't it funny how we all tot up our own "scores" anyway :)

[Sally906]

Phrynne wrote: "I agree but isn't it funny how we all tot up our own "scores" anyway :)"

LOL - so true :)

[B the BookAddict]

@Phrynne lol, very apt! Is it simply within us to always measure ourselves against lists like these? I know I automatically counted to see how, to use their term, well read I am!

[Sarah]

12! And most of the ones I haven't read are the "classics"

[Kyla]

I've read 5. I have absolutely no desire to read Harry Potter, in fact when my kids watch the movies I always find something else to do just so I don't have to suffer through the tripe.