Play Book Tag discussion
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Look at what the NY times has done for readers
Thanks, Judith. It's an interesting list. I look forward to see what the next days bring.
I won't be able so see it since I don't subscribe, but it sounds cool :)
Karin wrote: "I won't be able so see it since I don't subscribe, but it sounds cool :)"I was able to see without subscribing.
Karin wrote: "I won't be able so see it since I don't subscribe, but it sounds cool :)"I gifted that link, Karen, so you should be able to use it. I'll add new links if they are needed.
It looks like the link above will be good for the week as they continue to add to the list daily.
I'm surprised I didn't get this link. I get the NYTimes online AND on paper and various newsletters from them. Maybe when all 100 are in there, I will get it.
They are a very serious bunch of books. I have read 9 of the first 40.
Jgrace wrote: "Not only a list, but a list that allows us to check a box! I may not read all of the depressing news of the day, but I will be checking out the additions to this list all week. https://www.nytim..."
Oh! I rarely look at these, but it's more fun with check boxes!
ETA: I've read only 2. I might have 1 on my tbr, but I can't remember for sure, and I didn't double check.
I've read 4. One of 4he things that always bothers mein these types of lists is same authors having multiple books.I did like the number of short story collections.
You get something like this at the end - so 9 for meI’ve read 9 books on the list (so far) ...
Demon Copperhead ● The Plot Against America ● Olive Kitteridge ● Exit West ● An American Marriage ● The Story of the Lost Child ● Station Eleven ● Bring Up the Bodies ● Bel Canto
There are more today, I am up to 17. But I actually liked relatively few of them. And the recommendations aren't always helpful. It says, "if you like this, read . . " I liked Station Eleven DESPITE it being a dystopia, not because of it. I don't want to read more dystopias as a genre.
Robin P wrote: "There are more today, I am up to 17. But I actually liked relatively few of them. And the recommendations aren't always helpful. It says, "if you like this, read . . " I liked Station Eleven DESPIT..."I'm impressed, Robin. So far I've read 10. There's a lot of nonfiction on the list. Not my usual choice. I haven't looked at many of the recommendations. I keep thinking I'll go back to it at some point to lose myself down some rabbit holes.
I’m up to 4. The Goldfinch ● Demon Copperhead ● The Plot Against America ● An American Marriage
Jason wrote: "I’m up to 4. The Goldfinch ● Demon Copperhead ● The Plot Against America ● An American Marriage"
Those are some of the best ones!
My husband subscribes, but I don't know his log in.Anyway ... so far I've read 11 of the books listed (#100-41) and have 13 more on my tbr.
I’ve read 6 books on the list (so far) ...Persepolis ● Life After Life ● Nickel and Dimed ● Middlesex ● Station Eleven ● Bel Canto
... and I want to read 2.
The Goldfinch ● Runaway
(And there may be a 3rd on the tbr, I still haven't checked!)
Need to check it again - obviously more added since I checked a few days ago.
Where I am today:MY TALLY
I’ve read 7 books on the list (so far) ...
A Brief History of Seven Killings ● The Fifth Season ● Persepolis ● Olive Kitteridge ● Exit West ● Station Eleven ● Bel Canto
... and I want to read 13.
Small Things Like These ● Trust ● Life After Life ● Runaway ● Nickel and Dimed ● Middlesex ● Demon Copperhead ● The Great Believers ● A Manual for Cleaning Women ● The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis ● The Days of Abandonment ● On Beauty ● Men We Reaped
I am beyond thrilled that A Brief History of Seven Killings is on the list.
Half the want to read I actually already own.
I've been following the list and everyone's posts. It's an interesting discussion. I've read only 6 books of the list (as of yesterday). Each one was well-written and thoughtful. These do not include some books on the list that I've tried reading and abandoned.Question: How are people typing in the bullet points? Curious minds want to know.
Holly R W wrote: "I've been following the list and everyone's posts. It's an interesting discussion. I've read only 6 books of the list (as of yesterday). Each one was well-written and thoughtful. (Although, there a..."I haven't done it, Holly, but I think it's a copy/paste from the end of the article.
This list is right up my alley. I've read 37 of the list (so far). I think they are a bit off on their recommendations, though.
Jgrace wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "I've been following the list and everyone's posts. It's an interesting discussion. I've read only 6 books of the list (as of yesterday). Each one was well-written and thoughtful. ..."Yes, you click on the ones you've read and it gives you a summary at the bottom.
Not sure what the point was of breaking it up over multiple days. I see today it says, "New - 40 to 21". I'll wait till tomorrow to get my total for all 100.Lots of VERY SERIOUS books.
Robin P wrote: "Not sure what the point was of breaking it up over multiple days. I see today it says, "New - 40 to 21". I'll wait till tomorrow to get my total for all 100.Lots of VERY SERIOUS books."
I'm sure it's to trap readers into returning daily. Not a bad strategy.
So now we should guess the top 20 remaining before they are revealed. Here are a few of my guesses ( I think these weren't already mentioned)The Corrections
Wolf Hall
All the Light We Cannot See
The Goldfinch
I just looked at prize winners. While searching, I came across 100 best books from the Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...
Of the 18 so far, I only really liked about 4 of them!
I think these are all the type of book they might put in the top 20:All the Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr
The Road Cormac McCarthy
The Blind Assassin Margaret Atwood
The Mirror & the Light (or Wolf Hall) Hilary Mantel
Life of Pi Yann Martel
Hamnet Maggie O'Farrell
A Gentleman in Moscow Amor Towles
Alexander Hamilton Ron Chernow
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History Elizabeth Kolbert
A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini 2021 2007
The Trees Percival Everett
Kafka on the Shore (or Norwegian Wood) Haruki Murakami
The Colony Audrey Magee
The Memory of Love Aminatta Forna
The Nix Nathan Hill
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay Michael Chabon
The Book Thief Markus Zusak
The Garden of Evening Mists Tan Twan Eng
In the Distance Hernán Díaz
Speak Louisa Hall
American Rust Philipp Meyer
Piranesi Susanna Clarke
The Hungry Tide Amitav Ghosh
Klara and the Sun Kazuo Ishiguro
The Nightingale Kristin Hannah
Indian Horse Richard Wagamese
Someone Knows My Name Lawrence Hill
The Night Circus Erin Morgenstern
I’ve read 16 books on the list (so far) ...Evicted ● The Overstory ● Americanah ● Cloud Atlas ● Sing, Unburied, Sing ● Salvage the Bones ● Small Things Like These ● Life After Life ● The Friend ● Olive Kitteridge ● Exit West ● An American Marriage ● Detransition, Baby ● Station Eleven ● Men We Reaped ● Bel Canto
... and I want to read 10.
Atonement ● White Teeth ● A Visit From the Goon Squad ● The Goldfinch ● The Flamethrowers ● Heavy ● The Great Believers ● The Plot Against America ● Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments ● Tree of Smoke
Goldfinch is already on the list. I think at this point I would add for final 20 - though I haven't checked today's additions:Kite Runner
May have more ideas as day passes.
As for splitting this up over a period of time - I think - as part of the "click bait' - it might actually draw more to go through the list who may not have time for more than a quick look the first time they see it. Like how my responses are there when I open it the next time (though I am a NYTimes subscriber -- not sure if that happens with all?) That too encourages returning. AND, I find my 'want to read' list expands a little each time because my mood is different and I add a book I passed over yesterday.
This list is far more serious and dark than I tend to read - I'm a genre fiction girl at heart. Too much heavy serious reading in my profession.
I'm also interested in the way this list was compiled:As voted on by 503 novelists, nonfiction writers, poets, critics and other book lovers — with a little help from the staff of
The New York Times Book Review.
I'm interested in the opinions of professional writers, even if I don't share their tastes or agree with their opinions. It's more food for thought.
I’ve read 37 books on the list (so far) ...Behind the Beautiful Forevers ● The Overstory ● Atonement ● Americanah ● Cloud Atlas ● Sing, Unburied, Sing ● White Teeth ● Salvage the Bones ● Between the World and Me ● A Visit From the Goon Squad ● H Is for Hawk ● Small Things Like These ● The Fifth Season ● The Goldfinch ● A Mercy ● The Vegetarian ● Trust ● Life After Life ● Train Dreams ● Middlesex ● Demon Copperhead ● 10:04 ● The Great Believers ● The Plot Against America ● Olive Kitteridge ● Exit West ● Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow ● An American Marriage ● When We Cease to Understand the World ● The Emperor of All Maladies ● The Return ● The Human Stain ● Station Eleven ● On Beauty ● Bring Up the Bodies ● Bel Canto ● How to Be Both
... and I want to read 11.
The Last Samurai ● The Line of Beauty ● Postwar ● The Flamethrowers ● Far From the Tree ● The New Jim Crow ● All Aunt Hagar's Children ● Secondhand Time ● The Passage of Power ● The Sympathizer ● Tree of Smoke
There may be more to put on my TBR - I"m planning to check them out more closely when I have time.
This list is right up my alley, most of these are the types of books I would normally read. I really like that they include non-fiction!
Jgrace wrote: "Not only a list, but a list that allows us to check a box! I may not read all of the depressing news of the day, but I will be checking out the additions to this list all week. https://www.nytim..."
My sister gifted me this article, and I LOVE the format they used. So fun!!! So far, I've read 31 of the 80 posted, and have at least 23 I'd like to read. The check box thing was such a good idea. I like the list even if the way they compiled it wasn't the most scientific.
Joy, we must have similar taste though you've read even more than I have, and I thought I was doing pretty good!
Maybe we should do our own quarter century list when we do our top 10? But I do think the century really starts on January 1, 2001, so maybe next year would be more accurate!!
Jgrace wrote: "It looks like the link above will be good for the week as they continue to add to the list daily."Yes, the link my sister sent keeps working even as they add more and more books.
Joy D wrote: "I’ve read 37 books on the list (so far) ...Behind the Beautiful Forevers ● The Overstory ● Atonement ● Americanah ● Cloud Atlas ● Sing, Unburied, Sing ● White Teeth ● Salvage the Bones ● Between t..."
I have read 21 of the 37 that you've read -- so a good amount, but not perfect amount of overlap. I think most of the differences between us are non-fiction and short stories lol.
I've only read Far from the Tree and The Sympathizer from the ones you want to read. Far from the Tree was so interesting. I think it was my favorite book the year that I read it.
Interesting, Anita. I do think we both enjoy "literary fiction" (the term that defies definition), so it's not surprising that we have read a number of these books. I definitely need to get to Far from the Tree based on your endorsement. When I first saw the title, I thought I had read it, but the one I read is the same title by a different author).
Wow!! I am amazed and impressed by those that have read so many of the list. I'm still at 4 even after the daily update.
Joy D wrote: "Interesting, Anita. I do think we both enjoy "literary fiction" (the term that defies definition), so it's not surprising that we have read a number of these books. I definitely need to get to Far ..."Our tastes are definitely in the same wheelhouse! I will admit that I like the intellectual stretch of literary fiction even if I don't love every book I read. As someone who is no longer working a big job, I want books that make me think more deeply. Lately though I have been gravitating more to non-fiction. I think because my husband isn't well, and for me, non-fiction is easier to read. Less of a stretch. I do think you will find Far from the Tree a fascinating read. The good thing is you can pick it up and put it down VERY readily. Each chapter is almost a mini article.
I'm loving checking the list everyday. I'm up to 33 read now. Lots that I enjoyed and lots of others that I have been meaning to read. Think I have a lot of overlap with Joy's list too.Here is my list so far:
Behind the Beautiful Forevers ● Americanah ● Cloud Atlas ● Sing, Unburied, Sing ● White Teeth ● Salvage the Bones ● Fun Home ● Between the World and Me ● The Savage Detectives ● A Visit From the Goon Squad ● H Is for Hawk ● The Fifth Season ● The Argonauts ● The Goldfinch ● A Mercy ● Persepolis ● Tenth of December ● Nickel and Dimed ● Middlesex ● Heavy ● Demon Copperhead ● The New Jim Crow ● Olive Kitteridge ● Exit West ● Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow ● An American Marriage ● The Story of the Lost Child ● When We Cease to Understand the World ● The Sympathizer ● Station Eleven ● On Beauty ● Bring Up the Bodies ● Bel Canto
Jason wrote: "Wow!! I am amazed and impressed by those that have read so many of the list. I'm still at 4 even after the daily update."My sister is a huge reader who loves books, and she's barely read any. There's just so many books we can all read! I am liking this list because I am so familiar with the titles, but I am not surprised that we have wide variance of what's been read in this group.
MY TALLYI’ve read 30 books on the list (so far) ...
Behind the Beautiful Forevers ● Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage ● The Overstory ● Atonement ● Americanah ● Sing, Unburied, Sing ● White Teeth ● Salvage the Bones ● Fun Home ● Between the World and Me ● The Years ● A Visit From the Goon Squad ● Small Things Like These ● The Goldfinch ● Trust ● Life After Life ● Train Dreams ● Runaway ● Nickel and Dimed ● Heavy ● Demon Copperhead ● The Great Believers ● The Friend ● Olive Kitteridge ● Exit West ● Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow ● An American Marriage ● When We Cease to Understand the World ● The Sympathizer ● Station Eleven
I love that they included “if you liked this try…” recommendations for each book.
I was reminded that I want to read more by Ali Smith, and Jonathan Franzen, but I’ll have to go back later to read reviews and click on other books I want to read.
Joy D wrote: "I think these are all the type of book they might put in the top 20:All the Light We Cannot See Anthony Doerr
The Road Cormac McCarthy
The Blind Assassin Margaret Atwood
The Mirror & the Ligh..."
Great list. I'm thinking The Namesake and The Road might both be there. Maybe Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close?
NancyJ wrote: "MY TALLYI’ve read 30 books on the list (so far) ...
Behind the Beautiful Forevers ● Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage ● The Overstory ● Atonement ● Americanah ● Sing, Unburied,..."
Yes Nancy, me too. Though I had often read those ones as well.
Anita wrote: "Great list. I'm thinking The Namesake and The Road might both be there. Maybe Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close?.."Those are definitely great choices. I will actually be disappointed if The Road doesn't make it.
The top twenty dropped, and I was happy The Road made it!I ended up at 43 read out of the 100.
My Brilliant Friend ● Wolf Hall ● The Corrections ● The Underground Railroad ● Never Let Me Go ● The Year of Magical Thinking ● The Road ● Pachinko ● The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay ● The Sellout ● Lincoln in the Bardo ● Say Nothing ● Evicted ● Behind the Beautiful Forevers ● Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage ● Atonement ● Cloud Atlas ● Sing, Unburied, Sing ● Salvage the Bones ● Between the World and Me ● A Visit From the Goon Squad ● H Is for Hawk ● Small Things Like These ● The Goldfinch ● Life After Life ● Train Dreams ● Runaway ● Tenth of December ● Nickel and Dimed ● Middlesex ● Demon Copperhead ● Far From the Tree ● The Friend ● Olive Kitteridge ● Exit West ● An American Marriage ● Hurricane Season ● When We Cease to Understand the World ● Pastoralia ● The Sympathizer ● Station Eleven ● Bring Up the Bodies ● Bel Canto
Went through the final 40 and hereis where I ended up:I’ve read 14 books on the list ...
Wolf Hall ● The Year of Magical Thinking ● The Sellout ● Sing, Unburied, Sing ● Fun Home ● Between the World and Me ● A Visit From the Goon Squad ● A Brief History of Seven Killings ● The Fifth Season ● Persepolis ● Olive Kitteridge ● Exit West ● Station Eleven ● Bel Canto
... and I want to read 27.
My Brilliant Friend ● The Underground Railroad ● Never Let Me Go ● The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao ● Pachinko ● The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay ● Evicted ● Behind the Beautiful Forevers ● Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage ● The Overstory ● Americanah ● Cloud Atlas ● White Teeth ● Salvage the Bones ● Small Things Like These ● Trust ● Life After Life ● Runaway ● Nickel and Dimed ● Middlesex ● Demon Copperhead ● The Great Believers ● A Manual for Cleaning Women ● The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis ● The Days of Abandonment ● On Beauty ● Men We Reaped
Of the want to read, only about 6 were added from going through the list, being ones I never heard of.
I ended up with 44 read and many more that I should prioritize soon. My Brilliant Friend ● The Warmth of Other Suns ● Wolf Hall ● The Underground Railroad ● Never Let Me Go ● Gilead ● The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao ● The Year of Magical Thinking ● The Road ● Lincoln in the Bardo ● Say Nothing ● Behind the Beautiful Forevers ● Americanah ● Cloud Atlas ● Sing, Unburied, Sing ● White Teeth ● Salvage the Bones ● Fun Home ● Between the World and Me ● The Savage Detectives ● A Visit From the Goon Squad ● H Is for Hawk ● The Fifth Season ● The Argonauts ● The Goldfinch ● A Mercy ● Persepolis ● Tenth of December ● Nickel and Dimed ● Middlesex ● Heavy ● Demon Copperhead ● The New Jim Crow ● Olive Kitteridge ● Exit West ● Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow ● An American Marriage ● The Story of the Lost Child ● When We Cease to Understand the World ● The Sympathizer ● Station Eleven ● On Beauty ● Bring Up the Bodies ● Bel Canto
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
Bring Up the Bodies (other topics)Olive Kitteridge (other topics)
Lucy by the Sea (other topics)
Small Things Like These (other topics)
The Underground Railroad (other topics)
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https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...