Boxall's 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die discussion
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Summer Dawn
(last edited Aug 25, 2016 02:11PM)
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Dec 06, 2007 12:19PM

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The list also doesn't include non-fiction, including treatises: exempting Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince among others.
I don't own the book from which this list was taken, but I suspect someone who does could fill the rest of us in as to how the list was categorized and explained.
It just seems to make the most sense that the compilers chose the word "books" to mean fiction as some of the unarguably greatest works of civilization are not included and that those works happen to be plays, poetry, or essays.

"It is a list that is animated by the spirit of the novel, by a love for what the novel is and does, but which nevertheless does not hope or aim to to capture it, to sum it up, or put it to bed. Prose fiction lives in so many guides and different languages, across so many nations and centuries, that a list like this will always, and should always, be marked, formed, and deformed by what it leaves out....this book offers a snapshot of the novel,one story among others that one can tell about its history."

He profiles 100 of the most influential (In his pretentious, albeit brilliant, opinion) authors who have made a huge impact on literature and thinking in history.
It includes Shakespeare, as well as several relgious figures and a ton of poets.
Of course, 1001 books is a lot to read, so adding Bloom's authors to the list may not be such a good idea...



Of course, anglo-saxon writers have written a great deal of interesting stuff, which I enjoy as well. But to say that it is mainly their work out of which the "1001 greatest novels" consist, is to my mind a very intimidating - and very American/Anglo-saxon - world view!
I would be interested in what you think about this. So please let me know!

What European authors does your edition have that the US/UK edition neglects?
I hadn't realized that there were multiple additions customized by country of publication. Perhaps this is connected to the modern-day focus. Perhaps the books one "must read" are books that are part of shaping the current cultural consciousness.
Liz

Sigrid Undset: Kristin Lavransdochter
Leon De Winter: Hoffman's Hunger
Yasar Kemal: Mehmed my Hawk
All three amazing books with Undset even winning the Nobel Prize. Yet, those are missing in the english-language edition.
Also, I found it a bit strange that Thurber's "13 clocks" were included. To my mind, it is "just" a charming childrens' book. Any book, in fact, by Michael Ende - another German - would have been worthier in my opinion.
I'm not sure, if it is just my "German or European consciousness speaking here". I would actually rather like to see my self as a cosmopolitan, not being too attached to one particular country. However, I found those obliterations/alternations striking!

There are some authors whose works always get translated (Gunter Grass, Milan Kundera, Umberto Eco) and many many more whose works never appear in English. I like to think that American readers would enthusiastically scoop up the great works penned by foreign hands, but perhaps the market won't in fact support it.
Having been greatly disappointed with many of the recent books on the list, I would be greatly interested to know what books made the cut in Europe from the past 20 years. Perhaps I'll have to track down a foreign copy.

It is sad that more works from other countries are not translated into English. I have started gaining an interest in forgien literature. And hope that living in Italy soon I will know enough Italian to actually read books written in Italian.
Sadly on reason I think the vast majority doesn't get translated is a) publishers do not think there is a market for them and b) the supremist attitude that sometimes seems to infect some Americans. I think sometimes we believe that we are the very best at everything and nothing out there can compare. That likewise can come with being uneducated (or even possibly over educated pompous know-it-alls). There is a huge group of people uneducated, which can lead to narrow veiws and tunnel vision.
Like Water for Chocolate is one of my favorite movies and I am trying to fit the book into my reading list. And just coming back to my love of reading (life and kids can take up quite a lot of time) I am on the prowl for books to read beyond popular fiction.
And I am begining to think that I had better get to it, because well there are tons of books out there I want to read and like Rebecca said more being written all the time.
Summer


I've not checked but I'd expect that the Australian version of '1001 Books' (which I have) is slightly different again.



Maybe I should focus on the list I already have and not add 1001 books(minus the 40+ I have read and whatever books are on both lists) to my to- read list . I like these lists, though, because they help me find great books. It is satisfying to check books off of the list as read but if I focused on it too much I wouldn't enjoy the reading as much. Therefore, my reading plan is to go to the library or book store with certain authors in mind from both lists and hopefully leave with 1-2 on the lists and probably a few that aren't.