100 Book Challenge

Twinwolf

Well I’ve decided that I watch far too much TV!! I sit down to watch ½ hr. and end up there 4 hours later, watching trash! I’m just tired of the hours I waste doing nothing & learning nothing. So I’ve decided to set myself a challenge of reading 100 books – have no clue how long this will take but I know it will be quite a while!

So, I would love suggestions of your top favourite books that you have read that you would recommend - all genres. My favourite books are Perfume by Patrick Suskind (actually, I’ will read this again!) Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts and Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon, actually I’ll read all of these again!

And some suggestions of books, even if they’re not in your top fav list, of classic books that everyone should have read.

Looking forward to getting some ideas and getting started. Thanks, and if anyone wants to join the challenge all the better (although I think posting this on the literature forum means you’re all mostly very well read!!)

Thanks

ThirdMan

Start off with a load of short books. This Summer I decided to get back into daily reading, so I started with around 10 shorter novels. I felt like I was flying through them, and the near constant introduction of new material was enough to keep me coming back for more. Very soon I built up the appetite and momentum I was looking for. It was easy then to move onto longer novels.

Twinwolf

Thanks - I think I just wanted some recommedations from people as to their favourites. What was your favourite short story you read? Or your favourite book?

I think i may have started this thread prematurely aswell - as the more i've looked on here i can see loads of discussions on books (duh - this makes it very very obvious I need to brush up on reading eh?) I think that reading log forum is good - I will start one in there, more for myself to keep on track with my challenge!

Andy-Pandy

I use Goodreads.com to help me keep track of what i've read and it also gives me recommendations. It would be perfect for you. Good-luck with your 100 books.

BrendanCro

Just a few I'd recommend to anyone are

• Imperium by Rober Harris (1st of his yet to be completed Cicero trilogy)
• Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas (long but oh so worth it)
• 1984 by George Orwell

Twinwolf

BrendanCro wrote: »

Just a few I'd recommend to anyone are

• Imperium by Rober Harris (1st of his yet to be completed Cicero trilogy)
• Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas (long but oh so worth it)
• 1984 by George Orwell

Brilliant, will try to get my hands on one of these at the library. I tend to pick the same types of books so want to read more of a variety & get some really good reads.

Well I've started the first book & as I opened it realised its all short stories! As a poster recommended. I don't think i'll read it all the way through though, its well written but kind of the same theme/twists in each story, so will probably appreciate it more if read one by one rather than straight through. I've no idea how long 100 books would take. I'm estimating approx 2 years? I could read a book in a day if i had the time & was hooked (and it wasn't too big), but then theres books it will take a while to get through, if they're difficult or particularly long and i'm just too busy.... So as its a 'challenge' i've set for myself, to make it challenging, putting two years on it i think is fair, its just a bit over a book per week.....

Thanks for the recommendations. And I've signed up to goodreads.com - its exactly what I was looking for! i don't really like to read up on book reviews, I kind of like not knowing what the book is about before I read it.

Necronomicon

I wouldn't get too hung up on how long it takes, though two years seems like a good benchmark. Looking at my own reading log I've just finished #26 of the year with the halfway mark just gone, so if I am as productive in the second half of the year I should hit 50.

If you're looking for a mix of genres, here are some of my favourites from the year so far (no particular order):

• The Beach by Alex Garland (Mystery/Thriller)
• Call For the Dead by John le Carré (Espionage)
• American Gods by Neil Gaiman (Urban Fantasy)
• Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick (Sci-Fi/Dystopian)
• It by Stephen King (Horror)

ladypip

The dark tower series ( there are eight in the series) well worth a read.
The Stand also well worth it
Both are Stephan King books neither are horror.

Ill Second 1984.

Memoirs of a Geisha : Arthur Golden.

The Host: Stephanie Meyers ( Same author as the twilight books, Infinity better book than her other work)

Twinwolf

ladypip wrote: »

The dark tower series ( there are eight in the series) well worth a read.
The Stand also well worth it
Both are Stephan King books neither are horror.

Ill Second 1984.

Memoirs of a Geisha : Arthur Golden.

The Host: Stephanie Meyers ( Same author as the twilight books, Infinity better book than her other work)

Thanks for that - I read Memoirs of a Geisha a long time ago & thouroughly enjoyed it & liked the twilight books aswell!

Thanks for all the advice. I’m now 2 down 98 to go. I’ve read Stolen Souls by Stuart Neville and Unforgotten by Clare Francis.

And I’ve reserved one of each of your recommendations at the library –

· Imperium by Robert Harris
· It by Stephen King
· The Host by Stephanie Meyers

… alongside The Hunger Games, so will see what comes available first! Haven’t turned the TV on in days!

RosyLily

A good few people I've talked to really recommend The Host; much better than Twilight series.

A few of my favourites would be:

Serena- Ron Rash. Kind of like There Will Be Blood, expect with a female Day-Lewis.
The Millennium Trilogy- Steig Larsson. Enjoyed the first 2 books, third is a little messy but still good!
The Clinton Tapes- Taylor Branch. Traces Clinton's 2 terms in office through his conversations with Branch.
A Glass Darkly- Sheridan Le Fanu. Discovered Le Fanu's ghost stories in college. I like Green Tea & Camilla.

+1 to Count of Monte Cristo. Quite long but worth it!

ladypip

Oh another one I just thought of : The Passage by Justin Cronin. A fantastic read!!!

Denerick

People could list books till the cows come home OP, but don't lose perspective. There are some great TV programmes and we should never generalise about the medium. Yes, there are a lot of reality TV shows, but you can also get satire as sharp as The thick of it, or drama as complete as the Wire. TV isn't necessarily a poor use of your time.

dr gonzo

Ive decided to join you on your 100 book challenge OP. I actually have my 100 picked though, I think. Im also starting a Masters degree as of tomorrow so Im not sure how much of a dent Im going to make in this challenge in the coming months. Gonna give it a good go though.

TemptationWaits

You, and everyone, should read We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. It's one of the most brilliant books written in recent years, I was thinking about it for days after I finished it. The plot is uniquely gripping and the writing is beautiful.

Queen-Mise

BrendanCro wrote: »

Just a few I'd recommend to anyone are

• Imperium by Rober Harris (1st of his yet to be completed Cicero trilogy)
• Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas (long but oh so worth it)
• 1984 by George Orwell

After reading 1984, whenever you get round to it, read Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Someone posted a comparison here somewhere between Orwell & Huxley's view of modern society would be... Huxley was spot on.

You seem to be reading some modern fantasy/urban fantasy type stuff - I can suggest some more stuff to you if your interested. None of it is particularly worldview widening though :o

libra02

Here are some books which I loved which you might like to add to your list

The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova - a bit slow to start but stick with it and you won't be disapointed.
A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkeness ( This is Part 1 of a Trilogy) - Ignore the comparison to Twilight nothing like it at all
The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstein
The Brtual Art - Jesse Kellerman
The Gargoyle - Andrew Davidson

From classic books which everyone should read- Jane Eyre, Nothanger Abbey, Crime and Punishment.

These are just a few but as other posters said Goodreads.com or even Amazon are great places to get ideas. I will say though never let some bad reviews put you off reading a book which you want to or that interests you.

Good Luck with the reading.