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Post by Lemon Lyman on Nov 8, 2003 23:25:07 GMT
Opinions on the last 21, any that you think should be there and who would you vote for....
Bird Song Sebastian Faulks
Captain Corelli's Mandolin Louis de Bernieres
Catch 22 Joseph Haller
The Catcher in the Rye J D Salinger
Great Expectations Charles Dickens
Gone with the Wind Margaret Mitchell
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire J K Rowling
His Dark Materials Philip Pullman
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Douglas Adams
Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe CS Lewis
Little Women Louise May Alcott
The Lord of the Rings JRR Tolkin
Nineteen Eighty-Four George Orwell
To kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee
Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen
Rebecca Daphne du Maurier
War and Peace Leo Tolstoy
The Wind and the Willows Kenneth Grahame
Winnie the Pooh AA Milne
Wuthering Heights Emily Bronte
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Post by Lemon Lyman on Nov 8, 2003 23:30:56 GMT
Personally my vote goes to The Catcher in the Rye - my favourite book that I've ever studied (and currently rereading). Closely followed by Little Women
I think that this list has been lead by not what is the best book, but by what is the best book made into a film - or am I being cynical?
For example I think that Mansfield Park and Sense and Sensibilty are better Jane Austen novel's than Pride and Prejudice - but Pride and Prejudice had a wet Colin Firth in jogphurs (sp?).
Missing - In my opinion Lorna Doone, Cider with Rosie.....
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Post by madcap on Nov 9, 2003 12:21:54 GMT
My vote would go to To Kill A Mockingbird. I remember reading this for O Level English and being simply stunned by it.
Missing from the list - L'etranger by Camus.
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Post by spike on Nov 9, 2003 13:06:54 GMT
I'd vote for one of the following:
The Catcher in the Rye J D Salinger
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire J K Rowling
His Dark Materials Philip Pullman
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Douglas Adams
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe CS Lewis
The Lord of the Rings JRR Tolkin
Nineteen Eighty-Four George Orwell
To kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee
I just can't choose. (Might vote more than once.)
Should be on the list:
Something by Rohld Dahl.
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Post by ave maria on Nov 9, 2003 23:55:44 GMT
Not only missing from the list, but also missing from the 100 list, something by Alistair MacLean, possibly Bear Island just off the top of my head.  |
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Post by DarkHoarse on Nov 10, 2003 9:24:22 GMT
Well my four favourite books are all there: Catch-22 (probably the best, just) Captain Corelli's Mandolin (Clare Short really didn't do it justice, though she made a better job than that travesty of a film!) Wuthering Heights (apart from the third quarter with Hareton and younger Catherine, which is really twee) Nineteen-Eighty-Four (I know there can only be one book per author in the Top 21, but how Animal Farm ended up as low as 40-something is beyond me...) And it was a joy to see Hitch-Hikers Guide there, but having missed Big Read on Saturday I'd be interested to know what the basis for its inclusion is, i.e. is it the first 2 books (which match the radio plot), the first four (which were to be the end of it all) or all five...? No example of dying young in recent years affected me as much as the passing of Douglas Adams. Anyone puzzled by this who thinks he was "just" a sci-fi writer, just go back to his work and read between the lines. The man was an incredibly funny, deeply humane, genius. RIP. Oh, and for anyone who even remotely shares that sentiment, his official biography "Wish You Were Here" has just come out in hardback. Bafflingly excluded even from the hundred were Secret Diary/Growing Pains of Adrian Mole! These books were seminal (in more ways than one  ) ! |
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Post by spike on Nov 10, 2003 11:33:00 GMT
It's just the first Hitchhikers book (well, that's the impression I got from Saturdays programme). Which I think is a tad bit unfair when you consider that all three of the His Dark Materials trilogy are there. But then again there's only one of the Harry Potter books there.  And I see that the BBCX are in trouble. Seems that they did not get permission from JD Salenger to dramatise parts of The Catcher In The Rye for the programme. Another book missing: The Day Of The Jackal by Frederick Forsythe. |
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Post by DarkHoarse on Nov 10, 2003 13:48:06 GMT
I suspect the winner is obvious, anyway. The Guardian and Waterstone's did a very similar poll in 1997 and this book won, and that was well before it was turned into three hugely successful and critically acclaimed films. Admittedly, it was also well before the most successful series of books in recent history, but something tells me Master Potter won't affect the result.
(interestingly enough, Trainspotting was in the top 10 in the 1997 poll and wasn't in the top 100 here; while I still think it is that rarest of things i.e. a far better film than novel, I was a bit surprised it missed out completely)
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Post by Lemon Lyman on Nov 11, 2003 21:44:12 GMT
I for one will be disappointed if the same obvious book wins - it would be great of something else was recognised as the best for a change. But then again the whole process has raised the profile of a lot of books I had forgotten about.
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Post by spike on Nov 17, 2003 19:32:45 GMT
If it's the books I think you are on about, I doubt if the films will have much of an influence to be honest.
Another book which should be there: Neuromancer by William Gibson.
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Post by DarkHoarse on Nov 18, 2003 9:27:42 GMT
No, I agree. I think that book would've won anyway. Won't do it any harm though will it?
(We're talking about LoTR by the way, don't really see the point in this Masonic secrecy any more!)
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Post by spike on Nov 18, 2003 11:49:01 GMT
And I was enjoying the secrecy. |
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Post by Laura Lyman on Nov 20, 2003 12:39:01 GMT
I'd pick Rebecca or catcher in the Rye - both excellent books. Still can't fathom how harry potter is in the top 21 and other greats aren't.
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Post by mervale on Nov 20, 2003 18:17:50 GMT
Well To Kill a Mockingbird probably gets my vote.
Also Little Women and The Lion The Witch & The Wardrobe both were favourites when I was growing up so would like to see them do well.
Although I loved Catcher in the Rye and Birdsong too. Hmm cant choose!
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Galileo
White House Intern
West Wing crackpot and woman!
Posts: 75
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Post by Galileo on Nov 20, 2003 19:53:18 GMT
Well, I love everything Jane Austen ... so 'Pride and prejudice' is definitely number one. I read the book before I saw the BBC-series, so I can't blame my Jane Austen-addiction to Colin Firth  ! Next up 'Wuthering Heights', closely followed by 'Jane Eyre'. Especially 'Wuthering Heights' captivates me every time! While I'm reading it, I always play the Kate Bush-song ... my favourite part: "Coming home to Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff, it's me ... Cathy. I've come home. I'm so cold. Let me into your window. It gets dark, it gets lonely on the other side of you." Sigh! The song combined with the book ... the usual result: me crying like a baby because of this shattered, cruel but amazing love-story! And last, but not least ... Tolkien of course. I read all of 'The Lord of the Rings'-books for the first time when I was 16. I was blown away! I keep re-reading them! I just loooove fantasy! Which reminds me ... all of you who love Tolkien, you'll love reading Terry Brooks! His Shannara-series is amazing! Come to think of it ... my one and only most favourite book ever isn't in this list. That's 'The name of the rose' from Umberto Eco! I love all of his work, but I'm convinced that 'The name of the rose' is going to stand the test of time!  |
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