19 March, 2006 | 5:39 p.m.
Books!

Being an avid book fan, I'd been lusting after the book 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die for some time, and on Friday I went ahead and bought it.

I figured it'd be an inspiration and a guide to good, no great, books I should read (before I die, after might be difficult). And yes, there are a lot of great books in there, but I have to say I missed some. I'd read 20 of the books that were listed, there were two Norwegian books (both by Knut Hamsun, who you may or may not know, depending on where you're from and/or how into literature you are) listed and all six novels by Jane Austen was in there. I agree, Jane Austen is a great writer, but I was hoping for a little more diversity... As this article points out, there are 11 books by JM Coetzee included... In this review there are some hilarious quotes from another reivew (in The Spectator), which pretty much sums up the book's deficiencies.

Regardless, it's a fun book to have, and I must say, only having 981 books left that I MUST read, is a great relief.

But really, forget that last sentence, because I don't want to read all the books in there. I know I'll never get through War and Peace, and frankly, I'd rather subsitute some of the suggested books with some I really want to read.

PS: I would suggest including The Odyssey or The Iliad, or both. And, as one reviever notes: What about Kipling?

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Stockholm Easter - 18 April, 2006
Hurray! - 03 April, 2006
Concert And Camera Concern (Or Rather: "Impatience") - 27 March, 2006
My Windowsill - 20 March, 2006
Crashing Crush - 20 March, 2006