It’s been a while since I’ve had the time to participate in the Booking Through Thursday meme but I’ve made a concerted effort to do so today because this week Deb asks the really interesting question:
What’s the best book that YOU haven’t read yet?
As interesting as it is it’s a difficult question for me to answer, because quite frankly I could write a reply that would need infinite page-scrolling to reach the bottom of it. Why? Because there are so so many books I still want to and have to read. There are so many books that make my stomach churn the moment I think of them, and if I live three lifetimes I wouldn’t have enough time to read them all. No point bemoaning it though 
). Here’s a few:
- East of Eden by John Steinbeck
- War & Peace by Leo Tolstoy
- Cancer Ward by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn
- The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
- Growth of the Soil by Knut Hamsun
- Austerlitz by WG Sebald
- For Whom the Bell Tolls of Ernest Hemmingway
- The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
- Growth of the Soil by Knut Hamsun
- Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
…and you can take it as read that I want to read any of remaining titles I haven’t already read, of every author I’ve mentioned above…and many more.
Hehehe..can you see my problem? Factor in all of the amazing non-fiction books I want to read too, together with the never-ending stream of great titles that come out every month, and I’m faced with a problem that can never be solved! A hunger that can never be satisfied!
I’m sure it’s the same for every bibliophile though! Don’t you agree?
About Rob
Yes! I’d want to read War and Peace, but it’s such a thick book! LOL.
And I’m hoping to read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle soon!
I’d love to read War & Peace and Crime & Punishment, too.
I feel the same way sometimes – especially when I’m in a bookstore, looking at all the books I won’t have time to read!
It’s a huge problem for us bibliophiles! War and Peace is daunting because, like you said, of its size which not only restricts its mobility but it will take us quite awhile to finish it (when we could use that time to read three other books…). Coincidentally, I’ve just finished Crime and Punishment. And I’ve yet to read anything by Haruki Murakam.
I LOVE your blog layout
You have all those must reads on your list. These are the exact same books i am kind of worried i wont like. But you’ll never know
But yes, I do want to try something by Haruki Murakami .
Ahh, similar list to mine. I also have War and Peace, a Steinbeck (Grapes of Wrath) and a Murakami (Norwegian Wood).
ps. Mae, you are so right about War and Peace – that’s exactly the reason why it’s been on my shelf for so long.
Great list! It really is hard to narrow it down to one, isn’t it?
Happy Thursday!
I haven’t read any Solzhenitsyn yet!
That’s my problem: There are just far too many good books out there. I’ve read The Great Gatsby, but now I need to go back and read all of his Jazz Age short stories, This Side of Paradise, The Last Tycoon, etc., etc., etc. That’s how I got into trouble with Jane Smiley and Ann Tyler… I read one book of there’s that I loved and then had to read everything else (and they’ve written a ton).
Ahh… the problems of life.
Your stomach churns and I’m haunted by my TBR pile. *smile* Great list of books!
Yes, I do agree! I haven’t read any of those, either.
I adore The Great Gatsby! Up until a few years ago, it was undoubtedly my favorite book. I’ve since become a huge fan of Jhumpa Lahiri, so I can longer claim to love Fitzgerald the same way . . . but Gatsby is such an American (and world?) classic.
I definitely think it’s the same for all bibliophiles . . . we all have the stacks of books we desperately want to get to, but more keep pouring in to take up our time and attention. It’s a happy problem to have, though, I think!
Hi!
I have the same problem, toooooo many books to read and not enough time! Have a great day!!
Sherrie
The only one of your list I’ve read is The Great Gatsby. Loved it.
East of Eden is also on Mt. TBR. I love Steinbeck, much to my mother’s disagreement, and he’s also one of my daughter’s favorite authors. I read both War and Peace and The Great Gatsby in high school, and want to reread them again. Gatsby will probably happen a lot sooner though, lol…
I totally agree, Rob. Three lifetimes isn’t enough!
Crime and Punishment was on my list too!
We’ve got similar type of books! Growth of the Soil is on my list. Tolstoy and Dostoevsky are regular books I teach. I’ve got so many but when I reflect upon the type of writing style that appeals me the most, I narrow it down to a short list.
At first I couldn’t make of the question because it really depends on what best is. I’m reading a very popular book that I’m probably the last person on earth to read it. Gone with the Wind.
I’m a wee bit interested in reading War & Peace and Crime & Punishment, but I think Chekhov ruined me for Russian literature. I doubt I’ll ever get to them, but then I never know. Too many other books that have higher priority like Stranger in a Strange Land, a couple Neil Gaiman, the Omnivore’s Dilemma, etc… So much to read so little time!
I have the same issues with the infinity of books and limited time. I can only hope my belief that heaven has a heck of a library is true.
I have to agree there will never be enough time to read everything, but that doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy what I do get to read.
You have a great list of books – I have Crime and Punishment and the Great Gatsby as well. I promised my hubby I would read War and Peace this year, so making it my first read for Spring Reading Challenge. Thanks for visiting my blog.
The Great Gatsby is one of the most fascinating books I’ve ever read. As someone else has already mentioned, I need to go back and read some of his short stories and other works. Fitzgerald’s a great story-teller, and he just keeps you enchanted by the spell of his words.