To Read Before Death...dun dun dun!
Okay, I've decided to start to try and participate in some of the weekend blog hops that are always floating around. It just makes things easier on the weekends when I don't have to use my brain as much, you know?
So today, I jumped on over to The Blue Bookcase and I've decided to hop into their Literary Blog Hop. The question for the weekend?
What one literary work must you read before you die?
Now this is a daunting question (and morbid!). It can be answered in two ways: 1) what I would recommend to you all to read before you die; and 2) what I want to make sure I read before I pass. I've decided to answer both.
1) Well let's take a gander at the old shelf. Oh, I guess I should be hurrying since you're near death's door, huh? This is a tough one. On the one hand I want to say a book that had a really great impact on me and really made me think about the world. That would be 1984 by George Orwell. It was just fantastic. It was also terrifying. On the other hand I want to say a book that brought out nearly every emotion in me from happiness and laughter to sadness and shock and horror. That would be Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, my all-time favorite book. And for some reason I know a lot of people don't appreciate Jane the way I do. I get her. We're like this *fingers crossed* But since many are not...I'd say go with 1984. Seriously one of the best books ever.
2) Okay hmm. There are so many! And lately I serioulsy have been reading the ones I've really wanted to get off of my plate. I think the only ones I really have to set a goal to finish before I die are the really incredibly long ones. Those intimidate me (yikes!). But at the same time I actually don't really have a desire to read things like Moby Dick or Ulysses. Just never appealed to me. One of the books I REALLY want to get around to soon but I keep pushing it off is The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. I've heard great things and it's in my Kindle but it's long. One day!
Have any suggestions for me? What must I read? Do you agree with my assessment of 1984? Shout it out in the comments :)
1) Well let's take a gander at the old shelf. Oh, I guess I should be hurrying since you're near death's door, huh? This is a tough one. On the one hand I want to say a book that had a really great impact on me and really made me think about the world. That would be 1984 by George Orwell. It was just fantastic. It was also terrifying. On the other hand I want to say a book that brought out nearly every emotion in me from happiness and laughter to sadness and shock and horror. That would be Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, my all-time favorite book. And for some reason I know a lot of people don't appreciate Jane the way I do. I get her. We're like this *fingers crossed* But since many are not...I'd say go with 1984. Seriously one of the best books ever. 
12 comments:
Completely with you on 1984!! My choice as well.
I haven't read 1984 yet!! I will take your recommendation and make sure it gets read before I shuffle off this mortal coil. Thanks also for your vote in favour of Blind Assassin (I was secretly hoping people would vote for that!)
Woman in White looks intriguing but I can't say I know too much about it. I shall have to investigate...
Haven't read 1984, will have to put it on the list. I do love the Bronte sisters.
I want to read The Woman in White someday as well. But for this week's question, I chose War and Peace.
I do agree with you about 1984. Orwell was a visionary, with unsettling insight into the power and potential of subverted language. As for The Woman in White, that has been highly recommended to me so many times it's on my bookshelf but I can't seem to start it.
You seemed to find this a lot easier a process than I did, I ummed & arhed alot. Also I'm one of those heathens that don't get that Eyre women, but 84's a good choice . Enjoyed your post.
I read 1984 and Animal Farm my senior year (HS)... a long time ago. I'm not an Orwell fan...
I haven't read Jane Eyre (I have no idea what this one is about!). :)
1984 is very very good! and The Woman in White is fun, definitely worth it.
The Woman in White was one of the first Victorian novels I read. Collins (and Reade and Dickens et al) aren't my usual kind of reading, but TWiW is worth the effort, so don't let the length deter you. You'll probably like Marian. :D
And Middlemarch. Have you read that? If you haven't, it is so so so so so SO lovely!
I feel like I need to re-read Jane Eyre since so many people love that book! 1984 is a great pick. Definitely read The Woman in White -- it's actually a really fun read once you get into it, and has one of the best heroines and villains I've read lately.
So many comments!
@pete, love that we chose the same book!
@Kath, I really need to read Blind Assassin too. And totally pick up 1984!
@V. Furnas, glad to see someone else appreciating the Brontes!
@restless, I noticed a lot of people chose that one, I've just never had any interest in it for some reason.
@Deborah, yes. Total visionary.
@parrish, trust me, it just looks easy. It really was hard!
@Mari, I found that most books I had to read in school I didn't like...then. But then I re-read them for myself and really have liked most of them so far.
@Melanie, good to hear about Woman in White. Getting more excited to actually start is someday.
@Christie, no I haven't read Middlemarch. I actually don't even know what it's about!
@bookshop, oh excited about the villains! My post Friday was all about villains!
Definitely loved 1984. I hope to read W&P this year, but so far I'm only about fifty pages in. Still, I'm hopeful. It's been recommended to me over and over.
Here's my post: http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2011/03/book-you-must-read-before-you-die.html
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