My Favorite 100 Books Out of 1,004 Read

13 thoughts on “My Favorite 100 Books Out of 1,004 Read”

1. You’ve read so much more than me James.Many of the authors I haven’t even heard of, especially the more modern or contemporary ones.I noticed you chose only one book per author.Of those in your list, these are the ones I’ve read:

   Frankenstein Mary Shelley
   The Time Machine H.G. Wells
   Dracula Bram Stoker
   House of Mirth Edith Wharton
   The Sun Also Rises Ernest Hemingway
   Last and First Men Olaf Stapleton
   Nineteen Eighty-Four George Orwell
   Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger
   Lord of the Flies William Golding
   On the Road Jack Kerouac
   Confessions of a Crap Artist Philip K. Dick
   Mindswap Robert Sheckley
   Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt Vonnegut

   The following would be my choice from those above:

   Frankenstein
   The Sun Also Rises
   Last and First Men
   Nineteen Eighty-Four
   Lord of the Flies
   On the Road
   Confessions of a Crap Artist

   “Frankenstein” was a seminal novel that influenced the later development of SF.Hemingway of course, is an excellent author, and I don’t think there’s anything I’ve read of his, I haven’t enjoyed, even though that one didn’t leave any colorful impression.”Last and First Men” is a powerful novel, but I think it pales in comparison to “Star Maker”.Of course, we will have our own choices.I can’t argue with you about “Nineteen Eight-Four”, but I’d have probably chosen “Animal Farm”.His “Coming Up for Air” and “Keep the Aspidistra Flying” also seem excellent contenders, as do his non-fiction books, such as “The Road to Wigan Pier”.

   You are obviously very limited when only selecting one book per author and a single choice is difficult and probably invidious.William Golding probably never wrote a better novel than”Lord of the Flies”, and “On the Road” might be Kerouac’s best novel, although I’ve only read one other book of his,”Lonesome Traveler”, which however I didn’t consider any better than the other one.”Confessions of a Crap Artist” is an excellent modern mainstream novel, but I would have chosen one of Dick’s SF novels, as this one was written early in his career and took 16 years to be published, during which time, he matured as an author and would give us so much more in the next decade.

   The remaining list:

   The Time Machine
   Dracula
   House of Mirth
   Catcher in the Rye
   Mindswap
   Slaughterhouse-Five

   I never liked “The Time Machine” or “War of the Worlds”.I could never get on with Wells stuff.I think it was his style I didn’t like.I find “Dracula” far less memorable than “Frankenstein”, which can’t be called SF, but both emerged from the Gothic cannon and still left an impact on modern SF. I did enjoy “House of Mirth, but gray areas seem to remain, as it can’t remember much about it.”Catcher in the Rye” is a very popular book, which is probably why I don’t care very much for it, but it falls a long way behind “On the Road”.”Mindswap” wasn’t bad, but there are better novels Sheckley wrote, and I’d also prefer his collection, “The Wonderful World of Robert Sheckley”.”Slaughterhouse-Five” is a very good book I suppose, but it’s difficult to make comparisons to other SF books written about the same time, and it’s actual structure I find uncomfortable.

   Overall, a hundred best novels is a difficult and very specified list to make.Having read so widely, I suppose you could afford to leave out so many SF books, which probably doesn’t say much for SF, I don’t know.Considering the excellence of so many of its books compared to mainstream literature, I’d have been more generous.

   I’m pleased to have read such an excellent post though.

   Reply

   1. Richard, it was hard sticking to just 100 books and limiting one book per author. For Kerouac, I wanted to list ON THE ROAD/THE DHARMA BUMS/BIG SUR as one book since the three make one great story.

      I almost put LORD OF THE FLIES on the list. It was 102. But I already had ROBINSON CRUSOE, THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND and EARTH ABIDES with similar themes.

      I hate stories about vampires, but I truly admire the writing of DRACULA. Both DRACULA and FRANKENSTEIN are much better stories than their cheesy filmed versions.

      MINDSWAP is both a good and bad book. However, it has lots of personal meaning for me. And I really love hearing Sheckley narrated by a good audiobook narrator.

      Reply

      1. That’s what I said James, it’s difficult to make a list of 100 books from such a definite and limited number, and then only choosing just one book from more than a few good ones per author.

         Don’t you mean you almost didn’t put “Lord of the Flies” on the list?

         My memories of reading “Dracula” are very vague, which is why I haven’t listed it as a favorite but I’m sure I liked reading it at the time.Yes, both are much better than filmed versions.

         Yes well, Sheckley is a very good author.There will be different preferences.

         I’ve found this post to be both intellectual and fun.I intend to get my own list of 100 best books to you, based on your criteria.

         Reply

2. An interesting list. I found that I had read 25 of the first 30 books on your list, those with the earliest publication date, but only 3 of the last 30 on your list, those with most recent publication date. I wonder why that is.

   Reply

   1. There are less than 100 famous books from the 19th century, so the odds are if you’ve read any, then we’re likely to overlap. From recent years there are thousands of popular books, out of millions published. So we’re less likely to overlap.

      Reply

3. Thought provoking post! Alas, I was hoping my habit of keeping a reading log, which is continuous from the tale end of 1973, was unique. I won’t say how many it includes because it would be boasting and make it seem like I do nothing but read books. I might get around to putting together a top 100 list one of these days..as I found yours most interesting. You’re definitely a more well read person than I’ll ever be. I find I’m unable to get into most of the classical literature and since I’m still employed in a technical job, the last thing I want to do is read for the sake of improvement after a long day at the grindstone. I’ve read only 19 from your list, and 17 of them were from the beginning to 1969. The other two were in 1989 and 2009. That strongly reflects my love for the golden age of science fiction of the 50’s and to a lesser extent, that of the 60’s and 70’s, as well as my disdain for the majority of modern science fiction. I’ve seldom read a second book from a modern author, although a recent exception is Alan Smale.

   I have a few differences from your selections, but they probably indicate my particular interests are different from yours. For instances, I would’ve gone with Defoe’s Moll Flanders, Baum’s original Wizard of Oz, deleted Vonnegut and added Shute’s On the Beach, though it is gloomy and depressing. I’ve just began reading Olaf Stapledon so I don’t know enough to have an opinion yet.

   Reply

4. This is my 100 top books list,that I said I I’d send you.It was very difficult to follow your criteria of one book per author,but I did if it was possible.I tried to limit the number of SF books I’ve read insofar as I could,but found that a greater number of them were more memorable than a lot of the mainstream novels I’d read in the last decade.I also had to add books I’d read from your own list.

   1.The Spire William Golding
   2.The Trial Franz Kafka
   3.Dr Brodie’s Report Jorge Luis Borges
   4.The Outsider Albert Camus
   5.Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem Peter Ackroyd
   6.For Whom the Bell Tolls Ernest Hemingway
   7.The Book and the Brotherhood Iris Murdock
   8.In the Forest Edna O’Brien
   9.Brighton Rock Graham Green 10.Foxes Grow Grey Maggie Walsh
   11.Animal Farm George Orwell
   12.Dollface Renee Rosen
   13.A Private View Anita Brooker
   14.Anna of the Five Towns Arnold Bennett
   15.The Odessey Homer
   16.Under the Greenwood Tree Thomas Hardy
   17.Madam Bovery Gustave Flaubert
   18.The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
   19.Theresa Raquin Emile Zola
   20.On Jung Anthony Stevens
   21.Origin of Species Charles Darwin
   22.The Fire Fighter Francis Cottam
   23.The Summer House,Later Judith Harman
   24.Moon Women Pamela Duncan
   25.The Fisher Child Peter Casey
   26.Untouchable Mulk Raj Anand
   27.Aeneid Virgil
   28.A High Wind in Jamaica Richard Hughes
   29.The Fishcastle Elizabeth Steed
   30.Red Sorghum Mo Yan
   31.The Thing on the Doorstep H.P. Lovecraft
   32.The Steep Approach to Garbendale Iain M. Banks
   33.Ice Anna Kavan
   34.Heroes and Villians Angela Carter
   35.Black Mischief Evelyn Waugh
   36.Metamorphosis Ovid
   37.The Scarlet Letter Nathanial Hawthorne
   38.Silas Marner George Elliot
   39.The Green Man Kingsley Amis
   40.Trillion Year Spree Brian Aldiss
   41.Only Apparently Real:The World of Philip K. Dick Paul Williams
   42.Stranger at the Palozza d’ Ono Paul Theroux
   43.Girl in the Attic Valerie Mendes
   44.Now is the Time to Open Your Heart Alice Walker 45.Interpreter of Maladies Jhumpa Lahiri
   46.Star Maker Olaf Stapleton
   47.Naked Lunch William Burroughs
   48.The Waves Virginia Wolfe
   49.Tales of Innocence and Experience:An Exploration Eva Figes
   50.Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Philip K. Dick
   51.The Drowned World J.G. Ballard
   52.Dandelion Wine Ray Bradbury
   53.The Left Hand of Darkness Ursula K. LeGuin
   54.Nightwings Robert Silverberg
   55.Beasts John Crowley
   56.The Book of the New Sun Gene Wolfe
   57.Mythago Wood Robert Holdstock
   58.Dangerous Visions Harlan Ellison
   59.Ferve Dream George Martin
   60.The Affirmation Christopher Priest
   61.Day of the Minotaur Thomas Burnet Swann
   62.The Stars My Destination Alfred Bester
   63.Fantastic Science Fiction:Short Novels of the 1970s Issac Asimov
   64.Lonesome Traveler Jack Kerouac
   65.The Inheritors William Golding
   66.Labyrinths Jorge Luis Borges
   67.A Moveable Feast Ernest Hemingway
   68.Keep the Aspidistra Flying George Orwell
   69.The Mayor of Casterbridge Thomas Hardy
   70.The Man in the High Castle Philip K. Dick
   71.Concrete Island J.G. Ballard
   72.The Martian Chronicles Ray Bradbury
   73.The Dispossessed Ursula K. LeGuin
   74.Dying Inside Robert Silverberg
   75.The Houses of Iszm Jack Vance
   76.The Sirens of Titan Kurt Vonnegut
   77.The Fifth Head of Cerebus Gene Wolfe
   78.The Dancers at the End of Time Michael Moorcock
   79.The Infernal Desire Machine of Dr. Hoffman Angela Carter
   80. The Altercation Kingsley Amis
   81.The Castle Franz Kafka
   82.The Deep John Crowley
   83.The Wonderful World of Robert Sheckley Robert Sheckley
   84.Pavane Keith Roberts
   85.Greybeard Brian Aldiss
   86.Behold the Man Michael Moorcock
   87.Frankenstein Mary Shelley
   88.The Sun Also Rises Ernest Hemingway
   89.Last and First Men Olaf Stapleton
   90.1984 George Orwell
   91.Lord of the Flies William Golding
   92.On the Road Jack Kerouac
   93.Slaughterhouse-Five Kurt Vonnegut
   94.Puttering About in a Small Land Philip K. Dick
   95.The House of Mirth Edith Wharton
   96.Dracula Bram Stoker
   97.The Detached Retina Brian Aldiss
   98.The Road to Wigan Pier George Orwell
   99.A Pair of Blue Eyes Thomas Hardy
   100.Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad

   This list isn’t neccessarily what I consider to be the best books I’ve read,some of them are not,but they’re the most memorable or recent I’ve read.I would hope within another two years,this list would be significantly different.

   Reply

   1. That’s a great list, Richard. By the way, you sold a copy of The Sirens of Titan. It was on sale today for $1.99 and I was thinking about getting it. When I saw it on your list it convinced me to buy it. I’ve read 29 of your 100. And you’re also a fan of Jack Kerouac. And you love Keep the Aspidistra Flying! Ha, I’ve met few people that love that book. There are many more on your list I plan to read. And you like Thomas Burnett Swann – there’s an author I seldom see mention anymore.

      Reply

5. Glad you liked it.Have you read “The Sirens of Titan”? Pleased it persuaded you to get it,and at a bargain.I’m surprised you only read that many of my books,having read more extensively than me.Shows how differently we’ve read.They’re the only two Kerouac novels I’ve read.Yes,I did particularly like that Orwell novel though.I’ve read four of them altogether,and 3 of his non-fiction books.It was difficult to chose which ones to put on,which was partly why I included four,including one of his non-fiction books.

   I assume you’ve read most of the SF books.I did quite like Thomas Burnet Swann,but have only read two of his novels,and a short story in an anthology.

   Reply

   1. I’ve read The Sirens of Titan and I think I’ve listened to it too. There were 4-5 books on your list I didn’t count reading because I only vaguely thought I had read them. I read so many books in my teen and college years that I’ve forgotten most of them.

      I’ve only read one Thomas Burnet Swann book and I’ve forgotten what it was. It was fantasy, and I don’t really care for fantasy, but a friend was a fan who wanted me to try it.

      I want to read more Orwell. I need to read John Crowley. I took classes with him for a week at Clarion West.

      Reply

      1. I see.Thought you had.The other novel by Swann I read,was “Green Phoenix”,was that the one? The short piece I mentioned,was called “The Manor of Roses”.From what I’ve read of his stuff,I think nearly all of it can be called fantasy,but still managed to make it into SF.His subject matter is rather different to the majority of SF authors,as it deals with the mysteries of the past.I should read more of his short fiction.

         I want to read more Orwell,but I’ve read a fair number of his books,and there’s other authors I want to read.Haven’t you read any Crowley? I’ve read four of his books,including the monumental “Little Big”.I think “Beasts” is his best.

         Reply

         1. I went looking at cover images of Thomas Burnett Swann books and the only two that agitated any memory cells were The Weirwoods and The Goat Without Horns. Just can’t remember anything for sure. There was a time when I read a paperback book a day, but very little from those books have stuck with me.

            That was in my first third of life. Now that I’m in the final third, I struggle to remember things. I now read slower, read only about a book a week or less, and try harder to remember, but even then, I’m surprised by how fast I forget books.

            Reply

            1. I see,that’s alright then.”Green Phoenix” was originally published by Daw,with a cover by George Barr,which was the edition I once owned.It’s best to try to keep notebook lists of all the authors and their books you remember.

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