Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s top ten list is “The Top Ten Books That I Feel Everyone Has Read but Me”.
Mine are as follows:
Books I want to (and plan on) reading:
1. The Bible by Anonymous
I’m not a religious person, my parents never took me to church, but I am embarassed to say that I’ve never read the Bible (Old Testament or King James). As a lover of literature, an English major, and a product of the Western World, it is my duty to read this book which has had such a major influence on the authors I love and the world I live in.
2. Divergent by Veronica Roth
I got an ARC of this at the ALA Midwinter conference, but I barely glanced at it before I placed it in my classroom library. Now, it’s all I ever read about. I own it, it’s on my coffee table, I will be reading it this fall.
3. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
This book is one of my oldest TBR books. Being a fan of Magical Realism, apparently I have to read this.
4. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Both my sister and Mom loved this book. I have a copy, which I lend to a lot of students who saw the movie. I haven’t seen the movie yet, and won’t until I read the book.
5. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Another old TBR book. Was this an Oprah Book Club pick? Everyone seems to have read this one with mixed reviews.
6. The Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Someone loaned the audiobook of this to me, but I never got around to it. It’s very highly recommended and I will get to it soon!
Probably Not Going to Happen:
7. Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
I wanted to read this one, but my Mom didn’t care for it. It seemed to be everywhere last year when that barely advertised movie with Julia Roberts came out. I’m not inspired to read it.
8. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
Everyone seems to have read this one. Someone gave me their copy of it along with the rest of the series. I read the first few pages then put it down for another book. I might read this because I truly believe it’s good and well-written, but I just don’t really have the urge. Will probably end up reading it for a book challenge.
Definitely Not Going to Happen:
9. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
Couldn’t do it. Couldn’t get past the telling. Didn’t Brown’s 7th grade English teacher advise him to show not tell. Not well written, don’t care enough to get past it for the apparently amazing plot.
10. The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
Is this book still relevant? A few years ago, everyone was talking about The Secret. I’m only remembering it now because a few weeks ago, when I was still laid off from teaching, a co-worker asked a down-in-the-dumps me “Have you read The Secret?” “No, but I don’t need to. It’s called common sense and a positive attitude. Learned that in elementary school and from Peter Pan.”
Did you read any of these books? Does your opinion differ from my comments?
Adventures in Borkdom 
Jillian ♣
I’m reading the Bible for the second time right now. I have the Archaeological version. 🙂 I eventually want to read the Quran and The Dead Sea Scrolls too…
borkadventures
Excellent plan! Truly, if we are serious students of literature, we can’t deny the importance of these texts…and again simply, as members of the society we live in and this globalized world. I got to see the Dead Sea Scrolls a few years ago at our local Museum of Natural History, and have been fascinated ever since!
Jessica
Eat Pray Love is terribly boring. Love the concept, hate the book. Didn’t bother with the movie, although I may, hopefully it will be better. But your right, everyone seems to have read it!
borkadventures
Thanks for your input! I WON’T check it out!
Louise
The Bible made my list too! And no, I don’t think The Secret is relevant anymore. I haven’t read it either, but that’s my understanding of it too. I have read both Life of Pi, and The Poisonwood Bible. Both were great for the first 3/4 or so. The ending of Life of Pi (which I can’t actually remember) made me want to throw it across the room.
borkadventures
Interesting about Life of Pi. I might read it, but it’s another one I’m not dying to read. I hate bad endings!
Alexa
I really liked Divergent. I couldn’t put it down as soon as I’d started it. 🙂
borkadventures
That’s what I hear…I can’t wait to start it!
Amber Elise
I want to read Divergent really badly as well! I didn’t read The Lovely Bones but I saw the film and well….I was not impressed. I understand what the book was trying to do, but the movie failed in my opinion.
borkadventures
Eventually I’ll get to The Lovely Bones…if I still have a copy. I think a student stole it!
teenlitrocks
A few of these are among my favorite books of all time. I kept my list limited to YA, but in terms of yours, “One Hundred Years of Solitude” is a must-read for any magical realism fan. It is THE best, but you will definitely need to keep track of the family tree in the front of the book, especially if you’re not used to long Spanish names. “The Poisonwood Bible” is also one of my most beloved books — in fact I gave copies of both of those to my bridesmaids as part of their thank you gifts! I also enjoyed “Divergent” and “The Lovely Bones,” but I know the latter is a very polarizing title. Great list.
borkadventures
Thanks for the advice! I’m a pro at tracking family trees, thanks to the A Song of Ice and Fire series.
Priya
I like how the first on your list is the Bible. I’m neither religious, nor Christian; but I’d like to read it, if only out of curiosity. I read the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo a while ago, but nothing about it made me want to continue reading the series. You do need to read Life of Pi, though!
Happy Reading!
borkadventures
Honestly Priya, the main reason I plan to try The Life of Pi again is because of your high praise of it on your blog!
borkadventures
You have very good taste!
bundleofbooks
I liked The Lovely Bones (not the film though) and Life Of Pi. I wouldn’t bother with The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo though, I’m not sure why people are so crazy about it!