On College, Books and The Modern Library’s List of the 100 Best Novels
When I started my college career in the late summer of 1997, I was all set to work hard for four years and walk away with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. After one semester learning journalistic theory and having my papers torn to shreds, I realized that I was not cut out for the path that lie before me. I was not a journalist.
I loved the written word, however, and was not about to give that up. After speaking to my advisor, I decided I was better suited to a four-year stint as a terminally unemployable English major.
As it turns out, that was exactly what I was meant to be. Reading and writing and exploring the written word were my passions. Thoughts of a career had driven me toward journalism, but passion had drawn me toward the study of literature.
In the early summer of 2001, I completed my four years in college with a bachelor’s degree in English under my belt.
Since those days, I have continued my passion for reading. It is rare that I am not currently plugging away at one book or another. The one difference, however, is that these days my reading material is far less literary or scholarly then it was back in my college days. I’m quick to pick up a good thriller, but don’t often finding myself reading anything on the Modern Library’s list of the 100 best novels.
Until today, that is.
I’ve decided that I am going to tackle the books that make up the Modern Library’s list (as soon as I finish the mystery novel I picked up yesterday). There is the list of the 100 best novels as chosen by the Modern Library. There is the list of 100 best novels as chosen by a reader poll. And lastly, there is the list of 100 best novels as chosen by the Radcliffe Publishing Course. Consolidate the lists, and you get the 209 best novels of all time.
That is a lot of reading.
Luckily, I have a jumpstart. I’ve already read 28 of the 209 novels on the list. Sadly, it is a lousy jumpstart, especially for someone who studied literature in college. Can you believe I’ve never read The Catcher in the Rye?
But I soon will. In fact, it may be the book with which I inaugurate my literary journey.
And what a journey it will be. I am prepared to read some wonderful works. I am also prepared to read some overly verbose prose that only the truly insane can enjoy. And I am prepared to take a break from time to time to enjoy a good cheesy thriller.
I can’t be a literary genius all the time.
That is an enterprise. I was an English major as well and sometimes I do get the urge to read a classic. I just listened to Rebecca by DuMaurier and that was pretty good (though not on your list…) You will have to keep me informed on your progress. Maybe it will rub off on me… I have an urge for a Dickens…
I find the Reader’s List very interesting and a tad more diverse than the Board’s List. Hell, they have Ender’s Game on there!!! Good luck with your goal. I know I have a stack of papers and books all set for summer reading.
“I’ve decided that I am going to tackle the books that make up the Modern Library’s list (as soon as I finish the mystery novel I picked up yesterday).”
That is so funny. It’s just like me. I have taped an episode of the PBS documentary series “Nova” that I will get to…right after I finish watching yesterday’s episode of “The View”.
That is a very noble undertaking. I’ve read some classics but some i’ve went to read and thought “what the hell?”. Anything that elicits that response it put down never to be picked up by me again.
I wouldn’t lament the journalism vs. English choice too much. I have a degree in journalism and we both ended up working at the same place.
Catcher in the Rye will go quick. Start with that one and you’ll feel confident to tackle some of the more daunting volumes.
way cool
I am curious to print and count off my ‘done that already’ from the list.
May I suggest books on tape? I have listend to a few lofty novels that way; when they are read to me they are far more enjoyable
Some of Dickens works, for instance make much better listening tales than reading.
good luck
Good luck with “Battlefield Earth”. Ack.
I think you should have a Dr. Sparky Book Club. It would be way more fun than Oprah’s.
BATTLEFIELD EARTH?
That piece of $#!% made it and HOLLYWOOD WIVES: THE NEXT GENERATION was omitted? If I were Jackie Collins I’d be asking for an effin’ recount.
And I think Michael is on to something.
Ecks! You haven’t read “Catcher in the Rye”! Oh my! I have read it like three times. haha
Is that pic of Blake and Chris a real or doctored pic??
I’ve read about 11…so I’m way behind you. I should try to read all those books. It’ll take me a lifetime the way I read, but it’s a good goal!
“…terminally unemployable English major.” *sigh* Oh, Vince, why do you have to say such true things?!? Let me live in my land of delusion, where English majors are sought after for their “critical thinking skills” and ability to put together a complete sentence (which, supposedly, everyone is clamoring for in this age of IM speak, but you’d never know it judging by the writing that gets put out there), and the fact that I’m unemployed two years after graduating is simply because I didn’t get small, the companies did. *sigh*
Anyway, good luck with the reading program and I hope it generates lots of interesting posts! I, too, have gone on “literary classic” jags (we English majors have so much guilt about what we HAVEN’T read, don’t we?). But I have the willpower of a hypnotized rabbit on Ecstasy, so they’ve never lasted too long. I’d much rather read what appeals to me rather than what I “should” read.