What's on your bookcase?

[Digital Doctor]

Wait, what are books? Not familiar with them.

It's like your ebooks, but you print them to paper.

I've scanned alot of my important information into searchable .pdf files.

I'd rather have an ebook than a paper copy.

 

[Fred Sherman]

We could probably all add a lot more to the list, as any list is subjective, but the point would be?

The point is this:
This community seems pretty diverse in every way you slice it: age, gender, ethnicity, geography, politics, religion, life experience. I'm much more interested in a list that this community would come up with than what a bunch of self-proclaimed intellectual elites came up with. Think of it as the difference between theory and real world.

 

[jasetaro]

The point is this:
This community seems pretty diverse in every way you slice it: age, gender, ethnicity, geography, politics, religion, life experience. I'm much more interested in a list that this community would come up with than what a bunch of self-proclaimed intellectual elites came up with. Think of it as the difference between theory and real world.

Exactly, while there's some very interesting, entertaining, and/or thought provoking reads on that BBC list, there's some others -- like the Harry Potter series, that although I've read them I'm not particularly impressed with. And I have to wonder how or why they made that list as opposed to say the Diary of Anne Frank or Plato's Republic?

 

[DrYontem]

i ve no bookcase for now coz i am in dorm =)
my books re on desk, 2 novels ( one of Kevin Mitnick's, the other is Harlan Coben's)
a lot of notes and sobotta and guyton..

 

[Danny.VBT]

I have no idea how the BBC collated that list, but it definitely seems biased and ethnocentric to the British literary canon, e.g. multiple selections by Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. This is not necessarily a bad thing, I mean it is by the BBC and intended for a particular audience but is useful to be aware of it.

It's also interesting that no other literary forms are listed other than the novel, does no one read poetry or plays anymore??

 

[HannahP]

It's also interesting that no other literary forms are listed other than the novel, does no one read poetry or plays anymore??

I was waiting for someone to mention poetry. Or anything outside the mainstream.

There is a universe of writing out there that isn't on the shelves at your local book conglomerate (which is probably owned by WalMart, Tesco or Haliburton). The small press scene is alive and well! There is a lot out there to be found. You might even like some of it.

 

[Fred Sherman]

I have no idea how the BBC collated that list, but it definitely seems biased and ethnocentric to the British literary canon, e.g. multiple selections by Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.

How does any list of classic human literature not include The Art of War? Sun Tzu is still considered a great military tactician and studied in every military academy across the globe.

 

[Fred Sherman]

And what about SciFi? I, Robot has influenced robotic technology for decades.

 

[Elizabeth]

And what about SciFi? I, Robot has influenced robotic technology for decades.

That's 2 1/2 boxes upstairs, Asimov, Clarke, and Heinlein mostly.

 

[Danny.VBT]

And what about SciFi? I, Robot has influenced robotic technology for decades.

Dracula is sort of an early prototype of science fiction, and a great and scary read too.

 

[Jo.]

I think the BBC's list is a list of books (mostly classics) that they believe British people should have read. About half of the books on the list are by British authors, about a quarter are by American authors and the rest from Canada, India, Russia, France, Colombia, Australia, Spain and a few combinations. I personally don't think that's a bad mix for a British list.

I do think it's important for people to read books from other countries, for several reasons. But of course, different people will prefer different genres etc. and the number of lists could be really vast.

It would definitely be interesting to see what list people here came up with. I don't think it would mean the BBC's list isn't any good though.

As a British person, I am shocked when I hear Americans say they've never heard of Enid Blyton or Arthur Ransome for example. I'm sure the same is true of some American authors that aren't so well known over here... or authors from other countries...

 

[Digital Doctor]

I am shocked when I hear Americans say they've never heard of Enid Blyton or Arthur Ransome for example

Never heard of them !

 

[Jo.]

Never heard of them !

Lol, I can't imagine a childhood without The Famous Five, or the Twins at St. Clares, Mallory Towers, The Faraway Tree (the list could go on and on for Enid Blyton)... or Swallows and Amazons and the rest of Arthur Ransome's series!

 

[Jaxel]

Every Steven K Zoltan Brust book every written.

 

[Digital Doctor]

Lol, I can't imagine a childhood without

Do you know who Farley Mowat is ? Margaret Atwood ?

 

[Danny.VBT]

Do you know who Farley Mowat is ? Margaret Atwood ?

Margaret Atwood is great, though I've only read two of her books (Alias Grace, Oryx and Crake)

 

[Jo.]

Margaret Atwood yes, but not Farley Mowat. Who were/are the popular childrens authors over in the US? I have no idea lol. That's what I mean, in different countries/different cultures we have different ideas of what's worth reading. I discovered that Enid Blyton and Arthur Ransome are very hard to come across in the States, and I'm sure the same is true vice versa. So book lists will always be subjective.

 

[jonsidneyb]

I have every volume of Playboy ever made.

Then you have seen one of my friends.

 

[ragtek]

That's my "web bookcase"

20% of them i never touched