Tuesdays Are For the Books

The New York Times recently published their list of 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. I’m pretty sure you’ve heard about it by now! But did you know you can go through the list and mark the books you’ve read and the books you want to read? Yes, friends, it’s interactive.

I’m dismayed at the number one choice since I read My Brilliant Friend . . . and gave it 2 stars. Whomp whomp. But despite that awkward decision, I’m excited that so many of my other favorites made the list. Books like Bel Canto, Olive Kitteridge, Middlesex, Life After Life (which would have been #1 on this list if I was ranking them), and Lincoln in the Bardo to name just a few.

And I’ll admit to being a little dismayed that I haven’t read more of these top books. Not because I think I should have, but because I think I read some pretty good books and so many of them aren’t on this list. Books like Shuggie Bain, The Little Friend, The History of Love, and The Glass Castle, for example.

I could (should?) maybe add all of them to my TBR but I have selected a few already, mostly titles that have been on my radar but I just haven’t gotten around to them. A Visit from the Goon Squad, Wolf Hall, and Pachinko so far.

So. What do you think of the list? And how does it compare to your read list? And, have you added any titles to your TBR because of this list? I really want to know so please tell me in the comments.

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Comments (9)

  1. Hmmm, I have not looked at the list and most likely will not. I read what I want to read and don’t pay much attention to “best” lists. Everyone’s tastes, likes, dislikes, etc. vary so much that what is a “best of” list for one person would not be for another. Besides all that, my TBR list is way too long at this point! LOL

  2. Since we cancelled our NYT’s subscription, I can’t view the list. But I have seen lots of commentary about it (and what was notably missing from the list as well).

  3. Ranking books is highly subjective, but I disagreed with a lot on the NYT list. I think there was a problem when three of Elena Ferrante’s books appeared on the list, but nothing from Louise Erdrich or Tommy Orange. I think Margaret Atwood should have been represented, probably with The Handmaid’s Tale. But I was pleasantly surprised to see Olive Kitteridge and Emperor of All Maladies. I’m sure it was a big undertaking, but we’re only 1/4 into the 21st century, and I bet there will be a few good books written in the next 75 years. It probably won’t change my reading much; the only book I added was The Fifth Season.

  4. I haven’t seen the list, but now that you have brought it to my attention, I will look at it. Do they explain their criteria for “best books”? I tried for many years to read all the books that won awards gifted by critics, but I quickly found that they were not picking books that I cared to read. I don’t want to turn my favorite pastime into required reading of what I don’t enjoy. I did not enjoy Elena Ferrante’s first book, did not finish it, and didn’t try any of the rest. Life is too short, there are too many books to enjoy, and the exploration of the library and books is too much fun to be dictated by some stranger. Wow, can you tell I don’t like “best books” lists? HA HA HA

  5. I did check out the list as it was published, and it turned out I’ve read 50 of the 100 books on that list. Big Whoop . . . lists like this make me a little bonkers. I mean, it’s JUST A LIST that was created because they asked authors for their favorite books, and then they chose the books based on the chosen authors’ favorites. It’s not like it means anything other than that. It’s JUST A LIST of some peoples’ favorite books. (Okay. Ask me what I really think . . . )

  6. I read a lot (A LOT) and I had only read seven or eight on the list. This makes me think my reading needs to be a bit more expansive (not a lot of cozies on the list, haha) but I also think the NYT has a bit of a ‘type’ that isn’t horribly inclusive of a range of well written work.

  7. I like using a list like this to perhaps add something to my list and, since I’ve only read seven books on that list, there’s a lot of potential! haha.

  8. I did see the list but haven’t thought about it since. I know I read about 10 of them and own about 5 that are on my TBR list. I read what I want to read and don’t go by lists to decide what to read so I really haven’t paid any attention to it after that first look.

  9. I read 20-some on the NYTimes list, 30-some on the list where they polled their readers for their nominees. I guess I am not quite intellectual enough for the NYT books, but I am quite happy in my own little book world of mysteries, suspense, and general fiction.

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