It’s one thing to say that any book that starts its title with ‘1001’ can’t be serious about being the definitive guide to movies, practical uses of vinegar or pirate things to spot. But Peter Boxall’s 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die subtitles itself ‘A comprehensive reference source, chronicling the history of the novel’, supposedly communicating its strong academic clout (the pages are littered with acclaimed experts).
Oprah Winfrey in 1985 film adaptation of The Color Purple
Everything from Aesop’s Fables to Dracula to Everything is Illuminated is there. And while you would be hard-pressed to find a book reviewed in 1001 Books which is not worthy of its place (though, why oh why, has Boxall included Salman Rushdie’s Grimus?), you may find yourself asking, “But why didn’t they include…?” In fact, in his introduction, Boxall makes it clear that he is not attempting to make a statement so final it would be bizarre. As he says, the list “does not claim to define or exhaust the novel”.
So what of the bordering-on-snobbish title? It’s likely an invitation to engage with the history being created, to challenge it, to join the conversation.
Here’s what to do with the bloody massive thing:
Lay it permanently on your coffee table
The bookworms in your circle will fritter the minutes away while you finish sorting the risotto. Short reviews and impressively executed illustration, often including a photograph of the author or a still from a film adaptation, guarantee lively conversation.
Read it at your book club
Forget Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (actually, I’ve heard it’s pretty good) and try a real challenge. It’ll probably stimulate more discussion than the stereotypical ‘2 minutes on the text, 1 hour 58 minutes on inane chatter’. At least it’s so heavy no one’s likely to hurl it across the room should tensions rise.
Skim it and fake how cultured you are
You could go a step further by building a home library based on the list. You’d probably need to some reading to pull this off as the reviews don’t include spoilers. Then again, there’s always Google. At any rate, stick to the really obscure ones and you should be ok. If the discussion goes too deep, redirect to a 1001 reviewer’s particularly striking impressions of Herman Heese’s Steppenwolf or whatever you’re ranting about and you’re swimming again.
Actually try to read the 1001 books
A few bloggers and forum users have chronicled their own attempts to read every book listed. As a lit grad, I’ve read a fair few but I’ve not approached even half of what’s there and it seems to me that unless you have a vested interest, you’re unlikely to ever read them all. I’ll even go as far as to say that I’m not sure it can be done to any great degree of quality and I don’t really see why you’d do it just for the sake of it.
Put it on your desk for writing inspiration
On second thought, 1001 Books may depress you but if you’ve got a balanced sense of yourself and confidence in your writing, it really shouldn’t.
Give it to your dad
Present it to him on his birthday, having scrawled on the title page, “You are running out of time.”
Adele Jarrett-Kerr
Get 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die on Amazon for £13.24 (RRP £20)
Comments
might have to get this one. I’ve got the 1001 albums you must hear before you die from the same series. It is a permanent resident in my water closet.. The only true reading room…!
might have to get this one. I've got the 1001 albums you must hear before you die from the same series. It is a permanent resident in my water closet.. The only true reading room…!
I like the suggestion for our dads!
One other thing you could do with it… you could track your progress with the spreadsheet too:
http://johnandsheena.co.uk/books/?page_id=1806
I like the suggestion for our dads!
One other thing you could do with it… you could track your progress with the spreadsheet too:
http://johnandsheena.co.uk/books/?page_id=1806
I think I’ll try this once my degree is done…at the very best I’ll make it through 20 before september starts
*fingers crossed* I believe this is a life-long venture.
I think I'll try this once my degree is done…at the very best I'll make it through 20 before september starts
*fingers crossed* I believe this is a life-long venture.