So I was looking through my posts over the last week, and I realized I've been bogging you guys down with author interviews and guest posts lately. Not that I don't think they're great posts, but four in a row? What were you thinking, Natalie? I'm going to take the easy way out by blaming it on mid-terms and lack of sleep.
Anyways, I thought I'd switch things up a bit by posting a discussion question. At one of my recent English Society meetings, we got around to talking about the books we were slightly embarrassed to admit that we haven't read yet. You know, those books that people start talking about and ask for your opinion, which result in you making a cringe-worthy face...followed by the almost overpowering urge to duck under a desk or hide in a closet. Today, I'm going to share with you a few of mine! I've even sorted them into categories!
Classics
These three appear on a LOT of required reading lists for both high school and college students, but I somehow managed to take the classes that read other books instead. I'm happy to say that, by the end of this semester, I will have read The Great Gatsby, because it's required reading for my American Lit class. One down, lots to go!
Adult Fiction
These are pretty much a case of the poorly neglected TBR pile. With the exception of Some Girls Bite, I own a copy of all of these books. (Here comes my favorite phrase...) I just haven't gotten around to reading them yet!
Young Adult Fiction
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The YA category is definitely the largest. I had to force myself to pick only 12. Sadly enough, I own a copy of EVERY.SINGLE.ONE. of these books, but I STILL haven't read them!!!
Middle Grade Fiction
Again, with the exception of The Mysterious Benedict Society, I own all of these. I will say...having to admit to not having read The Giver and The Outsiders really makes me want to crawl under a rock...
So, what are the books that make YOU cringe, for lack of having read them (...yet)?
I'm... appalled by the MG one... hahaha actually, I'm just kidding, please don't feel bad! I hope you get to read those MG and YA books soon, of the ones i've read, i've really enjoyed :) And I'm seriously behind in the classics department too!! i've actually nEVER read shakespeare before! :o great post natalie :)
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the Classics post except for The Great Gatsby which I read one summer and didn't really like. The rest are TBR...at some point.
ReplyDeleteBut I really must champion The Giver and Graceling. The former is rather short and the latter is just fantastic! Do you think participating in a read-your-own books challenge would help motivate you?
Ha well I'm in the middle of reading the Harry Potter series right now! I have the excuse of not being allowed to read them till now though. Oh and I still haven't read The Mortal Instruments series or all of Percy Jackson. Series are always a bit daunting especially when they're already finished.... Hehe. And then there are all the classics I really want to read like Jane Eyre and Oliver Twist. I'm currently reading Les Miserables and lets just say its a bit scary since its so dang huge! I'm more than 300 pages in and thats not even like a quarter of the way through. :P
ReplyDeleteI missed on a LOT of the classics... well, actually, all the classics, since I studied in Brazil and we read Brazilian literature hehe
ReplyDeleteI haven't yet read To Kill A Mockingbird (but I do own it!). I've read a bunch off your list and let me tell you, a few of them are NOT worth your time! You do need to read Last Sacrifice though. It's great. :)
ReplyDeleteBooks & Hype
ReplyDeleteI read almost all adult books because of hype. I actually loved the first dragon book. Haven't read Dan brown in years.
I still need to read some different classics but I feel your pain.
Time & choosing a book to read are what get more. I still need to Nevermore too.
That picture of the guy cringing is perfect. That is the exact face I make!
ReplyDeleteI don't think you're missing anything having not read The Catcher in the Rye or Interview with the Vampire (just watch the movie, it's better).
I still need to read a bunch of those YA and MG books. At least we're not alone! :)
For the classics category, I really need to read Wuthering Heights. Everyone keeps telling me that I need to read it, but I just haven't gotten to it.
ReplyDeleteFor the teen category, my guilty one is definitely Vampire Academy. I haven't read that one yet, and everyone says it is so good. Definitely feeling the guilt there.
Great topic!
OMG, I feel terrible now. I haven't read any of the above books. How sad!
ReplyDeleteExcept for your YA category, every single book you've mentioned is one I haven't read yet. You can add to that several in the YA category, almost all classics, and almost all middle-grade books. It's quite sad.
ReplyDeleteI have only read about two or three books from the books you've mentioned here. *insert cringing*
ReplyDeleteI still want to read them all..Including some more of those classics apparently everyone has read except for you.
Thanks for sharing these! I haven't read Catcher in the Rye either (and really don't think I will be anytime soon, LOL). I've read The Great Gatsby and don't think you're missing out on much there. 1984 is a dystopian classic that I studied in high school, but I haven't read it since (once is enough, I think).
ReplyDeleteAnd I haven't read any of the adult fiction you mentioned, so you're not alone! I tried to get into The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo but didn't get very far, and the others I haven't even picked up.
I bet that I can make you feel better. I have never read Fahrenheit 451. I know, it is almost an unforgivable Book lover sin! I will read it this year.
ReplyDeleteI LOVED The Great Gatsby! Most of the YA ones I have not read either.
I'm glad to hear you say this. There are just so many books being published and not nearly enough time in your life to read them all.
ReplyDeleteI think the development of social network sites have made knowledge of a lot of great books available and the subsequent pressure to be "in the know" and read them, but at the same time, it hasn't added more hours to your day or years to your life to get it all done.
I've discovered I just have to read what I can and forget the rest. This means a lot of great books don't get read, but what can one do? Not a lot realistically *sigh*
HA! The picture of that guy is hilarious! Most of my cringe-worthy books are mostly the classics... To Kill a Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye, etc. I had to read one or two in high school, but surprisingly I never had english teachers that required student to read a specific book.
ReplyDeleteNice post!
I Loved the outsiders (I own a copy and the DVD) hated the giver LOVE nevermore and love the catcher in the rye and those are the only ones from your list that I've read So don't feel too bad
ReplyDeletein my list the only ones(YA wise) would have to be
The hunger games
Witch and wizard
The demons lexicon
Strays
only those three series that would make people freak
as well as most (except nevermore) on your NBR list but *shrugs*
Uh-oh...I haven't read most of the books on your list. But the most cringe-worthy for me is admitting I still haven't read the Lord of the Rings series. For a fantasy lover, I feel like I've committed a major no-no! *blush*
ReplyDeleteThe picture is perfect! Of the books listed in your post I have only read or attempted to read: 2. Hangs her head in shame.
ReplyDeleteI went so far as to create a read your own books challenge. I did it more for myself but if others want to participate they're welcome too.
ReplyDeletehttp://jamielovesya.blogspot.com/2011/02/2011-read-your-own-books-challenge.html
Oh my so many great books that you really need to read. Sadly, I fear we all have lists like this. I recently bought several of the Cybils' nominee that I have not read and have still to get the winners, so those are on my list to read. I also have quite a few classics that I need to partake in including (are I say it Pride and Prejudice) yes I have never ever read Austin. But let's face it there is just so many hours in a day and so many great books out there that it would be imppossible to read them all.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Anna and the French Kiss yet and everyone raves about it. It's on my list to read in March. There's a lot of good YA and Middle grade books on your list that I hope you get to. Glad you read some middle grade too because the upper middle grade books are often good.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I still need to read Catch-22. If you ever get the time, 1984 is AWESOME. I liked it a lot better than Animal Farm. There are definitely books that I'm embarrassed to say that I haven't read. Unfortunately, none are coming to mind at the moment. I will admit, I can NOT get through Anna Korinena or however you spell it. I'll made multiple attempts, and failed every time. It's just not the book for me!
ReplyDeleteLOL, Nat! Do you got room under that rock for me to hide out with you?
ReplyDeleteThis is why I call myself so unread. I will never forget the first day I walked into my first Eng Grad Class. I was so excited unitl my professor handed out this book "list" of all these important literary works you should have read if you have any hope of becoming a serious Eng Lit grad student. I'd only read like 3 books on his list!
He lectured on and on about it forever, and the more he went on the more I sunk in my seat, fight the urge to just duck under the desk. I walked out of class heartbroken. Then I decided, FI, I'm gonna read what I like. Classic or not.
I don't slam people who haven't read Twilight so why should they judge me for not having read The Great Gatsby?
And yes, somewhere in the back of my head I realize I'm just trying to justify my personal reading habits. :D
I've read a pretty good chunk of these. I try not to let myself feel guilty about not reading something, but there are 2 books I cringe about, simply because I bought them SO EXCITED, and am almost positive I will love them, but I just can't seem to find the right mood to read them. I think I'm afraid something will go wrong and disappoint me.
ReplyDeleteThey are Monsters of Men and The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet. I bought UK versions of both because they came out earlier there, and I wanted them so bad, and I was super excited when I got them, but they've just been staring at me from their respective shelves ever since...
For the most part, I like the classics you listed, but I think the Catcher in the Rye is something you need to read as a teen, or something: I had a lot of friends in HS who LOVED it, and I read it when I was 20 or so and wasn't impressed.
You so must read Vampire Academy. I picked up the series a few months back, and got totally addicted! I've read all six books now. They are so good!!
ReplyDeleteFor me, I haven't read The Hunger Games or anything by Cassandra Clare. This always raises a few eyebrows when I mention!
I haven't read The Great Gatsby either, but it's on my list!
I'm glad I'm not the only one to have missed out on some of these! When you get around to reading them, 'Catch-22' is amazing and funny, but pretty complicated, 'Wicked' is pretty cool (though I have to go back a reread it again), 'Matched' was very interesting, plus it's going to be part of a series, 'Stargirl', 'The Giver,' and 'The Outsiders' are spectacular! I was surprised that you haven't read 'The Giver' actually... oh well. Someday!
ReplyDeleteHappy reading!
Great post! I haven't read 1984 or The Great Gatsby. I have not read any of Dan Brown's books or The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (it's on my bookshelf). I've read Wicked. Awesome musical! I'm with you on the majority of the YA except Nevermore and The Replacement. Many of the YA books are on my TBR shelf. Paranormalcy is another one. Yikes, there's so many! Vixen, Bright Young Things, Revolution...I can go on an on! LOL
ReplyDeleteYikes, I hate to think about them...so I won't but you really should get to Nightshade. It was a blast!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I think you hit home with the picture of the cringing man =D I feel like hiding underneath a rock everytime someone points out my shortcomings on the reading list!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with finishing them all. It's sure to be a blast!
Oh, I am ashamed that I haven't read lots of books. Too many to name here (although Catcher in the Rye is on my list, too). My solution to this problem is to just keep reading--I'll get there eventually.
ReplyDeleteUm, I've only read 9 of these books. Though to be honest, there's only a handful that I've been meaning to read, but haven't gotten around to yet; several of which I already own.
ReplyDeleteI'm not really sure what books make me cringe because I've yet to read them, aside from your list here. I'll have to seriously consider it and make a list for myself.
The Giver - our family's favorite book of all time. It's a quick read, seriously, you can easily get through it an evening. Once you read it, you'll smack yourself for not reading it sooner!
ReplyDeleteOut of your listed books, I haven't read Catch-22 (although it is on my personal I-Must-Read-Before-I-Die list), or A Midsummer Night's Dream. A classic that I'm ashamed not to have read ... wait for it ... Jane Eyre. I know, I'm a horrible person. But I DO have it here on my desk in line to be begun within the next week.
ReplyDeleteI have Wicked on my TBR pile, and the last two in the Larsson trilogy there as well (although I HAVE read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo).
Your YA titles: Fire and Twenty Boy Summer are in the TBR pile. Matched, The Maze Runner (and the Scorch Trials), Last Sacrifice, Nightshade, Perfect Chemistry, The Replacement - all on my to-buy list.
I've read all of the middle grade books except The Mysterious Benedict Society, which is on my to-buy list. The middle-grader that I'm ashamed to say that I haven't read? The Secret Garden .. and IT's in my TBR pile!