I really enjoyed Stefanie‘s recent post on “Books Everyone has Read But Me” that I had to borrow the idea and post my own. Isn’t it funny how there are books you feel as if everyone has read but you? You wonder why you missed them. Was it time, just not interested or what? So here are some of the books I haven’t gotten around to:
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. If this book had come out now I probably would have thought about reading it but it came out before I started reading YA books and now as I’ve seen the movies and such I just can’t imagine reading it.
- The Scarlet Letter. It seems like this is a staple of every high school reading list but don’t know why my school didn’t assign this one. For what it’s worth, I would like to read it one day.
- Eat, Pray Love. Remember when this came out and it was all over the blogosphere, on Oprah, and on every bookshelf at every store? Well, I did want to read it at the time but then all the buzz wore me out. I think I probably would enjoy it as I love travelogues but I’m in no rush to read it. I’ll probably end up seeing the movie first. Shh, I didn’t just admit that!
- The God of Small Things. Actually I did try reading this book but gave up early, early on. What do you think? Should I give it another go one of these days?
- Smilla’s Sense of Snow. It seems that a lot of mystery fans have read this one but I never got around to it. I think it was before I started reading a lot more mysteries and crime thrillers.
- The Alchemist. I think this is one of those either you love it or hate it sort of books. I’ve read another Coehlo book which I liked a lot so I’d give this one a try.
- Pride and Prejudice. I know, how can I not have read this book. I’ve only read three of Austen’s novels and I’m saving this one for last. Don’t know why. I mean, maybe another of her books will be my favorite.
- Chicken Soup for the Soul. I’ve not read any of these books and probably won’t. I have my own comfort reads I turn to when I need some warm fuzzies.
You know, I’m sure there are many others I can’t think of right now and I may have to do a Round 2 of this list. Now, I’ve got to get going to my yoga nidra class.
19 Comments
I definitely know what you mean here, Iliana! 😛 For me, it’s a mixture of all. Sometimes it’s my mood, and sometimes I just want to wait till all the hype has died down before I jump into the book, and then there are times that I’m just not interested in reading it.
I can’t believe I haven’t finish reading the HP series, though I enjoyed and loved all the movies to-date. I can’t wait to watch the final instalment, but then again I’d be sad that there won’t be any more movie after that.
I love P&P! And I’ve a feeling that this will remain as my favourite Austen book! (I have only read this and Persuasion. Need to read the rest!) 😉
You have to read the HP series one day!As great as the movies are, the books are so much better plus there’s so much of the plot that gets cut from the movie. Don’t worry about the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. You’re not missing much. 🙂
I love this post!
I read Eat, Pray, Love and really didn’t like it. The narrative voice aka Elizabeth Whatever Her Name Was annoyed me. But the movie looks good.
I watched the movie Smilla’s Sense of Snow and loved it. I didn’t realize, I guess, there was a book. (I know, I know, there’s always a book). 🙂
Thank you for not reading Chicken Soup for the Soul. That is all.
Great post! I also haven’t read Harry Potter (any of them) nor have I read Eat, Pray, Love …and the likelihood that I will is pretty slim.
I love this idea of listing the books we haven’t read but others (probably) have.
Okay – I have to second Vasilly – you must read the Harry Potter series! The movies are good, but simply do not do it justice – especially from book four on.
Great idea for a post! 🙂 I also have tons of books that would fit. You should definitely try The God of Small Things again, it’s beautiful.
Iliana..I’m going to say the same thing. Read Harry Potter. The movies were nothing compared to the book. I have to admit I haven’t gotten through the whole series and this upsets me. They are that fun to read.
You just can’t miss reading ‘The Alchemist’. One of the great works of Coehlo.
The good/weird thing about the book is every one draws a different conclusions about what the writer wants to say (probably relating it with their lives) and everyone has a different takeaways. A must read.
And as everyone says HP series is beyond doubt a must read, movies although good don’t do them justice.
I couldn’t see the attraction to The Alchemist – I was expecting fireworks at the end of it and a realisation of what the world was about. All that happened, was me looking glumly at the book and thinking ‘Is that it?’ So good luck with that one.
Pride and Prejudice on the other hand was utterly fabulous and I could see why everyone loved it.
I’m in the middle of re-reading all the HP books. I like the movies, but the books are so much better – there are so many small details that the movies just can’t include. I haven’t read Shanghai Girls by Lisa See – yet. And I think I”m going to skip The Help – just too much hype.
I haven’t read a lot of the books on your list, although I have read the first 3 HP books, P&P and a few of the Chicken Soup books (which aren’t even that good in my opinion). As for Eat, Pray, Love I don’t think you’re missing much. I thought it was WAY over hyped and my book club didn’t enjoy it much either.
We all have our lists, don’t we? I liked God of Small things, the writing is lovely. I also liked Smilla’s Sense of Snow and you know I’m not a mystery reader. It’s not OMG you have to read it but it is pretty good and has a n ice twist with the snow sense thing. As for P&P you must read it. Forget Harry Potter, you have to read Austen first 😉
Love this post. 🙂 Have not read Elizabeth Gilbert, and Arundhati Roy too. With Austen, well, I tried, and I really did not like her. I mean, I suppose it’s okay to just feel that a book isn’t for you. Oh, and I grew up with Harry Potter. I was just thinking of Dementors a few minutes ago… :p
[I actually began my blog with Lolita and One Hundred Years of Solitude, because I read them after being fed up with people gasping, “YOU HAVEN’T READ SO-AND-SO?” Then again, I’d actually wanted to read them for a long time. Ended up loving Marquez, Nabokov I’m saving for another day.]
This is a great post. I love thinking about all of the books that I haven’t read and seem like I am the only one who hasn’t. I haven’t read quite a few classics that others have read. I think you’d still enjoy the Harry Potter books even after seeing the movies. And I think you should definitely read The Scarlet Letter.
I didn’t read The Scarlet Letter in high school either, but I am glad I didn’t as I suspect I wouldn’t have appreciated it then. I read it well out of school and college. I did read The God of Small Things, but it was for a bookclub and I struggled with it–it was one I didn’t feel badly about selling to a used bookstore. And I think you would like Smilla’s Sense of Snow. Someday you will definitely need to read P&P, too! 🙂
The God of Small Things is one of my all-time favourite books, but it seems to be very love it or hate it, so I always hesitate to recommend it. It might be one of those books you’re glad to have read even if you end up not enjoying it, though.
I’ve read some of things and skipped others. It’s a great idea! I feel a post a-brewin’ tomorrow.
Hey, I envy you for not having read Pride and Prejudice — to think that you have such a lovely book ahead of you to read! I should think about my own list; it sounds like it’s kind of fun to put together, if you don’t take it too seriously. Wouldn’t it be interesting to make a list like this and then read your way through it?
Oooh, that was fun reading! There are plenty of books I haven’t read that it seems like everyone else has. I think I’ll have to snitch this little meme/activity. 🙂