100 best books?
Jun. 3rd, 2008 11:48 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
javasaurusIn 1998, The Modern Library (part of Random House) published two lists of the 100 best books of the 20th century. The first list was based on the opinions of experts from their board. The second list was based on 217000 votes sent in by readers. Here are the lists.
None of the top ten readers picks are anywhere in the board's list. Eight of the board's top ten show up in the readers list, but further down the list.
Another difference is that the board's list has relatively little science fiction, while the readers list has many. If I had to characterize the lists, I'd say the board's list includes novels that most people feel they should read, while the reader's list includes those that many people have actually read -- the "artistic" books in the latter list being those that people are forced to read in high school.
It is, I think, noteworth (and perhaps a little frightening???) that four of the readers top ten were by Ayn Rand, and three were by L. Ron Hubbard.
None of the top ten readers picks are anywhere in the board's list. Eight of the board's top ten show up in the readers list, but further down the list.
Another difference is that the board's list has relatively little science fiction, while the readers list has many. If I had to characterize the lists, I'd say the board's list includes novels that most people feel they should read, while the reader's list includes those that many people have actually read -- the "artistic" books in the latter list being those that people are forced to read in high school.
It is, I think, noteworth (and perhaps a little frightening???) that four of the readers top ten were by Ayn Rand, and three were by L. Ron Hubbard.
