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leslierholm's review against another edition
4.0
It would take far longer than I have left to read everything on this list and frankly, there are more than a few that I would not read (or re-read) if I had 3 lifetimes ahead of me. For instance, he adores Fitzgerald
literary_heather's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting list, but SO written by an American! The egotism of American values and an attitude of that over educated arse no one can stand.
zeezeemama11's review against another edition
4.0
Not quite what I was expecting but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Think of all those terrible 101 books you have to read in your life that you've seen. The boring mundane lists of classics no one wants to read or have heard you should read but don't want to tackle. But now take it to the next level with two intellectuals whose writing is just plain captivating to give not only a synopsis of specific author's literature but recommendations of how to read them, think about them, ingest them, or even view them. Each of the authors writes not purely academically but light heartedly with a sense of bookish humor that will have you mesmerized. Each little section talks about an authors life, a little about the era and about which books not to read or are must reads. It starts off chronologically with the story of Gilgamesh and Enkdu all the way to modern literature. I found in greatly enjoyable and informative and have made it a permanent addition to my collection. I got a kick out of learning more about authors I'd already known I'd loved and fell in love with a few more I thought I knew but had all wrong. I love both Clifton Fadiman's writings as well as his daughters Anne Fadiman and would recommend any of their books too - book on book enthusiasts or just plain book enthusiasts.
bookishlybeauty's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
I do feel that they glossed over some extremely important writers and brought to light some that shouldn’t have been spotlighted but that’s my opinion.
bloodravenlib's review against another edition
2.0
This is one of those books you can look over and browse as you see fit. Fadiman, now with help from Major, lay out a plan for the educated reader. As they state, this is not meant per se for those who already have a fairly extensive education. It is more for those who need to read more, or feel they have gaps in their reading, or wish to challenge themselves a bit. The book is basically a collection of short essays on the books they list. I was happy to see I have read a good number of them, but still have a few to go with some I just have no intention of reading. Anyhow, this was on my TBR shelf for a while, and I finally got it out of the way.
erinriker's review against another edition
3.0
Reading Fadiman is like listening to your well-read, solidly 20th-Century great-grandfather give you book recommendations from his vast, plaid- and leather-filled library. The decor is a bit dated, but the rolling library ladder is still charming -- and you can tell he genuinely loves this place.
When he died in 1997 at the age of 95, The New York Times called Fadiman "a bookworm's bookworm." In addition to being a "witty intellectual" guest/host on various mid-century radio and television shows, Fadiman was a member of the editorial boards for Encyclopedia Britannica and the Book-of-the-Month Club (for 50+ years), head of The New Yorker's book review section, and a top editor at Simon & Schuster.
In other words, his opinions are not without merit, and if you like books about books, this is a worthwhile addition to your reference library, even if you never read it cover to cover. Unlike other well-known reading guides (a la Mortimer Adler or Susan Wise Bauer), there's no pedagogy on how to read books. Just short and snappy mini-reviews of 133 authors, arranged chronologically by author from The Epic of Gilgamesh and Homer to Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Chinua Achebe. An appendix at the back of the book includes further reading recommendations for one hundred other 20th-Century writers.
The Lifetime Reading Plan was first published in 1960, when Fadiman was in his fifties. John Major was brought on board to add more non-Western classics for the 4th edition (the "New" Lifetime Reading Plan, published in 1997), and thanks to this, I've enjoyed discovering gems like Basho's Narrow Road to the Deep North and Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book.
Lists like this invariably go out of date as the years pass, tastes change, and new classics are added to our collective canon. And understandably, everyone has varying opinions on what's considered the "best of the best." Your must-read list looks different than mine, but we're all here for one reason: the love of books. It's clear that Fadiman & Major share that love too.
When he died in 1997 at the age of 95, The New York Times called Fadiman "a bookworm's bookworm." In addition to being a "witty intellectual" guest/host on various mid-century radio and television shows, Fadiman was a member of the editorial boards for Encyclopedia Britannica and the Book-of-the-Month Club (for 50+ years), head of The New Yorker's book review section, and a top editor at Simon & Schuster.
In other words, his opinions are not without merit, and if you like books about books, this is a worthwhile addition to your reference library, even if you never read it cover to cover. Unlike other well-known reading guides (a la Mortimer Adler or Susan Wise Bauer), there's no pedagogy on how to read books. Just short and snappy mini-reviews of 133 authors, arranged chronologically by author from The Epic of Gilgamesh and Homer to Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Chinua Achebe. An appendix at the back of the book includes further reading recommendations for one hundred other 20th-Century writers.
The Lifetime Reading Plan was first published in 1960, when Fadiman was in his fifties. John Major was brought on board to add more non-Western classics for the 4th edition (the "New" Lifetime Reading Plan, published in 1997), and thanks to this, I've enjoyed discovering gems like Basho's Narrow Road to the Deep North and Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book.
Lists like this invariably go out of date as the years pass, tastes change, and new classics are added to our collective canon. And understandably, everyone has varying opinions on what's considered the "best of the best." Your must-read list looks different than mine, but we're all here for one reason: the love of books. It's clear that Fadiman & Major share that love too.