Amazon's top 100 books: no Don Quixote or Moby Dick
Its books to read before you die has some surprising omissions, including Robinson Crusoe, Ulysses and Frankenstein
AMAZON has published a list of 100 books to read in a lifetime that includes such classics as Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, The Lord of The Rings by JRR Tolkien and Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. But the list is as notable for its omissions as it is for its inclusions.
The list compiled by the international electronic retailer, which began in 1995 as an online book store, does not include Don Quixote by Miguel De Cervantes, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy or Ulysses by James Joyce. Also missing from the 100 is the book regarded by many as the greatest novel of them all, Herman Melville's Moby Dick.
Amazon's list does include a number of uncontroversial choices such as A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking and The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald but also has some rather more surprising inclusions like Born To Run – a book by journalist Christopher McDougall about ultra-runners and Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, which has enjoyed huge popularity since its publication in 2007, but is yet to be fully accepted by most reviewers into the pantheon of great children's literature.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sara Nelson, editorial director of print and Kindle books at Amazon.com, told CNN that the list was created after months of deliberation within her team, but used no statistical analysis or mathematical algorithms.
"One of our tasks was to have books that don't feel like homework: 'eat your vegetables' books," Nelson said. "There was nothing in there except 'I loved this book when I was 12 for this reason'. We lobbied each other."
Alison Flood, writing in the Guardian Books Blog, said she was struck by how few of the books she had actually read: "There's an embarrassingly large number of books on Amazon.com's list which have to be filed in my newly created 'haven't really read them' category. The Corrections. The Age of Innocence. Out of Africa. I know what they're about, they feel like they are part of my mental library – but have I actually made my way through their pages? Sadly no. If I am honest, I have read exactly 50."
So how many of the books on Amazon's list have you read? And which of your favourites didn't make the cut? Have a look at the list and leave a comment below.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The history of Donald Trump's election conspiracy theories
The Explainer How the 2024 Republican nominee has consistently stoked baseless fears of a stolen election
By David Faris Published
-
Two ancient cities have been discovered along the Silk Road
Under the radar The discovery changed what was known about the old trade route
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
'People shouldn't have to share the road with impaired drivers'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Beast' of a lawsuit: YouTube star and Amazon sued by contestants over abuse claims
The Explainer Can the breakout YouTube star weather a growing scandal engulfing his forthcoming reality TV competition?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'True Detective: Night Country' and the rise of Arctic Noir
The Week Recommends Why we love police procedurals set in the bleak and remote polar extremes
By David Faris Published
-
Soundbars to air fryers: the best refurbished Black Friday tech deals
The Week Recommends Buying second hand technology can be budget-friendly – and doesn’t necessarily mean compromising on quality
By Julia O'Driscoll Published
-
The best October Prime Day deals, according to experts
Speed Read
By Kelsee Majette Published
-
Rings of Power: will Jeff Bezos’s $1bn ‘bet’ on Tolkien pay off?
Talking Point Highly anticipated Amazon TV blockbuster is ‘the most expensive series ever created’
By Sorcha Bradley Published
-
Eight exciting new TV shows to watch out for this summer
In Depth We can’t go on holiday and the weather is bleak - but at least we have some great telly to look forward to
By Kate Samuelson Last updated
-
Inside Jeff Bezos’s new $165m Beverly Hills mansion
In Depth Amazon founder breaks record for most expensive LA property
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
How Amazon’s Alexa has been calling the shots at CES 2019
Speed Read From remote door keys to light-up loos, the popular voice assistant is well on course to take over your home
By The Week Staff Last updated