Amazon has compiled a list of 100 must-reads from its Amazon Books staff into a list of “100 Books to Read in a Lifetime,” a guide for people looking for that next great book.
“With 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime, we set out to build a roadmap of a literary life without making it feel like a homework assignment,” Sara Nelson, Amazon’s Editorial Director of Print and Kindle Books said in a press release. “Over many months, the team passionately debated and defended the books we wanted on this list. In other words, we applied plenty of the bookish equivalent of elbow-grease, and we can’t wait to hear what customers have to say about our final picks.”
It’s not just a compilation of all the “great” books people have been forced into reading during high school and college English classes, either. The list runs the gamut from “Goodnight Moon” to “A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius,” and everything in between, including Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” and “The Book Thief” by Markus Zusak.
Speaking as someone with a degree in English, the list feels incomplete, but not gravely so. While I disagree with the omissions of Flannery O’Connor and William Faulkner from the list, it seems well-rounded and inclusive, especially given how small it is.
Do you disagree with any of Amazon’s choices? How many books on the list have you read? Let us know in the comments.
