Which Great Books Should Go In My Library?
March 20th, 2007 by Laura Moncur in Literaturehannahem27 asked in the Literature Forum:
I’m trying to put together a collection of books for my study – can anybody give me suggestions of what great novels I should include? So far I have Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace, and the whole of jane Austen’s works. What else should I buy to read???
The great people on the forum recommended a wonderful collection of books here:
But, I have a different opinion:
I used to collect books for my library. I used to have a room just for my library. When we were forced to move to a smaller house, most of my books were relegated to the basement in boxes.
Which books would I recommend?
Don’t try to have a library for anyone but yourself. You don’t need great literature surrounding you. You need books that YOU hold dear. The complete collection of Jane Austen is beloved to some, but was abhorred by Mark Twain.
I used to have a lot of books in my collection because I thought I SHOULD have them. Now, those books are rotting in boxes in my basement. You can only have so many things in your life. Choose them wisely.
On the other hand, you can have as many books in your head as will fit. I recommend that you READ all the books recommended here. Buying them for your library is another story. A library is useless unless it is read.
March 23rd, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Just saying I like the way the forums are being tied into the this site a little more. Oh and I would probably suggest something by one of the Brontes and then something by Pratchett. Then maybe Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy after all there is something good about having stuff that doesn’t require too much thinking.