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A Bucket List of 1,700 Books to Read Before You Die

A Bucket List of Books (1,700 Novels, Biographies, Essays, Memoirs, Plays, Science, Science Fiction and Sports Books). Updated to 2022
Most lists of "essential books" are flawed in some manner. They are either too short ("Top 50 Books for Men", or too old ("25 Best Sellers From The Past 25 Years That You Simply Must Re-Read"). Other book lists fail to include essays, plays, rock and roll memoirs, science books, and science fiction. Other lists fall short in providing a true world view. I tried to get a solid sampling from every genre and from most countries. This list was created by taking the best of 15 lists. I then added several years of recommended books from The Week, and foreign language recommended books. I completed my list by adding my favorites and some books recommended by friends that were not already there. Enjoy!
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made by acpac2004
avg. score: 157 of 1700 (9%)
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Page 1 of 43
1776 (David McCullough)
1776
1
David McCullough
2666 (Roberto Bolano)
2666
2
Roberto Bolano
11/22/63 (Stephen King)
11/22/63
3
Stephen King
....And Ladies of the Club (Helen Hooven Santmeyer)
....And Ladies of the Club
4
Helen Hooven Santmeyer
1000 Books to Read Before You Die (James Mustich)
1000 Books to Read Before You Die
5
James Mustich
1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
6
1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus (Charles C. Mann)
1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus
7
Charles C. Mann
1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created (Charles C. Mann)
1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created
8
Charles C. Mann
1919 (John Dos Passos)
1919
9
John Dos Passos
1984 (George Orwell)
1984
10
George Orwell
2001: A Space Odyssey (Arthur C. Clarke)
2001: A Space Odyssey
11
Arthur C. Clarke
2010: Odyssey Two
2010: Odyssey Two
12
The 42nd Parallel (John Dos Passos)
The 42nd Parallel
13
John Dos Passos
A Bend in the River (V.S. Naipaul)
A Bend in the River
14
V.S. Naipaul
A Black Women's History of the United States (Daina Ramey Berry)
A Black Women's History of the United States
15
Daina Ramey Berry
A Brief History of Seven Killings (Marlon James)
A Brief History of Seven Killings
16
Marlon James
A Brief History of Time (Stephen Hawking)
A Brief History of Time
17
Stephen Hawking
A Bright Shining Lie (Neil Sheehan)
A Bright Shining Lie
18
Neil Sheehan
A Canticle for Leibowitz (Walter M. Miller)
A Canticle for Leibowitz
19
Walter M. Miller
A Clash of Kings (George R.R. Martin)
A Clash of Kings
20
George R.R. Martin
A Clockwork Orange (Anthony Burgess)
A Clockwork Orange
21
Anthony Burgess
A Coffin for Dimitrios (Eric Ambler)
A Coffin for Dimitrios
22
Eric Ambler
A Coffin for King Charles (C.V. Wedgwood)
A Coffin for King Charles
23
C.V. Wedgwood
A Column of Fire (Ken Follet)
A Column of Fire
24
Ken Follet
A Confederacy of Dunces (John Kennedy Toole)
A Confederacy of Dunces
25
John Kennedy Toole
A Cowrie of Hope (Binwell Sinyangwe)
A Cowrie of Hope
26
Binwell Sinyangwe
A Cup of Coffee With My Interrogator: The Prague Chronicles of Ludvik Vaculik (Ludvík Vaculík)
A Cup of Coffee With My Interrogator: The Prague Chronicles of Ludvik Vaculik
27
Ludvík Vaculík
A Dance With Dragons (George R.R. Martin)
A Dance With Dragons
28
George R.R. Martin
A Deepness in the Sky
A Deepness in the Sky
29
A Division of the Spoils (Paul Scott)
A Division of the Spoils
30
Paul Scott
A Doll's House (Henrik Ibsen)
A Doll's House
31
Henrik Ibsen
A Dry White Season (André Brink)
A Dry White Season
32
André Brink
A False Spring (PAT JORDAN)
A False Spring
33
PAT JORDAN
A Farewell to Arms (Ernest Hemingway)
A Farewell to Arms
34
Ernest Hemingway
A Feast for Crows (George R.R. Martin)
A Feast for Crows
35
George R.R. Martin
A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
A Fine Balance
36
Rohinton Mistry
Of a Fire on the Moon (Norman Mailer)
Of a Fire on the Moon
37
Norman Mailer
A Fire Upon the Deep (Vernor Vinge)
A Fire Upon the Deep
38
Vernor Vinge
A Fortunate Man: The Story of a Country Doctor (John Berger)
A Fortunate Man: The Story of a Country Doctor
39
John Berger
A Game of Thrones (George R.R. Martin)
A Game of Thrones
40
George R.R. Martin
Page 1 of 43
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