1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List

As someone who is well into their senior years and who has been a voracious reader for more than 7 decades, I am always seeking great books to read. This is why while browsing on Amazon when I came across this amazing 948 pages hardcover book (1000 Books to read before you die: A life changing list by James Mustich) I had to purchase it.This is truly one of the most amazing books I have ever read. I thought I was always educated and well read; however, I now realize there are hundreds of books I have not explored. This educational and informative book provides short reviews of hundreds of books that cover a wide and varied range of topics from A to Z. This short review cannot do justice to the amount of fantastic material in this book.If you are a book lover who is always seeking interesting, educational and entertaining books to read, this is a reference book you may want to check out. I loved it.Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Never trust a politician: A critical review of politics and politicians).

Part of my love for books is reading about books . This is a wonderful source!

As a voracious, omnivorous and opinionated reader, I almost never approve of anybody else's lists of classics or 'must-reads,' but this book is a glorious exception. It avoids what I think is the cardinal sin of reading recommendation: snobbery. The books are not presented as the definitive "1,000 Best Books Ever Written," as though any one person ought to feel themselves justified in deciding that - they offer, instead, an experience that could make any reader feel justified in calling themselves well-rounded. Sure, there's Proust and Shakespeare and Aeschylus and Goethe, but also Alison Bechdel, Margaret Wise Brown, Sei Shōnagon. No genre, format, subject, era is dismissed out of hand; a real effort has obviously been made to include as many perspectives and offer as broad an outlook as possible. The barrier for entry is low because practically anyone is certain to find easy, enjoyable options listed that give confidence before tackling the longer or more difficult suggestions. You can dip in and find a good recommendation for any reader and any mood, and the well-read can always branch out in new directions.Could I nitpick on some things I'd like to see more of? Sure. I'd love even more books from writers outside Europe and the English-speaking world, and a little more acknowledgment of the failings of some of the included books and authors (though, to be clear, Mustich clearly does make an effort in both of those regards, and I understand that the availability of high-quality translations is a limiting factor). I would especially like to see a few of the US history books swapped for histories of other parts of the world. But those, as I say, are nitpicks, and a matter of my own personal preference.Overall, this list is excellently chosen and, I might add, brilliantly written. It's really enjoyable just to sit down with and read in and of itself, not just as a guide to choosing other books. I've calculated that if I read one book a month from it, I'll be done around the time I turn 90. I don't know if I'll make it quite that far, but I'm looking forward to trying!

The index cites page 733 as where to locate the synopsis on Richardson, but it's missing in my copy. Since the book is alphabetical, by author, Richardson's should have appeared Ruth Rendell on page 667. But instead, that's where you find Jean Rhy's "Wide Sargasso Sea." Maybe the author decided, ex post, to remove Richardson, but forgot to edit him out of the general index?

This is now my go to when I’m looking for a good book to read. I love that there’s a synopsis of each book. Also, there is a check list to check off the books that you’ve read. I think I’ve read about 124 of them. Knowing that I won’t read some just because of the genre - I figure it should take me 14 years to finish!!HOWEVER, the big problem that I seem to constantly come up against is that no libraries carry a lot of the titles. Today alone I looked for 13 different titles and no one, not even the Bklyn Public library, which is fairly large, carried them. I have I counted this time and time again. I would love to know why so many of his favorite works are so obscure.

As if I didn't have enough trouble keeping my TBR pile under control as it is, now this book comes along and recommends even more titles?! It's not that I haven't read any of the books the author discusses, it is the sheer number of others that he offers like a bibliophile's buffet. Mustich has covered a wide range of genres, age and reading levels, time periods, and cultures. Entries range from Aristotle to Vonnegut, bedtime stories such as Goodnight Moon to horror like Dracula, and adventures like Homer's Iliad or Ender's Game.The entry for a book might include a synopsis, a brief description of the authors' life, the social climate at the time of publication, or other relevant facts. Endnotes also point out other titles by the same author, books for further information about each subject, adaptations of the work, any awards it won, and read-alikes by other authors. It's like having an "if you like that, then try this" feature on steroids.Quotes from critics or other authors underscore the sort of reactions a book inspires in its readers, although Mustich does a wonderful job of expressing his own opinions. He says this about Roald Dahl, for instance, "Standing out among his storytelling treats is Matilda, whose superheroine is heroic - and triumphant - first and foremost because she reads." Along with the written entries there are also images of authors, book covers, teaser posters for movie adaptations, historical photos, and reproductions of iconic illustrations.Booknote sidebars cover related titles, while More to Explore sections group books with similar themes (even other books about books). Back matter includes a general index of the books and authors mentioned, and "A Miscellany of Special Lists" has curated groupings of titles based on subject, style, or audience. The explanation of the book's organization explains all these features as well as letting readers know that over 3,000 authors and 6,000 additional books are mentioned besides the main entries. (So does that make it 7,000 books to read before you die?) The companion website has books indexed by chronology and genre.No matter what sort of reader you are - constant, binge, persnickety, omnivorous - you will find more useful information than you are likely to have the time to implement. I suggest investing in some highlighters or sticky tabs if you purchase a print version, or be prepared to bookmark your e-book edition like crazy. You won't want to forget any of the entries or other details that catch your interest.Highly recommended for YA and up - or as a reference for school librarians and teachers to help steer students to titles that suit their tastes.

This book is so much nicer than I thought it was going to be It is a great resource to look for a new book

In only discovered James Mustich's work recently, even though I've been a journalist myself for more than 40 years. I was fascinated immediately by the range of his work. Then, I learned about this wonderful book he produced in the "1,000" series of volumes. I already had thoroughly enjoyed and completely marked up my copy of 1,000 foods. I thought I'd give this new volume a try.I was so impressed that I ordered copies of the book for friends as Christmas presents. If you're a lifelong book lover, it's a pleasure to flip through these pages and visit "old friends." Unlike another reviewer on this page, I long ago decided to mark up my books. Lots of noted readers have added their own thoughts to the margins of their books and I find it a pleasant surprise to look back through books and re-discover what I was thinking on an earlier trip through the pages. So—perhaps you don't want to mark up this book—or perhaps you do. I'm simply saying that I'm having lots of fun adding my notes.What you uncover in these pages are memories of so many earlier encounters with great books. I would flip a page and respond: "Oh, my goodness! High school English class. I chose that book from the reading list and have never forgotten it." Or, flip another page: "Wow. I was in my 30s and this book came to me under the arm of a friend. I still remember talking about that one over coffee." Another page: "Oh really? There's a new translation? I probably read the old translation and that's why it was so hard for me to appreciate."On and on ... It's like a pilgrimage with old friends for avid readers.I don't think any reader of this volume will have read every book—or even will have heard of every book. There are a number of marvelous "finds" in these pages—another part of the fun.Thanks Workman for this series. Thanks James for putting together this new volume.

Gayet güzel ve edebiyat okurlari icin bir basucu kitabi.

O livro é muito bem feito com dezenas de ilustrações coloridas e foi feito um recorte muito bom dos autores e das obras. Excelente!

A well researched compendium of essential reading for the book lover.A MUST for the libraries of the literate

A five-star buffet invitation for the bookworms. A never-ending "what to read next" list from someone who was a renowned bookseller and is a lifelong avid reader himself. The production quality of the book is excellent as well. If reading is your passion, this is an absolute must buy for you. Don't hesitate.

This book is a delight for any bibliophile. Just reading through it to see how many of our personal favourites are mentioned is a great pleasure. And then there are the recommendations for similar books; this accounts for another 3 or 4 thousand books to think about. If you have a good-sized library you need this book, and if you want a good-sized library you need this book. I got a copy for myself and also one for my sister. She is delighted with it.