Just one more, I swear. I decided to join the 1% Well Read challenge because several books I’m already reading will overlap, but also because this will help me reduce my TBR pile even further. This is the last one I’ll join. Really.
I’m doing thirteen books from the combined lists, partially because I already committed to read a few books for other challenges that are on the old list, so technically I’d only have to add a few extra books, several of which I alread own. My picks are listed below. A star (*) indicates a book I already own, and I’ve noted where they overlap with other challenges:
1. *Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro (9 for ’09; dropped from original list)
2. *The Plot Against America – Philip Roth (Started, but never finished)
3. *Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay – Michael Chabon (9 for ’09)
4. *Blind Assassin – Margaret Atwood (Dropped from original list)
5. The Savage Detectives – Roberto Bolano (Orbis Terrarum)
6. 100 Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Orbis Terrarum)
7. Wide Sargasso Sea – Jean Rhys (Orbis Terrarum)
8. *The Magic Mountain – Thomas Mann (Started, but never finished. Note to self: this is not a beach read.)
9. *If on A Winter’s Night A Traveler – Italo Calvino
10. *Suite Francaise – Irene Nemerovsky
11. *The Big Sleep – Raymond Chandler
12. The Poisonwood Bible – Barbara Kingsolver
13. The Ambassadors – Henry James
I can quit anytime!
The Evening Reader 
Have tons of fun with this challenge! I’m seriously tempted and am trying to hold off but I don’t know 🙂
I like your list – it’s a great one. I’ve decided not to enter any challenges this year. There are simply too many books I want to read anyway. But I like following other people’s lists, so that I can steal and pinch ideas! The Magic Mountain just needs some dedicated time, you cannot read it in bits and pieces, I seem to remember. I did finish it, but such a very long time ago!
It feels like the Poisonwood Bible is having a renaissance! I’ve read several positive reviews about this one lately, so I’ll be curious to read your response to it.
I didn’t care for Never Let Me Go, and think it was for the best it was dropped from the 1001 book list. But I’m probably the only person who feels this way…
Iliana, I would not have signed up if I hadn’t had some overlap. hopefully I won’t be too overwhelmed!
Seachanges, I completely understand not signing up. Some days I wonder what I’ve gotten myself into! The Magic Mountain will indeed need time…I will not make the mistake of taking it to the beach, as I did years ago! 🙂 I enjoyed what I read, but it was a little heavy for surf and sand, so I put it down and never got back to it.
Steph, it does seem that way, doesn’t it! I never realized The Poisonwood Bible was still popular, and I was surprised to see it on that list. I loved Claire’s review, so it seems worthwhile. I am reading Never Let Me Go because it’s one of my friend’s favorite books. 🙂
What an excellent list! I’ve read and loved 2,3, 6 and 7, and I want to read many of the others.
Hi Nymeth! I’m excited to finally read so many of these. I feel bad that some (like The Plot Against America) have been sitting on my shelves for so long!