I’m amazed at the number of serious readers that are also addicted to lists, and what is better than a list of the top books to read? Obviously, more than one list! I have kept copies of many such lists for years, some on the computer, some in a notebook, some at the back of a books like The Western Canon.
For keeping a personal view on these lists, I have tried to keep track of which books on the list I have read. However, I do not do this to show my progress in completing the reading on the list. In fact, there are very many titles on several lists that I would never consider reading and certain authors (Stephen King comes to mind) hold not interest for me. Note, however, that in many cases I have sampled the author’s writing or read some secondary sources or reviews … and then I throw the book out the window.
A Celebration of Reading 