The databases are in MS Access but easily converted to MS Excel, and apparently then fairly easy to convert to HTML or other internet formats.

I’m thinking these public sites aren’t a good place to share contact info. Any ideas about a method of sharing files?

Both The Last Temptation of Christ and The Unbearable Lightness of Being were excellent movies, but I haven’t read the books. My wife is always kidding me that I buy her recent “classics” such as DeLillo’s White Noise, an author you responded to in an earlier post, but end up reading mainly authors pre-1900 (although I’ve started picking up some more recent novels).

I’m surprised there aren’t more people commenting on sites like these, but I suppose we’re overwhelmed with options available through the internet.

I’m not even sure I was offering up books that should be in the Top 10 OF ALL TIME. I think that’s kind of crazy. Just some of my favorites that leapt to mind as books that I think are pretty unassailable classics of literature

. Actually, I can’t believe I left one off that list, I’d toss in The Last Temptation of Christ. I think it’s the best book I’ve ever read, period.

Your point about the American bent is well taken. I don’t know that I’ve read a ton of world literature. The Unbearable Lightness of Being is brilliant and justifiably renowned in my opinion. The Sound of Waves is another personal favorite, by Yukio Mishima. Last year, I read an amazing book called We, the Drowned but all of those are much more recent than the world classics you’re talking about. Hmmm…

These lists are fun, though and give me stuff to read that I haven’t. I really liked your list. Except Moby Dick at number 2. Good god. That’s one I just don’t get.

There can only be so many great books in the Top Ten. The oldest book on your list is from 1939, and 3 of the 4 books are from the U.S.A., a rather limited range. It appears as though few of the comments on this blog are from individuals who have actually read “THE TOP TEN” book. All of the books in your list appear in that book, having a ranking (many ties) of 43, 20, 126, and 61, respectively.

Over several years, I have been creating a Novels Database based on over 20 sources (top 100 lists, books and awards) and my current ranking for your suggested books is 17, 25, 88, and 349, respectively.

I have to admit that most of my sources favour older classics and are more international in scope, but we’re talking “world” literature through the ages when creating a list of “TOP” books. See my other posts for the Top 20.