I'm at 23, or maybe 23.2, since I've read Brokeback Mountain from Close Range, but not any of the rest of the stories. Those 23 include some major favorites (Poisonwood Bible, Cold Mountain, His Dark Materials, Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Atonement, Cloud Atlas), but also quite a few that I thought were over-hyped and over-rated (Kite Runner, The Glass Castle, The Lovely Bones, The Road). I also occasionally feel like the only person on the planet who doesn't like Gabriel Garcia Marquez (although I liked Love in the Time of Cholera better than A Hundred Years of Solitude).

I've read 21.5 - the 0.5 is Possession - I couldn't get past the poetry. I'm impressed to see Random Family on the list. Fantastic book, journalistic style, but seriously depressing.

I blogged this list yesterday and I think I've read about 22 or so. Lots of them I haven't heard of, so I'll be keeping a look out for them in future!

Mountain Dew and Reeses sounds like the BEST of all possible worlds, though, if it's right before bed, make that caffeine-free. Shall I bring you a couple cases next time we're down your way?

Lists like this make me feel really depressed. I'm jealous that they make you feel good. I think they used to make me happy back when I actually enjoyed reading "classics."

Enjoyed Bridget Jones and McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses (though that's not on there, but haven't read The Road). And loved Cold Mountain UP TILL THE END. Why must we have tragedy in order to be important? WHY?

Can't believe you haven't read The Handmaid's Tale -- shocking :). It's good, though classically depressing.

Like "magically delicious," only "classically depressing!"

oh, and loved the movie of Atonement, again, UNTIL THE END.

James McAvoy is yummy!

Great idea for a post. I liked it so well I did the same thing on my blog (with a shout out to you, of course).

I've read 29 of the ones on the list and have some more in a pile waiting for me. There are a couple I only half finished like Kavalier & Clay so I didn't count those.

I was just thinking you might like two of my favorite books from the last five years, History of Love by Nicole Krauss and The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Maybe when you're done with some of your challenges you can take a gander at them. Great books. Love your blog!

Lol..I don't mean to laugh at your misfortunes but the headline made me laugh :) I think I might post this on my blog too; I'll certainly have to compare with my Read List and my TBR list. Thanks for the link.

I've read 20. Can't believe I've actually read more of them than you. Of course, these are from the 80's on and I am much older! I second Melanie's two suggestions. I really liked both of those books.

I think all of you have read more from this list than I have. I haven't even heard of many of these. I guess I better get crackin' so I can catch up - LOL.

Fyrefly - I definitely think there are some overrated titles here (The Da Vinci Code comes to mind), but otherwise I think it's a pretty good list.

Tara - I'll have to try Random Family. Sounds interesting.

Suey - I hadn't heard of a lot of them either.

Jane (it always feels weird to call you that!), you'll be glad to know Atonement is actually next on my TBR list. I love James McAvoy, too :) And, yes, bring on the Mountain Dew. When are you coming down next?

Mel - I haven't read The History of Love, although it's definitely on my TBR list. I did enjoy The Devil in the White City.

Katie - I'm glad I made you laugh :)

Laurel - I'm not surprised at all! I love that you read so much and always have great recommendations.

I've read very few books on the list, but I'm interested in reading many books on the list including The Lovely Bones, Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Atonement, High Fidelity, etc. :-P

I noticed that a lot were in my TBR collection too--or I had books by the author, just not the one mentioned. I have only read about 15 books on the list.