,

This is a list of 100 books which has been widely circulated on the Internet with the tagline "The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books on this list. How many have you read?"

However, this list was *not* created or endorsed by the BBC. A history of this internet meme is here: http://www.purplecar.net/2009/03/how-...

The list bears some similarities to the BBC Big Read list from 2003 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top... and available on Listopia here https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...) which was based upon a UK public vote. This fake list contains a number of titles which were not on the original list - eg the Bible, the complete works of Shakespeare (the BBC Big Read was a search for the UK's most popular novels and did not include plays), the Da Vinci Code, The Five People You a Meet in Heaven etc.
List Challenge
The average Goodreads member has read 24 out of 100 books on this list — how many have you read?
1

by
4.47 avg rating — 11,313,676 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
2

by
3.93 avg rating — 2,511,985 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
3

by
4.26 avg rating — 6,827,418 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
4

by
4.02 avg rating — 4,499,260 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
5

by
4.33 avg rating — 2,449,203 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
6

by
4.20 avg rating — 5,400,137 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
7

by
4.54 avg rating — 727,556 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
8

by
3.99 avg rating — 883,841 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
9

by
3.90 avg rating — 2,023,543 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
10

by
3.92 avg rating — 3,533,363 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
11

by
4.30 avg rating — 4,427,969 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
12

by
3.70 avg rating — 3,177,560 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
13

by
4.22 avg rating — 2,004,886 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
14

by
4.32 avg rating — 1,016,023 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
15

by
3.88 avg rating — 1,008,612 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
16

by
3.94 avg rating — 1,746,519 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
17

by
4.29 avg rating — 4,757,624 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
18

by
4.16 avg rating — 2,307,223 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
19

by
3.80 avg rating — 3,868,847 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
20

by
4.17 avg rating — 2,440,968 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
21

by
4.25 avg rating — 714,380 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
22

by
4.06 avg rating — 606,623 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
23

by
4.31 avg rating — 1,253,921 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
24

by
4.21 avg rating — 2,032,363 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
25

by
4.17 avg rating — 1,287,713 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
26

by
4.17 avg rating — 926,640 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
27

by
4.02 avg rating — 1,463,822 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
28

by
3.95 avg rating — 561,212 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
29

by
3.93 avg rating — 5,862,858 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
30

by
4.12 avg rating — 1,096,412 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
31

by
4.28 avg rating — 704,746 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
32

by
4.16 avg rating — 2,102,972 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
33

by
4.09 avg rating — 1,288,820 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
34

by
4.36 avg rating — 3,468,683 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
35

by
4.09 avg rating — 922,650 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
36

by
3.94 avg rating — 544,418 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
37

by
3.90 avg rating — 2,812,293 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
38

by
4.10 avg rating — 345,731 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
39

by
4.42 avg rating — 8,093 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
39

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1,854,132 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
41

by
3.81 avg rating — 1,020,321 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
42

by
4.03 avg rating — 989,011 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
43

by
3.80 avg rating — 869,912 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
44

by
3.43 avg rating — 555,819 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
45

by
3.98 avg rating — 2,062,370 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
46

by
3.97 avg rating — 132,485 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
47

by
4.10 avg rating — 925,238 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
48

by
3.81 avg rating — 132,924 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
49

by
4.15 avg rating — 771,257 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
50

by
3.86 avg rating — 2,456,285 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
51

by
4.31 avg rating — 714,626 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
52

by
4.29 avg rating — 1,067,473 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
53

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 766,058 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
54

by
4.29 avg rating — 167,947 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
55

by
4.38 avg rating — 393,841 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
55

by
4.33 avg rating — 1,105,357 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
57

by
3.87 avg rating — 939,470 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
58

by
4.01 avg rating — 797,955 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
59

by
4.24 avg rating — 336,108 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
60

by
3.61 avg rating — 446,229 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
61

by
3.56 avg rating — 613,165 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
62

by
4.28 avg rating — 748,992 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
63

by
4.05 avg rating — 975,548 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
64

by
3.89 avg rating — 1,589,286 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
65

by
4.48 avg rating — 57,631 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
66

by
4.15 avg rating — 2,397,066 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
67

by
4.21 avg rating — 840,294 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
67

by
4.16 avg rating — 61,657 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
69

by
3.84 avg rating — 301,677 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
70

by
3.88 avg rating — 425,972 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
71

by
4.38 avg rating — 159,325 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
72

by
4.04 avg rating — 178,433 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
73

by
4.04 avg rating — 257,437 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
74

by
4.02 avg rating — 113,794 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
75

by
really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 126,093 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
75

by
4.17 avg rating — 363,830 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
77

by
4.05 avg rating — 1,205,629 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
78

by
3.90 avg rating — 84,198 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
79

by
4.02 avg rating — 239,486 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
79

by
4.30 avg rating — 324,988 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
81

by
4.14 avg rating — 356,697 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
82

by
3.71 avg rating — 372,607 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
83

by
4.01 avg rating — 165,509 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
84

by
3.97 avg rating — 165,628 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
85

by
3.88 avg rating — 54,809 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
86

by
4.01 avg rating — 266,674 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
87

by
4.30 avg rating — 16,169 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
88

by
4.11 avg rating — 83,672 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
89

by
4.03 avg rating — 92,582 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
90

by
4.29 avg rating — 1,613,993 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
91

by
4.09 avg rating — 504,299 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
92

by
4.11 avg rating — 49,865 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
93

by
4.15 avg rating — 1,012,046 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
94

by
3.83 avg rating — 75,786 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
95

by
3.92 avg rating — 119,347 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
96

by
3.76 avg rating — 137,387 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
97

by
4.02 avg rating — 32,719 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
98

by
4.20 avg rating — 42,776 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
99

by
3.75 avg rating — 108,036 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating
100

by
3.89 avg rating — 296,660 ratings
Rate this book
Clear rating

Get Results & Compare With Friends »




Patrick 816 books
632 friends
LVR 148 books
9 friends
Ben 1082 books
70 friends
Otis 1631 books
2013 friends
Lenka 170 books
30 friends
Keriann 630 books
8 friends
Brian 2058 books
308 friends
Jenny 2091 books
55 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-50 of 97 (97 new)


message 1: by Ben (new)

Ben It looks like Pride and Prejudice is listed twice.... which means there is one book missing.....


message 2: by LVR (new)

LVR It was Emma! Fixed.

Ben wrote: "It looks like Pride and Prejudice is listed twice.... which means there is one book missing....."


message 3: by Dave (new)

Dave This must be a dynamic list. I printed it several years ago and started reading them and checking them off. Comparing it with this list there are numerous differences. I'm enjoying the reads anyway, up to 75. this difference will just give me that many more to read


message 4: by Megan (new)

Megan I'm at 33. And a whole bunch more are already on my to-read list!


message 5: by Amy the book-bat (last edited Apr 03, 2018 06:04PM) (new)

Amy the book-bat currently at 24, and when I finish the one I am currently reading will be at 25... trying to cross several off the list this year... and I agree with Dave, the list has changed from the one I previously printed off


update 10/29/17: up to 45 from this list


message 6: by Penelope (new)

Penelope This isn't working. Every time I try to add To Kill A Mockingbird it gives me Da Vinci Code. Anyway, I have read 51 of these books!


message 7: by Louise (new)

Louise I have seen several versions of this list with each one having slightly different books. In one version I had read 15/100 whereas in this version I have only read 9.


message 8: by Sherrie (new)

Sherrie Starting my 31st book according to this list...


message 9: by Antonomasia (new)

Antonomasia Ooh, this is annoying. It messes up the shelves by having to mark as read things I've already got shelved as part of collected editions.

Also: history of a meme:
http://www.purplecar.net/2009/03/how-...


message 10: by Lizzy (new)

Lizzy 18/100? That is, yet again, a shockingly low score for me.


message 11: by Lisa (new)

Lisa Reads & Reviews What a strange list. Does any one know the rationale behind this particular grouping of novels and why the BBC compiled it?


message 12: by Antonomasia (new)

Antonomasia Have a look at the link I posted above. It explains that this is an internet meme containing some books from an old BBC Big Read list, and some others.

It's been doing the rounds on Facebook, in the UK at least, for several years; this is the third or fourth time I've responded to it in some form.


message 13: by Lisa (new)

Lisa Reads & Reviews Antonomasia wrote: "Have a look at the link I posted above. It explains that this is an internet meme containing some books from an old BBC Big Read list, and some others.

It's been doing the rounds on Facebook, in ..."


Thanks Antonomasia! I hadn't seen this on FB, but found the link interesting.


message 14: by Dave (new)

Dave Very interesting reading about the meme. I had never heard of that, helps me understand why I found a different list everytime I searched for it.


message 15: by Bryn (last edited Nov 08, 2012 11:53PM) (new)

Bryn Hammond Unfortunately they won't always be on people's shelves. I've read 61 but have 10 shelved. That's bad for the stats.


message 16: by Ebonny (last edited Nov 09, 2012 03:59AM) (new)

Ebonny Between my husband and I we have read probably 7 of the books. Pretty dismal but I am of the impression that you read what you want to, not what someone thinks you should be reading. :)


小さな N    (.❛ ᴗ ❛.)⊃ [_|_] ♡ ah, well... 6/100. and three out of those I only read because I had to in english class. I liked them, though.


message 18: by Suzanne (new)

Suzanne Read 17 but not able to get the results without messing up my shelves.... (not all I have read are on there as they were read a long time ago)


message 19: by Fatin (new)

Fatin I've read 25, and I have about 20 more at home, and I'm slowly getting around to reading them. And some of them I've just never been interested in.


message 20: by Sharnie (new)

Sharnie Only ten, I shall have to remedy that.


message 21: by Marysue (new)

Marysue I have read 14, but none were on my shelves. I didn't add any books to my shelf that I read before I joined goodreads. It's funny how long ago I read some of them, dating all the way back to high school, more than twenty years ago.


message 22: by M.C. (new)

M.C. Planck Any list that has both To Kill a Mockingbird and The Da Vinci Code is... bizarre. Sorry, Dan, but it's true.


message 23: by Samhy (new)

Samhy That's very interesting. I think I'll try to give a shot at half of that list, if I can. Some of them are in my room, waiting to be picked.

Even though my read shelf doesn't reflect it, so far I've read 13.5 of those books (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is done, but Through the Looking Glass has yet to be read).


message 24: by Stephen (new)

Stephen Yeah! I've read 29 of the top 100! Though I feel like I should get some partial credit for a few others for which I've "only seen the movie" (sometimes multiple VERSIONS of the movie), a few that I've re-read a number of times, and a few that I've only partly read (How many people have read many or most of the Shakespeare plays but not the full canon, the same goes for the Bible)

BTW why is Frank Herbert's first volume of the Dune chronicles on the list rather than the full series?
(Philip Pullman got HIS full series on the list)


message 25: by Belldandy (new)

Belldandy 38 so far!


message 26: by Jessica (new)

Jessica I've read 39 so far. I guess I have a long way to go, but I'm only 24, so I think I have time. : )


message 27: by Eszter (new)

Eszter Ha! I have read 25 books, but this will soon improve, as many of the books are on my TBR pile already!


message 28: by dyanne (new)

dyanne 28/100...i think...something like that...now I need to read the other 72 books that I haven't read that are on this list!


message 29: by Jackie (new)

Jackie Whaley 14/100. Will add a few to my 'to be read' list.


message 30: by Mel (new)

Mel Belstein 20 read! not bad


message 31: by Jai (new)

Jai McGrainer 54 and the rest are on my to-read list.


message 32: by Dave (new)

Dave I must have way too much free time, I just finished the last one. All 100 plus since some are a series, total of about 132. Quite an adventure.


message 33: by Donna (new)

Donna Bond I've read only 31 of these. I have to wonder why *these* particular books and not others. There are many wonderful, quality books that are not on this list.


message 34: by Lolita (new)

Lolita I've read 57 :).

I want to read the other (original?) list.

I've read so many bc it was actually my goal to read all 100


message 35: by Lori (new)

Lori I have read 20 of these. Some I have and not read yet.


message 36: by Ashley (new)

Ashley (Bookaholics Anonymous) I've read 2 that's sad.


message 37: by Marcus (new)

Marcus Lagré 13. But I was positively surprised, considering I've only just started to take an interest in literature other than biographies, history, fantasy, or comic books.


message 38: by Lilac (new)

Lilac 28, which I think is okay. I'll be reading more in the future. :)
My problem with this list is that it's got the bible on it and that's not really fiction, like everything else on the list. I doubt I'll ever read the bible which means I'll never be able to read everything off the list.


message 39: by Monnom (new)

Monnom 11 = -_-
need to read more
I saw another list from BBC before too.
*reads more*


message 40: by Amy the book-bat (new)

Amy the book-bat Antonomasia wrote: "Have a look at the link I posted above. It explains that this is an internet meme containing some books from an old BBC Big Read list, and some others.

It's been doing the rounds on Facebook, in ..."


First version of the list I saw was on Facebook about 3 years ago


message 41: by Ebirdy (new)

Ebirdy Yay, I've read 47!


message 42: by Tria (last edited Jan 04, 2014 08:53PM) (new)

Tria I've read 35 of these in full, a few more in part. I really should go through and rate the ones here that I read before I joined GR, sometime. Not that I particularly fancy rating the King James Bible, since I'd only get dogpiled if I decided to rate it for quality of writing & storytelling (and I am not a Christian, and it's a tertiary source at best!).


message 43: by Amanda (new)

Amanda I've read 85 of these! Not so bad for a list where they think everyone's read 6 of them (and a good number of the others are marked as To Read's).


Margret Melissa (ladybug) I have read more books on this list, but haven't put them under "read". LOL


message 45: by Jomidi (last edited Jan 10, 2014 04:36AM) (new)

Jomidi I have actually read maybe 20 more but read them years ago before I started putting up stuff on goodreads!


message 46: by Amanda G. (new)

Amanda G. (Nellie and Co. 13 books read, about 7 others to-be-read,and I don't think that's all that bad considering I prefer the less classical type!


message 47: by Isabella (new)

Isabella i've read 9 and have a few to-read as well


message 48: by Pamela (new)

Pamela 17 books read ! Not super bad considering a lot of the other books are on my TBR list :)


message 49: by Gemma (new)

Gemma 18 books read. Will scratch some more from this list this year :))


message 50: by Alix (new)

Alix Fish 16 out of 100 but I'm only 16 so I'd say that's pretty good, 1 per year:)


« previous 1
back to top