50 books to read before you die discussion

Hello all! How many books on the 50 Books list did you read in 2019? Any stand-out favourites, or least favourites? What about the 100 list? And which are you most excited to try in 2020? Let's discuss...

I managed just 2 from each list this year

I really liked The Quiet American, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland and A Bell for Adano.

I also read The Fault in Our Stars which I enjoyed reading but I wouldn't have put it on a must read list. I actually preferred Looking for Alaska to be honest.

I only got to 1 new book from each list! But to be fair I only rediscovered the group towards the end of the year. Those were On the Road by Jack Kerouac and Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (I'm currently reading this but will have finished by the end of the year).

I re-read Emma by Jane Austen, the first four Harry Potters and, most excitingly, Jane Eyre. I first read that in 2015 and wasn't impressed. I then read it again this year, not expecting much, and was blown away. I loved it the second time round.

Next year I'm most excited to read The Tenant of Wildfell Hall off the 100 list and The Great Gatsby and (possibly) Anna Karenina off the 50 list.

listened to an audio version of Anna Karenina , safe to say it wasnt a favourite but pleased I listened to all of it !!

I had to go back and review MyBooks. I had forgotten to update my list in this group. On a family road trip for Christmas, I haven't been reading much. I'm 4 behind schedule on my GR 2019 reading challenge.

From the 100 list I read The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter and The Prisoner of Zenda, and 2 or 3 others.

From the 50 list I reread 1984 for the fifth time in as many decades. It definitely is an absolutely must-read book.

Sam wrote: "listened to an audio version of Anna Karenina , safe to say it wasnt a favourite but pleased I listened to all of it !!"

I may need the audiobook to get through that beast of a novel. I think it'll help me to read the physical though so I can flip back and check names and such. Maybe a mix of both is the answer!

Buck wrote: "From the 50 list I reread 1984 for the fifth time in as many decades. It definitely is an absolutely must-read book."

Oh yes, 1984 is one I want to get to. I heard someone else say recently that is a book everyone should read.

1984 is fantastic but terrifying, it is not an easy lighthearted read but it is staggeringly breathtaking

We're fast approaching the end of 2020. What a year! I've only read one of the four books I mentioned in this thread and I won't get to the others this month. Well done me.

I'm updating this thread if anyone fancies discussing which of the books you read this year?

In 2020, I read The Great Gatsby & The Colour Purple, from the 50 books list. And I re-read A Separate Peace from the 100. I didn't like The Great Gatsby, although as I get further away from reading that, I appreciate it slightly more.
The Colour Purple is one of the best books I've ever read, it blew me away. Highly recommend.
I first read A Separate Peace 6 years ago so was a little concerned it might not live up to my memories, but it absolutely did! That book is a masterpiece.
So quality, not quantity this year it seems. I do hope to read more of the books from these lists next year.

Oh I just realised I also read The Book Thief for the first time in 2020, which is #11 on the 100 list. This book has been hyped to the moon and back, and though I didn't love it, there were certainly powerful moments and some brilliant parts.