NPR has compiled a list of the 100 best beach reads. This was quite the process with editors and reviewers first culling a HUGE list down and then putting out the top 200 or so up for a vote to their listeners/website users. Everybody got 10 votes in the poll (Word Nerd voted) and she thinks the results are interesting.
The full list of winners is here.
Word Nerd is sort of surprised to see the Harry Potter books as the top beach read and wonders if that pick was influenced at all by the release of the new movie. (Like say, had the list come out in May before the movie, would HP have still been number 1?)
Of the top ten, Word Nerd voted for #'s 7 and 8 (The Great Gatsby and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.) She doesn't think she voted for HP, but honestly, can't remember. (Voting was a few weeks ago.)
She knows she also voted for #20 -- Water for Elephants, #24 -- The World According to Garp and #28 -- The Princess Bride and is a little disappointed to see them that far down in the list. (Not to disparage Gone with the Wind at #16, but who wants to lug that tome with them to the beach...)
What do you think of the NPR listeners rankings? Are there books you would put higher? Lower? Think should be off the list altogether?
2 comments:
I am mildly surprised that Tolkien didn't place higher. Ender's Game was there which is good. Vonnegut got one mention but Slaughterhouse-Five would also get my vote. What...no Dresden Files? :)
What constitutes a beach read? I always picture something light and frothy where the plot doesn't matter if your brain is a bit sun-addled.
Most of the titles surprised me to be on there.
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