So Many Book Lists!

The original Fausti's Book Quest was started based on book lists.  I found a handful of lists of books that I decided to tackle, but then I kept finding more. I made tables of them, printed them out and put them in three ring binders. I now have a bookshelf just with binders of book lists. I've stopped printing them up now, but I still keep links to them as bookmarks and I can't resist them when I spot a new one for any reason.

Today, I'm going to do a little housecleaning of my bookmarks and post some of my back log of book lists.

• Flavorwire posted this list of 50 Essential Works of LGBT Fiction.
• Then, there's this list of 40 Trashy Novels You Must Read Before You Die.  This is a list that I have mixed feelings about. On the one hand, it's another list and I've barely read any of these books. On the other hand, I feel like I can pat myself on the back for not having read so much trash. Or, at least not the trash that appears on this list.
• Buzz Feed has a list of 32 Books That Will Actually Change Your Life.  The first one they post is The Diving Bell and The Butterfly and if it doesn't change your life, it will definitely be worth your time.  It's the story of the editor of French Vogue. He had a massive stroke while driving on an outing with his children.  He was left locked in his body, unable to move only one eye.  Using that one eye, he blinked out this tiny book, telling his story.  It's amazing and insane and scary and life affirming.
• Here's a list of 10 books that came out in April of this year. I'm so depressed to note that I've had half of these on my mind to read and still haven't gotten to them.  I'm thinking specifically of the Messud, Atkinson, Sedaris, Allende and Kushner.
• And, ditto the list for May.  There are only a couple of books on this list that I've heard anything about since May, but I would like to fit in half of this list soon.
• One of my favorite lists, and one that I've been chipping away at for years (I've read 70 of the titles on the current list and probably another 20 that were on the list before and replaced by new titles.  It's the ALA's list of the Top 100 Banned and Challenged Books . The current list is for the years 2000 to 2009 and it looks like the challenge-y types have developed a soft spot for Roald Dahl, which is refreshing.  They are still completely froot loops if you ask me, but as long as open minded and intelligent people keep fighting there will always be hope.
• Here's a list titled 50 Books Everyone Needs to Read (1963-2013). I've read a dismal 16 of them and many have appeared on multiple lists that I've compiled.  This is a pretty good list for anyone looking to read contemporary fiction from the last 50 years.  In fact, the books I've read from this list are among my favorites.
• Then, you can check out this list of 50 of the Best Books You Haven't Read by Authors You Love.  What do I do with my time?  I read 100 to 150 books a year and I've only read a teeny handful of these.
• In 2009, The Guardian posted this list of 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read.  (I've only read 148 of the books on this list.  I only count books I've read in the last ten years or so, anything read before that, needs to be reread before I'll count it on a list.)

Well, that's just the tip of the book list iceberg here, but I think that should keep people going for a while.  I know I've got to step up my game. I've already promised myself that I will read a book from a new author who has contacted me (personally, or via a blogging or reading group I am part of) each week and promptly post my reviews.  Last weekend Sherlock's Home had that distinction and this weekend it's Massive Black Hole.