It's over...

In February 2010 I set myself the challenge of reading the BBC's list of the 100 books everyone should read. It is July 2012, and I have now finished. Kind of. I failed to finish Ulysses, because it is completely incomprehensible - I'm currently listening to the recent Radio 4 dramatisation, and it makes more sense but I still don't really understand what's going on. I also had to bow to realism and accept that I am not going to have the time or the motivation to sit and read Shakespeare plays on my own. Finally, I decided against reading the Wasp Factory based on hearing others describe their experience of it, and wanting to protect my mind against my tendency to have nightmares! (yes, I'm a wuss.)

So, technically, I have read 97 of them, but I consider it a job well done. I didn't think it would take this long, but there have been minor events in the meantime which have reduced my reading time.

I wanted to write a concluding post to reflect on whether I've actually achieved anything by this process. I think there are a few things I've learned.

Firstly, I discovered over and over again that I read for the story. Not for the beauty of the writing, not for descriptions, not for gritty realism, but to gain some sort of affection for the characters and to find out what happens to them. Thus, I found many books a struggle when they seemed to be going nowhere, but were luxuriating in description. 100 Years of Solitude, and Midnight's Children, I'm looking at you. This may make me a less intelligent reader, but I think enjoyment is important!

Secondly, after years of mainly reading lighter (some could say trashy) fiction, it was a relief to discover that I was still capable of reading more intelligently. Many of the books on the list were really hard to read, but I did it (I still maintain that I could have read Ulysses, but all that would have happened is that my eyes would have seen all the words, and it still wouldn't have meant anything to me!). I was particularly pleased by being able to get through various Dickens novels, having never finished anything other than Oliver Twist before. Moby Dick was another challenge, and I do feel a great sense of achievement at having read War and Peace, Anna Karenina and Crime and Punishment; all worthy reads but you had to work for them.

Thirdly, I have discovered some books that I absolutely loved. Vanity Fair, Possession, Gone with the Wind, Cold Comfort Farm, Brave New World, Germinal, A Town Like Alice, and Brideshead Revisited were probably the highlights - if you don't read anything else from the list, read those. All were very different, and were books that I may not have picked up in any other context, but they were so rewarding and enjoyable, and I absolutely love that experience of finding a new book to add to the list of favourites. Especially Town Like Alice. Amazing.

Finally, I think one of the reasons that many of these books make it onto the list is the contribution they've made to popular culture. I enjoyed recognising phrases that have passed into popular usage, and speculating as to whether Starbuck in Moby Dick inspired the coffee chain's name (the answer is yes, by the way, according to Wikipedia). There's definitely a pleasure in recognising references and getting to feel a bit clever about it, and it also gives an added appreciation of the value that literature adds to society. Sometimes a book itself may not be much fun to read, but if it inspires a whole genre I do have to grudgingly admire it.

What's next? I haven't decided. I have really enjoyed having a list to work through as it inspires me to read differently, and not just fill my brain with fluff. I'm considering next this list of books about books (http://bookriot.com/2012/07/09/a-great-big-huge-not-very-small-at-all-list-of-books-about-books/) as I love books about books. We'll see. I may take a little break and...erm...fill my brain with fluff.

Thanks for staying with me while I did this...company and comments was much appreciated! I may be back.