David McCandless and Miriam Quick created a “Books Everyone Should Read” consensus cloud featuring the most frequently named books from more than 15 notable book polls, readers’ surveys, and top 100 lists. The lists include Pulitzer Prize winners, Desert Island Discs choices from recent years, Oprah’s Bookclub list, and The Guardian newspaper’s Top 100 Books of All Time.
This consensus cloud is a veritable gold mine for anyone looking for something good to read. It’d be great for book clubs, too. Just glancing at the list, I can see that my book club has read a bunch of the books already, but there are still plenty more to choose from.
Did your favorites show up in the cloud? Quite a few of the comments on the creators’ website were left by people who took issue with the list being called “Books Everyone Should Read” and suggested it be named “Books That People Are Reading” instead. I guess not everyone thinks Twilight belongs in the same category as To Kill A Mockingbird! (I suppose “should” sounds better from a marketing point of view.) I have quite a few friends who’d say that everyone really should read Twilight.
You can check the data and analysis at Information is Beautiful or go here to buy a PDF (or to see a bigger, easier-to-read version). Do you have a book lover in your life who’d love a list like this?
I was looking for “Native Son” – should be there. And does everyone really have to read “Atlas Shrugged”. Really?
You’re the only person I know who’s ever read Native Son, Tim! I have no explanation for Atlas Shrugged, except that maybe political ideology keeps people reading it?