Back to Class(ics)

Maybe it's the cooling air, the rustle of  leaves, or the memory of the smell of fresh paper and a new box of crayons, but autumn always puts me in the mood for books that will make me think. Given the enormous choices--Fitzgerald or Flaubert, Wharton or H.G Wells--and the eternal debate on what exactly is a classic, you could wind up never getting to the books! So how about a book that is the perfect portal to finding some great reads? My choice is 1001 Books You Must Read before You Die.  The title says it all: Books to read. Before. You. Die.

Full of the authors you would expect to see, "Don't be a Stranger, Mr. Camus!" it also explores titles you may not be as familiar with. It introduced me to a well-known Japanese classic, Kokoro, by Natsume Soseki that was full of beautiful, sorrowful images.

The best part about 1001 Books? There is a summary of the book on each page and why it's interesting. It's also arranged by publication year so you can get a sense of what books were published at the same time (yes, I'm that geek). It is revised every few years to add new titles. Currently it goes up to 2010, so you'll find newer titles like Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger or Anne Enright's The Gathering.

If you want to discuss titles, there is a book group dedicated to it on Shelfari.