FaceBook people have been circulating a BBC-selected list of books,
and we're supposed to put an x next to the ones we've read. I found it
a strange list. Why did they list "Narnia" then add an individual
title? Same with Shakespeare's works. Why did they include Harry
Potter on the same list as Les Miserables? I was disappointed to find
I'd only read 29 of the 100 books.
Becky Miller, a giant in the world of speculative Christian fiction,
made her own list (only 70 on hers). I thought it'd be fun to play
her game and see how many of the books on her list I'd read. An X
indicates I've read the book.
Til We Have Faces – C.S. Lewis X
The Good Earth – Pearl S. Buck
Out of the Silent Planet – C.S. Lewis X
Perelandra – C.S. Lewis X
That Hideous Strength – C.S. Lewis X
The Scarlet Pimpernel – Baroness Orczy
Christy – Catherine Marshall X
The Black Stallion – Walter Farley
Fathers and Sons – Ivan Turgenev
Treasure Island – Robert Lewis Stevenson X
Lord Foul's Bane – Stephen R. Donaldson
The Illearth War – Stephen R. Donaldson
The Power that Preserves – Stephen R. Donaldson
The Assassin's Apprentice – Robin Hobb X
The Book of Three – Lloyd Alexander
The Black Cauldron – Lloyd Alexander
The Castle of Llyr – Lloyd Alexander
Taran Wanderer – Lloyd Alexander
The High King – Lloyd Alexander
Magicin: Apprentice – Raymond E. Feist
Chocolate Beach – Julie Carobini
Truffles by the Sea – Julie Carobini
The Secret Life of Becky Miller – Sharon Hinck X
Renovating Becky Miller – Sharon Hinck
A Promise to Remember – Kathryn Cushman
Waiting for Daybreak – Kathryn Cushman
The Feast of St. Bertie – Kathleen Popa
To Dance in the Desert – Kathleen Popa
Every Good and Perfect Gift – Sharon Sousa
When the Shofar Blew – Francine Rivers
Raising Dragons – Bryan Davis
Isle of Swords – Wayne Thomas Batson
The Year the Swallows Came Early – Kathryn Fitzmaurice
Something Wicked – Alan Gratz
Savvy – Ingrid Law
The Bark of the Bog Owl – Jonathan Rogers
The Book of Names – D. Barkley Briggs
Landon Snow and the Auctor's Riddle – R. K. Mortenson
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness – Andrew Peterson
DragonFire – Donita Paul X
Winter Haven – Athol Dickson
Heaven's Wager – Ted Dekker
The Hidden – Kathryn Mackel X
Scarlet – Stephen Lawhead
Tuck – Stephen Lawhead
Autumn Dreams – Gayle Roper
Tiger Lily – Lisa Samson
My Name is Russell Fink – Michael Snyder
Forgiving Solomon Long – Chris Well
Demon: A Memoir – Tosca Lee
Gideon's Dawn – Michale Warden
The Restorer – Sharon Hinck X
Arena – Karen Hancock X
The Light of Eidon – Karen Hancock X
The Legend of the Firefish – George Bryan Polivka X
Blaggard's Moon – George Bryan Polivka
Auralia's Colors – Jeffrey Overstreet X
Beyond Summerland – L. B. Graham
Guardian of the Veil – Gregory Spencer X
Hunter Brown and the Secret of the Shadow – Christoper and Allan Miller
The Mill on the Floss – George Eliot
The Return of the Native – Thomas Hardy
Pilgrim's Progress – John Bunyan X
Where the Red Fern Grows – Wilson Rawls X
The Yearling – Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
The Diamond of Darkhold – Jeanne DuPrau
Little Women – Louisa May Alcott X
Canterbury Tales – Chaucer
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer – Mark Twain X
Sir Gibbie – George MacDonald
If I counted right, I've read 19 of the 70 - not so great. Becky did
the same thing as the BBC, though - listed only a few books by an
author, instead of all of them. And why is Little Women in a list of
speculative Christian fiction? (For that matter, Robin Hobb isn't
Christian, although her books had some fantastic moral lessons to
teach). I think Becky's list should be expanded to 100. How about
adding these?
The Shadow Within – Karen Hancock X
Shadow of Kiriath – Karen Hancock X
Return of the Guardian King – Karen Hancock X
Dream Thief – Steven R. Lawhead X
Emperion – Steven R. Lawhead X
Siege of Fiera – Steven R. Lawhead X
In the Hall of the Dragon King – Steven R. Lawhead X
The Warlords of Nin – Steven R. Lawhead X
The Sword and the Flame – Steven R. Lawhead X
Taliesin – Steven R. Lawhead X
Merlin – Steven R. Lawhead X
Arthur – Steven R. Lawhead X
Pendragon – Steven R. Lawhead X
Grail – Steven R. Lawhead
Byzantium – Steven R. Lawhead X
Royal Assassin – Robin Hobb X
Assassin's Quest – Robin Hobb X
Ship of Magic – Robin Hobb X
The Mad Ship – Robin Hobb X
Ship of Destiny – Robin Hobb X
Fool's Errand – Robin Hobb X
Golden Fool – Robin Hobb X
Fool's Fate – Robin Hobb X
Lillith – George McDonald X
Three – Ted Dekker X
Boneman's Daughter – Ted Dekker
House – Ted Dekker X
Shade – John B. Olson X
Adrenaline – John B. Olson X
Dragon's Keep – Janet Lee Carey X
Now my count is 47 out of 100. Not too bad. Don't get me started on a
list of mysteries... For what it's worth.
-Sonja
