What I Haven't Read (and should have read) (or just read) (and so on)

I read a lot of book blogs. I follow a lot of bookish Facebook pages. I just about do anything bookish related to the web. BookRiot, Flavorwire, Book columns on Buzzfeed, you name it, I'm on it!

And time and time again, I run into those books that I was "supposed" to read as a literature major and book lover. It's always the books that everyone claims to have read. Even still, when discussing said books with fellow lit lovers, I find myself curling into a quiet ball and not confessing the fact that I haven't read them.

Now, I should say this. My love story with books is different than others. I'm a bookish person, even more so than your average literature major. The picture below describes my life to a tee:

Something that tends to shock people is that I never read Pride and Prejudice until college and I honestly don't think it's a masterpiece by any means (okay, let the bashing begin). But I do love me some hilarious Austen memes.

Same with Catcher in the Rye. Hell, that wasn't even my first Salinger. I also didn't read The Scarlet Letter until college.

I've never read Moby Dick or Ulysses and I'm intimidated to read them (though I probably will when it comes time to getting my PhD). I don't even know if I feel like these ones are "should have reads," perhaps they are never to be read by me. The average English major wouldn't touch these books with a 10-foot-pole, but we are intrigued by the idea of their existence. 

And then there is the issue of things I've never read that I should have read. And things I've lied about reading. Or things I say I've read because I've read them in class, but really I just skimmed them and listened to the teachers tall about them. The other day, I messaged my friend (and co-blogger), Natalie, frantically telling her I had a confession - I've never read To Kill A Mockingbird. I remember reading a little bit of it, listening to all the lectures, and spark noting it enough to get an A in high school literature, but I've never read the book straight through. And it led me to think of all the books I should have read that I haven't. So, my top 10 I should have reads:

10) To Kill a Mockingbird

9) Frankenstein

8) Sense and Sensibility

7) Animal Farm

6) Go Ask Alice

5) The Sun Also Rises

4) Vanity Fair

3) The Age of Innocence

2) Don Quixote

1) We

There are some books I am finally getting around to reading. I'm on a children's fairytale kick right now that's pulling me away from my 50 states challenge, but if can't let that bug me. Life's too short to not read what you want in the moment.

I just reread The Series of Unfortunate Events. I am reading the Peter Pan books. And I fully intend on reading some Alice in Wonderland next.

I even just got around to reading The Giver, which, to be fair, I tried to read it as a kid, but I think I tried at far too early of an age. But, as an adult, what an amazing book!

Anyway, before I go fold myself into the pages of a JM Barrie book, I will leave you with a message to take with you. If you didn't get anything else from this shoddy, middle-of-the-night blog post of mine, remember this: