20 books everyone should read by 30

[RS]

According to Penguin.

How many of these have you read?

[URL]https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/2020/april/books-to-read-by-30.html?&utm_source=instagram_stories&utm_medium=instagram_stories&utm_campaign=Books_to_read_by_30_15_04_2020https://www.penguin.co.uk/articles/2020/april/books-to-read-by-30.html?&utm_source=instagram_stories&utm_medium=instagram_stories&utm_campaign=Books_to_read_by_30_15_04_2020[/URL]

I have only read:
Giovanni’s Room
The Great Gatsby
The Alchemist
A Little Life

and I’m currently reading The Picture of Dorian Gray.

I’d agree they’re all essential (maybe except for A Little Life unless you’re gay and into emotional and physical torture). Only read The Alchemist before turning 30 though.

 

[lolly]

I'm so glad at my age I can get away with a quick flick through Woman's Realm and The People's Friend.

 

[jivafox]

I’ve read:

Dorian Gray
Bridget Jones’ Diary
The Great Gatsby
The Alchemisy
The Secret History
Never Let Me Go

before 30. I read A Little Life this year at 32 though.

 

[RS]

Also, I realize this is the first time in ages that I’ve started a thread and it took me a while to figure out which forum we use to post about books. Seeing as we’re posting more about reading and have an ongoing book club, isn’t it time to have a book sub-forum?

 

[AGinAg (37)]

Absolutely none of them.

 

[Generic Account]

Giovanni's Room
Dorian Gray
Gatsby
A Little Life
Portrait of an Artist
Never Let Me Go

So not many either but they are all great.

 

[Mats]

only Giovanni's Room I will say though, doesn't a handful of those require life experience not even achieved before 30 to fully appreciate them?

 

[Mats]

I've never been interested in The Alchemist. it sounds like one long self-help quote posted by one's mum on Facebook

 

[COB]

I've never read a book and you can't make me

 

[RS]

I don’t know, I think A Little Life would have made a more profound impression on me if I had read it before turning 30 (well it wasn’t written by then).

 

[RS]

I've never been interested in The Alchemist. it sounds like one long self-help quote posted by one's mum on Facebook

I remember it being rather magical, no self help shit.

 

[Mats]

I don’t know, I think A Little Life would have made a more profound impression on me if I had read it before turning 30 (well it wasn’t written by then).

you've got a point there. well I was late for that too...

 

[Beverley]

It's an odd list really. How did they choose Supper Club?!

 

[RS]

I've never read a book and you can't make me

It shows.

 

[Kate]

Only Bridget Jones' Diary and Anna Karenina for me, but it's a BIT LATE NOW

 

[Mats]

https://www.rd.com/culture/50-books-to-read-before-youre-50/

 

[Shirley]

I read the FILTHY BITS in FEAR OF FLYING when I was a YOUNG MAN

 

[RS]

https://www.rd.com/culture/50-books-to-read-before-youre-50/

Looks better!

 

[Kate]

https://www.rd.com/culture/50-books-to-read-before-youre-50/

This seems a more sensible list (although Reader's Digest can still fuck off). I've done 12 of them.

 

[Soldi]

NONE although I suppose I have longer to read them than others

 

[RS]

https://www.rd.com/culture/50-books-to-read-before-youre-50/

Only 5 despite a longer list.

And I’ll never read shit like Harry Potter and Hunger Games, unless there are no more books to read.

 

[Diddy]

The Great Gatsby
The Alchemist
The Secret History

all before I was 30, just as well. Didn’t have lasting impact, except I often think about killing someone with an icicle

 

[Generic Account]

https://www.rd.com/culture/50-books-to-read-before-youre-50/

Don't like this one.

 

[Kate]

Only 5 despite a longer list.

And I’ll never read shit like Harry Potter and Hunger Games, unless there are no more books to read.

I think seeing the films should count when it's bollocks like that.

 

[RS]

Even the movies don’t appeal me. Game of Thrones (the tv show) was enough of a limit pusher for me.

 

[jivafox]

I know I’ve read The Alchemist but I couldn’t tell you a single thing about it! So it obviously had an impact.

I much preferred his cautionary suicide tale “Veronica Decides To Die”.

 

[win_the_game]

https://www.rd.com/culture/50-books-to-read-before-youre-50/

I've read a grand total of TWO so far.

 

[vespertine]

except I often think about killing someone with an icicle

Wasn't that The Lovely Bones?

 

[ameraal]

Dorian Gray
The Alchemist (hmmm...)
Never Let Me Go

i started Portrait of an Artist earlier this year but i'm still nowhere.

 

[Diddy]

You should all read the sequel Full Metal Alchemist, it’s much more exciting

 

[Diddy]

Wasn't that The Lovely Bones?

I thought someone drugged her Creme de menthe. All the calcium from the creme is why she has such lovely bones

 

[Cerro de Casa]

I've read :

Giovanni's Room
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Anna Karenina
The Great Gatsby
The Alchemist
The Secret History
A Little Life
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
On Chesil Beach
Never Let me Go

(the emboldened titles I had read before turning 30)

... and I would absolutely recommend all of them except, of course, The Alchemist.

 

[RS]

What’s with the Alchemist hate? I don’t remember it being bad at all, I loved it.

 

[Indie]

Absolutely none of them.

Likewise.

 

[Peekaboo]

I'm not a BOOK SNOB but FUCK ME at the BOLDNESS of putting BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY in a BOOKS YOU SHOULD READ article immediately before ANNA KARENINA