Here’s a fun thing to do. Check out this website for information about the most popular book in the UK in the year you were born (assuming you were born from 1930 onwards…).
The format of the site forces you to click through the entries for each year, which might feel a bit tedious, especially if you are very young. But I found it really interesting to see the books for different years, as well as the one for my birth year, 1967.
I clicked through with baited breath. Would it be 100 Years of Solitude? Maybe Where Eagles Dare (one of Hub’s all time favourite films, incidentally)? Or perhaps the ground-breaking psychology book I’m OK, You’re OK. All of these were published in 1967….
Nope. I got Rosemary’s Baby. It feels a bit disappointing, I’ll be honest. I would have loved it to be something majestic, romantic, magnificent. But then, I suppose I should really actually read the book before writing it off. After all, I have only seen enough of the film to be too scared to watch it all the way through. And we all know how rarely a film accurately conveys the book from which it originates in any event.
So, there you go. Another novel to add to my reading list – I’ll let you know whether I feel differently about it when it is eventually finished.
In the meantime, how about you? Are you pleased with ‘your book’ from this list? If you live outside the UK, might you have a different book from your own country’s list? 🙂
LEAPING LIFE 
My “book” was: The man in the Gray Flannel Suit by Sloan Wilson. Never ever heard of this book. I had to see if the Vancouver Public Library had a copy. Indeed it does….
LikeLiked by 1 person
I had not come across this either – hope it turns out to be good! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Will let you know!!!
LikeLike
I got ‘Portnoy’s Complaint’ by Philip Roth. I’m a big fan of his, although I’ve not read this one – but I will now! It is a really interesting list, thanks for flagging it up. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I haven’t read that one either – it sounds good. Hope you get on with it ok 🙂
LikeLike
Peyton Place for me! Not one that I’ve read but of course one that I know of. Fascinating running through the list. There are sections where I’d read each book – or certainly knew them – and groups of years where clearly, reading had just not been happening 🙂 I’m assuming this is an American list; I would love to see a British equivalent 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I have read some, but there are plenty of gaps. I had assumed it was a British list because of the Good Housekeeping link on the site, but now that I think about it again, the books seem more USA-themed, don’t they.
LikeLike
What a fun idea – I’m on my phone right now but will look at the site when back at home! Rosemary’s Baby, the novel… that should be interesting!
LikeLike
I think you will enjoy looking at it – do let me know! 🙂
LikeLike
I got Man in a Gray Flannel Suit, too, but it was fun to click through and see how many of the others I’ve read (and some I’ve never heard of!) My favorite of the whole bunch might be A Tree Grows in Brooklyn–read that book at just the right time in my life and loved it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh that looks like another good one – this list is generating some interesting new reads! 🙂
LikeLike
I am fairly sure that is one of my daughter’s favourite books.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have been on the phone discussing this list with my daughter. She thinks I got a better deal with Eloise. Her birth year was The Sicilian. She was having fun trying to guess the top seller each year after 1982.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sounds like a really fun conversation! So glad this could engage your daughter so happily 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, it was good to have a fun topic to discuss.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well! Mine was Nabokov’s ‘Lolita’ – 1958. I have never read it and I’m still not sure that I want to either. Perhaps I’m a bit prudish or perhaps I don’t know enough about the book. I have just looked up Lolita and it was published in 1958 in New York and 1959 in London.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I know exactly what you mean about Lolita! It always seems to top those ‘critics books of the century’-type lists and I cannot understand why. Maybe I should actually read it some time and find out 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
😉
LikeLike
I got Cujo! I really need to read that and it is on my shelf but before that I am a more pressing angry animal horror to read. That site is almost a book challenge in itself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
OMG good luck! Yes, it occurred to me that this would make a superb reading list for a challenge some time. I have already read some of these, of course, but there are plenty left to tackle. Not sure I would be particularly looking forward to ones like Cujo, though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is a little to realistic especially with the stories that crop up in the news every so often. However I’m sure once in collared me I would be able to enjoy the ruff ride.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol!
LikeLike
Wow, what a delicious haul! And how amazing to come across that Roth copy!! I also adore Blackwings – the King, Queen and Prince of pencils 🙂
LikeLike