I'm sure many have seen it, but an interesting article came out on Goodreads via my email feed today (7/7/20). The full list is here: https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/1874-the-100-most-popular-sci-fi-books-on-goodreads
Instead of regenerating the list here, to make it more interesting and participatory for AWers, here's the twist. After perusing the list, how many have you read? Admittedly, I would have thought my percentage was a bit higher, though I came in near the halfway mark. I had to remind myself though, that this was more of a popularity thing than truly a curated list of the top 100 of all time. These are what's popular, not necessarily what's truly among the best!
Perhaps that might be a worthy talking point here though - is there a distinction to make between popular reads versus truly canonical classics of a genre? If you had to take these popular reads, how many would also make it on to a list of the best in the genre, regardless of popularity? I was actually impressed with the number that I'd put in both...maybe 70-80% I'd also put in a classical sci fi "best of all time" list.
What books would you include that are missing? What books are included that you thought "really? no way!"
Cheers!
Instead of regenerating the list here, to make it more interesting and participatory for AWers, here's the twist. After perusing the list, how many have you read? Admittedly, I would have thought my percentage was a bit higher, though I came in near the halfway mark. I had to remind myself though, that this was more of a popularity thing than truly a curated list of the top 100 of all time. These are what's popular, not necessarily what's truly among the best!
Perhaps that might be a worthy talking point here though - is there a distinction to make between popular reads versus truly canonical classics of a genre? If you had to take these popular reads, how many would also make it on to a list of the best in the genre, regardless of popularity? I was actually impressed with the number that I'd put in both...maybe 70-80% I'd also put in a classical sci fi "best of all time" list.
What books would you include that are missing? What books are included that you thought "really? no way!"
Cheers!
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