We’re serious book lovers around here, but even we have our hall of shame: Titles we should’ve read by now, but haven’t. It’s time to fess up.
- The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. As it mounted the top of bestseller lists, this book became an obsession. Then, miraculously, I found it for a dollar at a church sale, and it has sat, untouched, ever since. Possession can kill desire. ~Harriet Dwinell
- Lord of the Flies by William Golding. I pretend I know what this high-school classic is about whenever it comes up in conversation (which is surprisingly often). Boys being mean, right? ~Carrie Callaghan
- Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. I've pretty much failed to read the entirety of the greats of American literature, but I’ll use this one as my example (~Chris Schneidmiller); I am a writer who has never read Moby-Dick. What seemed like dodging a bullet in high-school English is now a source of residual guilt (~Tara Campbell); I majored in English as an undergrad and consider myself a reader and a writer, but I've never read this one. (~Darrell Delamaide)
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I get about a chapter in and find myself struggling to adapt to Austen's writing style. This year, Jane, I will conquer your most-loved book. ~Katie Dvorak
- The Koran. There are several books I am embarrassed not to have read, but this one seems a glaring omission, especially now. ~Amanda Holmes Duffy
- Ulysses by James Joyce. Pretty embarrassed that I haven't read this, but I don't think anyone's actually read it, and you're a liar if you say you have. ~Ed Aymar
- The Iliad by Homer. It feels like it’s been on my TBR list for centuries. ~Caroline Bock
- Anything by Jane Austen. The fact that I can’t even get through the Cliff’s Notes versions of Austen’s books probably says more about me than it does about her. ~Holly Smith
What books are you mortified not to have read? Tell us about them in the comments section below!
