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LearnedHand

(5,600 posts)

17. I was surprised Middlemarch was no. 1

Mon May 18, 2026, 09:56 PM

Monday

It was a very good book and, of course, a timely subject (intersex protagonist), but I’m not sure I would have judged it that highly.

Other random thoughts:
- I too was shocked that no sci-fi books were present. There are towering works of sci-fi — older and current — that exhibit every bit as much craft and elegance as those in this list.

- I am fundamentally uncomfortable with their considering mainstream literary novels the only genre fit to be judged greatest NOVELS of all time. (It’s akin to considering white people as the default person.) Seems they should call it the greatest mainstream literary novels of all time. Why should every other genre have to label their niche in a greatest-of list?

- I was glad to see they included women and people of color. At least it’s not all dead white men.

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True Dough

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Highlight:

What do you think of The Guardian's list of the 100 best novels of all time published in English. [View all] True Dough Saturday OP

Pretty subjective without any criteria, but at least I've heard of most on the list, albeit not read hlthe2b Saturday #1

Another list. Read a good number. Conversational. cachukis Saturday #2

Agree with some, disagree with others, never heard of some, would have LoisB Saturday #3

My first thought: "how very British of them, 3 Austens in the top 20" RockRaven Saturday #4

Haven't read any of the soaps. Mostly mine have political or social commentary. eppur_se_muova Saturday #5

I've read a number of these, Bayard Saturday #6

Ive read most of them. Always thought of many of those as highbrow Figarosmom Sunday #7

Terrible list Wiz Imp Sunday #8

What would your top 3 be, Wiz Imp? True Dough Sunday #9

Good question which I find difficult to answer. Wiz Imp Sunday #10

I agree with you True Dough Sunday #11

In fairness, Poe was not a novelist. n/t malthaussen Monday #14

Definitely a better list. wnylib 2 hrs ago #19

The best classic novel I've read is Les Miserables by Victor Hugo LogDog75 Sunday #12

I've read almost all of them, much to my surprise. malthaussen Monday #13

The British reading public would put Christie, Rowling, and Pratchett at the top... malthaussen Monday #15

Emma should rank higher than P&P. Coventina Monday #16

I was surprised Middlemarch was no. 1 LearnedHand Monday #17

Did I miss 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens!! Tikki Yesterday #18

Nope. Four Dickens novels made the list but not A Tale Of Two Cities Wiz Imp 2 hrs ago #20