Well-Read. Not.

I love "best-of" lists.

I never pass up a chance to see how I stack up. (Yes, I'm very competitive.)

So I checked out a few "Best Novels" lists to see how many I had read. Now, I've never been one to read a lot of "classic" books; therefore I didn't expect to do "well."

My expectations were fully met.

Some results:

Modern Library had two "100 Best" lists posted, “The Board's List and The Reader's List.” I've read seven on The Board's List and eighteen on The Reader's List (obviously a list of more "accessible" literature).

At Newsweek.com, the "100 Best Book" list includes fiction and non-fiction. I've read nine.

College Board has compiled a list of "101 Great Books for College-Bound Readers." I've read eleven. (I wonder what this says about my chances for success in college.)

Of Time Magazine's "All-Time 100 Novels," I've read six.

I've read 14 of "The Best 100 Novels." 

Here's a “100 Best Book” list from the National Education Association where I did a little better. I've read 35 of these. Figures, right?

I wonder what my lackluster "performance" says about me?

Full disclosure: the vast majority of the books I've read on these lists were assigned. Mandatory. No choice. Just Do It. Funny, I don't recall liking most of them, either.