Monday, March 21, 2011

Most Important Book to Read Before You Die

I'm a few days late posting the literary question of the week from The Blue Bookcase: What one literary work must you read before you die?

Quite a few bloggers mentioned Shakespeare: The Complete Works, but if I knew I were going to die, I think I'd want to read something more edifying to the soul. The Bible is the obvious answer, but I'd also read Pilgrim's Progress because it has always been a comfort to me and ends so triumphantly in heaven.

Taking the question lightly (as though death were decades away), I would read all of Anthony Trollope's books. And if I could only read one of them, it would be The Warden.

4 comments:

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz said...

Thank you for this suggestion. It was my question and I am very interested in others' answers.

I will add The Warden to my list.

I'm a new follower!

Here's my post: http://readerbuzz.blogspot.com/2011/03/book-you-must-read-before-you-die.html

the Ink Slinger said...

Pilgrim's Progress for sure! I would also add J.C. Ryle's Holiness. Great stuff, to be sure.

Cathy B. said...

Thank you for this, Hope. I loved it!

Carol in Oregon said...

I just read a quote from Holiness (relative to Ink Slinger's comment) and said, "Self, you need to pick that book up and re-read it."

I do love your idea of reading through the Trollope canon. One of my goals, too.

I've always *said* I wanted to read through Matthew Henry's commentary on the Bible. Ahem. Add that to the list!