More randomocity

[danuv]

There's a thunderstorm a brewin' so I'm in my favorite spot for viewing storms on my porch with a glass of white wine. I'm starting to think I really actually prefer white wine despite this nagging feeling that it makes me totally uncool in some way.

Recently I had someone else tell me I was well read. I've been told this by a few people and it always confuses me. Mostly I read a hodge podge of art history books and biographies with the occasional fiction tossed in when forced (generally related to one of the art history or biographies). I don't really think I'm well read, mostly I think I read a little bit more than the average housewife and chose peculiar books. But this has me curious... what is well read anyway?

I'd like to hear some suggestions. I know this is the sort of question that only usually would draw answers from four or five of you on my f-list but really I am very curious. What would you (YOU) say are your top five books that any Well Read person must read? Or if you'd prefer what Sort of books would a well read person read?

Comments

[skellington.livejournal.com]

Doing some quick checking, only 60% of the population read any book last year.

Only 47% read "literature" in 2002 (defined as not self-help, etc. I think.)

Of the people who read, they average 6 books a year.

Frequest readers (12-49 books a year) represent 12% of the population and Avid readers (50+ books a year) represent 4% of the population.

So how many books do you read a year?

[danuv.livejournal.com]

See, I'm thinking well read is not quite the same thing as 'reads a lot'. My granny, for example, reads probably hundreds of romance novels a year. I wouldn't really consider her well read though she reads constantly.