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

[brododaktula.livejournal.com]

I didn't mean to imply that your kids have to read these, just that I sort of feel there's an equivalence between broad knowledge and being younger. I guess it's the whole thing about broad basics that in some ways you can't get as an adult because instead you go off on interesting tangents based on parts of what you read. I don't think that's a bad thing either!

[danuv.livejournal.com]

No no, I guess you just reminded me of how it felt when I was young and raiding the 'grown up' bookshelf. I realized that I don't have too much that would really interest them. I need to be planting subversive materials. :)

[brododaktula.livejournal.com]

Absolutely!

I wish we still had the book report my brother did in third grade on Kafka's Metamorphosis, which he thought from the title would have a lot more fun bug stuff. "This guy turns into a bug and NO ONE EVEN NOTICES!" It was hilarious.