Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

The DU Lounge

RockRaven

(19,749 posts)

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

Reply to True Dough (Original post)

Sat May 16, 2026, 10:25 PM

Saturday

I know they said they asked experts from all over, and I love Jane Austen, but that seems a bit much.

Also, they are clearly including translations in "published in English" so the list seems rather thin on contributions from Asia, Africa, South America, and non-Russian Eastern Europe. There are a few, yes, but that is a lot of people who have written a lot of novels to choose from who are scarcely present.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

4 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

True Dough Alice Kramden eppur_se_muova Tanuki

18 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

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 19 hrs ago #14

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 19 hrs ago #13

The British reading public would put Christie, Rowling, and Pratchett at the top... malthaussen 19 hrs ago #15

Emma should rank higher than P&P. Coventina 18 hrs ago #16

I was surprised Middlemarch was no. 1 LearnedHand 11 hrs ago #17

Did I miss 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens!! Tikki 8 hrs ago #18