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LearnedHand

(5,629 posts)

17. I was surprised Middlemarch was no. 1

Reply to True Dough (Original post)

Mon May 18, 2026, 09:56 PM

May 18

It was a very good book and, of course, a timely subject (intersex protagonist), but I’m not sure I would have judged it that highly.

Other random thoughts:
- I too was shocked that no sci-fi books were present. There are towering works of sci-fi — older and current — that exhibit every bit as much craft and elegance as those in this list.

- I am fundamentally uncomfortable with their considering mainstream literary novels the only genre fit to be judged greatest NOVELS of all time. (It’s akin to considering white people as the default person.) Seems they should call it the greatest mainstream literary novels of all time. Why should every other genre have to label their niche in a greatest-of list?

- I was glad to see they included women and people of color. At least it’s not all dead white men.

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True Dough

21 replies

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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 May 16 OP

Pretty subjective without any criteria, but at least I've heard of most on the list, albeit not read hlthe2b May 16 #1

Another list. Read a good number. Conversational. cachukis May 16 #2

Agree with some, disagree with others, never heard of some, would have LoisB May 16 #3

My first thought: "how very British of them, 3 Austens in the top 20" RockRaven May 16 #4

Haven't read any of the soaps. Mostly mine have political or social commentary. eppur_se_muova May 16 #5

I've read a number of these, Bayard May 16 #6

Ive read most of them. Always thought of many of those as highbrow Figarosmom May 17 #7

Highbrow romance novels is an excellent way to put it, agree. betsuni May 20 #21

Terrible list Wiz Imp May 17 #8

What would your top 3 be, Wiz Imp? True Dough May 17 #9

Good question which I find difficult to answer. Wiz Imp May 17 #10

I agree with you True Dough May 17 #11

In fairness, Poe was not a novelist. n/t malthaussen May 18 #14

Definitely a better list. wnylib May 19 #19

The best classic novel I've read is Les Miserables by Victor Hugo LogDog75 May 17 #12

I've read almost all of them, much to my surprise. malthaussen May 18 #13

The British reading public would put Christie, Rowling, and Pratchett at the top... malthaussen May 18 #15

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

I was surprised Middlemarch was no. 1 LearnedHand May 18 #17

Did I miss 'A Tale of Two Cities' by Charles Dickens!! Tikki May 19 #18

Nope. Four Dickens novels made the list but not A Tale Of Two Cities Wiz Imp May 19 #20