Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday, a weekly bookish meme hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl that features a different bookish topic every week.
Today’s topic is Books I Can’t Believe I’ve Never Read
Some of these books have been on my TBR forever. Some of them are recognizable classics or pop culture books that people talk about all the time and I feel like I should read to understand. All of these are books that I can’t believe I’ve never read, but I do intend to read them eventually!
Top Ten Books I Can’t Believe I’ve Never Read
- Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison – I got it mixed up with The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells, which I read when I was a lot younger, and was very confused when people talked about it and I was like…”wait, what? When did that happen in the book?”
- Watership Down by Richard Adams – There is so much praise for this book and I keep meaning to read it but I haven’t yet.
- The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan – I’ve tried reading it many times but haven’t been able to get through it because it hits so close to home. I’m not sure if I should let it go or push through.
- The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R Tolkien – I actually did try listening to this on audiobook, narrated by Andy Serkis. I loved what I heard thus far, but I couldn’t finish it at the time because I listened to it to sleep and Serkis’ Gollum voice scared me awake! I intend to try it again soon!
- Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk – Any book by Palahniuk, to be honest. I don’t know why I haven’t read any.
- The Dark Tower series by Stephen King – As a self-proclaimed King fan, I am ashamed that I haven’t read this series. In fact, there are still a whole bunch of King books I have never read! The shame!
- Catch-22 by Joseph Heller – I have used the “catch-22” reference a few times in my life but I have never read the book.
- Great Expectations by Charles Dickens – I know the basic story and I already love the vibes, but I’ve just never read the book. I think I might have read an abridged children’s version once though.
- Beloved by Toni Morrison – One I really want to read but I read some reviews saying it was bleak and a difficult read so I’m a little hesistant.
- Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson – This is another story that’s been told and adapted so many times in pop culture but I’ve never read the original.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? Would you read any of these books?
Beloved was an excellent read. Hope you like it if or when you read it.
Good to know, I should probably prioritize it a little higher.
I have read Watership Down. It was a very long time ago. I was in Primary school when I read it so 10 or younger. As I’m now 36 it’s at least 26 years ago 😂
I have Lord of the Rings on mine. Seen all the films and The Hobbit films and read The Hobbit, but never got around to reading those books.
Have a great week!
I’ve seen and loved the LOTR films but haven’t watched The Hobbit films for some reason. I’ve read The Hobbit too and loved it. Watership Down is high on my TBR!
Ooh, hope you enjoy The Lord of the Rings! Serkis does a good Gollum voice (though I’ll always prefer the radioplay version because I heard that first, haha — it was such a good adaptation, with music and everything).
I love Serkis as a narrator for the books in general, but of course his Gollum voice cannot be beat! I just have to listen to the books during the day and not at bedtime!
I had to read Great Expectations at High School. Sometimes I think that spoils a book for later on. It looks like you have some big fantasy books on your list.
So true! I never had any required reading at my school and I always loved reading on my own, but I do sometimes wonder if I would still love reading as much if I was forced to read.
I had to read Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in school, so I have read that one. I hoe you enjoy all of these when you get a chance to read them.
Thank you, Cindy!
I read Great Expectations in school. I’ve wanted to read The Joy Luck Club. I hope you enjoy your books if you get a chance to read them.
Thank you, Yvonne. Great Expectations has been on my TBR for too long!
Beloved divides opinion. I’m on the didn’t get it at all side! The only other one of yours I’ve read is Dr Jekyll and Mr Hide and I wasn’t made keen on that either!
Oh that’s interesting! There’s nothing that intrigues me more to know that people either love or hate a book and it makes me so curious to find out with side I fall on.
Oh, man! I can’t imagine falling asleep to an audiobook and then having Gollum’s voice startle me awake. That sounds frightening!
It is! 😫I still haven’t gotten over it!
Of the books on your list, I’ve read Watership Down and Lord of the Rings. I tried listening to Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde, but kept falling asleep. Maybe I should trying reading it rather than listening to it?
It sounds like a great way to get more sleep actually! 😂Hopefully we both get to read and finish the book eventually.
I haven’t read any of these either, but apart from The Dark Tower, none pique my interest.
My TTT: https://laurieisreading.com/2026/06/02/top-ten-tuesday-book-series-i-cant-believe-ive-never-finished/
That’s fair. I’m not completely interested in some of these myself but I feel like I should read because FOMO!
I hope you enjoy all these when you get to them!
Happy TTT (on a Thursday)!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Thank you, Susan!
Watership Down has been on my TBR for a long time as well. Happy reading. My TTT https://readwithstefani.com/books-i-cant-believe-ive-never-read/
Thank you, Stefani!
I’ve read several on this list, and the book I liked best is Watership Down. I’d recommend that one strongly.
I’ll try to get to it asap!! It’s rapidly moving up my TBR!