Have You Read 100 Great Books?
This is one of the 743 lists we use to generate our main The Greatest Books list.
About this list
The Jasper Lee Company, 102 Books
The book Have You Read 100 Great Books? by The Jasper Lee Company, particularly the revised and expanded 1950 edition, is a curated collection of numerous book lists compiled by various authorities on literature. The primary purpose of the book was to provide readers with a guide to some of the greatest books, particularly those that are enjoyable and stimulating for the general public.
The process of creating the final list involved several steps:
Collection of Lists: The Jasper Lee Company gathered numerous lists of great books from eminent authorities, including public libraries, scholars, and notable literary figures. These lists were varied, coming from different sources, including libraries, academic institutions, and individual authors.
Master List: From these collected lists, the company created a "master" list of 1,500 works, eliminating any duplications.
Final List of 100: From this master list of 1,500 books, they selected a final list of 100 great books that they deemed most enjoyable and accessible for the average reader. This final selection represents a consensus of mid-20th-century opinion on what constituted great literature.
The book also includes detailed information about the sources of these lists, highlighting how different libraries and authorities contributed to the selection process. The final list of 100 books, though derived from the broader collection of 1,000 to 1,500 works, represents the editorial judgment of those involved in the publication of the book. The selection process was not strictly objective but was influenced by the preferences and opinions of the editors and contributors at the time. The book is noted for its broad approach to curating literature, reflecting the tastes and literary standards of the mid-20th century.
Who voted:
Since this aggregates 26 different lists, I am going to assume at least 26 people helped make this list
This list was originally published in 1950 and was added to this site almost 2 years ago.
