100 Books to Read in a Lifetime (That Are Older Than 200 Years)

Description
Amazon just released their "100 books to read in a lifetime." The oldest of which was published in 1813. That's a crying shame. Let's compile and vote on a list of the rest.
Newton_Books's List38LibraryThing415
Newton_Books's profile
11
The Art of War
by Sun Tzu
23,277 members
254 reviews
3.8
Global Rank 32
45 Members
timspalding, szarka, karenb, henkl, SaintSunniva, TCBard, benjfrank, xenophon, hvanloon, andejons, MusicalKnitter, WMGOATGRUFF, madpoet, cemanuel, Betelgeuse, toview, PietWester, thecoroner, MaskedMumbler, alex68, HxBuff, Roberto823, dontcallmeleslie, rubyman, humblemummble, drmom62, writeslikeagirl, al.vick, ahef1963, mattries37315, WriterWarrior, raperper, rancocas, Turambar, PyrrhicVctry, Tom_Huckstep, dberndtd, JohnMB, skylerboodie, Mapguy314, Newton_Books, Nicolebigelow3, puffintopia, NinaHer, itstheblob, ,jaysonwm
Explanations
: We need a little LESS war, please! Even though it's not old enough for this list, THE POLITICS OF NONVIOLENCE by Gene Sharp should be on everyone's must-read list.
13
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
by Edward Gibbon
3,257 members
42 reviews
½ 4.3
Global Rank 36
39 Members
timspalding, swhitco, henkl, benjfrank, yarb, smcwl, xenophon, southernbooklady, hvanloon, andejons, MusicalKnitter, WMGOATGRUFF, madpoet, Betelgeuse, toview, th.lrnr, MaskedMumbler, bw94612, BlueSkies305, Roberto823, dontcallmeleslie, ShaneTierney, drmom62, pgleduc, mattries37315, WriterWarrior, Turambar, 21277008869595, PyrrhicVctry, Tom_Huckstep, dberndtd, Mapguy314, Newton_Books, Nicolebigelow3, chas69, JacobKirckman, NinaHer, marcelacaav, praveen.jay80,camainc ,
Explanations
camainc : One only needs to read Augustine's City of God to know that Gibbon was so very wrong about the reasons for Rome's "decline and fall."
Turambar: Whether Gibbon was wrong or not is irrelevant to whether The Decline and Fall ought to be read. We don't read Herodotus because he was right. We read him because he helped shape how a civilization thought, as did Gibbon in his own, later way.
JacobKirckman: Gibbon's not 'on my list', as I have it (just not catalogued on LT yet)! Commenting purely to counter Camainc's claim that Gibbon was wrong. I'd take an historian (even an 18th century one) over a Bible-Basher any day...
15
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
by Benjamin Franklin
7,377 members
110 reviews
3.8
Global Rank 43
38 Members
swhitco, JBD1, JeanLittleLibrary, benjfrank, smcwl, xenophon, southernbooklady, aulsmith, MusicalKnitter, WMGOATGRUFF, madpoet, Betelgeuse, toview, JCBest, th.lrnr, 2wonderY, anthonywillard, MaskedMumbler, LadyoftheLodge, BlueSkies305, Roberto823, dontcallmeleslie, TrulyAragorn, drmom62, pgleduc, writeslikeagirl, WriterWarrior, Turambar, susan01, cjmills, 21277008869595, PyrrhicVctry, Tom_Huckstep, dberndtd, JohnMB, Mapguy314, Newton_Books, Nicolebigelow3,TCBard , ,jaysonwm
Explanations
aulsmith: Silverbooks is correct, but I found it engaging. Of course, I was only 12 and never reread it, so I'm not sure how it would come off now.
: mostly propaganda
Turambar: True, Franklin does a good deal of propagandizing, but the book is a sparkling example of Enlightenment Plain Style as well as being one of our earliest examples of American Exceptionalism and a sort of Pragmatism. It doesn't matter if you agree with his views or not; it's undeniably significant.
29
Le Morte d'Arthur
by Thomas Malory
7,137 members
51 reviews
3.9
Global Rank 63
30 Members
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Explanations
karenb : Taking Chretien de Troyes instead.
camainc : A better choice would be Idylls of the King by Tennyson.
: boring and more white dudes
Betelgeuse: Idylls of the King is too recent: published between 1859-1885.
32
Doctor Faustus
by Christopher Marlowe
5,086 members
72 reviews
½ 3.7
Global Rank 70
26 Members
karenb, hipdeep, henkl, MTL, yarb, xenophon, southernbooklady, aulsmith, hvanloon, andejons, MusicalKnitter, madpoet, toview, Myyst, MaskedMumbler, Roberto823, dontcallmeleslie, drmom62, ahef1963, WriterWarrior, cjmills, PyrrhicVctry, dberndtd, Newton_Books, -pilgrim-, ErykaSosa91
Explanations
karenb: Original version please! (No, really, the right one this time ;)