The Guardian UK ran a survey voting for the top 20 geek novels written since 1932, and in ‘net meme tradition, here’s the list with those I’ve read in bold.
- The HitchHiker’s Guide to the Galaxy — Douglas Adams
- Nineteen Eighty-Four — George Orwell
- Brave New World — Aldous Huxley
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? — Philip K Dick
- Neuromancer — William Gibson
- Dune — Frank Herbert
- I, Robot — Isaac Asimov
- Foundation — Isaac Asimov
- The Colour of Magic — Terry Pratchett
- Microserfs — Douglas Coupland
- Snow Crash — Neal Stephenson
- Watchmen — Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
- Cryptonomicon — Neal Stephenson
- Consider Phlebas — Iain M Banks
- Stranger in a Strange Land — Robert Heinlein
- The Man in the High Castle — Philip K Dick
- American Gods — Neil Gaiman
- The Diamond Age — Neal Stephenson
- The Illuminatus! Trilogy — Robert Shea & Robert Anton Wilson
- Trouble with Lichen — John Wyndham
13 out of 20…65%. Not bad, but I could do better. Time to add to the ever-growing reading list!
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You really need to read Neuromancer. It’s one of my top 5 favorite novels of all time by far.
OK, so now I feel nerdy… I’ve read every single one of those!
You really should read Neuromancer. In fact, I’ve got a copy of it that I am most of the way done reading and could probably send your way sooner or later. Want it?
I could go for that, Robert. Drop me an e-mail and we’ll figure out the details. Thanks!
11/20. I’m actually surprised I never read Trouble With Lichen, because in high school I hit a bit of a John Wyndham phase… Although the Midwich Cuckoos was the last one I read, and it was a bit much for my poor little 14 year old mind.