Weekend Writing: Popular Books I Haven't Read

I have a confession to make: I have never read Harry Potter. Whew, I admitted it. Now, please don't hate me or unsubscribe from my blog. 

For years, I was afraid to admit this to my friends, especially my friends who are fellow bookworms. Many of them grew up reading the Harry Potter series, and it was a series that made them fall in love with books. How could I tell them that I haven't read that same book series and that I don't relate to their love and admiration? 

I felt...embarrassed. 

But here's the thing: I shouldn't have to be embarrassed. So what if I haven't read the same books as my friends? Everyone has their own interests and the books they enjoy reading. I prefer realistic fiction novels, dramas, historical fiction, space fiction, Christian fiction, and romances. These are the books and stories I love to read, but I don't expect others to enjoy the same genres. 

You should read the books you enjoy, and that's all that really matters. Read for yourself. Read the books that inspire you--the ones that motivate you and make you happy. 

Popular Books I Haven't Read

• Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov 
• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez 
• The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll 
• The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
• Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
• Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy 
• Beloved by Toni Morrison
• Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes 
• Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
• Ulysses by James Joyce 
• The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 
• War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
• Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell 
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
• Animal Farm by George Orwell
• The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery 
• The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
• Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
• Moby-Dick by Herman Melville 

Many of these books are on my "to-be-read" list, but I haven't read them yet. I want to eventually read them. It's okay that I haven't read these books. I'm sure there are books I have read that others haven't. Some of my favorite books of all time are To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, The Bell Jar, The Bluest Eye, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, The Picture of Dorian Gray, etc. Have you read all of those? 

If not, that's okay. Read the books you want to read. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes. Every reader is different. We shouldn't judge or criticize someone for the books they have read or haven't read yet. 

Instead, politely encourage them to try reading these popular books. Tell them why you enjoyed the books, and why you think they'll enjoy reading them, as well. Have discussions with your literary friends. Let them know that it's okay if they haven't read the books yet, but that they should give them a chance someday. 

Never, ever be embarrassed by the books you've read, as well as the books you haven't read. Everyone is different. That's what makes us unique. Read the books you enjoy, and be open to reading the books you haven't read yet. That's all that matters. 

Read on! 

-KJL-