SF Signal: POLL RESULTS: SF Books Read in the The Top 100

POLL RESULTS: SF Books Read in the The Top 100

Here are the results of the latest SF Signal poll.

QUESTION
How many books have you read that are listed the Top 100 Science Fiction Books list by David Pringle?

RESULTS

(19 total votes)

OK, sure...Pringle's chronological list only goes up to 1984. Still, many of these are considered classics. Just what draws people to read what they do, I wonder.

As a reader, are you not drawn to a classic book because of its status? (Sounds like No.) Are you drawn to a book because of an award win? (See this week's poll.) Word of mouth? Advertising? Cool cover?

I know for me, I haven't read much early SF, except for Heinlein. I don't know why exactly. Maybe I just keep up with new stuff better. Certainly, in the days before the internet (remember those?) I would find new SF to read by basically browsing the SF section at the book stores. Seeing as how most of those Top 100 stories weren't/aren't available then/now, my method would inheritantly discriminate against older SF, unless it was republished.

Today, I'm aware of the older stuff, but I have enough new stuff to read that I don't go back and read more early stuff. Of course, our 1974 Do-Over Project is working on that somewhat, and I have to say I haven't really been all that impressed with the award nominess, aside from two.

Posted by JP on Monday March 14, 2005 at 8:45 AM

The 'Do Over' project needed to be about 1955, not 1975, then you'd have gotten a chance at some older sci-fi.

As for me, I think JP's selection process nabbed me as well. I would go to a book store and buy a book on the shelf that looked interesting - that meant if it wasn't in print I didn't get it.

I also spent some time getting sci-fi from libraries, but (as a kid) I found certain authors intimidating (Heinlein, Vonagut, etc.) and tended to avoid them.

Posted by Scott on Monday March 14, 2005 at 8:57 AM