“Of course, I read The Scarlet Letter” (To be honest, I only read 10 pages on high school. Is it about a witch?). “Hamlet is the most important text in English literature” (“To be or not to be” right?). “My father’s family name being Pirrip, and my Christian name Philip, my infant tongue could make of both names nothing longer or more explicit than Pip.” (That’s literally the first line, I couldn’t get past it). We have all lied at least once about a book, band, or a movie. It’s in our nature. There are thousands who claim to be Pink Floyd’s biggest fans, but they know only one or two songs from The Wall or Dark Side of the Moon.
Are we trying to appear as something we’re not? Or is it all a self-preserving mechanism to avoid making a fool of ourselves? There are some books we think we should’ve read by now. So, if we know a bit of the plot, it’s easier to pretend we have read it than accepting we haven’t. A study carried out by a British organization called The Reading Agency found out that almost 41% of the British population, especially people between 18 to 24 years old, resort to these white lies. Here are some of the books most people claim they have read.
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10. Moby Dick (1851) Herman Melville
Let’s face it, you’ve probably just read a children’s version which is shortened and only focuses on the adventures of Ahab and his mortal battle against the white whale. Although the adventurous anecdote is present in the original text, it also includes religious and moral dissertations that can be too much for readers that just want to get to the amazing part of the whale. Thus, many leave the book and just pretend that the children’s version sums it all.–
9. Robinson Crusoe (1719) Daniel Defoe
Just as the text before, Defoe’s text has become a classic book for children. Telling the story of a man who wrecks on an island for 28 years, the book also has very serious dissertations that, to be honest, can be tiresome for someone looking for an adventure book.
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8. The Bible
It’s likely that, for centuries, people have lied the most about reading this book. Most of the content is well known by many, and instead of just reading it, it’s easier to retell all the passages we have listened before. Also, most of the people only read some verses and that’s it. It’s hard to find someone who has really read it all and who isn’t an academic.
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7. To Kill a Mockingbird (1960) Harper Lee
This is the book who won Harper Lee a Pulitzer and made her one of the most important authors in modern literature. The novel, which deals with racism and violence during the depression years, was an immediate success and became an American classic. Perhaps this status is what pushes people to claim they have read it.
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6. 1984(1949) – George Orwell
This unsettling dystopia shows the dark side of society and how controlling the government can be. Although it was written almost 70 years ago, it’s still terrifying how well Orwell foresaw the curse of society, so it has become a compulsory reading to understand the world we’re living.
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5. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) Lewis Carroll
Whether it is because the original text can be quite challenging for a child due to its puzzles and poetry, or since the movie version is easier to digest, this classic by Lewis Carroll is, according to a survey made by the BBC, the book most people lie about having read.
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4. The Catcher in the Rye (1951) J.D. Salinger
Salinger’s novel deals with difficult topics such as sexuality and anxiety. Since it’s publication, The Catcher in the Rye has been the focus of criticism due to its raw use of language and imagery. It has become the “angsty and rebellious teenager” book par excellence, so it’s no surprise that many people say they’ve read it.
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3. Crime and Punishment (1866) Fyodor Dostoyevsky
As one of the main pillars of universal literature, Crime and Punishment explores idea of validating murder when it’s committed for a greater mean. The story of Rodion Raskolnikov and his moral dissertations about murder has become a literary pillar , as well as one of the books people lie about reading due to the intellectual status it brings.
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2. The Lord of the Rings (1955) J.R.R. Tolkien
As a medievalist academic, Tolkien has become one of the best contemporary writers in English language. Saying you didn’t read his books is like a slap in the face. However, watching the three extended versions of the movies counts as reading the books, right? Well, not really. Go read the books.
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1. The Great Gatsby (1922) Scott Fitzgerald
This book is a reflection of the glorious twenties, its parties, excesses, and freedom. We all relate this book to this particular moment in history, but besides watching the films, who has really read Fitzgerald’s novel?
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Adapting a book into a movie is not a crime. However, we can’t forget that they are different products and each has a particular way of narrating a story. Reading a book and then watching the movie is great, but watching the movie and then saying you’ve read the book when you haven’t is more than a white lie…it is a terrible, terrible lie.
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Source:
Bustle
Ranker
Telegraph UK
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Translated by María Isabel Carrasco Cara Chards
