Does a screenwriter have to be well-read?

Based on my score in this [list of 1001 important books](http://1morechapter.com/projects/1001-list/), the answer is __no__.

I got 38.

Some disclaimers are in order. First, the list includes only fiction. If it included non-fiction, I’d score much higher. I only counted books I actually read — seeing the movie doesn’t count. The list makes some questionable choices (The Lord of the Rings trilogy counts as one book, while _Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass_ is two), and some notable exceptions (_Dune_, anything by Faulkner ((I mistyped Faulkner’s name when doing a search. Unfortunately, I’d already credited myself for The Sound and the Fury.))). But there were enough titles that I recognized and hadn’t read to make me feel a bit ashamed.

The list comes from 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die, a title that mixes death, forced labor and literature in a way that’s not particularly appealing. But I’m sure the editor explains his biases somewhere in the book.

By all means, share your score and criticisms in comments.

(Original link via [Jason Kottke](http://kottke.org).)