Time did a list of the top 100 novels since 1923. For the most part I can agree with it, but how can Philip K. Dick have two, while Cormac McCarthy only has one? Kazu Ishiguro is overrepresented with two as well. I have a hard time accepting Judy Blume, John LeCarre, and C.S. Lewis on the list as well. I think William Faulkner and Graham Greene are under-represented (no Quiet American?) with two apiece. They did manager to include some of the better underground titles like: Malcolm Lowry's Under The Volcano, Henry Roth's Call It Sleep, Chinau Achebe's Things Fall Apart, and Walker Percy's The Moviegoer. Anyway I think I've read 57 of the titles. How about you?
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Ouch, I've only read 18 all the way through - including my favorite on the list which is Greene's "The Heart of the Matter". I started or have read parts of many books, but haven't finished. "Passage To India" and "Rabbit Run" I even own, but can't include in my count.
Also. sadly, I haven't read any on this list since turning 30 (and getting married) 7 years ago.
Posted by: Arie | October 29, 2005 at 10:39 AM
Had a look at the list. Pretty unimaginative for the most part, why no Paul Auster?
Interesting that chose to put a graphic novel on the list: The Watchmen, certainly is more worthy than C.S Lewis's Lion, witch and the wardrobe. To be honest the list feels like my reading list from University, yawn.
Posted by: lf | October 29, 2005 at 11:50 AM
Arie, I'm surprised to hear that you've read that few, being as you're a former English major. I'm not sure how many of the titles that I haven't read that I'd search out at this point though in your defense.
Lorenzo, maybe City Of Glass could be on the list, but, generally, I think Auster is overrated. By the way you never mentioned how many you read.
Posted by: MC | October 29, 2005 at 01:00 PM
In my defense I'd do a lot better on 19th century American or Russian lit or 20th Century non-fiction.
Posted by: Arie | October 30, 2005 at 10:38 AM
About fifteen that I can remember. Some other omissions which I think should've been included.
Art Speilgelman's Maus, probably the finest graphic novel out there, actually it transends the genre, with unflinching examination of the holocaust and its long term effects on the characters.
Dune by Frank Herbert, a true sci-fi classic which has had a huge impact on the genre, and is a strong allegorical tale of a society dependent on one drug. It also tackles how religion manipulates societies.
Also I'm surprised there is no Gore Vidal on the list. I rather liked Messiah.
Posted by: lf | October 30, 2005 at 05:21 PM
I may have lost count, but I think I have read, all or a large part of, 35 of those books.
Check out the list of 100 best non-fiction books, as chosen by the Modern Library, at http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100bestnonfiction.html.
I've only read six on that list, but it will be seven as soon as I read "This Boy's Life."
Posted by: Eric | October 31, 2005 at 03:33 AM
I checked the non-ficiton list, pretty daunting, and I've read 9 of those titles and have one on my shelf, Working by Studs Terkel.
Posted by: MC | October 31, 2005 at 01:44 PM
because Phil Dick is better... I only noticed Ubik. It's a good one though. Why no Charles Willeford? The Pick-Up is beautiful. And why no Bukowski?
I'm with you on the Judy Blume, John LeCarre, and C.S. Lewis. Instead give me something by Beverly Cleary, James Elroy, and A. A. Attanasio.
Posted by: lou | November 02, 2005 at 09:37 AM
Neuromancer was on the list ,too, but to be honest I haven't read either, but I can't imagine I'd like them beter than McCarthy.
Posted by: MC | November 02, 2005 at 10:24 AM
Maybe not, but Neuromancer is very cool and modern. I think I've read it four times since 1986, and each time it becomes more believable. I'm kinda shocked that you haven't read it while in Tokyo. William Gibson digs Tokyo. Or read Idoru - I remember it being set almost entirely in Japan.
Posted by: lou | November 08, 2005 at 03:32 AM
Maybe not, but Neuromancer is very cool and modern. I think I've read it four times since 1986, and each time it becomes more believable. I'm kinda shocked that you haven't read it while in Tokyo. William Gibson digs Tokyo. Or read Idoru - I remember it being set almost entirely in Japan.
Posted by: lou | November 08, 2005 at 03:33 AM
that last comment must be from the robots.
Posted by: lou | November 08, 2005 at 03:35 AM
I was very happy just to sneak into double figures on this list - with 11 books under my belt. I've read a few others by some of the authors mentioned, but there were way too many people I'd never even heard of. On the bright side, I've got some good reading ahead of me at least. Someone I do know but have never read is Virginia Wolf - who featured 4 times I think. Have I really missed out on that much!? Do you recommend one for me to start with?
I was suprised to see Zadie Smith on there. I read White Teeth when I was in the UK, based on the fact that it was lauded as an exceptional debut. Whilst I enjoyed it, I'm not sure if it warrants a place on this list. I felt after such a long book I was entitled to more of a resolution than was provided. Still, it was quite a good examination of multiculturalism in the UK - an education for me given I'd been away for over 16 years.
I'm curious whether you think there was a bias in the list towards either side of the Atlantic. I don't know enough of the authors to make a sufficiently educated guess as to how many came from which side. Did you notice any Aussies??
Posted by: Edward | November 08, 2005 at 10:42 PM
I think I've managed to bag only 20 of these books. There's just so much good on cable TV these days.
I'm surprised a few of these made it onto the list. I was surprised to see Neuromancer, but given some of the other dogs on the list, it deserves to be there. It's not my fav. novel or even genre, but Lou is right you should check it out - very fast and hard to put down.
I just read a memoir by a British journalist who accidentally got himself moved from his assignment as Hollywood celebrity reporter to being embedded with a Marine artillery battallion in Iraq. It is called "War Reporting for Cowards," and is pretty funny, but I think it could have easilly been a long magazine article and been better for it. Other than the last 75 pages, I can't recommend it.
I also finished the new Cormac McCarthy. I thought it started out great and then lost it's way a bit, but was still a good book. Not quite in the same league as some of his other stuff, but still very good to read. What the hell is up with the cover? I keep looking at it to try and figure out why they chose it. It looks like a guy jogging into the sunset, and like it could be used as part of a print ad for a retirement community in Phoenix. I guess it ties into the "Old Men" part of the title, but the old man in the story does not strike me as this type.
Finall, went to a reading at the Pub the other night (their first) by the author of "The Tender Bar." The guy was pretty funny and managed to get at least 30 seconds of laughter making fun of my dumb question at the end of the reading. I'm not too far into the book yet, but so far it is good. About the author coming of age in a neighborhood bar in NY basically. I'll let you know how it ends up.
Sorry for the long comment, but I've been slacking lately.
By the way, how come the only topless person in your Halloween picture gallery is a guy?
Posted by: phatrick | November 11, 2005 at 10:35 AM
I agree with you about the new Cormac McCarthy, especially the cover, there is some running in the novel, but it involved a man in jeans and cowboyboots with no socks, bleeding. So what's with the deal with the running shorts? Saving money with a stock photo?
I just started reading My Friend Leonard-thoroughly engaging so far.
Dude, I tried to remove a few tops on the ladies and got slapped.
Posted by: MC | November 11, 2005 at 03:26 PM