Ilov80s
Footballguy
Grisham writes good legal thrillers, but I am not sure I'd say it is great literature.
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timschochet's thread- Mods, please move this thread to the Politics Subforum, thank you (1 Viewer)
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Ilov80s
Footballguy
SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
Ha I think I was ribbing Tim there, I was joking, my point somewhere further up was that Gridham doesn't belong on any 100 greatest books list but Tim explained these were just his favorite books which of course is cool by me.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
timschochet
Footballguy
53. The Running Man
Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman)
1982, 317 pages
Dystopian thriller
Dystopian novels, which inevitably predict a dreary dictatorship future, have been popular since Brave New World and 1984. Of late they've become ubiquitous because publishers and writers have come up with a new formula for them: add in a teenage girl and have her choose between love interests at the same time as she's fighting for the revolution. The Hunger Games, Divergent, I could name a few more but you get the idea. Imagine how many more copies A Clockwork Orange would have sold if Katniss had been in it!
A subgenre of the dystopian novel is when the powers that be have a contest which is essentially a circus for the masses. The Hunger Games fits into this, as does Richard Bachmann's earlier novel The Long Walk. but the best of all is The Running Man. This novel is pure plot, and it has no relationship to the OK movie with Arnold. In the late 70s, King predicts a future in which society is fascinated by reality TV- but naturally he takes it to extreme ends. The book is exciting all throughout. I won't give away how it all ends up, but in an interview King stated that it was unusual for a Bachman book because it has a happy ending- that is- Bachman's idea of a happy ending. A very exciting novel that keeps one turning the pages.
Up next: the magnum opus that has caused more consternation (and damage) than any other novel on this list...
Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman)
1982, 317 pages
Dystopian thriller
Dystopian novels, which inevitably predict a dreary dictatorship future, have been popular since Brave New World and 1984. Of late they've become ubiquitous because publishers and writers have come up with a new formula for them: add in a teenage girl and have her choose between love interests at the same time as she's fighting for the revolution. The Hunger Games, Divergent, I could name a few more but you get the idea. Imagine how many more copies A Clockwork Orange would have sold if Katniss had been in it!
A subgenre of the dystopian novel is when the powers that be have a contest which is essentially a circus for the masses. The Hunger Games fits into this, as does Richard Bachmann's earlier novel The Long Walk. but the best of all is The Running Man. This novel is pure plot, and it has no relationship to the OK movie with Arnold. In the late 70s, King predicts a future in which society is fascinated by reality TV- but naturally he takes it to extreme ends. The book is exciting all throughout. I won't give away how it all ends up, but in an interview King stated that it was unusual for a Bachman book because it has a happy ending- that is- Bachman's idea of a happy ending. A very exciting novel that keeps one turning the pages.
Up next: the magnum opus that has caused more consternation (and damage) than any other novel on this list...
timschochet
Footballguy
52. Atlas Shrugged
Ayn Rand
1957, 1167 pages
philosophical novel
OK, let me start by acknowledging some of the famous criticisms of this novel: it's ridiculously written. All throughout major characters suddenly interrupt their dialogue and make long, turgid speeches, some of which are unreadable, in which Ayn Rand informs us of her strange attitudes on politics, culture, religion, the arts- just about every possible subject you could imagine. The culmination of these "essays" is the 90 page speech toward the end of the novel given by Rand's hero, John Galt, in which the major foundations of her very own philosophy, Objectivism, are laid out (though that word was never used in the novel; it was developed a few years later.) This last speech is almost unreadable. In fact, I simply don't; whenever I have read this novel in my life (many times) I skip it over.
To make matters worse, the love scenes (and speeches which come with them) are fatuous beyond belief. Throughout the book Dagny, the central character, has 3 love interests among the 3 biggest heroes in the book (Galt, Francisco, and Hank Reardon), while a 4th guy (Eddie) loves her from afar, while a 5th character (Cheryl) also loves Dagny thinking that she is her brother (don't ask to me to explain this; you'll have to read it to find out.) In each case Dagny acknowledges their loves but feels no betrayal jumping from one guy to the next so that she can be with her supreme human being, John Galt. All of this makes more sense when one learns that at the time this novel was being written, Ayn Rand was having an affair with her young protege Nathaniel Branden, with the open consent of her husband and his fiance. Apparently she tries to justify this in her tale of Dagny's romances, but the whole thing is just very strange and absurd.
But the most disturbing aspect of this novel is the fact that it has gained political traction over the years, and not in a good way. Atlas Shrugged is kind of a mirror image, IMO, of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle; both novels are most effective in terms of politics when they critique existing injustices: for Sinclair, the injustice of the uncontrolled capitalism in the early 20th century, for Rand, the injustice of excessive government bureaucracy that has existed in this country since the New Deal. But both Sinclair and Rand offer unconvincing solutions: The Jongle suggests socialism, while Atlas Shrugged desires an ultra-libertarian world in which business decides everything and government is basically worthless. Rand's ideas have captured the minds of millions of people and has taken some hold in the conservative movement of the late 20th century and today. I believe that Donald Trump's currently popularity is at least partly the result of Rand's blind veneration of the businessman as the solver of human affairs, while the government can do nothing. This is a dangerous, and IMO, wrong-headed POV.
And yet...
There is so much to like and admire about this novel. First off, if you can ignore the speeches, it's engrossing. As with every novel on this list, the first thing I look at is plot and the writer's ability to keep the pages turning, and Ayn Rand is very good at this. There are elements here of mystery and science fiction, and as I wrote earlier, a brilliant critique on how government bureaucracy interferes with business and individualism. Because the heroes are so heroic, and the villains so evil, there is great melodrama in this story even if it's not at all believable. The suspense is ever present.
There's more: in Dagny Taggert, Ayn Rand creates the first modern businesswoman, and therefore one of the great and revolutionary characters in all of modern fiction, and a feminist icon. At least some of the speeches, such as Francisco's "money" speech and Hank Reardon's defense of the business executive before a courtroom, really are brilliant and worth reading. Most of all, as in The Fountainhead (to be reviewed a little later), Rand offers a moral argument for individualism and capitalism, which has not been attempted before.
All of these positive factors outweigh the negatives and make Atlas Shrugged one of my favorite novels and worth reading.
Up next: Stephen King focuses in on the twin teenage obsessions: the car and the girl...
Ayn Rand
1957, 1167 pages
philosophical novel
OK, let me start by acknowledging some of the famous criticisms of this novel: it's ridiculously written. All throughout major characters suddenly interrupt their dialogue and make long, turgid speeches, some of which are unreadable, in which Ayn Rand informs us of her strange attitudes on politics, culture, religion, the arts- just about every possible subject you could imagine. The culmination of these "essays" is the 90 page speech toward the end of the novel given by Rand's hero, John Galt, in which the major foundations of her very own philosophy, Objectivism, are laid out (though that word was never used in the novel; it was developed a few years later.) This last speech is almost unreadable. In fact, I simply don't; whenever I have read this novel in my life (many times) I skip it over.
To make matters worse, the love scenes (and speeches which come with them) are fatuous beyond belief. Throughout the book Dagny, the central character, has 3 love interests among the 3 biggest heroes in the book (Galt, Francisco, and Hank Reardon), while a 4th guy (Eddie) loves her from afar, while a 5th character (Cheryl) also loves Dagny thinking that she is her brother (don't ask to me to explain this; you'll have to read it to find out.) In each case Dagny acknowledges their loves but feels no betrayal jumping from one guy to the next so that she can be with her supreme human being, John Galt. All of this makes more sense when one learns that at the time this novel was being written, Ayn Rand was having an affair with her young protege Nathaniel Branden, with the open consent of her husband and his fiance. Apparently she tries to justify this in her tale of Dagny's romances, but the whole thing is just very strange and absurd.
But the most disturbing aspect of this novel is the fact that it has gained political traction over the years, and not in a good way. Atlas Shrugged is kind of a mirror image, IMO, of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle; both novels are most effective in terms of politics when they critique existing injustices: for Sinclair, the injustice of the uncontrolled capitalism in the early 20th century, for Rand, the injustice of excessive government bureaucracy that has existed in this country since the New Deal. But both Sinclair and Rand offer unconvincing solutions: The Jongle suggests socialism, while Atlas Shrugged desires an ultra-libertarian world in which business decides everything and government is basically worthless. Rand's ideas have captured the minds of millions of people and has taken some hold in the conservative movement of the late 20th century and today. I believe that Donald Trump's currently popularity is at least partly the result of Rand's blind veneration of the businessman as the solver of human affairs, while the government can do nothing. This is a dangerous, and IMO, wrong-headed POV.
And yet...
There is so much to like and admire about this novel. First off, if you can ignore the speeches, it's engrossing. As with every novel on this list, the first thing I look at is plot and the writer's ability to keep the pages turning, and Ayn Rand is very good at this. There are elements here of mystery and science fiction, and as I wrote earlier, a brilliant critique on how government bureaucracy interferes with business and individualism. Because the heroes are so heroic, and the villains so evil, there is great melodrama in this story even if it's not at all believable. The suspense is ever present.
There's more: in Dagny Taggert, Ayn Rand creates the first modern businesswoman, and therefore one of the great and revolutionary characters in all of modern fiction, and a feminist icon. At least some of the speeches, such as Francisco's "money" speech and Hank Reardon's defense of the business executive before a courtroom, really are brilliant and worth reading. Most of all, as in The Fountainhead (to be reviewed a little later), Rand offers a moral argument for individualism and capitalism, which has not been attempted before.
All of these positive factors outweigh the negatives and make Atlas Shrugged one of my favorite novels and worth reading.
Up next: Stephen King focuses in on the twin teenage obsessions: the car and the girl...
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timschochet
Footballguy
51. Christine
Stephen King
1983, 526 pages
Horror
Christine is Stephen King's testament to the dreams of the American male teenager. The book starts off much like a 1980s John Hughes movie: nerdy guy, unpopular in school, gets a car, gets a hot girlfriend, becomes popular. Except of course, the car is haunted, means to possess Arnie (the teenager), and kill all of his friends including the hot girl. Can his best friend save him?
This is a pure classic horror novel in every way, well written and suspenseful, but it also captures the id and romance of high school, and our love affair with classic cars (though I'm not sure too many people would have considered a 57' Plymouth Fury a classic before this book came out.) I did have a friend years ago that drove an early 70s version of the Fury, not too far removed from the original design, and the thing that I remember about that car is what a long hood it had, longer even than the old Lincoln Continental. Those were the days.
King deserves a bonus for beginning each chapter with lyrics from a rock and roll song about cars. He mentions everyone from Elvis to the Beach Boys to the Clash, but misses out on Queen's classic "I'm In Love With My Car" with it's classic lines:
Told my girl I'll have to forget herRather buy me a new carburetorSo she made tracks saying this is the end, nowCars don't talk back they're just four wheeled friends now
Up next: another King novel, this one about man's best friend...
Stephen King
1983, 526 pages
Horror
Christine is Stephen King's testament to the dreams of the American male teenager. The book starts off much like a 1980s John Hughes movie: nerdy guy, unpopular in school, gets a car, gets a hot girlfriend, becomes popular. Except of course, the car is haunted, means to possess Arnie (the teenager), and kill all of his friends including the hot girl. Can his best friend save him?
This is a pure classic horror novel in every way, well written and suspenseful, but it also captures the id and romance of high school, and our love affair with classic cars (though I'm not sure too many people would have considered a 57' Plymouth Fury a classic before this book came out.) I did have a friend years ago that drove an early 70s version of the Fury, not too far removed from the original design, and the thing that I remember about that car is what a long hood it had, longer even than the old Lincoln Continental. Those were the days.
King deserves a bonus for beginning each chapter with lyrics from a rock and roll song about cars. He mentions everyone from Elvis to the Beach Boys to the Clash, but misses out on Queen's classic "I'm In Love With My Car" with it's classic lines:
Told my girl I'll have to forget herRather buy me a new carburetorSo she made tracks saying this is the end, nowCars don't talk back they're just four wheeled friends now
Up next: another King novel, this one about man's best friend...
timschochet
Footballguy
I am making another change to my book list- I keep remembering books that I love, and it makes me reorder stuff.
So I am now removing #81 Dr. Neruda's Cure for Evil from the list. It was good, but not as good as I remembered. Now I am re-ordering everything, and we're now on 51 rather than 52. Sorry for the confusion.
So I am now removing #81 Dr. Neruda's Cure for Evil from the list. It was good, but not as good as I remembered. Now I am re-ordering everything, and we're now on 51 rather than 52. Sorry for the confusion.
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SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
On second though, Andy was an actual General who orchestrated the single greatest military upset of the 19th century and did other actual important stuff, while Donald is a casino owner who appears to know less than anything about almost every important subject.
timschochet
Footballguy
51. Cujo
Stephen King
1981, 309 pages
suspense
Cujo is described in Wikipedia and elsewhere as a horror novel, but there are barely any horror elements involved, so like Gerald's Game and Misery I will place it in the suspense category. Written in 1981, this extremely suspenseful story is dated now for the simple reason that back then there were no cell phones. Had there been, Donna Trenton could have called 911 the moment her Pinto broke down and the rabid St. Bernard showed up. Other than that technological aspect, this story feels very modern.
The ending is quite shocking. I won't give it away here in case somebody hasn't read it; all I will say is that it was so shocking that the movie producers wouldn't allow that ending (which is true for more than one novel on this list.) As with his best novels, King uses the terror of the dog to discuss the real everyday terrors that his characters face: spousal abuse, adultery, business concerns, childhood nightmares, etc. That's what makes his characters so intriguing and memorable.
Up next: Widely considered Stephen King's most terrifying novel...
Stephen King
1981, 309 pages
suspense
Cujo is described in Wikipedia and elsewhere as a horror novel, but there are barely any horror elements involved, so like Gerald's Game and Misery I will place it in the suspense category. Written in 1981, this extremely suspenseful story is dated now for the simple reason that back then there were no cell phones. Had there been, Donna Trenton could have called 911 the moment her Pinto broke down and the rabid St. Bernard showed up. Other than that technological aspect, this story feels very modern.
The ending is quite shocking. I won't give it away here in case somebody hasn't read it; all I will say is that it was so shocking that the movie producers wouldn't allow that ending (which is true for more than one novel on this list.) As with his best novels, King uses the terror of the dog to discuss the real everyday terrors that his characters face: spousal abuse, adultery, business concerns, childhood nightmares, etc. That's what makes his characters so intriguing and memorable.
Up next: Widely considered Stephen King's most terrifying novel...
timschochet
Footballguy
50. Pet Sematary
Stephen King
1983, 374 pages
Horror
I'm on a bit of Stephen King roll here, but this will be the last one for a while. As I mentioned earlier, between the late 70s and the mid 80s King was on a hot streak where nearly everything he wrote was great (at least for me.) Pet Sematary was right in the middle of this. A lot of people, including King himself, say it's his scariest novel, and they might be right. Though IMO the scariest elements of the book are the parts that have nothing to do with the supernatural (which is true, I believe, of almost all of King's horror stories): in the case the flashbacks Rachel has of her sister, Zelda, dying from spinal meningitis, and the death and funeral of Gage Creed- all too real horrors of living that King has a close pulse on.
The novel lacks the normal satisfactory happy ending of a King novel and is more like his Bachman books (or like the grisly E.C. comics from the 1950s which King is so fond of.) While this novel is very suspenseful and scary, it doesn't translate well to film- there was a movie made but it was predictably cheesy.
Up next: Jeffery Archer's modern take on Monte Cristo...
Stephen King
1983, 374 pages
Horror
I'm on a bit of Stephen King roll here, but this will be the last one for a while. As I mentioned earlier, between the late 70s and the mid 80s King was on a hot streak where nearly everything he wrote was great (at least for me.) Pet Sematary was right in the middle of this. A lot of people, including King himself, say it's his scariest novel, and they might be right. Though IMO the scariest elements of the book are the parts that have nothing to do with the supernatural (which is true, I believe, of almost all of King's horror stories): in the case the flashbacks Rachel has of her sister, Zelda, dying from spinal meningitis, and the death and funeral of Gage Creed- all too real horrors of living that King has a close pulse on.
The novel lacks the normal satisfactory happy ending of a King novel and is more like his Bachman books (or like the grisly E.C. comics from the 1950s which King is so fond of.) While this novel is very suspenseful and scary, it doesn't translate well to film- there was a movie made but it was predictably cheesy.
Up next: Jeffery Archer's modern take on Monte Cristo...
msommer
Footballguy
timschochet
Footballguy
I've got 6 King novels left on this list. 4 of them are pretty highly ranked (with 1 making the top 10). I'll be curious to see if your disdain continues.
msommer
Footballguy
I hope it doesn't. If I were ever to make a top 100 list, though, I doubt any of the King books you've chosen would make it at all. But I can't see myself making that kind of effort to organize my thoughts about my reading.
timschochet
Footballguy
49. A Prisoner of Birth
Jeffrey Archer
2008, 400 pages
suspense
A Prisoner of Birth is easily my favorite Jeffrey Archer novel. A contemporary retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, it's about an car mechanic from London who is falsely accused of a crime, gets out of prison, becomes impossibly rich, and schemes for revenge against the 3 evil blokes that put him there. Unlike Dumas' original novel, there is a happy ending involving a court trial and some financial maneuvers which are Archer's particular expertise.
(I want to stop here and mention that I am a big fan of the original epic novel by Alexandre Dumas, and also of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo: these two very long and epic novels are probably favorites of the 19th century. I considered placing one or both on this list, but in the end I did not, because both novels have long passages (sometimes hundreds of pages) which have almost nothing to do with the story and which aren't very readable. Whenever I re-read these masterpieces I find myself skipping over those sections. I do the same with Atlas Shrugged and also a short part of The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy which will be ranked later on, but the latter two are small sections, not comparable to the French novels. That's why they didn't make the list.)
Jeffrey Archer had himself just gotten out of prison when he wrote this novel (I'm still not clear what that was all about) so he writes those scenes with first hand knowledge. He does put his characters in some ridiculous situations, but the suspense is always great, especially the fight over a huge fortune which dominates most of the book. A truly captivating novel.
Up next: Howard Fast's prequel to his story of Barbara Lavette turns about to be THE great American immigrant novel...
Jeffrey Archer
2008, 400 pages
suspense
A Prisoner of Birth is easily my favorite Jeffrey Archer novel. A contemporary retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, it's about an car mechanic from London who is falsely accused of a crime, gets out of prison, becomes impossibly rich, and schemes for revenge against the 3 evil blokes that put him there. Unlike Dumas' original novel, there is a happy ending involving a court trial and some financial maneuvers which are Archer's particular expertise.
(I want to stop here and mention that I am a big fan of the original epic novel by Alexandre Dumas, and also of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo: these two very long and epic novels are probably favorites of the 19th century. I considered placing one or both on this list, but in the end I did not, because both novels have long passages (sometimes hundreds of pages) which have almost nothing to do with the story and which aren't very readable. Whenever I re-read these masterpieces I find myself skipping over those sections. I do the same with Atlas Shrugged and also a short part of The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy which will be ranked later on, but the latter two are small sections, not comparable to the French novels. That's why they didn't make the list.)
Jeffrey Archer had himself just gotten out of prison when he wrote this novel (I'm still not clear what that was all about) so he writes those scenes with first hand knowledge. He does put his characters in some ridiculous situations, but the suspense is always great, especially the fight over a huge fortune which dominates most of the book. A truly captivating novel.
Up next: Howard Fast's prequel to his story of Barbara Lavette turns about to be THE great American immigrant novel...
Yankee23Fan
Fair Tax!
This thread was better when we were discussing presidents. Frankly that was more fun than dealing with the potential for a new president.
SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
Great Jehosephat just put the Grisham and King novels in a separate thread they're like a third of your list!
cstu
Footballguy
timschochet
Footballguy
48. The Immigrants
Howard Fast
1977, 389 pages
historical family saga
The Immigrants was the first book in Howard Fast's 6 volume saga of Barbara Lavette, a 20th century leftist woman who goes through all of Fast's own amazing life experiences. (The second volume in this series, Second Generation, also made my list at #100.) Fast was a Jewish writer from San Francisco who was a socialist and later a Communist (though he left the Party due to Joe Stalin), witnessed the Spanish Civil War, was blacklisted, returned to Hollywood with the film Spartacus, etc., somewhat of a lesser known Lillian Hellman. His heroine, Barbara Lavette, witnesses many of the same events and essentially fights Fast's battles.
The Immigrants, however, is about Barbara's father Dan Lavette, an Italian American raised by immigrants in San Francisco at the turn of the 20th century, so it's sort of a prequel to the series, and it's remarkable in several ways: first, it's a self-contained novel; it has a beginning and an end and it can be read without the necessity of reading any of the sequels (which in truth, after Second Generation, get weaker and weaker.) Second, i am a fan of immigrant stories and family sagas (I selected the excellent Evergreen by Belva Plain earlier in this list) and this is probably, for my money, the best ever written with one possible exception by James Michener (coming up later)- the characters and writing style is crisp and suspenseful throughout, and the author shows a deep understanding of the different ethnic groups that came to the bay area: Italians, Jews, Chinese, anglo- Europeans.
Perhaps the most ironic aspect for me of The Immigrants, given Fast's politics, is that it's essentially a celebration of capitalism. Despite the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression which dominates the last section of the novel, despite the "hero gives away everything of monetary value" ending that is reminiscent of John Steinbeck's novella The Pearl, most of the novel shows how an innovative man rises to great wealth not by luck but by skill of production- Dan Lavette is, despite his own ambivalence to it, a man of which Ayn Rand would be proud. And even more than the best parts of Atlas Shrugged or Jeffrey Archer's Kane and Abel, this novel is an exciting look at how a business grows through ingenuity and smarts. There is also a great subplot involving the start of California's wineries in the Napa Valley. This is Howard Fast's best novel.
Up next: the story of Charlie Gordon...
Howard Fast
1977, 389 pages
historical family saga
The Immigrants was the first book in Howard Fast's 6 volume saga of Barbara Lavette, a 20th century leftist woman who goes through all of Fast's own amazing life experiences. (The second volume in this series, Second Generation, also made my list at #100.) Fast was a Jewish writer from San Francisco who was a socialist and later a Communist (though he left the Party due to Joe Stalin), witnessed the Spanish Civil War, was blacklisted, returned to Hollywood with the film Spartacus, etc., somewhat of a lesser known Lillian Hellman. His heroine, Barbara Lavette, witnesses many of the same events and essentially fights Fast's battles.
The Immigrants, however, is about Barbara's father Dan Lavette, an Italian American raised by immigrants in San Francisco at the turn of the 20th century, so it's sort of a prequel to the series, and it's remarkable in several ways: first, it's a self-contained novel; it has a beginning and an end and it can be read without the necessity of reading any of the sequels (which in truth, after Second Generation, get weaker and weaker.) Second, i am a fan of immigrant stories and family sagas (I selected the excellent Evergreen by Belva Plain earlier in this list) and this is probably, for my money, the best ever written with one possible exception by James Michener (coming up later)- the characters and writing style is crisp and suspenseful throughout, and the author shows a deep understanding of the different ethnic groups that came to the bay area: Italians, Jews, Chinese, anglo- Europeans.
Perhaps the most ironic aspect for me of The Immigrants, given Fast's politics, is that it's essentially a celebration of capitalism. Despite the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression which dominates the last section of the novel, despite the "hero gives away everything of monetary value" ending that is reminiscent of John Steinbeck's novella The Pearl, most of the novel shows how an innovative man rises to great wealth not by luck but by skill of production- Dan Lavette is, despite his own ambivalence to it, a man of which Ayn Rand would be proud. And even more than the best parts of Atlas Shrugged or Jeffrey Archer's Kane and Abel, this novel is an exciting look at how a business grows through ingenuity and smarts. There is also a great subplot involving the start of California's wineries in the Napa Valley. This is Howard Fast's best novel.
Up next: the story of Charlie Gordon...
timschochet
Footballguy
47. Flowers for Algernon
Daniel Keyes
1966, 311 pages
science fiction
This was originally a short story published in 1960; it was lengthened into a novel in 1966. The short story, which comprises the basic plot, (Charlie Gordon, a man with a very low IQ, is surgically operated upon and becomes a genius for a short period of time, only to lose all of his newfound intelligence as quickly as he gained it) is brilliant in itself, but it's the depth added to the novel that makes it a masterpiece. In the novel we learn about Charlie's terrible childhood, his life in the bakery, his sex life once he is a genius (these passages got the novel banned from several school libraries), etc.
The novel is written in the form of a diary, which makes it even more brilliant as the reader is able to witness first hand Charlie's rise and eventual fall. The story is quite magnificent, dark, and highly disturbing. My daughter read it recently (assigned her freshman year in high school) and she was shocked by Charlie's mistreatment, which would be unthinkable in today's society. She cried at how it ended. This reaction is pretty common, though I remember reading once that it surprised the author, who was trying to make the theme of the story that intelligence is overrated and Charlie is happier, and a better person, with his lower IQ.
The novel was made into a couple of movies; the first, Charley, appeared in 1968, and it's notable because Cliff Robertson won a much deserved Academy Award for best actor with a bravura performance; despite that, however, this film is really dated because of the late 60s montage "hip" techniques it employs. The second film was a TV movie with Matthew Modine which I have not seen.
Up next: The novel which inspired the classic film, A Place In the Sun...
Daniel Keyes
1966, 311 pages
science fiction
This was originally a short story published in 1960; it was lengthened into a novel in 1966. The short story, which comprises the basic plot, (Charlie Gordon, a man with a very low IQ, is surgically operated upon and becomes a genius for a short period of time, only to lose all of his newfound intelligence as quickly as he gained it) is brilliant in itself, but it's the depth added to the novel that makes it a masterpiece. In the novel we learn about Charlie's terrible childhood, his life in the bakery, his sex life once he is a genius (these passages got the novel banned from several school libraries), etc.
The novel is written in the form of a diary, which makes it even more brilliant as the reader is able to witness first hand Charlie's rise and eventual fall. The story is quite magnificent, dark, and highly disturbing. My daughter read it recently (assigned her freshman year in high school) and she was shocked by Charlie's mistreatment, which would be unthinkable in today's society. She cried at how it ended. This reaction is pretty common, though I remember reading once that it surprised the author, who was trying to make the theme of the story that intelligence is overrated and Charlie is happier, and a better person, with his lower IQ.
The novel was made into a couple of movies; the first, Charley, appeared in 1968, and it's notable because Cliff Robertson won a much deserved Academy Award for best actor with a bravura performance; despite that, however, this film is really dated because of the late 60s montage "hip" techniques it employs. The second film was a TV movie with Matthew Modine which I have not seen.
Up next: The novel which inspired the classic film, A Place In the Sun...
msommer
Footballguy
timschochet
Footballguy
46. An American Tragedy
Theodore Dreiser
1925, 884 pages
Crime fiction
Loosely based on real life events, An American Tragedy is the ultimate critique of modern culture. The protagonist, Clyde Griffiths (I can't call him a hero) is so enamored with the upper class that he longs to be a part of, that he is willing to murder his poor pregnant girlfriend. Clyde is the opposite of Ayn Rand's Howard Roark (from The Fountainhead, to be reviewed later on), and this is not coincidental since Dreiser and Rand have conflicting views on American society. Roark is the ultimate individualist who makes his all his own decisions and is indifferent of others; he also cares little for material success as his work is his main goal in itself. Griffiths lets everything happen to him and is incredibly impressed by others; he himself can do nothing. Even his plan to murder Roberta (the girlfriend) is a failure; he can't go through with it, but she slips and falls from the boat instead and doomed Clyde is tried and found guilty for murder, paying the ultimate price.
Dreiser could have portrayed Clyde as a sociopath (as the real life Chester Gillette certainly was,) but because his theme is that American society caused this tragedy as much as Clyde did, or even more so, Clyde is instead made out to be a feeling, empathetic person who simply lacks strength of character and keeps screwing up. What's more interesting is the way Dreiser describes the upper class society that entices Clyde: beginning with the fancy people in the Kansas City hotel, and then later on in the book centered around Sondra, Dreiser presents a world of jet setters, wealthy teenagers who party late into the evening, dine as they will; the beautiful, popular crowd. (In the film A Place In The Sun, based on the novel, the Sondra character is played by Elizabeth Taylor.) Clyde's yearning is not simply wealth, which would be too easy to lampoon; like most of us, he wants to be popular, one of the "in" crowd, and he's willing to do just about anything to make that happen. This is why, with one major exception, Dreiser's novel is timeless; it's highly relevant and always will be.
The one exception is abortion, which is key to the story. Clyde plots to murder Roberta because she is pregnant and in 1925 abortion is impossible. Just how impossible is explored by a midnight visit to a doctor who is rumored to be an abortionist, and is not. Neither Dreiser as narrator nor his characters ever use the word abortion or even discuss it's implications beyond the merest allusion, which is somewhat similar to the earlier reviewed A Kiss Before Dying. Even more than that novel, this one clearly demonstrates what society was like when abortion was not only illegal but shunned.
Finally, this novel might be much higher on my list except that the writing style is old-fashioned and stilted at times, which dampens the suspense factor (at least for me.)
Up next: a very short novel about a farm...
Theodore Dreiser
1925, 884 pages
Crime fiction
Loosely based on real life events, An American Tragedy is the ultimate critique of modern culture. The protagonist, Clyde Griffiths (I can't call him a hero) is so enamored with the upper class that he longs to be a part of, that he is willing to murder his poor pregnant girlfriend. Clyde is the opposite of Ayn Rand's Howard Roark (from The Fountainhead, to be reviewed later on), and this is not coincidental since Dreiser and Rand have conflicting views on American society. Roark is the ultimate individualist who makes his all his own decisions and is indifferent of others; he also cares little for material success as his work is his main goal in itself. Griffiths lets everything happen to him and is incredibly impressed by others; he himself can do nothing. Even his plan to murder Roberta (the girlfriend) is a failure; he can't go through with it, but she slips and falls from the boat instead and doomed Clyde is tried and found guilty for murder, paying the ultimate price.
Dreiser could have portrayed Clyde as a sociopath (as the real life Chester Gillette certainly was,) but because his theme is that American society caused this tragedy as much as Clyde did, or even more so, Clyde is instead made out to be a feeling, empathetic person who simply lacks strength of character and keeps screwing up. What's more interesting is the way Dreiser describes the upper class society that entices Clyde: beginning with the fancy people in the Kansas City hotel, and then later on in the book centered around Sondra, Dreiser presents a world of jet setters, wealthy teenagers who party late into the evening, dine as they will; the beautiful, popular crowd. (In the film A Place In The Sun, based on the novel, the Sondra character is played by Elizabeth Taylor.) Clyde's yearning is not simply wealth, which would be too easy to lampoon; like most of us, he wants to be popular, one of the "in" crowd, and he's willing to do just about anything to make that happen. This is why, with one major exception, Dreiser's novel is timeless; it's highly relevant and always will be.
The one exception is abortion, which is key to the story. Clyde plots to murder Roberta because she is pregnant and in 1925 abortion is impossible. Just how impossible is explored by a midnight visit to a doctor who is rumored to be an abortionist, and is not. Neither Dreiser as narrator nor his characters ever use the word abortion or even discuss it's implications beyond the merest allusion, which is somewhat similar to the earlier reviewed A Kiss Before Dying. Even more than that novel, this one clearly demonstrates what society was like when abortion was not only illegal but shunned.
Finally, this novel might be much higher on my list except that the writing style is old-fashioned and stilted at times, which dampens the suspense factor (at least for me.)
Up next: a very short novel about a farm...
msommer
Footballguy
timschochet
Footballguy
msommer
Footballguy
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
There are 45 novels better than Flowers for Algernon and An American Tragedy?
timschochet
Footballguy
No. There are 45 novels that I enjoy reading more.
Is The Bad News Bears a better movie than Citizen Kane? No, not even close. But while I like both films, if they're both on at the same time I'm probably going to watch the Bears again.
Dr. Octopus
Footballguy
That's fair, and I get your point. I've read both multiple times and it's very rare for me to do that.
timschochet
Footballguy
Yeah there's a few "classic" novels coming up on this list (3 in a row here) but in no way is it a classic novels list. It's dominated by popular fiction which is my favorite kind.
timschochet
Footballguy
45. Animal Farm
George Orwell
1945, 112 pages
political novel
In most examinations of the early history of the Soviet Union, there are essentially two opposing points of view:
The first point of view is that the well-meaning idea of socialism was sabotaged by Josef Stalin, an evil man, who created a monstrous dictatorship.
The second point of view is that socialism/Communism is itself evil, and that Josef Stalin was its inevitable result.
Personally I have always favored the second point of view. Animal Farm, however, is a powerful argument for the first point of view, written by a man who was a Communist, became disillusioned by the Spanish Civil War, but remained a leftist for the rest of his life.
This is not to say that Orwell did not recognize the problems of Communism even without Stalin. In the novel, prior to Napoleon taking power, the pigs are afforded better food than the other animals and Comrade Snowball has no problem with it. This can be interpreted possibly as a foreshadowing of Snowball not realizing his own doom to come (ala Trotsky) but more likely I think Orwell was criticizing the Soviet system in place prior to Stalin as already somewhat corrupt. Even so, Snowball is presented as an idealist who truly wants what is best for the other animals before he is disposed of, which gives credence to the larger argument Orwell is making, namely that Josef Stalin ruined everything.
I first read Animal Farm as an assigned work in high school and I don't remember now how much I knew about the Soviet Union and Stalin at the time. The novel is certainly enriched IMO if the reader knows the history behind it; however, a brilliant aspect of story is that can be read for sheer entertainment without knowing a thing about Russia. The characters themselves, even removed from all symbolism, are entertaining and frightening and the story of how a democracy becomes a dictatorship very quickly is all too instructive.
Up next: Many people consider this the greatest mystery novel ever written...
George Orwell
1945, 112 pages
political novel
In most examinations of the early history of the Soviet Union, there are essentially two opposing points of view:
The first point of view is that the well-meaning idea of socialism was sabotaged by Josef Stalin, an evil man, who created a monstrous dictatorship.
The second point of view is that socialism/Communism is itself evil, and that Josef Stalin was its inevitable result.
Personally I have always favored the second point of view. Animal Farm, however, is a powerful argument for the first point of view, written by a man who was a Communist, became disillusioned by the Spanish Civil War, but remained a leftist for the rest of his life.
This is not to say that Orwell did not recognize the problems of Communism even without Stalin. In the novel, prior to Napoleon taking power, the pigs are afforded better food than the other animals and Comrade Snowball has no problem with it. This can be interpreted possibly as a foreshadowing of Snowball not realizing his own doom to come (ala Trotsky) but more likely I think Orwell was criticizing the Soviet system in place prior to Stalin as already somewhat corrupt. Even so, Snowball is presented as an idealist who truly wants what is best for the other animals before he is disposed of, which gives credence to the larger argument Orwell is making, namely that Josef Stalin ruined everything.
I first read Animal Farm as an assigned work in high school and I don't remember now how much I knew about the Soviet Union and Stalin at the time. The novel is certainly enriched IMO if the reader knows the history behind it; however, a brilliant aspect of story is that can be read for sheer entertainment without knowing a thing about Russia. The characters themselves, even removed from all symbolism, are entertaining and frightening and the story of how a democracy becomes a dictatorship very quickly is all too instructive.
Up next: Many people consider this the greatest mystery novel ever written...
SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
Sounds like corruption and a classic example of triangulation.
Fun fact: Buchanan was the last SOS elected president. One of the most qualified presidents in history, also one of the worst.
cstu
Footballguy
Socialism does not need to devolve into totalitarianism if it's part of a capitalist/socialist economy and personal freedoms are not infringed upon. Often when we discuss 'freedom' it's treated as a single entity but I form a strict division between economic freedom (i.e. paying taxes) and personal freedom. A person is free to work as little or as much as they want, but as income/profits increase there is a greater responsibility for ensuring that the country as a whole is raised up as well. Without that I don't believe we have a collaborative society and do not live up to the ideals on which the United States was formed.
SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
It's the definition of property and individual rights and the dialectic supporting those definitions which controls the destiny of any brand of socialism. As long as property is recognized as private and as long as any social rights are viewed as purely voluntarily granted and acquired and not inherent all is well.
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Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
timschochet
Footballguy
I think you meant to respond to the previous post about Animal Farm, right saints? Not to the post about my lousy taste in Stephen King novels.
msommer
Footballguy
I think you are right - and besides, did you notice his new angle of attack of Hillary?
SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
Ha you're right but actually I was replying to Cstu not you. I have to thank Uruk for trying to warn me.
eta - I have Dr Sleep right now btw, I'm ok with you ranking whoever you like however you like, great list keep it up.
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timschochet
Footballguy
I thought Doctor Sleep was disappointing. The Shining, which will be reviewed in a little while, is one of King's best IMO.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
I think Dr Sleep is better-written, but it doesn't have that coke-fueled momentum that The Shining does
timschochet
Footballguy
44. And Then There Were None
Agatha Christie
1939, 272 pages
mystery
Ten people arrive on an island. All of them in the past committed a murder which they got away with. Someone on the island means to punish them for this by murdering them one by one. But it turns out there is nobody else on the island! One of them is the murderer. Can they solve the mystery before they are all dead?
This is the plot of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, her most famous novel, and widely considered the greatest murder mystery of all time. If what I just described isn't brilliant enough, all the murders are committed in relation to a nursery rhyme (in the American version, referred to as "Ten Little Indians" or "Ten Little Soldiers"- see below), and each person is murdered in order based on the gravity of his or her own crime, with the worst criminals dying toward the end. And the answer to the question in the first paragraph is no! In this novel, all ten of the characters die, nobody solves it, not even the police. The answer is given in a postscript to the story in which the murderer reveals all.
This is quite simply a marvelous novel, a tour de force. Christie was, in her way, a genius, and this tale proves it. It takes a very astute reader to discern who the murderer is and how it was done; I certainly had no clue, yet all the clues are there. And re-readings of the book makes one realize how truly brilliant the whole thing is.
Some interesting notes: the original title of the book, as published in England, was Ten Little s. The N word had a different connotation in the UK, but the title was still changed to Ten Little Indians and in the USA to And Then There Were None, with the nursery rhyme changed to refer to "Indians" or "Soldiers". Yet this makes the novel confusing in at least one point- in the novel, Vera refers to "Our little black brothers" in a way that makes no sense if the rhyme is about Indians or Soldiers rather than "s." When I was in my teens I traveled to Edinburgh for the August theater festival, and I saw the play on stage, and sure enough it was called "Ten Little s."
Speaking of the play, Agatha Christie changed the plot somewhat. Realizing that theatre and movie audiences might not like the grim ending in which everyone died, she makes the last two characters left on the island impersonators- they weren't really murderers after all- and together, they solve the crime and catch the real murderer who is still alive. Happy ending! But it certainly doesn't work as well.
Up next: John Grisham's novel which changed my mind about the death penalty...
Agatha Christie
1939, 272 pages
mystery
Ten people arrive on an island. All of them in the past committed a murder which they got away with. Someone on the island means to punish them for this by murdering them one by one. But it turns out there is nobody else on the island! One of them is the murderer. Can they solve the mystery before they are all dead?
This is the plot of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, her most famous novel, and widely considered the greatest murder mystery of all time. If what I just described isn't brilliant enough, all the murders are committed in relation to a nursery rhyme (in the American version, referred to as "Ten Little Indians" or "Ten Little Soldiers"- see below), and each person is murdered in order based on the gravity of his or her own crime, with the worst criminals dying toward the end. And the answer to the question in the first paragraph is no! In this novel, all ten of the characters die, nobody solves it, not even the police. The answer is given in a postscript to the story in which the murderer reveals all.
This is quite simply a marvelous novel, a tour de force. Christie was, in her way, a genius, and this tale proves it. It takes a very astute reader to discern who the murderer is and how it was done; I certainly had no clue, yet all the clues are there. And re-readings of the book makes one realize how truly brilliant the whole thing is.
Some interesting notes: the original title of the book, as published in England, was Ten Little s. The N word had a different connotation in the UK, but the title was still changed to Ten Little Indians and in the USA to And Then There Were None, with the nursery rhyme changed to refer to "Indians" or "Soldiers". Yet this makes the novel confusing in at least one point- in the novel, Vera refers to "Our little black brothers" in a way that makes no sense if the rhyme is about Indians or Soldiers rather than "s." When I was in my teens I traveled to Edinburgh for the August theater festival, and I saw the play on stage, and sure enough it was called "Ten Little s."
Speaking of the play, Agatha Christie changed the plot somewhat. Realizing that theatre and movie audiences might not like the grim ending in which everyone died, she makes the last two characters left on the island impersonators- they weren't really murderers after all- and together, they solve the crime and catch the real murderer who is still alive. Happy ending! But it certainly doesn't work as well.
Up next: John Grisham's novel which changed my mind about the death penalty...
timschochet
Footballguy
43. The Confession
John Grisham
2010, 418 pages
Legal thriller
This is a very exciting novel, and it is also an argument against the death penalty as it currently exists in the United States. After reading this novel, you may still believe in the death penalty theoretically, but if you're willing to accept the storyline as probable (and as it turns out, all of it is based on real life events) there is no way you should be willing to accept it as it currently operates. Innocent people are put to death by the state- in this case, the state of Texas, and there's a governor in the novel that sounds suspiciously like Rick Perry.
Of course as a political argument, the novel would never work unless it was both well-written and suspenseful, and Grisham achieves both of these with his usual expertise. Nobody is going to call John Grisham a brilliant novelist, but he is a very good one because he keeps the reader engaged throughout most of his novels- which for me, is the first thing I demand.
Up next: Richard North Patterson takes on the modern day Arab-Israeli dilemma...
John Grisham
2010, 418 pages
Legal thriller
This is a very exciting novel, and it is also an argument against the death penalty as it currently exists in the United States. After reading this novel, you may still believe in the death penalty theoretically, but if you're willing to accept the storyline as probable (and as it turns out, all of it is based on real life events) there is no way you should be willing to accept it as it currently operates. Innocent people are put to death by the state- in this case, the state of Texas, and there's a governor in the novel that sounds suspiciously like Rick Perry.
Of course as a political argument, the novel would never work unless it was both well-written and suspenseful, and Grisham achieves both of these with his usual expertise. Nobody is going to call John Grisham a brilliant novelist, but he is a very good one because he keeps the reader engaged throughout most of his novels- which for me, is the first thing I demand.
Up next: Richard North Patterson takes on the modern day Arab-Israeli dilemma...
timschochet
Footballguy
42. Exile
Richard North Patterson
2007, 724 pages
Legal thriller
As I mentioned earlier, legal thriller writer Richard North Patterson spent the first decade of the 21st century writing political novels about topics of great concern to him, and 3 of those novels made this list. Exile, written in 2007, is about a Jewish attorney who has to defend his old Palestinian girlfriend who is accused of assassinating the Israeli Prime Minister. But of course what it is really about is the Arab-Israeli conflict. North Patterson covers all aspects of this ever vexing problem, and does an excellent job IMO of trying to represent a neutral point of view. Perhaps for that very reason, this novel has often been panned by Jewish readers and other fans of Israel.
Supporters of Israel want to believe that Leon Uris' Exodus is the truth. That is a magnificent novel, ranked on my list much higher than this one, but it is a work of propaganda. So is The Haj, reviewed earlier. So, in point of fact, is Exile, but Richard North Patterson does attempt to be even-handed. He can be quite critical of Israel throughout this novel, and he favors the two-state solution. Because Exile takes place in 2007 and provides a good description of the modern problems in the region, it represents a good book end to the other two novels mentioned. It is also, as per most of this guys works, a really good court trial novel, very suspenseful with memorable characters.
Up next: Another Richard North Patterson novel, this one about abortion and the Supreme Court...
Richard North Patterson
2007, 724 pages
Legal thriller
As I mentioned earlier, legal thriller writer Richard North Patterson spent the first decade of the 21st century writing political novels about topics of great concern to him, and 3 of those novels made this list. Exile, written in 2007, is about a Jewish attorney who has to defend his old Palestinian girlfriend who is accused of assassinating the Israeli Prime Minister. But of course what it is really about is the Arab-Israeli conflict. North Patterson covers all aspects of this ever vexing problem, and does an excellent job IMO of trying to represent a neutral point of view. Perhaps for that very reason, this novel has often been panned by Jewish readers and other fans of Israel.
Supporters of Israel want to believe that Leon Uris' Exodus is the truth. That is a magnificent novel, ranked on my list much higher than this one, but it is a work of propaganda. So is The Haj, reviewed earlier. So, in point of fact, is Exile, but Richard North Patterson does attempt to be even-handed. He can be quite critical of Israel throughout this novel, and he favors the two-state solution. Because Exile takes place in 2007 and provides a good description of the modern problems in the region, it represents a good book end to the other two novels mentioned. It is also, as per most of this guys works, a really good court trial novel, very suspenseful with memorable characters.
Up next: Another Richard North Patterson novel, this one about abortion and the Supreme Court...
timschochet
Footballguy
41. Protect and Defend
Richard North Patterson
2000, 614 pages
legal and political drama
Richard North Patterson finest novel is about abortion and the Supreme Court. Though it is now 16 years old it remains as relevant today, perhaps more so, given that currently the state of Texas is essentially attempting to outlaw all abortions and it remains to be seen if they succeed.
There are two stories that are intertwined: the new Democratic President has chosen a liberal female to be the next Chief Justice, and conservatives are attempting to prevent her nomination in a divided Senate. Meanwhile, a 16 year old heavily pregnant girl has learned that her baby has hydrocephalus and will almost surely be born brain dead; she is attempting to obtain a late term abortion against the wishes of her activist pro-life parents. As the court case works its way to up the courts all the way to the Supreme Court, the two stories become intertwined leading to a suspenseful climax.
Unlike Exile, North Patterson makes no attempt to hide his own beliefs here: he is pro-choice, and through his characters offers the pro-choice position in some detail (though his arguments from the other side are not caricature.) But what makes this such a fine political novel is that once again the characters are well-described and sympathetic, and the narrative is crisp and keeps the pages turning.
Up next: Wally Lamb's masterpiece about family, love, and mental illness...
Richard North Patterson
2000, 614 pages
legal and political drama
Richard North Patterson finest novel is about abortion and the Supreme Court. Though it is now 16 years old it remains as relevant today, perhaps more so, given that currently the state of Texas is essentially attempting to outlaw all abortions and it remains to be seen if they succeed.
There are two stories that are intertwined: the new Democratic President has chosen a liberal female to be the next Chief Justice, and conservatives are attempting to prevent her nomination in a divided Senate. Meanwhile, a 16 year old heavily pregnant girl has learned that her baby has hydrocephalus and will almost surely be born brain dead; she is attempting to obtain a late term abortion against the wishes of her activist pro-life parents. As the court case works its way to up the courts all the way to the Supreme Court, the two stories become intertwined leading to a suspenseful climax.
Unlike Exile, North Patterson makes no attempt to hide his own beliefs here: he is pro-choice, and through his characters offers the pro-choice position in some detail (though his arguments from the other side are not caricature.) But what makes this such a fine political novel is that once again the characters are well-described and sympathetic, and the narrative is crisp and keeps the pages turning.
Up next: Wally Lamb's masterpiece about family, love, and mental illness...
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timschochet
Footballguy
40. I Know This Much Is True
Wally Lamb
1998, 928 pages
psychological drama
Wally Lamb's finest novel is somewhat similar in format to Pat Conroy's The Prince of Tides (to be reviewed later on)- in both novels, the main character is faced with the mental illness of a sibling. In attempting to solve it, they both explore their family history and their own problems- though unable to heal their siblings, they are perhaps able to heal themselves.
That being said, the two novels are very different. I will discuss the Conroy novel later, but I Know This Much Is True is a masterful exploration of life and love, family and racism, dealing with the tragic death of a baby. The latter half of the novel includes a great Italian immigration story in the form of a journal.
This is a serious novel and it is not easy reading, though like every book on this list, there are many suspenseful elements which will keep the reader's interest. The love affair between Dominick and his first wife is especially poignant.
Up next: John Grisham's story of a teenager who knows where a Mafia hit has been buried...
Wally Lamb
1998, 928 pages
psychological drama
Wally Lamb's finest novel is somewhat similar in format to Pat Conroy's The Prince of Tides (to be reviewed later on)- in both novels, the main character is faced with the mental illness of a sibling. In attempting to solve it, they both explore their family history and their own problems- though unable to heal their siblings, they are perhaps able to heal themselves.
That being said, the two novels are very different. I will discuss the Conroy novel later, but I Know This Much Is True is a masterful exploration of life and love, family and racism, dealing with the tragic death of a baby. The latter half of the novel includes a great Italian immigration story in the form of a journal.
This is a serious novel and it is not easy reading, though like every book on this list, there are many suspenseful elements which will keep the reader's interest. The love affair between Dominick and his first wife is especially poignant.
Up next: John Grisham's story of a teenager who knows where a Mafia hit has been buried...
krista4
Footballguy
tim, have we discussed whether you've read much (or any) Murakami? I'm sure it's come up in a draft or two since he's my favorite fiction writer. When I saw you mention the Lamb novel as "not easy reading," it occurred to me that there might be some of his work you'd enjoy, though I think overall it's less concrete and more fantastic than what you like. Actually it's less concrete and more fantastic than most any other works that I like, too. I think you'd enjoy the suspense plus historical context of something like, for instance, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, though it's a somewhat dense read.
I feel like we might have discussed before. Stupid (non-)search function.
I feel like we might have discussed before. Stupid (non-)search function.
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timschochet
Footballguy
I haven't read any of his books. The one you mentioned is on my list, but I haven't gotten to it.
Do you agree with me that I Know This Much Is True is Wally Lamb's best novel?
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