Here is an interview with J Peder Zane, who interviewed major writers about their top ten favorite novels and then compiled them in this book. I, of course, began thinking about my own top ten and how it would be comprised. Selecting a top ten is no easy task. First you have to select a criterion or criteria for inclusion. I didn't want to build some model in Excel, so I just picked a range of books that I tend to recommend widely and/or frequently give as gifts. These are in no order.
Brothers Karamazov: War and Peace is close behind, but this philosophical novel is my fave of the big fat 19th century Russians. It's a massive work of philosophy and psychology. And the devil makes an appearance!
Atonement: Rarely have I been as emotionally engaged with a story as with this one. The retreat to Dunkirk is a standout section, but I love everything about this book.
Kavailer and Klay: Here's hoping his upcoming book is as good.
Barchester Towers: I was once reading this book in Logan airport when I was approached by a member of the Trollope Society. This would be the only time I have been approached about a book I was reading at the airport, and I bring a lot of books to the airport. People who like Trollope, really like Trollope.
American Tabloid: Ellroy is the master of modern noir fiction. His LA Quartet is phenomenal, but when he expands his canvas to early 1960s America, he really takes off. The book is like a firehose full of bile hitting you square in the face, and I loved every minute of it.
Song of Fire and Ice: Wha? Not Tolkien? Of course I love Lord of the Rings, but I think Martin brings a much more sophisticated political understanding to his, as yet incomplete, epic.
Consider Phlebas: The greatest of the space operas. In a genre that tends to bloat, Banks crams five books worth of inventiveness into a reasonably short volume. This one might have been beat by the Reailty Dysfunction, were it not for the length and the weak ending of the trilogy.
Possession: My favorite of the smart literary mystery genre.
Watchmen: I have to represent. At least one nerd book needs a mention, and this remains my fave graphic novel, even over Dark Knight Returns.
The Cruel Sea: While most historical fiction serves to explain history in a literary format, this one explains the life of British anti-submarine sailors in an exciting and moving way.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Top Ten
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
No particular order:
1. Gravity's Rainbow (sorry, Nic)
2. The Rebel Angels/The Cornish Trilogy
3. Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
4. The Last Lion
5. To Skin a Cat
6. Declare
7. Mere Christianity
8. Altered Carbon
9. A Game of Thrones/A Song of Fire and Ice
10. Consider Phlebas
11.* The Big Knockover (ftg. Alphabet Shorty McCoy!)
* These go to eleven.
12. Portrait of the Artist As A Young Man (ftg. Bo Stephanomenos!)
OK, that's it. Seriously.
Well you can keep 11 and 12 since nonfiction doesn't count.
Good calls over though, esp. Cornish.
Owen Meany?! That's right down there in my bottom ten with Confederacy of Dunces.
Dude, T. Owen Meaney is BY FAR the best Irving out there. Blows the Rabbit Fillintheblanks out of the water.
Steve, I've got your six on this one. Good call on Stegner, by the way. Most dramatic horticultural scene I've read.
B
Irving's preachiness is like a room full of shrieking bats to me, I've never been able to finish one of his books. And that ALL CAPS NONSENSE in Owen makes me want scream.
He is meant to be a follower of Robertson Davies, but I don't see it.
Did the Cruel Sea's depths elude you Steve? Pity. While early MacLean like Ulysses is quite good, the later stuff falls into the drug store category mentioned above.
Post a Comment