Contemporary American Authors rate the Best Books of the Past 25 years - Page 2

Prudence · 05-23-2006, 03:56 PM

I thought "Beloved" was too self-consciously trying to be "literature." Annoyed me greatly.

Ray Bradbury is amazing. Just amazing. One of my newest favorite contemporary American authors is Tananarive Due. Although I've only read one work of hers so far, so I don't know if that really counts. No James Tiptree, Jr., on the list either, although I think her best work was before their cut-off anyhow so I'm not surprised.

In general, though, I've not been a huge American lit fan.

€uroMeinke · 05-23-2006, 03:58 PM

I've read Winter's Tale and own a copy of Confederacy of Dunces - I guess I don't read the right stuff

Eliza Hodgkins 1812 · 05-23-2006, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

I've read Winter's Tale and own a copy of Confederacy of Dunces - I guess I don't read the right stuff

A Confederacy of Dunces is well worth the read. I was pretty blown away by it.

Ghoulish Delight · 05-23-2006, 04:28 PM

The NPR report noted that the top 5 authors were all born in the 30s. The 30s happen to be one of only two decades (the 1810s being the other) in which no US President was born. The guy who conducted the survey admitted he was just speculating, but didn't consider these 2 facts coincidence. With people born in the 30s coming of age in the 50s, an era marked by its lack of public expression, he surmises that the kind of ambition that would normally lead to political aspirations in a lot of people instead was turned inward, producing people who expressed themselves in the much more private forum of writing.

Alex · 05-23-2006, 07:08 PM

Commentary on why Beloved is beloved (by someone who who somewhat disagrees).

I didn't care for it but am mostly just indifferent to it. Since I haven't liked and Don DeLillo or Philip Roth I've read it is obvious that the tastemakers putting this list together have wildly different tastes than I. But then I mostly stopped reading non-genre fiction a decade ago (and rarely read genre fiction these days).

Cadaverous Pallor · 05-23-2006, 08:21 PM

Add me to the list - Beloved is another book I was forced to read and I disliked. It's the only book on that list that I've read. I don't read much in novels anyway.

Scrooge McSam · 05-23-2006, 08:52 PM

Beloved? On top? Err OK

CP: Confederacy of Dunces - I think you'd enjoy it. Plus there's the interesting little side story of its publication.

Alex · 05-23-2006, 09:32 PM

I enjoyed Confederacy of Dunces more than any other book mentioned but I've never understood why people like it so much as they do.

That said, I would argue it shouldn't be mentioned at all since it was written before 1964 (42 years ago), though it wasn't published until
1980. The author wasn't even alive within the 25 year window (killing himself in 1969). It may have been published in the last 25 years (if by 25 you mean 26) but it is a product of a different era of writing.

05-23-2006, 03:56 PM	#1
Prudence Beelzeboobs, Esq. Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Gavel - I haz it Posts: 6,287	I thought "Beloved" was too self-consciously trying to be "literature." Annoyed me greatly. Ray Bradbury is amazing. Just amazing. One of my newest favorite contemporary American authors is Tananarive Due. Although I've only read one work of hers so far, so I don't know if that really counts. No James Tiptree, Jr., on the list either, although I think her best work was before their cut-off anyhow so I'm not surprised. In general, though, I've not been a huge American lit fan. __________________ traguna macoities tracorum satis de
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05-23-2006, 03:58 PM	#2
€uroMeinke L'Hédoniste Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: A.S.C.O.T. Posts: 8,671	I've read Winter's Tale and own a copy of Confederacy of Dunces - I guess I don't read the right stuff __________________ I would believe only in a God that knows how to Dance. Friedrich Nietzsche
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05-23-2006, 04:28 PM	#4
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	The NPR report noted that the top 5 authors were all born in the 30s. The 30s happen to be one of only two decades (the 1810s being the other) in which no US President was born. The guy who conducted the survey admitted he was just speculating, but didn't consider these 2 facts coincidence. With people born in the 30s coming of age in the 50s, an era marked by its lack of public expression, he surmises that the kind of ambition that would normally lead to political aspirations in a lot of people instead was turned inward, producing people who expressed themselves in the much more private forum of writing. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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05-23-2006, 07:08 PM	#5
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Commentary on why Beloved is beloved (by someone who who somewhat disagrees). I didn't care for it but am mostly just indifferent to it. Since I haven't liked and Don DeLillo or Philip Roth I've read it is obvious that the tastemakers putting this list together have wildly different tastes than I. But then I mostly stopped reading non-genre fiction a decade ago (and rarely read genre fiction these days).
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05-23-2006, 08:21 PM	#6
Cadaverous Pallor ohhhh baby Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Parental Bliss Posts: 12,364	Add me to the list - Beloved is another book I was forced to read and I disliked. It's the only book on that list that I've read. I don't read much in novels anyway. __________________ The second star to the right shines in the night for you
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05-23-2006, 08:52 PM	#7
Scrooge McSam What? Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,635	Beloved? On top? Err OK CP: Confederacy of Dunces - I think you'd enjoy it. Plus there's the interesting little side story of its publication.
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05-23-2006, 09:32 PM	#8
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I enjoyed Confederacy of Dunces more than any other book mentioned but I've never understood why people like it so much as they do. That said, I would argue it shouldn't be mentioned at all since it was written before 1964 (42 years ago), though it wasn't published until 1980. The author wasn't even alive within the 25 year window (killing himself in 1969). It may have been published in the last 25 years (if by 25 you mean 26) but it is a product of a different era of writing.
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