forza
Cosmopolitan
Posts: 514
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Post by forza on Nov 25, 2005 14:35:34 GMT -7
Here's a list of 100 best novels according to randomhouse. I wonder how many of them have you read and which one - if you had to pick one - would be your favorite 100 best novelsMy number is 10 and I have to pick Nabokov Lolita as my #1 for what he did to English language in his book, namely made it sound Russian or Slavic. Nabokov = genius
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Post by jimpres on Nov 25, 2005 16:51:22 GMT -7
Ok I only read five. Not on the list is Dr. Zhivago and Push Not the River (a Polish Womans Diary) I liked these And OK I like Tom Clancy and Vice Flynn
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nancy
European
Posts: 2,144
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Post by nancy on Nov 25, 2005 20:17:34 GMT -7
I have read 60 (or maybe more?) of the ones on the left-side "formal" list. Most of those are from the top 75 or so. At the top of the list is Ulysses by James Joyce. I liked that book so much that I went to Ireland for a year. I do truly admire Willa Cather -spare language that paints a complex textured picture. But ... remember that this list was compiled by Random House - a bunch of old guys - for the Modern Classics series. And they did not tell us their criteria - so I am not inclined to accept this list unequivocally. Why are all the authors American or English? (And yet nothing by Anthony Trollope, Jane Austen, the Brontes, Pearl Buck?) Clearly this list does not reflect world literature - it is just the favorites of a few old white American guys, and, for the most part, I would ignore it. There is far more left off the list than is on it. And the reader's favorite list Well, when I was 25, I though Ayn Rand was the tops. But then I realized her premise is to destroy the planet in the name of progress, so I rejected her. When I was 35, I liked Robert Heinlein and his science operas, but then I outgrew him, also. Why is there so much science fiction on this list? I like sci-fi, but I wonder why so many readers find it among the best literature (I should say that to me, literature should be reflective of the human condition, not human fantasy.) I cannot even comment on Stephen King being on this list.
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aadam
Junior Pole
Posts: 130
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Post by aadam on Nov 26, 2005 12:37:32 GMT -7
My impression, too.!How about contructing OUR OWN BEST BOOKS LIST (OOBBooL). You're a professionalist here (bookshop) so I think, you should start - if you like the idea, Nancy.
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nancy
European
Posts: 2,144
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Post by nancy on Nov 26, 2005 13:28:02 GMT -7
My impression, too.!How about contructing OUR OWN BEST BOOKS LIST (OOBBL). You're a professionalist here (bookshop) so I think, you should start - if you like the idea, Nancy. I think this is a great idea! Having owned a bookshop doesn't make me a professional crtic, or even reviewer, but I am a great reader! Of course we will all have our own tastes. But I have a problem deciding which books to choose, so I will start by mentioning a few of my favorite authors: And here are a couple of interesting links: Bibliomania World Literature
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forza
Cosmopolitan
Posts: 514
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Post by forza on Nov 26, 2005 14:17:23 GMT -7
I love books but don't read that many anymore. I think I read by average 2-4 books a year. I also have in my hands quite a number of books (mostly from library) but I tend to read only some small parts of them like one chapter or few pages here and there. My favorite authors from the randomhouse list are H. Miller, Saul Bellow, D. H. Lawrence and Nabokov. Of them all I like Bellow most. From other then English literature I admire Dostoyewski. Other books I like: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter Thompson ( I hope I spell it right), Jerzy Kosinski's Painted Bird and Hermit from 69th street ( Kosinski belongs to the big league in my opinion) Also Eva Hoffman's Lost in Translation. Great Bellow's speech on literature made at Nobel prize ceremony for those with time: Soul Below Nobel lecture (full text and not full audio)
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forza
Cosmopolitan
Posts: 514
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Post by forza on Nov 26, 2005 15:57:20 GMT -7
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Post by rdywenur on Nov 26, 2005 17:56:34 GMT -7
Okay I saw almost all of these as movies...does that count. It's not that I don't like to read. When I was young and discovered the library, I would go weekly,pick up as much as I could carry or they would allow to loan out and soon had read everything in the childrens section so they allowed me to go to the adult section. Yet all my books I read, ask me names of characters, authors, I do not remember. Only the story. I also never was into heavy stuff as War and Peace etc. I do remeber reading Rich man Poor man. Im sure you guys probably don't consider that a top 100 to read but I enjoyed it.
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nancy
European
Posts: 2,144
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Post by nancy on Nov 26, 2005 18:12:48 GMT -7
Apparently not. And sexist to boot: "The Modern Library's panel, a division of Random House, included Cerf, Daniel J. Boorstin, A.S. Byatt, Shelby Foote, Vartan Gregorian, Edmund Morris, John Richardson, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., William Styron and Gore Vidal -- seven men and one woman. " But the article reminded me of Toni Morrison Song of Solomon and other titles - truly a wonderful writer.
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Post by gardenmoma on Nov 27, 2005 22:06:13 GMT -7
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Post by hollister on Nov 28, 2005 5:48:18 GMT -7
GM If you like Cather and Sandoz ( I do too!), have you tried Mary Clearman Blew (All but the Waltz) and Kim Barnes (titles seem to escape me this morning - sorry)? I reccommend them both. And Jaga if you are reading this - both are from Idaho! Blew writes about Montana and Barnes writes about Idaho. I also reccomend Ivan Doig (English Creek and This House of Sky) as well.
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Post by gardenmoma on Nov 28, 2005 6:10:09 GMT -7
Thank you very much for the recommendations I also enjoy reading well-written mysteries...but 99% of them would hardly ever make anyone's Great Books list. GM
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nancy
European
Posts: 2,144
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Post by nancy on Nov 28, 2005 7:27:55 GMT -7
I agree about Willa Cather - wonderful writing - my favorite (today anyway) is Death Comes for the Archbishop.
I have not read anything by Maria Sandoz, Mary Clearman Blew, or Kim Barnes; Ivan Doig I have sort of skimmed through in my bookshop days.
I think I shall have to investigate those women writers - thanks for the suggestions.
GM, what was the book you mentioned in connection with Poles in New England? The search function does not seem to work very well for me.
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forza
Cosmopolitan
Posts: 514
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Post by forza on Nov 28, 2005 9:00:29 GMT -7
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Post by hollister on Nov 28, 2005 9:45:43 GMT -7
Froza, I have the Hoffman book on my pile of to be read books. At the moment I am reading Polish House by Sikorski. I am finding House to be a wonderful - I love the way he weaves the restoration of the manor house with polish history. Has anyone read Polsih House? I think it was published as Dom Polska in Poland and as Full Circle in the states.
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