Now the Adult list – err mm – Top Adult Books
Hmm That did not come out right, did it ?
Okay try again, BBC did a story about the 21st Century’s greatest novels. I liked this list better than the top children’s books because it was less Anglo centric but was formed from a poll of several dozen British and American book critics so still has a definite bias. http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150119-the-21st-centurys-12-best-novels
Middlesex – Jeffrey Eugenides, American – umm never heard of it. It has won a Pulitzer and sold millions of copies.
White Teeth – Zadie Smith, English – umm never heard of it either – another award winner. Has 4 acclaimed novels
Half of a Yellow Sun – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nigerian – umm never hear of it – nor her other book Americanah which was #13 in the poll
Atonement– Ian McEwan – Hey hmm I might have heard that name before – but nope never heard of the book – The Times lists him as one of the top 50 British Writers since 1945
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk – Ben Fountain – Umm
I could keep going on but see the trend. Now I considered myself pretty well read but this shows me that I was not stretching my reading. The New York Times best sellers list is usual popular fluff not the meaty rich reading that you find from prize winning authors. Like watching all action films instead of spicing it up with some Oscar award winners. Man can not live by Marvel alone. ( Shocking right)
I had read ALL the top children’s books but as an adult had have not kept up. I had read NONE of the top contemporary 12 novels. And only think I heard of one of the authors.
In a writers seminar the instructor said – if you want to write, READ. I would change that to “read what you want to write.” If you want to write quality books, read quality books.
My current reading is The Pickup by South African writer Nadine Gordimer. I love her use of language I am reading it slowly. Sipping it like a fine wine. I’ll tell you about it when I am finished. The Alchemist by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho is sitting on my night stand waiting patiently as it is next in queue.
So keep reading your top sellers and fun books, but also stretch yourself with a critically acclaimed book. I used to love reading Stephen Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant series because it was one of the few books requiring me to have a dictionary beside me cause of his precision in the use of English. He used words I didn’t know. I loved that about his books. They made me stretch and grow.
Here is the rest of the BBC critic’s poll of top books of the 21st century that I haven’t read.
A Visit from the Goon Squad – Jennifer Egan, American – winner of 2011 National Book Critic Circle and Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay – Michael Chabon, American -2001 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
The Corrections – Jonathan Franzen, American – won US National Book Award
Gilead – Marilynne Robinson, American – Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. National Humanities Medal in 2012
Wolf Hall – Hilary Mantel, English – HEY ! There is a new series on PBS MYSTERY! ( put this higher up my must read list) Book 1 of a series, National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction
The Known World – Edward P. Jones, American – considered by some to be the best American novel of 21st century, ( Hang head in shame but hey 21st century just starting how can you say that ?!)
THE WINNER of the BBC crticis poll :
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao – Junot Diaz , Dominican American, Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
Hmm seeing a trend – let’s look at the recently announced Pulitzer Prize List Next week.
Til then, Keep reading ,
C
