Now the Adult list \u2013 err mm \u00a0– \u00a0Top Adult Books<\/p>\n
Hmm That did not come out right, did it ?<\/p>\n
Okay try again, \u00a0BBC did a story about the 21st<\/sup> Century\u2019s 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<\/p>\n Middlesex<\/span> \u2013 Jeffrey Eugenides, American \u00a0\u2013 umm never heard of it. It has won a Pulitzer and sold millions of copies.<\/p>\n White Teeth<\/span> \u2013 Zadie Smith, English \u2013 umm never heard of it either \u2013 another award winner. Has 4 acclaimed novels<\/p>\n Half of a Yellow Sun<\/span> \u2013 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nigerian \u2013 umm never hear of it \u2013 nor her other book Americanah<\/span> which was #13 in the poll<\/p>\n Atonement<\/span>– Ian McEwan \u2013 Hey hmm I might have heard that name before \u2013 but nope never heard of the book \u2013 The Times lists him as one of the top 50 British Writers since 1945<\/p>\n Billy Lynn\u2019s Long Halftime Walk<\/span> \u2013 Ben Fountain –\u00a0 Umm<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 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. \u00a0\u00a0Like watching all action films instead of spicing it up with some Oscar award winners. Man can not live by Marvel alone. ( Shocking right)<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n In a writers seminar the instructor said \u2013 if you want to write, READ. I would change that to \u201cread what you want to write.\u201d If you want to write quality books, read quality books.<\/p>\n My current reading is The Pickup<\/span> by South African writer Nadine Gordimer. I love her use of language I am reading it slowly. Sipping it like a fine wine. \u00a0I\u2019ll tell you about it when I am finished. The Alchemist<\/span> by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho is sitting on my night stand waiting patiently as it is next in queue.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s 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\u2019t know. I loved that about his books.\u00a0 They made me stretch and grow.<\/p>\n Here is the rest of the BBC critic\u2019s poll of top books of the 21st<\/sup> century that I haven\u2019t read.<\/p>\n A Visit from the Goon Squad<\/span> \u2013 Jennifer Egan, American \u00a0– winner of 2011 National Book Critic Circle and Pulitzer Prize for Fiction<\/p>\n The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay<\/span> \u2013 Michael Chabon, American -2001 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction<\/p>\n The Corrections<\/span> \u2013 Jonathan Franzen, American \u2013 won US National Book Award<\/p>\n Gilead<\/span> \u2013 Marilynne Robinson, American – Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. National Humanities Medal in 2012<\/p>\n Wolf Hall<\/span> \u2013 Hilary Mantel, English \u2013 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<\/p>\n The Known World<\/span> \u2013 Edward P. Jones, American \u2013 considered by some to be the best American novel of 21st<\/sup> century, ( Hang head in shame but hey 21st<\/sup> century \u00a0just starting how can you say that ?!)<\/p>\n THE WINNER of the BBC crticis poll :<\/p>\n The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao<\/span> \u2013 Junot Diaz , Dominican American, Pulitzer Prize for Fiction<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Hmm seeing a trend \u2013 let\u2019s look at the recently announced Pulitzer Prize List Next week.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Til then, Keep reading ,<\/p>\n C<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Now the Adult list \u2013 err mm \u00a0– \u00a0Top Adult Books Hmm That did not come out right, did it ? Okay try again, \u00a0BBC did a story about the 21st Century\u2019s greatest novels. I liked this list better than … Continue reading