What You Should Have Been Reading
Lev Grossman has been busy over at Time. He’s been picking the Top 100 Books since 1923, the year in which Time began publishing. Now, I have to admit , Lev and I don’t always see eye-to-eye. I further admit there are a few choices on this list that, well, let’s just say I wasn’t expecting Lev to pick ‘em. Not that they aren’t great books. It’s just that when thinking of the best 100 books in the last 80 plus years, these didn’t strike me as obvious. Come on, 82 years covers a lot of books. I’m a bit surprised these were on Lev’s radar:
- Possession by A.S. Byatt. Read it. Liked it. Happy to see Lev did as well, but not sure I would have said Top 100.
- Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume. Brings back memories. Bet Faulkner and Fitzgerald - were they alive - would be thrilled to be on the same list with Blume.
- White Teeth by Zadie Smith. On my TBR pile. Better dig that out…
There are some I’ve never heard of - only a few, I swear. Rather than risk the wrath of those who think I only read Dr. Seuss, I will refrain from pointing out the unknowns. Instead, I’ll check them out via B&N. Me and everyone else who read the article.
October 20th, 2005 at 9:02 am
I found this list interesting and kind of cool. And I’ve actually read some of these books. Thanks for posting
October 20th, 2005 at 9:34 am
lol I actually have Watchmen checked out from the library. I’ve read some of these, but not a whole lot.
October 20th, 2005 at 9:51 am
Well I’ll probably have to agree with White Teeth by Zadie Smith. It was an extraordinary book, and it doesn’t hurt that she’s a British writer either!
October 20th, 2005 at 12:14 pm
Judy Blume is a god. You and I are in a fight. Just FYI.
October 20th, 2005 at 1:58 pm
Before I get hate mail…I agree Blume is a genius. Have read everything the woman has ever written. My surprise was in LEV realizing her god-like status.
As for White Teeth - I’ve only heard good reports. More so for that one than her new one, but Smith is getting good press. My surprise on this one was in it being included when it was so new. The Corrections by Franzen is on the list as well. In thinking of the releases of the last few years, I wonder which books others would put on the list or if those two are universal. For me, Franzen wouldn’t be on the list.
I’m very happy I decided not to divulge the books I’d never heard of before.
October 20th, 2005 at 2:25 pm
This list put me in a deep depression all week because i’d read so few of them. Very much did not focus on modernity in my lit curriculum.
Then I bucked up and started reading some Kafka. Screw Time.