The Literary List

[harmony_bites]

I've been reading off this list from The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Ultimate Reading List and did posts on the The Romance List and the Fantasy List. I now just polished off the Literary Fiction List so thought I'd post on those

Comments

[bluestocking79]

I've read a lot of these, and have been planning to read others... and then there are those I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole, because I've encountered the authors in other works and wasn't eager for another go. (See: McCarthy and DeLillo, both of whom I consider to be hugely overrated. McCarthy is particularly repellant to me though, both in style and content. I will never, ever forgive my American Lit prof in grad school for forcing me to read De Lillo, Pynchon and McCarthy's Blood Meridian in the same semester. The last one scarred me for life and is the nastiest thing I've ever, ever read.)

I heartily second your love for Michael Chabon (do read all his stuff; it's brilliant) and Eugenides. I adore Middlesex, and the book was further enriched for me because of its insight into the area where I've lived all my life. (I grew up in the Grosse Pointe area, and his depiction of everything was painfully perfect.) Both novelists, I think, excel at creating vivid, full characters, and their narratives course with warmth, humanity and wit. And if I could ever possess even a tiny fraction of Chabon's effortless style, then I would feel deeply, deeply accomplished.

...Have to agree with Kelly about Mrs Dalloway, though. Sorry, but I love it. *g* I also enjoyed White Teeth more than you did, probably because I did find the characters engaging, particularly Irie and her struggle to figure out where she fits, who she is, what she wants. And although I quite agree with you about the ridiculous climax to Perfume, the majority of the book is so stunningly evocative (and yes, creepy) that I'd be tempted to rate it higher on the strength of that writing alone. Meanwhile, you've convinced me to give Atonement another try!

[harmony_bites]

See: McCarthy and DeLillo, both of whom I consider to be hugely overrated. McCarthy is particularly repellant to me though, both in style and content. I will never, ever forgive my American Lit prof in grad school for forcing me to read De Lillo, Pynchon and McCarthy's Blood Meridian in the same semester. The last one scarred me for life and is the nastiest thing I've ever, ever read.

*hugs* I feel your pain! Hell, you're kinder than I am. I can see some glimmer of talent in McCarthy but thought De Lillo a truly crappy writer. Truly--in a line by line sense--he's almost a caricature of bad writing with comparisons and imagery that are clunkers. I'm just floored at what I've read of his reputation as one of the "great" American writers. And I can't understand McCarthy being popular giving I found All the Pretty Horses unreadable. Yet more than one person I respect have glowing things to say about The Road. Never read Blood Meridian--don't want to. Reading All the Pretty Horses and watching No Country for Old Men is ENOUGH. (Never read Pynchon, and now seeing his name associated again with McCarthy and Delillo? I'll pass)

I heartily second your love for Michael Chabon (do read all his stuff; it's brilliant) and Eugenides.

Trust me--I will make my way through the rest of their books. Just discovering these two alone made tackling the list worth it. And gives me hope that maybe contemporary American literature isn't a vast wasteland. Absolutely agree with how you characterize both.

...Have to agree with Kelly about Mrs Dalloway, though. Sorry, but I love it. *g*

As I said to Kelley *points up* I just plain hate the stream of consciousness technique, but I can at least see why others might see Woolfe as top rate. There *was* some wonderful imagery there. And I could see echoes of Woolfe in other books I read besides Cunningham. Especially Atonement btw. The first long section takes place in one day at a party of upper crust Brits. Sound familiar? And the protagonist is something of a Woolfe wannabe. I felt mixed about Atonement. Love/hate in ways the 3 stars which implies middle of the road feelings doesn't express. Hated the ending while at the same time respecting it and finding it thought-provoking (and anyone who has written stories I think will resonate with aspects of it).

I also enjoyed White Teeth more than you did, probably because I did find the characters engaging, particularly Irie and her struggle to figure out where she fits, who she is, what she wants.

I never even got to Irie--so maybe that's one book I do need to give another chance. Just couldn't stand Archie or Saman.

And although I quite agree with you about the ridiculous climax to Perfume, the majority of the book is so stunningly evocative (and yes, creepy) that I'd be tempted to rate it higher on the strength of that writing alone.

Another the mere three stars doesn't express well how I feel about the book--and I admit since the post was falling into a natural bell curve, I forced it a bit and maybe I should have given it four stars. It is worth reading for the stunning way Suskind utilizes an underappreciated sense, and because Grenoulle is one of the most memorable monsters I've ever read. (But does deserve I think at least one point off for those endings)

[harmony_bites]

Oh, and was just curious. I noticed on GoodReads that you rated The Kite Runner only two stars. Why didn't you like it? Was it how disturbing a lot of the material was? I can get that (although in that respect it doesn't hold a candle to The God of Small Things). But I loved it for how it immersed me in a unfamiliar culture and it was one of those minority of books on this post that never dragged for me.