For longtime readers of American book journalism, new york times book reviewhas just been published List of the 100 best books of the 21st century It will bring back vague memories of many important uproar that once could not be ignored. At one time in the past 25 years, some of us felt that we could hardly believe we were literate without reading books. amazing adventure Cavalia and Claysay, or A visit from the Goon Squad, or The short and wonderful life of Oscar Wao, Or something like George Saunders – all of them. Book reviewThe list is the result of a survey of “hundreds of literary luminaries”. Some of the ballots are available to the public.
To remind you that we are well into this century, many of the authors of these famous books – Dennis Johnson, Joan Didion, Philip Roth, Cormac McCarthy, Hilary Mantel – have already published this book. Shuffled from the coil of death. Roberto Bolaño Savage Detectives and 2666 Placed in 38th and 6th place respectively, both novels were already dead when they were first translated into English.
Some choices can cause despair about the health of literature itself: Donna Tartt’s goldfinchFor example, its enthusiastic reception critic James Wood once memorably described it as “further evidence of the infantilization of our literary culture: a world where adults walk around reading Harry Potter.”
But then everyone would object, that’s the point behind list of these same as behind Literary awards such as the Nobel PrizeFrom Toni Morrison to Han Kang, the winners’ works are in the top 100. I would like to note that Saul Bellow and J.M. Coetzee are missing. Ravelstein and elizabeth costello If I were famous enough to vote, it would have been easy for me to do so. In any case, it is highly unlikely that these rankings will remain the same decades later. Imagine a list of the best books of the 20th century created in 1924. the great gatsby In fact, a list of the best books of the 19th century, written in 1824, had never been published, 13 years before the first novel by a promising young scribbler named Dickens was published.
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Based in Seoul, Colin Mbemust write and broadcastIt’s about cities, languages and cultures. His projects include the Substack newsletter books about cities and a book Stateless City: A Stroll Through Los Angeles in the 21st Century. Follow him on the social network formerly known as Twitter. @Colinbemust.
Source: Open Culture – www.openculture.com
