Who doesn’t love a list? I love a big, broad, definitive list. One that completely avoids nuance and makes declarative statements ready to be etched in stone.
Sure. I click and browse the year end ones. Best of (blank). I must stay current. But, if you have been following along, the lion-share of my reading is comprised of books that have had time to live a life of their own.
This one checked the time-test box for me. The New York Times Book Review ran a three-month-long contest in which readers were able to select the best book of the past 125 years. Basically, we’re talking about the best book of all time here.
I came across the list in November when it was whittled down to a finalist pool of 25. I hated it. Then, I liked it. Hated it again. But after some time, the list started to come together for more. It started to make a lot of sense. It hits all the spots. Devastating fiction. Fantasy. Great American. Banned. Experimental. I’m good with it.
Not that the NYTBR needs my lowly stamp of approval, but I am giving it anyway. A list is a list. No big deal. Winning this reader poll won’t change a thing for these authors or these titles which are firmly enmeshed in the (capital C) CULTURE. If anything, a list like this gives ‘em something to talk about over the holidays.
Voting is closed. My guess is that Charlotte’s Web takes it home. What do you think?
Further big list reading:
200 Books That Shaped 200 Years of Literature
50 Best Books of Literary Journalism of the 21st Century
11 Books to Fill the Succession-Size Hole in Your Heart
Speaking of lists, next week I will share out my 2021 reading list - maybe some sort of Weekend Guide Year in Review. Who knows! As always, thanks for tapping in with me. Peace and love. See you next week.