NYT best book of the 21st century
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Anonymous
Whoops, that was supposed to be I've read the first two. As I recall, the second book ends in a cliffhanger, and I thought I'd pick up the third, but I just never to bring myself to do it. There's two books on the list I DNF, which is very rare for me. Life After Life just became so tedious when she had to keep going back and reliving and reliving and reliving. The Spanish Flu just broke me, and I when i told my book club that they laughed and said you'll never make it through the WWII section. So I gave up. I also could not make it through The Sympathizer. It was too dark and depressing. |
Anonymous
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I read never let me go, and enjoyed it, But don’t consider it any kind of masterpiece the way remains of the day was. To me it was about as good as Klara and the sun. Good, made me ponder things, but not best of a century type stuff.
Surprised that all the light you cannot see didn’t make it. Someone thought the goldfinch was better literature than all the light? |
Anonymous
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I'd have had A gentleman in Moscow on the list for sure.
I'm surprised Ann Patchett's Bel Canto was her only one on the list, although that is my favorite. I'd maybe put Tom Lake - it's too recent, but I think it might be one of the great covid books. I liked very much her take on covid being good for family togetherness, which is a take I sometimes hear from mother friends (with older kids!). Maybe that's too recent for real judgement. I do think these lists are better when at least fiction and non-fiction are separated. Within fiction, I often think the genre books get overlooked. I think I might add 3-body problem. There's been such a resurgence in romance books - including books with characters with disabilities, or the growth of LGBTQ+ romance - it seems a shame they'll never be represented on a list like this. Plus there's a new focus on STEM-heroines that's been delightful. Or look at the rise of romantasy, sure much of which is kinda crap, but there are gems. It's rare for Horror, suspense, thrillers, or classic mysteries too, to be on lists like this. JK Rowling? I think I'd have the Casual Vacancy on the list, though low, in the 80-100 range. Frankly given what it did for publishing I'd maybe put a Harry potter book on the list, too. On the non fiction side, I'd have liked to see more science-focused, nature focused books. I've just started reading The Comfort of Crows which is phenomenal, but too recent to be on the list, I think. But staring into the face of climate changes, the books documenting those changes should be on the list. Maybe something by Diane Ackerman should be on the list. Or Sy Montgomery. |
Anonymous
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That's the problem with their method. When you ask 500 people to list their top ten books of the century, most of them (and I think I'd do the same) are going to list personal favorites. They aren't going to think about big picture - like intentionally picking authors of different cultural backgrounds, books from various genres, books in translation, important nonfiction topics, etc. unless the books naturally fit in to their personal favorites. And it's just more likely that more mainstream books are going to picked most often and everyone's less mainstream books weren't chosen by enough people to make the list.
I also think we probably don't have enough distance yet to create a good list of 21st century books. But I still think it's been fun to look through and talk about! |
Anonymous
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House in the cerulean sea is another that could’ve made the list but didn’t, I think.
That one is a really enjoyable read. |
Anonymous
I think you can hate the trauma of the book without hating the book. |
Anonymous
Oh wow that’s one of my top of all time… |
Anonymous
Feel the same way. Liked it fine; novels since have been so meh. Not sure I’d put it on any “best of” list, though. |
Anonymous
I hate both |
Anonymous
I LOVED Station Eleven but read it pre-COVID. Also loved Pachinko. |
Anonymous
Capitalization would make your comment easier to read. Just a thought. |
Anonymous
I agree with you. |
Anonymous
I start Wolf Hall and could not continue. |
Anonymous
I like Pachinko but agree with you. |
Anonymous
I think Tom Hanks ruined the book for me. I can't stand it after 30 minutes. I will have to pick up the book and read it. |