In fifty years, even though it's a mug's game trying to predict what will last among our books, I would say that American Pastoral has a really good chance at being the seminal American novel of our time. White Noise by Don DeLillo seems too time-specific (all the references might not make sense in fifty years), but then again it came out thirty years ago and seems more relevant today, so who knows? It's hard to compare anyone to Joyce, but I think Thomas Pynchon might have a similar fate in store. He'll be the difficult writer that will only become more frustrating as our children continue to be failed by our educational system. I'd also like to think that Jeanette Winterson will be highly regarded in the future, but she's not even that well-known today. David Foster Wallace? I have the same issues with him as I do with DeLillo, but great literature has a way of overcoming those references that are inevitably going to leave most people lost in the future.
Of these, you can't go wrong with Infinite Jest and the Collected Fictions of Borges. His Dark Materials is an easy and classic read, probably the lightest fare on this list.
I have been browsing book threads quite a bit lately and whenever I happen upon one about contemporary fiction the name Don Delilo comes up. I would like to have one of his books on the list. Anyone read some of his books that they would recommend? If not I hear that White Noise is a good starting point.
In fifty years, even though it's a mug's game trying to predict what will last among our books, I would say that American Pastoral has a really good chance at being the seminal American novel of our time. White Noise by Don DeLillo seems too time-specific (all the references might not make sense in fifty years), but then again it came out thirty years ago and seems more relevant today, so who knows? It's hard to compare anyone to Joyce, but I think Thomas Pynchon might have a similar fate in store. He'll be the difficult writer that will only become more frustrating as our children continue to be failed by our educational system. I'd also like to think that Jeanette Winterson will be highly regarded in the future, but she's not even that well-known today. David Foster Wallace? I have the same issues with him as I do with DeLillo, but great literature has a way of overcoming those references that are inevitably going to leave most people lost in the future.
I know I must be missing some, but these are all that I can think of at the moment.
Fiction:
Collected Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges
The Stranger by Albert Camus
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
White Noise by Don Delilo
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot
Everything that Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men by DFW
Infinite Jest by DFW
Of these, you can't go wrong with Infinite Jest and the Collected Fictions of Borges. His Dark Materials is an easy and classic read, probably the lightest fare on this list.
Non-Fiction:
The Music of the Primes by Marcus du Sautoy
Chaos by James Gleick
How to be Gay by David Halperin
Barrel Fever by David Sedaris
Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris
Secret Historian by Justin Spring
Of these, Secret Historian was definitely the most interesting, though How to be Gay was a good intro to queer theory.
I have been browsing book threads quite a bit lately and whenever I happen upon one about contemporary fiction the name Don Delilo comes up. I would like to have one of his books on the list. Anyone read some of his books that they would recommend? If not I hear that White Noise is a good starting point.
Currently reading, and would like to finish:
Started in 2014, put down, would like to finish in 2015:
Would like to re-read in 2015:
Would like to read in 2015:
Non mobile link www.amazon.com/White-Noise-Penguin-Classics-Deluxe/dp/0143105981/
I've not heard of White Noise before now but the summary on Amazon sounds interesting to say the least
Hitler Studies