Love in the time of Cholera. I was shocked it's on Oprah's book club list nowadays.
The Magus, by John Fowles.
I read a funny review on Ulysses; it was something along the lines of how it was the most overrated book ever written since its about 1000 pages of a guy walking around Dublin and nothing else happens.
"The editors of the Norwegian Book Clubs, with the Norwegian Nobel Institute, polled a panel of 100 authors from 54 countries on what they considered the “best and most central works in world literature.” Among the authors polled were Milan Kundera, Doris Lessing, Seamus Heaney, Salman Rushdie, Wole Soyinka, John Irving, Nadine Gordimer, and Carlos Fuentes. The list of 100 works appears alphabetically by author. Although the books were not ranked, the editors revealed that Don Quixote received 50% more votes than any other book."
- from http://www.infoplease.com/ipea/A0934958.html
Also check out this article from UK's Guardian: http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,6109,711688,00.html
This list forgot to include The Da Vinci Code.
You know, I agree with Leonidas above. The 20th century produced some mighty fine READS, but in terms of a GREAT novel, the 19th century has a real hold on that category. Think George Eliot, Jane Austen, Dostoeyevsky, Melville, James, etc.
If it is alright to answer my own question, my top three are: The Catcher in the Rye (I am a teenager), Catch-22 and A Farewell to Arms.
You know, I agree with Leonidas above. The 20th century produced some mighty fine READS, but in terms of a GREAT novel, the 19th century has a real hold on that category. Think George Eliot, Jane Austen, Dostoeyevsky, Melville, James, etc.
The thread expanded, and everyone started to list a few books, rather than just one. So, I followed the trend. But yes, you're right, I failed to answer my own question directly.Umm...I believe your question was "best" - meaning one.
The thread expanded, and everyone started to list a few books, rather than just one. So, I followed the trend. But yes, you're right, I failed to answer my own question directly.
Not to be picky, but they are the nineteenth century.
That was his point. He was listing great 19th cenutry novelist.
It would help if I actually read the post. My bad.
"The editors of the Norwegian Book Clubs, with the Norwegian Nobel Institute...
I'm not sure I'd give that list much credibility. Maybe we should not rely on authors' recommendations?
You're probably right. However, for many undergrads like me, 19th century literature can be difficult to appreciate. The writing style, historical context and themes are so different from what I'm accustomed to, I get thrown off. When reading many of the authors listed above I’m able to comprehend the storyline, but unable to comprehend the significance. As a result, I read more 20the century novels, despite their inferiority.
chicks candt right.
mocking people critical of women writers...last words, out.Are you saying that women cannot write Ian?
mocking people critical of women writers...last words, out.
No, you are right - she holds an entire candelabra in comparison.
I am kind of a skeptic, but I wonder if some you have read all of the books listed here, because some of them are dreadful......or at least unpleasant at best. I get that often when talking about books....people always want to list 'great' books as if they have read them like William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying. It is a horrid book with a catchy title, and a twist in the way he delivered the story, but not worth the time to read it, and it still gets top billing at 'book' conversations.
I don't mean to sound accousatory about people's reading likes, I just think it is too hard to pin what the OP is looking for. IMHO one of the best books I have ever read was by an author named Bryce Courtenay called The power of One. It sounds like a self help title, but it is really a memoir and a great one at that.
1) Atlas Shrugged -- Ayn Rand
2) Fountainhead -- Ayn Rand
http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100bestnovels.html
1) Atlas Shrugged -- Ayn Rand
2) Fountainhead -- Ayn Rand
3) Battlefield Earth -- L Ron Hubbard
Says who? Say this. John Travolta would endorse this list.
http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/100bestnovels.html