Top 100
Time pickes the 100 best novels written in the English language since 1923. Time to get in touch with your inner wounded pride and excessively harsh rhetoric. (via Lit Saloon)
I've got to wonder why the people who put this list together refused to pick certain novelists' best books. For instance, why Never Let Me Go by Ishiguro and not Remains of the Day? Why White Noise but not Underworld? Why Snow Crash but not Cryptonomicon? Maybe fans of PHilip K. Dick can explain to me why they went with Ubik, of all things. Is Possession really Byatt's best?
White Teeth? Hasn't that book been discredited by everyone from James Wood to Zadie Smith herself? Not that it's a bad book, but this is the "Top 100."
And why "Are You There God, It's Me Margaret" and not "Wifey" by Judy Bloom?
Seriously, the list's a joke. I do have one guess -- the year 1923 is a clue. Before that date, and many of the books would have lapsed copyright and could be gotten free online. The reason so many "second bests" are chosen is precisely to get folks who may have read, say "Remains of the Day" to pick up another book by Ishiguro -- and for Time, Inc to pick up a referral fee to B&N.com.
Posted by: Dave Munger | October 17, 2005 at 01:53 PM
That's an entirely cynical thing to say, Dave. Something tells me you're exactly right.
Posted by: Scott | October 17, 2005 at 01:59 PM
sure, all lists like this are silly, and I have no trouble believing that Time wants that referral fee, or whatever... and yet, is it inconceivable that they just happen to think these supposed "second bests" are in fact the authors' best work? Many people like White Noise better than Underworld; hell, my favorite Delillo is Libra. And Possession is wonderful, so...
Posted by: Richard | October 18, 2005 at 06:12 AM
B&N referral fees are only the tip of the iceberg. Those fees are then invested in Saudi oil, which in turn helps prop up the government of George W. Bush, who is dedicated to placing Arab puppet Harriet Miers on the Supreme Court, from which she can lay the foundation for her one-world government. Buying The Grapes of Wrath on-line is, actually, a vote for fascism.
Posted by: Rodney Welch | October 18, 2005 at 12:41 PM