Time Magazine's 100 Greatest Novels Since 1923

[GrnMarvl14]

100 Greatest Novels Since 1923

This list is EXTREMELY disappointing, since half of the books are ones they put on there because they're so well known, and I'm sure have VERY little to do with how good they are. But the ONLY one that surprised me: Watchmen. A graphic novel written by Alan Moore. Although I'm disappointed that Maus wasn't on the list, it's nice to see ANY graphic novel be considered in the same vein as 1984.

Anything you wish was on the list? Anything you wish was OFF the list? Anything you're happy to see on the list? Any surprises?

 

[Barb]

Out of the 100 greatest novels (as picked by the critics), I can say that I own six of them:

I, Claudius by Robert Graves
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler

Overall, not a bad selection. I admit to not reading some of the literary heavyweights listed including Saul Bellow, E.L. Doctorow, and John Updike. I think it has a fairly good cross-section of literature including classics like ‘Catcher in the Rye’ and more modern works like ‘Atonement’ by Ian McEwan. I am a little disappointed that only one children’s author (Judy Blume) was featured. What about Roald Dahl, Paula Danziger, and Paul Zindel? I’m a little surprised that L. Frank Baum’s ‘Wizard of Oz’ books aren’t featured, either.

It’s funny how the most popular authors today like Nora Roberts, Danielle Steel, John Grisham, and Michael Crichton aren’t featured. Then again, I view all of the aforementioned authors (save Crichton, when he’s not writing a preachy manifesto of the evils of technology) as hacks.

 

[Murgatroyd]

I’m a little surprised that L. Frank Baum’s ‘Wizard of Oz’ books aren’t featured, either.

That would be because Baum's last Oz book was published posthumously in 1920.