Best Books of the 21st Century. Redux.
Two long decades and here we are. That's a solid 2/5 of the century done with. So what were the best books of the century? Well, I wrote up a list 5 years back (adding a few notes to it), and in going over it, I'm really looking at having become a different man, aren't I?
Well, I will try to focus on the few qualities that actually make a classic [1] and hope to pick books that will last in the future [2]. Note that these books were published this century. If they were translated this century that does not count (initial publication date does, so Abyssinian Chronicles by Isegawa, though brilliant, and easily a best of the 20th century doesn't make the list because it was originally published in 1998 and only in 2000 was it published in the US).
Oh yeah, and this is for fiction. I'll add other books in another post.
Human Acts by Han Kang. Still brilliant and still a testament to brilliant writing and seeing what happens after trauma.
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James. Also a brilliant and epic novel that wraps around several histories still ongoing, but mainly the destabilization of countries because someone wants to help the poor.
Half a Yellow Sun by Adichie. Really, it's just brilliant and about a civil war not many people know about.
The Iraqi Christ by Blasim still hangs in here, though I would like to see his new work. We'll see I suppose.
Open City by Cole is a great book. It makes it to this list.
Honorable Mention:
The Road by McMarthy. It's a good book, and in many ways still points to the kind of hopelessness we seem destined to rush towards. Nevertheless, until I reread it, it won't be in the final list because, I don't know, it hasn't really stuck in my mind as all that brilliant. This may sound unfair, but it is what it is.
2666 by Bolano. Again, an epic book, but one that ends up dancing too much and not showing us enough of the horrid world around us. Does that make sense? Probably not. But it has fallen far in my estimation.
Dream of the Celt has also fallen in my estimation. Again, the filter of time and experience has changed my initial love for this book.
Shalimar the Clown by Rushdie. The man says stupid shit in public, but this book is still worth a read, I'm just not sure if it's a finalist. I don't if that's fair, but it just seems that way.
Breath by Winton is also good and worth reading, but doesn't have the depth or global view I think classics now require [3].
Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi (who, in a just world, would have the fucking Nobel Prize, but we all know why he won't get it). Great book, just not the same as his prior insta-classics. I liked it, and laughed, but something was missing.
Coetzee's work has also dropped in my estimation. No longer worth being on this list (either section).
There are a lot of books on many 21st century lists that I have read and don't think much of. I'll try to write about that later. For example DFW won't make any of my lists ever. I've talked about suburban ideology (and that includes Saunders) and don't enjoy it in my books, no matter how well crafted.
I also understand the male-bent of my list. I'll try to remedy that and read even more.
[1] Rather than the forces that sometimes make a classic. That is, books that are pushed into the current bestseller lists or books which are the literary establishment's darlings (not always bad, of course).
[2] Partially a fool's errand since, of course, many of these books will be subject to the forces in [1]
[3] Yes, yes, I know, the more local the more universal, or so people say. I'm not from that school, nor do I speak the language.
Enjoyed it? Share it via email, facebook, twitter, or one of the buttons below (or through some other method you prefer). Thank you! As always, here's the tip jar. paypal.me/nlowhim Throw some change in there & help cover the costs of running this thing. You can use paypal or a credit card.
Well, I will try to focus on the few qualities that actually make a classic [1] and hope to pick books that will last in the future [2]. Note that these books were published this century. If they were translated this century that does not count (initial publication date does, so Abyssinian Chronicles by Isegawa, though brilliant, and easily a best of the 20th century doesn't make the list because it was originally published in 1998 and only in 2000 was it published in the US).
Oh yeah, and this is for fiction. I'll add other books in another post.
Human Acts by Han Kang. Still brilliant and still a testament to brilliant writing and seeing what happens after trauma.
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James. Also a brilliant and epic novel that wraps around several histories still ongoing, but mainly the destabilization of countries because someone wants to help the poor.
Half a Yellow Sun by Adichie. Really, it's just brilliant and about a civil war not many people know about.
The Iraqi Christ by Blasim still hangs in here, though I would like to see his new work. We'll see I suppose.
Open City by Cole is a great book. It makes it to this list.
Honorable Mention:
The Road by McMarthy. It's a good book, and in many ways still points to the kind of hopelessness we seem destined to rush towards. Nevertheless, until I reread it, it won't be in the final list because, I don't know, it hasn't really stuck in my mind as all that brilliant. This may sound unfair, but it is what it is.
2666 by Bolano. Again, an epic book, but one that ends up dancing too much and not showing us enough of the horrid world around us. Does that make sense? Probably not. But it has fallen far in my estimation.
Dream of the Celt has also fallen in my estimation. Again, the filter of time and experience has changed my initial love for this book.
Shalimar the Clown by Rushdie. The man says stupid shit in public, but this book is still worth a read, I'm just not sure if it's a finalist. I don't if that's fair, but it just seems that way.
Breath by Winton is also good and worth reading, but doesn't have the depth or global view I think classics now require [3].
Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi (who, in a just world, would have the fucking Nobel Prize, but we all know why he won't get it). Great book, just not the same as his prior insta-classics. I liked it, and laughed, but something was missing.
Coetzee's work has also dropped in my estimation. No longer worth being on this list (either section).
There are a lot of books on many 21st century lists that I have read and don't think much of. I'll try to write about that later. For example DFW won't make any of my lists ever. I've talked about suburban ideology (and that includes Saunders) and don't enjoy it in my books, no matter how well crafted.
I also understand the male-bent of my list. I'll try to remedy that and read even more.
[1] Rather than the forces that sometimes make a classic. That is, books that are pushed into the current bestseller lists or books which are the literary establishment's darlings (not always bad, of course).
[2] Partially a fool's errand since, of course, many of these books will be subject to the forces in [1]
[3] Yes, yes, I know, the more local the more universal, or so people say. I'm not from that school, nor do I speak the language.
Enjoyed it? Share it via email, facebook, twitter, or one of the buttons below (or through some other method you prefer). Thank you! As always, here's the tip jar. paypal.me/nlowhim Throw some change in there & help cover the costs of running this thing. You can use paypal or a credit card.
No comments have been added yet.
Nelson Lowhim's Blog
- Nelson Lowhim's profile
- 14 followers
Nelson Lowhim isn't a Goodreads Author
(yet),
but they
do have a blog,
so here are some recent posts imported from
their feed.
