latest award winners

[Jango]

Anyone read any Orhan Pamuk (Nobel) or Cormac McCarthy (Pulitzer)? Any recommendations for which of these authors' novels to read?

[Brett]

Yes. My Name Is Red is a great book -- interesting way of telling the story + good story + interesting discussions of the underpinnings of Islam. I have not read his other stuff yet but plan on reading Snow next.

The Road is great. I also liked Blood Meridian, but preferred The Road. I bought two others of his books which I have not yet read -- All The Pretty Horses and one other that I cannot recall.

Now my turn for a question -- anyone ever read Italo Calvino?

[Elizabeth]

I adore him. I've read a bunch of his novels, but the Baron of the Trees is my favorite.

[Johnny]

Definitely "Blood Meridan" as the "The Road" is too sparse. "The Road" has a style and a signature of its own but has little in a way of character arc, plot, etc. Reading it is like trying to extract the marrow from an already picked clean bone.

But in both you'll get the gist of McCarty's bent toward inhuman savagery.

[Luna]

Why do people hate the great White Oleander of Janet Fitch?

[Jango]

Not sure what you mean? I understand White Oleander is a great novel. It's on my list to read, and I really enjoyed her follow-up novel Paint It Black. I'm really looking forward to the next one.