KEV67 Posted November 28, 2021 Share Posted November 28, 2021 For me it is The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but like an Olympic sprinter who starts to celebrate too soon, it was nearly caught by Moby Dick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marie H Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 (edited) My favourites are The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Any of the John Steinbeck novels, especially Cannery Row. Edited December 1, 2021 by Marie H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 (edited) Of those that I've read, for me Moby Dick is far and away the greatest. But there are quite a few I have yet to read (my American literature remains patchy in spite of my tour of the USA), perhaps most glaringly the two big Steinbecks, The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden. Based on my experience of some of his shorter novels, they will surely at least challenge closely. I enjoyed Huck Finn, but didn't find it that good. Perhaps the most commonly cited contender, The Great Gatsby, I personally find something of a disappointment. Studied it for A-level and it never impressed. Edited December 23, 2021 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KEV67 Posted December 23, 2021 Author Share Posted December 23, 2021 On 01/12/2021 at 5:10 PM, Marie H said: My favourites are The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Any of the John Steinbeck novels, especially Cannery Row. I read the Grapes of Wrath. I found it unremittingly miserable. I thought this man was trying to win a Pulitzer. I thought to myself that Woody Guthrie did this dust bowl depression stuff much better, but then I found out Woody Guthrie was inspired to sing about the dust bowl after reading Grapes of Wrath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KEV67 Posted December 23, 2021 Author Share Posted December 23, 2021 1 hour ago, willoyd said: Of those that I've read, for me Moby Dick is far and away the greatest. But there are quite a few I have yet to read (my American literature remains patchy in spite of my tour of the USA), perhaps most glaringly the two big Steinbecks, The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden. Based on my experience of some of his shorter novels, they will surely at least challenge closely. I enjoyed Huck Finn, but didn't find it that good. Perhaps the most commonly cited contender, The Great Gatsby, I personally find something of a disappointment. Studied it for A-level and it never impressed. The Great Gatsby left me feeling nonplussed. If it wasn't for its reputation I would have said it was a good book, but I would not have picked it out as the greatest American book of the 20th century, or one of them. It has a reputation for containing a lot of hidden messages and symbology. The green light refers back to something in Greek mythology. There's quite an interesting theory that Gatsby is passing for white. I suspect some of it might have gone over my head, but if you have to read a guide to understand why a book is a work of genius, you have to wonder how good that book is to the ordinary reader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 10 minutes ago, KEV67 said: The Great Gatsby left me feeling nonplussed. If it wasn't for its reputation I would have said it was a good book, but I would not have picked it out as the greatest American book of the 20th century, or one of them. It has a reputation for containing a lot of hidden messages and symbology. The green light refers back to something in Greek mythology. There's quite an interesting theory that Gatsby is passing for white. I suspect some of it might have gone over my head, but if you have to read a guide to understand why a book is a work of genius, you have to wonder how good that book is to the ordinary reader. Yes, I'd pretty much agree with all of that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KEV67 Posted January 3, 2022 Author Share Posted January 3, 2022 One thing about the Great American Novel is that it is a bit early 20th century, notwithstanding Moby Dick, Huck Finn, and Little Women. I mean there's Catch 22, but that's 1960s. After that, I am not sure who is worth reading. I started reading one Rabbit book by John Updike, but gave up. Portney's Complaint sounds unpleasant. David Foster Wallace sounds difficult. I read one Saul Bellow, which was good, but I was not tempted to read him again. Perhaps the concept has expired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggle not Posted January 4, 2022 Share Posted January 4, 2022 On 12/1/2021 at 12:10 PM, Marie H said: My favourites are The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck Any of the John Steinbeck novels, especially Cannery Row. I agree with you. In addition, not only is Steinbeck one of the great American writers, he is one of the best writers period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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