The Molnar and Wodehouse are funny but early works. Botchan or Torless or Wings or Railway Children is a hard choice.
― Tsar Bombadil (James Morrison), Friday, 18 September 2020 12:47 (three years ago) link
Wow, E. Nesbit is running against herself here. I had to vote Story of the Amulet because it's so brilliant (first children's time-travel book ever!) and I love it despite the awful anti-semitic chapter.
― Lily Dale, Friday, 18 September 2020 20:55 (three years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Sunday, 20 September 2020 00:01 (three years ago) link
The Jungle was the most influential
― Et Dieu crea l' (Michael White), Sunday, 20 September 2020 14:16 (three years ago) link
― Et Dieu crea l' (Michael White), Sunday, September 20, 2020 7:16 AM (seven hours ago)
I agree, but also I was wondering -- whether non-US ilxors share this opinion?
― sarahell, Sunday, 20 September 2020 21:38 (three years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Monday, 21 September 2020 00:01 (three years ago) link
Depends on the terms I guess sarahell. In terms of popularity/belovedness I think Railway Children is bigger in Europe - or the UK, at least; in terms of critical respect I think the Musil might have it? One thing's for sure though, when Sinclair gets mentioned here it's always because of his real life influence.
― Daniel_Rf, Monday, 21 September 2020 10:13 (three years ago) link
Forgot to actually vote for Kusamakura it seems. Oh well.
― Monte Scampino (Le Bateau Ivre), Monday, 21 September 2020 10:14 (three years ago) link
Wherein We Elect Our Favourite Novels of 1907
― Daniel_Rf, Monday, 21 September 2020 14:36 (three years ago) link
I would argue that Story of the Amulet, as the book that invented children's time-travel literature, is pretty influential as well. I may be wrong, but I think it's also the first book of any kind where people travel in time by magic as opposed to inventing a time machine? So it really creates a whole genre of time-travel fantasy that extends beyond children's lit, all the way to something like Kindred.
― Lily Dale, Monday, 21 September 2020 16:44 (three years ago) link
I think A Conneticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court did that first?
― Daniel_Rf, Tuesday, 22 September 2020 09:44 (three years ago) link
Oh, you're right! I had a feeling I was forgetting something.
― Lily Dale, Tuesday, 22 September 2020 14:33 (three years ago) link