Day of the triffids was such a gripping read as a teenager so it’s probably that but I have to put in a mention for the cruel sea which was my grandfather’s favourite book and movie (he was in the merchant navy on North Atlantic convoys). I should read it again.
― American Fear of Scampos (Ed), Friday, 19 March 2021 08:36 (three years ago) link
haha we are not alone! Twitter posts deriding Catcher (and other books) always piss me off.
― horseshoe, Friday, 19 March 2021 12:48 (three years ago) link
I'm voting Catcher. I reread all the Salinger stories over Christmas - so good. A Backlisted episode from a few months ago helped me rethink Catcher when they framed Holden as a young man having a nervous breakdown rather than a cool teenage rebel. I really liked Franny & Zooey and RHtRB,C + Seymour too.
― cajunsunday, Friday, 19 March 2021 13:37 (three years ago) link
thanks horseshoe, lots of stuff I've been thinking but pur much better than I could. Also just rewatched the film Six Degrees of Separation and there is a speech defending Catcher in there, love that film too.My ranking of Narnia books is H&HB>VOTDT>MN>>SC>>>LW&W>>>PC>>>LB - haven't read any since childhood and wondering if my kids would like them.
― Bastard Lakes (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Friday, 19 March 2021 14:15 (three years ago) link
I always thought "Prince Caspian" was one of the weaker Narnia books. Though, strangely, it seems to be the best of the recent big-budget, film versions. Let me see, I've read a few of these. Most recently I re-read "Malone Dies", after taking a crack at re-reading "Molloy" but finding I was not in the mood for some of the more tedious slapstick business. It was okay. I think "Foundation" may be Asimov's best novel, at least of the ones I've read. I also read "Catcher in the Rye" perhaps a bit too late in life, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I read Styron's "Lie Down in Darkness" a few years ago. It was also okay. I don't remember much about it. Actually not sure which one I'd vote for.
― o. nate, Friday, 19 March 2021 21:40 (three years ago) link
The main thing I remember about Foundation is that it's a novel set in the future that has zero women in it, even in minor roles. Even as a kid I found that weird.
― Lily Dale, Friday, 19 March 2021 21:49 (three years ago) link
"what was that you said about not getting to vote for Durrenmatt again, xyzz?"
what I meant was that The Judge is probably the best of his novellas and I probably wouldn't vote for anything else.
This is what I have read:
Malone Dies by Samuel BeckettMolloy by Samuel BeckettForbbiden Colours by Yukio MishimaThe Conformist by Alberto MoraviaThe Master Of Go by Yasunari KawabataMemoirs Of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar
I want to go for one of the Becketts but I will get to vote for one of the later ones (I love Mercier and Camier a lot), so its between Yourcenar and Moravia and I am going for Hadrian, its a very good historical recreation.
I will read Catcher in the Rye one day, if only to satisfy my curiosity.
― xyzzzz__, Saturday, 20 March 2021 13:21 (three years ago) link
(I love Mercier and Camier a lot),amen
― dow, Saturday, 20 March 2021 16:43 (three years ago) link
We should've probably included it in the 1946 poll but I suppose it's too late now.
― pomenitul, Saturday, 20 March 2021 16:53 (three years ago) link
It was published in the 70s so was thinking it could be included then
― xyzzzz__, Saturday, 20 March 2021 17:38 (three years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Sunday, 21 March 2021 00:01 (three years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Monday, 22 March 2021 00:01 (three years ago) link
I didn’t vote for The End of the Affair despite what I said about it itt but I’m pleased two of you did.
― Scamp Granada (gyac), Monday, 22 March 2021 00:32 (three years ago) link
Of the zero votes, Forbidden Colours is a very well-written novel where it's hard to tell to what extent it is an exploration of a misogynist and/or by a misogynist.Malone Dies is not much weaker than Molloy but I guess it suffers from middle-of-the-trilogy neglect, like Three Colours: White.
― Halfway there but for you, Monday, 22 March 2021 01:14 (three years ago) link
Right, I thought that was late for L Frank Baum if he had started in teh previous century. So good to hear I had my timeline about right if he died in 191. THought that was odd. THough of course there are always unpublished works released way posthumously.
― Stevolende, Monday, 22 March 2021 09:30 (three years ago) link
Wherein We Elect Our Favourite Novels of 1952
― Daniel_Rf, Monday, 22 March 2021 11:53 (three years ago) link
foundation has a neat idea but it's horribly written and doesn't even do justice to the idea
― mookieproof, Monday, 22 March 2021 23:09 (three years ago) link