Wherein We Elect Our Favourite Novels of 1955

Preda’s slavish realism bores me no less than Eliade’s fash fantasies, so that leaves the non-Romanians. I’ve never managed to get into Nabokov, unfortunately – every word of his rings hollow to my ears. Mordecai Richler is a bit of an eye-roller when viewed through a Montreal non-Anglo lens, so no thank you. I wish I’d read the Gaddis, which sounds like it would be up my alley. The Highsmith is fun, but not entirely my cup of tea either. On the francophone front, none of these are faves of mine tbh, so I’m ultimately going to vote for... the Tolkien, to offset his poor 1954 showing.

Lolita is a good book but its reputation spiralled wildly out of control. I may well still vote for it, though.

Nabokov's critical method for evaluating novels is a bit boring

Oh god, I tried reading some of his critical work and remember it being mostly very bad indeed. My main recollection was thinking "how can someone who created Pale Fire be so tedious in his literary opinions?" But I guess the lesson is to not assume that just because someone created something you love that they actually share your sensibilities. (I've learnt this lesson a lot of times now but it never quite sticks properly.)

I think the way he can 'attack' a page can sometimes be wonderful. I really value his writing on Mansfield Park. Dostoevsky is where you can see the failings. He can only see a novel in terms of its technical achievement.

Technique also involves knowing when to let go of technique, or providing the illusion of letting go. My main gripe with him, actually.

I am mad at the Gaddis because I just got sonned by the nyrb in a April fools beef

Gaddis is kinda good in places but the overall didn't come together for me. I really want to tackle JR tho'.

Love Highsmith but that's not her best book (of the ones I've read, which aren't enough). Fucking great writer tho'.

xp = technique for Nabokov is inseparable to aesthetic pleasure you can gain from a work. This all comes apart in Dostoevsky.

It also is for me nine times out of ten, yet his strikes me as superficial. Oh well.

I read "Lolita" a long time ago but don't remember it very well. I've had "The Recognitions" on my bookshelves for the longest time. I started it once. Maybe someday. For me, this would probably be "The Magician's Nephew" which is my favorite of the Narnia books, because the most sci-fi. It reminds me of "A Wrinkle in Time".

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Wherein We Elect Our Favourite Novels of 1956

I confess that I really like The Recognitions (and Gaddis generally) but it's hard to argue when Lolita is in the mix.