Wherein We Elect Our Favourite Novels of 1967

To clarify, I wasn't trying to draw any comparisons between 100 Years of Solitude and Hopscotch aside from that they were a) books that have been on this poll, b) books that I've not enjoyed, and c) books where I felt that I should have enjoyed them.

Of course, "should have enjoyed them" is a foolish concept that I have imposed upon myself. I suppose I see it more with Hopscotch because I love texts that play with form, but... tbh I didn't see the relevance of that conceit to the book and it just ended up annoying me. But with 100YoS I don't know why I felt I should have liked it aside from the fact that it's been lauded so much, and I usually don't pay any attention to that stuff (see me having failed to read many of the 'classic' works in these threads).

to be clear, I'd consider The Third Policeman if we polled the entire century

― imago

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Emily - sorry shouldn't have picked on your post like that. It was more to do with my annoyance at the wider discourse surrounding Latin American books of a certain period. Both are ofc published during the 60s so maybe that's inevitable.

Totally agree that 100 years is v much lauded, and I freeze myself when talking about that book. I should re-read sometime to see whether it holds up.

I loved solitude (but also shd revisit) but agree it’s unhelpful how it can be lumped in with completely different stuff from the same continent - iirc we have done this before with márquez vs borges which is even more... they share a language I guess? I have only read short stories by cortázar, need to change that

This is so the third policeman tho

Not that I’ve read that many here lol

I didn’t really like trout fishing at all 😕 and I have a pretty high tolerance for the American experimental novels of this era and their cuteness (I rate Snow White and next year’s nog) so can’t say why it didn’t click. Levin is good but completely eclipsed by the film for me

Brautigan really is a pretty twee hippy dude. I love most of his stuff that I've read (there were definitely one or two that didn't land for me but can't remember which ones they were!) but I don't really begrudge people who don't like his work. I think for me if yr cuteness is balanced with enough yearning melancholy then I'm into it, I just don't like happy + cute.

Yeah I can go with that I think - will give him another try

I'd maybe go for The Abortion or Sombrero Fallout over retrying Trout Fishing? There are definitely some dated views of women in his work too, but it's more "sad man thinking baout the exotic unknowable creature that is woman" than anything more gross, and I feel like the works are worth letting him have that.

I voted for Trout Fishing but agree that it’s by no means his best. In addition to the two Emil.y mentions I’d recommend Willard and His Bowling Trophies and The Hawkline Monster.

I totally understand why people can’t stick him.

I got nowhere with Trout Fishing but loved In Watermelon Sugar and really liked The Abortion. Should probably give Trout Fishing another try.

So the Wind Won’t Blow it All Away is very good but Christ what a bleak book.

Niver read him, but I've always really liked what might be the original cover of Revenge of the Lawn: 19th Century->Hippie-Era-looking girl in an Early American-looking chair, looking intensely happy about a big uncut chocolate cake (if this doesn't stay posted, it's worth a search)

https://pictures.abebooks.com/isbn/9780671418526-us.jpg

Also: combo of title x pic, incl. cover colors---!

Post's enlongation ov image even better maybe

Gaze into her eyes

I voted for Trout Fishing but agree that it’s by no means his best. In addition to the two Emil.y mentions I’d recommend Willard and His Bowling Trophies and The Hawkline Monster.

I'd say to anyone who enjoyed The Sisters Brothers, in particular, give Hawkline Monster a try.

I stan for Dreaming of Babylon, but yeah emil.y otm

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Wherein We Elect Our Favourite Novels of 1968