All of the ones I remember reading seemed very strong, although Portnoy's Complaint was enough Roth for me, after Goodbye, Columbus and When She Was Good---enough so far, that is (I kind of hope not forever), also Slaughterhouse-Five, The French Lieutenant's Woman, The Four-Gated City, Ubik--but I'll go with The Left Hand of Darkness for cadence and imagery of emotional release, in the discipline of fiction---whatever shortcomings might be evident in re-reading it now, the whole thing was revelatory expression---"these are the words for this"---at the time, and I gather from occasional comments later that the author felt the same way, had something of the same experience. People who like it tend to love it.
― dow, Thursday, 20 May 2021 21:01 (two years ago) link
Seems like non-sf 60s is a bit of a black spot for me, I've only read the le guin, dick, & vonnegut. (i know the vonnegut is one of those lucky sf books to be embraced by people who normally turn their nose up at that kind of thing.) I started Ada or Ardor for ye olde ilx book club but didn't get far.
― I was born anxious, here's how to do it. (ledge), Friday, 21 May 2021 14:01 (two years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Sunday, 23 May 2021 00:01 (two years ago) link
The Unfortunates changed my life in a medium-sized kind of way, but notwithstanding that it’s really brilliant. I’d vote for it for more or less any year, except maybe ‘74.
― Tim, Sunday, 23 May 2021 05:32 (two years ago) link
I mean ‘78.
― Tim, Sunday, 23 May 2021 05:33 (two years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Monday, 24 May 2021 00:01 (two years ago) link
Ooh. I thought Le Guin was going to take this. Much as I like Vonnegut I'm a tad disappointed.
― emil.y, Monday, 24 May 2021 00:23 (two years ago) link
Well it was close!
― Daniel_Rf, Monday, 24 May 2021 09:14 (two years ago) link
Wherein We Elect Our Favourite Novels of 1970
― Daniel_Rf, Monday, 24 May 2021 09:55 (two years ago) link
Yes, very. I guess I should have voted twice.
― What's It All About, Althea? (Aimless), Monday, 24 May 2021 17:48 (two years ago) link
I'm intrigued by what's coming up in '78 that Tim is so passionate about, but I guess I can wait a few more polls to find out.
― emil.y, Monday, 24 May 2021 17:59 (two years ago) link
it's actually the Panini sticker book for the Argentina World Cup
― koogs, Monday, 24 May 2021 19:46 (two years ago) link
Yeah that’s why I mixed it up with 1974 but that one was West Germany of course.
― Tim, Monday, 24 May 2021 19:48 (two years ago) link
(it's kind of odd because Iran, Peru, Hungary, Tunisia, Scotland even, all get their own pages, whilst England gets 4 stickers - Clements, Brooking, Hughes, Keegan)
https://www.stickerpoint.net/panini-album-argentina-78-complete-with-all-stickers-p-521.html
― koogs, Monday, 24 May 2021 20:41 (two years ago) link
England didn’t make it to that World Cup, probs had something to do with it.
― Tim, Monday, 24 May 2021 22:20 (two years ago) link