The article says, "Anyone who's been handed a high school diploma can tick off the classic novels
from the twentieth century: The Great Gatsby, A
Farewell to Arms, The Grapes
of Wrath. But cross into this millennium and things are suddenly
murkier, Kindle-ier, less classed up with age. Then again, it's been an
affirming thirteen years, enough time to breed a whole new body of post-2000 lit
we're happy to call the new classics—and we're not afraid to name names."
So here's their list:
- The Corrections
- The Human Stain
- The Road
- White Teeth
- The History of the Kelly Gang
- 2666
- Tree Of Smoke
- Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned
- Fortress Of Solitude
- Pastoralia
The full GQ article is HERE.
But wait. . . HOLD ON! No Stephen King? Nothing since 2000 is a "must read" for guys?
I'll put it to you. Which novel since Y2K is a must read for guys?
2000, The Green Mile (complete novel)
2001, Dreamcatcher
2002, Blach House
2002, From A Buick 8
2003, The Gunslinger Revised
2003, The Wolves Of The Calla
2003, The Song of Susannah
2004, The Dark Tower
2005, The Colorado Kid
2006, Cell
2006, Lisey's Story
2008, Duma Key
2009, Under The Dome
2010, Full Dark, No Stars
2011, 11/22/63
In my opinion: 11/22/63 is a must read. King does more than simply give us a good story, he takes us back in time. He returns us to the Kennedy Years. He doesn't just shovel a pile of history at us, he takes us by the hand and walks us into an era many of us never experienced. No kidding, I really do think this is a must read!
I don't disagree, in fact i think he digs beneath the surface to try to find the "mindset" that set the rest of the decade in motion in 11/22/63.
ReplyDeleteI also think It and Shining are perennial must reads in any age.
P.S. Good gosh, that Disney version of Christine!
ChrisC
Everything King writes is a must-read, as far as I'm concerned. Even the lousy ones, like Lisey's Story.
ReplyDeleteBut if I were recommending to the public at large, and not just to people predisposed to like books like this, I'd say 11/22/63 is the cream of that particular crop. Followed narrowly by Duma Key and The Green Mile.
I know you don´t like Lisey Story but I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT (and everything i know has read it, loved id too). Here is my list:
ReplyDelete2000, The Green Mile (complete novel)
2002, BlacK House
2003, The Gunslinger Revised
2003, The Wolves Of The Calla
2003, The Song of Susannah
2004, The Dark Tower
2006, Lisey's Story
2008, Duma Key
2011, 11/22/63
I think there is a distinction between good books which are fun to read, and important books which reflect, define, or change cultural zeitgeist. Then there are books that are so good they must enter our cultural lexicon for the magnificence of the story.
ReplyDeleteWith that in mind, I think King wrote two important books: It, and 11/22/63. One was a definitive examination of the American Baby Boomer childhood and the other an examination of America just prior to the assassination of JFK which changed American culture forever.
As for the transcendent story, King wrote several I think should be considered important. They include The Stand, The Shining, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, and The Green Mile.