My friend Sean loves to debate the merits of certain books that have historically been called "great." I think he has some strange ideas, but he does share my love for books. I was sharing a quote with him and a couple of other friends, and, as anti-sentimental as Sean is, he thought it was a great paragraph and sentiment:
" Vendler is evoking one of the great myths about those of us who take literature seriously enough to major it in college, perhaps enough to want to spend out lives teaching literature to others: that in our Edenic childhoods we grew up enchanted by the pleasures and powers of literature . . . However we got hooked by literature, it seems to be a lifelong addiction, and studying it is the tribute we pay to the power it has over us."
Falling Into Theory
I told Sean I would try and start a debate, or at least a list, of books others feel are great. Here's mine, in order of greatness:
1. The Waves
2. Jane Eyre
3. The Brothers Karamozov
4. Love in the Time of Cholera
5. To the Lighthouse
6. Mrs./ Dalloway
7. The Portrait of a Lady
8. As I Lay Dying
9. One Hundred Years of Solitude
10. The Good Soldier
I could go on and on, but I am already questioning my top ten list. I would love to see what books show up again and again on this list. Add yours and make Sean happy.
5 comments:
This is tough, but.....
(not in any particular order)
1. The Age of Innocence
2. Moby Dick
3. The Voyage Out
4. The Sun Also Rises
5. Of Mice and Men
6. As I Lay Dying
7. Mrs. Dalloway
8. In Search of Lost Time (I realize this includes many 'books')
9. Rememberance of Things Past (same)
10. The Awakening
I agree with Brandi, this is very tough. Here are mine, but not in any order:
1. Desitny
2. East of Eden
3. Lolita
4. The Waves
5. Mrs. Dalloway
6. Animal Farm
7. Titus Andronicus
8. Doctor Faustus
9. Native Son
10. Candide
(Alicia, I know you are surprised by #4 and 5. I am glad you made me take the class.)
Well, you know I can't pass up making a list, especially of books..
1. Mrs. Dalloway
2. The Awakening
3. Chronicle of a Death Untold (en español.)
4. 100 Years of Solitude (tambíen en español)
5. Absalom! Absalom!
6. The Bluest Eye
7. Invisible Man (Ralph Ellison)
8. The Color Purple
9. Siddartha (Herman Hesse)
10. Brothers Karamazov
I must add, that I CANNOT wait to have access to books again! 18 days!!
Yes Kirsten, I am suprised. Do all of you now see why your mother makes you eat your vegatables? You may actually like them. christy, we will make sure you have books to take back. I have always wanted to read Siddartha. I have the biography on Marquez that I will let you read. Sean, your list is not as crazy as I thought it would be. Mrs. Dalloway is the winner so far for being on everyone's list (but sean's)
Here are mine...
1. Lolita
2. Wuthering Heights
3. The Lord of the Flies
4. The Great Gatsby
5. Destiny
6. The Bell Jar
7. A Wrinkle in Time
8. Desiree's Baby
9. A Good Man is Hard to Find
10. Metamorphosis
As you can see, I am the worst English major ever. I have never read any of the classics, but have managed to read many bestsellers in my day. I am ashamed to even put this list up for scrutiny.
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