Best book of the 20th century?

[Gav]

Inq,

You and I are in agreement!

Aside from Tolkein there isn't a fantasy author I consider to be amongst the great.

As much as I like Thomas Covenant, I don't consider those books "high fiction". Guilty pleasure perhaps? Every once in a while I like to be entertaind.

[latenight]

Perfume by Patrick Suskind. Just because I liked it and for no other valid, highbrow reason

[OROD]

Any of you guys ever read The Iron Heel by Jack London? It's been a long time since I read it, but I remember it was both entertaining and at the same time somewhat off-putting... I mean, the whole book reads like Communist propaganda.

I'm not sure I'd say it's one of the best of the 20th century, but on the other hand I wonder how influential it was. I mean, it has many of the ideas of 1984, only written 40 years earlier.

.

[achilles_heal]

We could have a threadjack for annoying books, or Worst Of The Century.

1) United States Tax Code, Vol XVII
2) Dianetics
3) A Mother's Gift, the gift to american fiction by Britney and mom, Lynne Spears
4) So You're Thinking About Homeschooling - New, Second Edition, contribution to american sociologic landscape by tv's blair warner, Lisa Whelchel, who is also an annoying christian contemporary singer. bleah.
5) I, Pottsie, by Happy Days' Anson Williams.

ok, i made the last one up.

[Inquartata]

Aside from Tolkein there isn't a fantasy author I consider to be amongst the great.

You want some of the old, almost forgotten writers, then. Lord Dunsany, E.R. Eddison, those guys. ( Well, semi-great, maybe. )

As much as I like Thomas Covenant, I don't consider those books "high fiction". Guilty pleasure perhaps? Every once in a while I like to be entertaind.

Exactly. It's a poolside read.

I have gone through a LOT of it that way.

I was impressed by Donaldson mostly because he was the first writer in many years of reading who was able to send me in search of a dictionary. The OED, in some cases.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Aside from Tolkein there isn't a fantasy author I consider to be amongst the great.

Hmm...what about George R.R. Martin and his "Song of Ice and Fire" series?

Amazingly original stuff.

[Gav]

Hmm...what about George R.R. Martin and his "Song of Ice and Fire" series?

Amazingly original stuff.

Ahh Cap... we are going to have to agree to disagree.

Entertaining books though - I do give you that.

[Gav]

I was impressed by Donaldson mostly because he was the first writer in many years of reading who was able to send me in search of a dictionary. The OED, in some cases.

What I liked about those books was the essential darkness. I liked that and Donaldson has a good writing style. Entertaining stuff.

[rudd]

1984 George Orwell, But I almost chose Homage to Catalonia
Under the Volcano Malcolm Lowry
The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald
Blood Meridian Cormac McCarthy
Invisible Cities Italio Calvino

Difficult to choose just 5.