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Sunday October 8 2006
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Best books of the last 25 years
Last May the New York Times sent a ripple through the international book world when it announced that its Sunday Book Review had polled a bunch of American writers and come up with the 'best book of 1980-2005'.
The answer? Beloved by Toni Morrison, observes Robert McCrum.
This got us thinking that it would be interesting - in the run-up to the 2006 Booker Prize - to do something similar for British and Commonwealth fiction 1980-2005. So we sent off letters to about 175 writers from Julian Barnes to Zadie Smith, and awaited their replies. About 120 responded - and in today's Review we publish the result.
Although we promised nominators anonymity (so we haven't published who voted for what), we had a bit of fun breaking the votes down further.
Taking only female respondents into account, Margaret Atwood's Handmaid's Tale would have come fourth, while Amis's Money (second overall) would not have taken a 'podium' place. Totting up results by author alone (i.e. every vote for any of their novels), and Penelope Fitzgerald would have come second, overall.
The longlist of also-rans also includes two Nobel laureates (Golding and Naipaul) and no fewer than eight Booker Prize winners (Coetzee; McEwan; Ishiguro; Rushdie; Atwood; Golding; Hollinghurst and Naipaul). Many other recent Booker prize contenders received no votes all.
What do you think? Have our literary insiders made any glaring errors? We'd love to hear your nominations.
This post was last changed at 09:38 AM, October 8 2006 , at a time when the top headline on Guardian Unlimited was Reid promises tough measures after trio vanish, and the top headline from the BBC was Bin charges 'to boost recycling', and there were posts elsewhere tagged with these same keywords:The post was written by Observer. You can email the author at firstname.lastname@example.com
Glaring omission: the novel which explained how the last twenty-five years came to produce the novels, the art and the lives that it did: J.G. Ballard's "Empire of the Sun."
Posted by morbidson on October 8, 2006 1:30 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I nominate Geoff Ryman -the Unconquered Country, or if that is too short to count, then Air. Though there is nothing second-best about Air, I only feel that it may be written too recently for all its insights and resonances to become apparent.
Posted by MerphWator on October 8, 2006 2:43 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Unfortunately the cutoff date precludes Iris Murdoch's matchless "The Sea The Sea"
I would therefore vote for Peter Carey's "A True History of the Kelly Gang" and Rohinton Mistry's "A Fine Balance." Above any of the other choices listed I would put Louis de Berniere's "The War of Don Emmauel's Nether Parts, "Andrew O'Hagan's moving "Be Near Me," Hillary Mantel's "A Change of Climate" and David Mitchell's "Cloud Atlas" where even the incomprehensibility of certain passages is infinetely more engaging and refreshing than any tired old Amis, MacEwan, Rushdie and Ishiguro.
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1. I nominate Golden gate (V Seth) and would advance Walcott's Omeros in the ratings.
Both are brilliant verse novels, most engaging and tell their stories beter by being verse.
Agree Rushdie, Atkinson, not so sure Amis is in the same rank.
Posted by JohnU on October 8, 2006 3:30 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
J.G. Ballard's The Empire of the Sun (1984) should not be forgotten and ought to be on the list. I believe it is one of the greatest books of the last quarter century.
Posted by ericcforbes on October 8, 2006 3:55 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Dear Review
Why Smash Hits-style journalism in October? At least save it for the silly season when short-staffing goes some way to justifying such lazy hackery.
Posted by PRae on October 8, 2006 6:35 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Salman Rushdie: SAtanic Verses
Posted by meillerie on October 8, 2006 8:05 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Don DeLillo's White Noise, with Richard Ford's Independence Day a close second.
Posted by TJ66 on October 8, 2006 8:21 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
...there were probably some bloody good novels in the 1950's, but who cares - the one that people remember is the one that transported them to another world when they were children, that got them to read a fat book for the first time, and the one that they vote for time and time again when the public are asked to vote - as opposed to a bunch of publishers patsies (you know the one I'm talking about don't you! - One ring to rule them all......)
On that basis there is only one, and thats Harry Potter, like it or lump it. It'll be the Winnie the Pooh of our generation. I can see ther spin off's now - The Tao of Potter etc etc....
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What, no Murakami?
A personal favourite would be "Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World", but in terms of a more obviously "important" novel dealing with Japan's history, I nominate "The wind-up Bird Chronicle".
Posted by dazmck on October 8, 2006 9:02 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I would have liked to have seen
i Passage to India
by E M Forster.
It has so much to tell.
i Moon Tiger
by Penelope Lively.
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manatau: passage to india not after 1980.
dazmk: murakami not 'British & Commonwealth'.
The list is the usual suspects with vested interests electing the usual suspects...
Crimes of omission are Iain Sinclair 'Downriver', Nicholas Mosely 'Hopeful Monsters' or 'Judith', Adam Thorpe 'Ulverton'.
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Funnily enough only yesterday I glanced at my bookshelves and spotted Disgrace up there. I thought to myself 'I must read that again' - it is just so brilliant, not a single word wasted. So forget all the easy jibes about list culture etc., if this poll boosts the sales of Disgrace then the world is a better place for it.
Posted by bluedaddy on October 8, 2006 9:35 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I'd nominate 'Ulverton' by Adam Thorpe; anatomises the dark heart of English history with a skilled manipulation of voices and interleaved stories: marvellous novel.
Posted by withnail67 on October 8, 2006 10:25 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Talking of Ballard: where is Cocaine Nights?
Other omissions for me would be:
Sexing the Cherry - Jeanette Winterson
The unbearable lightness of being; The book of laughter and forgetting - Milan Kundera
London Fields; Einsteins' Monsters - Martin Amis
New York Trilogy; The country of last things - Paul Auster
American Psycho; Less than zero - Brett Easton Ellis
A prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
I'm fairly sure that there are others, but those are the ones that spring to mind immediately.
"Amis, MacEwan, Rushdie and Ishiguro" are tired? All great authors, especially MacEwan (Attonement should top the list in my opinion).
Posted by Dagenhamdave on October 8, 2006 10:32 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Wot no Donna Tartt? For me, The Secret History is almost the perfect book in that it has everything one would wish for without being overloaded. It's intellectual and erudite whilst being bloody and visceral at the same time. The characterisation is brilliant - Charles and Camilla, Henry, Francis and Julian have become almost iconic figures for me. And it's a very thorough psychological study of the effects of murder and guilt on a small group of people. Oh and there are several criss-crossing love stories in there too. What more could you want?
Posted by frogprincess on October 8, 2006 10:39 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Banville and Barbara Vine... did they get no mentions at all?
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I would like to nominate Lanark by Alasdair Gray. This book redefined the Scottish literary landscape and garnered encomia from established authors like Anthony Burgess; however, it is still baffling that it should remain in the shadow of the later Scottish writers whose dark presentations of a decaying, ragged society should have been so influenced by Gray.
Posted by licketysplitz on October 8, 2006 10:48 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Lanark, defintely. More recently: Remainder by Tom McCarthy.
Posted by gallix on October 8, 2006 11:01 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I nominate the finest of the Flashman papers: Flashman in the Great Game (George MacDonald Fraser). As well as displaying the usual poltroonery of this fantastic character it adds depth, insight and astonishingly accurate historical detail when looking at the events of the Indian Mutiny. The parallels with current conflicts resonate throughout. Oh, and I laughed myself silly.
Posted by fatlad on October 8, 2006 11:07 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I'm surprised that Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting isn't mentioned anywhere on the list. I don't think that he would score well for his work as a whole - but this book should definitely be mentioned. Perhaps the film is now better remembered than the book.
I also agree with the poster who nominated Winterson's Sexing the Cherry. Master Georgie by Beryl Bainbridge should be on there too.
Posted by davearmchair on October 8, 2006 11:15 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Graham Swift, Waterland and Last Orders. I can't understand how these are missing from the list. Waterland, for me, is along with Naipaul's Enigma of Arrival, the best novel of the late 20th century.
Posted by dunwallo on October 8, 2006 11:25 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Come on people! BRITISH AND COMMONWEALTH 1980-2005. So no Tartt, Easton Ellis, Irving, Auster and so on. If you are not sure maybe you could check the internet!
Posted by bluedaddy on October 8, 2006 11:48 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Arundhati Roy's - The God of Small Things
beautifully written prose, an engaging story, the backdrop of history, real characters.......i wish she would write more!
Posted by elenageo on October 8, 2006 11:58 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Interesting that the number 1 on the list is actually South African. That would make "Money" the best British novel of the last 25 years. Now, that can't be right. I think "Disgrace" is fantastic, and a worthy winner, but, on the grounds that it is an English novel, my vote would go to "Enduring Love." It is a quite superb piece of writing. I was also very glad to see "That They May Face the Rising Sun," John McGahern's beautifully crafted, wonderfully understated book, on the list in such a high position.
Posted by Larts on October 8, 2006 12:10 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
..... and I forgot - "Waterland" and "Last Orders" are not on the list. Two very fine books indeed.
Posted by Larts on October 8, 2006 12:12 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
id go for Margaret Atwood's "Blind Assassin" over "Handsmaid's Tale" any day. Both were excellent but for me Blind Assassin wins no contest
the best book i've read recently is by Scottish author Jonathan Falla and is called Poor Mercy, a novel based in Darfur
Posted by sideline on October 8, 2006 12:29 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Larts, for me the last third or so of Enduring Love is disappointing and is a let-down from the opening two-thirds. For this reason it wouldn't be my number one - although it is still a superb book over all. I felt the same kind of disappointment at the end of Amsterdam - an ending that lets down the earlier potential of the book.
Posted by davearmchair on October 8, 2006 12:31 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Any shouts for Will Self's My Idea of Fun? Not my number one book but definitely should be mentioned for the ideas that push the story forward
Posted by davearmchair on October 8, 2006 12:34 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Excellent list, as you'd expect from this panel, the only serious omission - as already mentioned on this blog - being J G Ballard (perhaps because he's outside the London literary mafia?) I'd put LIFE OF PI higher up, certainly in the top three. But there is a serious commission. Come on guys, which joker voted for Harry Potter? (Surely not Philip Pullman?) Now that is trahison des clercs.
Posted by Dominia on October 8, 2006 12:42 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
While your point doesn't really require quite so many CAPS, I couldn't agree more. Why have so few of the folks going to the trouble of posting their comments and nominations not gone to the trouble of absorbing the article to the extent of noting that only non-American novels published 1980 - 1995 are valid entries.
I love The Secret History too, and Empire of The Sun, but they don't meet the entrance requirement. One wonders whether those who skim-read an article of this length are worth heeding when it comes to recommending full-length works of fiction...
That being said, I would bump Banks' The Wasp Factory up to the top few, and while I haven'r read Money (shame on me) Martin Amis deserves a podium for London Fields.
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I am always puzzled at the perennial mention of "The Wasp Factory" when "The Bridge" and "Walking On Glass" are far superior. The "Lanark" influence in both of them heightens the ambition of Banks in both novels.
"Bad Wisdom" by Bill Drummond (formerly of the KLF) and Mark Manning (aka Zodiac Mindwarp) is a definite candidate, but seems astonishingly little-read. To those in the know... you'll know why. To those who don't - expand your mind and read it.
"On Beauty" by Zadie Smith is also excellent. So lush and perceptive. Yum yum.
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Money in the second place and no The Information in the top ten? You must be joking
Posted by hortensia on October 8, 2006 1:33 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Most memorable books...
Where is any book from William Boyd or William Trevor? I also agree that Waterland should have been included.
Of those listed my personal favoutite is A FINE BALANCE - brillant.
Posted by kiwigirl on October 8, 2006 1:33 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
lol. Ballard outside the london literary mafia?! you obviously didn't see his shamelessly corporate interview/signing session with a sycophantic observer critic a few weeks ago...
Putting Disgrace above Earthly Powers in the list is absurd!
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Iain Banks - Complicity and Walking on glass
Posted by cookster101 on October 8, 2006 2:09 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Again - Rushdie, tired?
I'd put Shame at the top of the list.
Posted by goebsmaximus on October 8, 2006 2:22 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
No Murakami, no Kundera... is the list a joke?
Posted by kinkyafro on October 8, 2006 2:46 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Disgrace would get my vote too, possibly tied with my other Coetzee favourite, Waiting for the Barbarians. Definitely the best English-language author alive today.
I can´t recall if Lanark was post 1980, but if so, it definitely deserves to be on the list, startingly unique and daring and breathtakingly original. Having been a McEwan fan since adolescence, I never undertsnad why Atonement is consistenly rated his best work. I found it awful, and a complete betrayal of the style that had made his voice so unique. For me, Black Dogs remains his best work, lacking both the coldness of his earlier works and the sentimentaliy of his more recent ones...
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Kinkyafro -
Pretty sure Kundera is not British or Commonwealth. Haven't heard of Murakami.
Posted by kiwigirl on October 8, 2006 3:13 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
"in 1965, in a poll of more than two hundred authors, critics, and editors, Invisible Man was voted the most distinguished work of fiction published since the end of World War II. Ellison had beaten out such white writers as Salinger, Saul Bellow, Norman Mailer, Joseph Heller, Mary McCarthy, Harvey Swados, Jack Kerouac, Flannery O'Connor, William Burroughs, John Cheever, Truman Capote, Vladimir Nabokov, Bernard Malamud, Eudora Welty, and at least a dozen more, a stunning feat."
In 1965, I think the category of "post-WWII American novel" had more meaning than just an arbitrary time frame. Weren't writers at the time -- like Bellow, Mailer, Ellison, et al -- distancing themselves from the macho Hemingway aesthetic and announcing what made them diffferent, whether it was ethnic background, gender, neurosis, or something else?
The results of this year's NY Times poll, where a small number of mostly over-70 authors are represented by multiple titles, seems almost meaningles by comparison. The exceptions are DeLillo, Morrison, and a few others, but still, there's no Jonathan Franzen or David Foster Wallace on the list.
I like your poll results more. They're more diverse and more in keeping with spirit of the original poll. I haven't read many of the books chosen, but I would have voted for White Teeth by Zadie Smith, London Fields by Martin Amis, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, and yes, even A Bend a the River by V.S. Naipaul, which although I don't relate to his politics is a brilliant and chilling novel about postcolonial Africa.
Ralph Ellison has been described as the black Kafka, so I can see the similarity to J.M. Coetzee, but I've read post-apartheid novels by Indian and black as well as white South African authors which all use interracial rape as a metaphor for identity. Besides "Disgrace," there's "Bitter Fruit" by Achmat Dangor and "The Madonna of Excelsior" by Zakes Mda, the only one of the three with an optimistic vision.
Posted by Bix2bop on October 8, 2006 3:34 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Right guy, wrong novel perhaps. Masters of Petersburg is way better. But what on earth possessed him to move to Adelaide (Rule 3: Never live in Adelaide), and who on earth could hold out any hope that he'll do any more great work from there?
Posted by StephenSaunders on October 8, 2006 3:42 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
The Rings of Saturn, hands down.
(Sebald lived in England long enough to qualify, surely.)
Cloud Atlas is a glaring omission. I guess it was too recent for everyone to decide one way or the other, but it's a f*cking masterpiece. Empowering, entertaining, stimulating and, (much like Sebald) not a sentence out of place.
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Oh, and The Carpathians by Janet Frame.
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"The Master" by Toibin
Posted by labowe on October 8, 2006 4:44 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I'm not usually one for lists, but the Observer is spot-on. Disgrace is indeed unforgettable, and a masterclass in contemporary writing - spare, elegant, not a word wasted etc [in stark contrast to the Romantic poets taught by Prof Lurie of course].
I personally would have had Midnight's Children in second, followed by Atonement. I'm also not sure that John McGahern was quite good enough to have two in the Top 10.
I'm stunned that The Satanic Verses didn't appear to receive a nomination and that John Banville wasn't better represented. Where was The Book of Evidence? Or Shroud? Or The Sea? Or is he too 'difficult'?
Posted by jamesc23 on October 8, 2006 5:00 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I could not be more thrilled that Earthly Powers is one of the top choices. It is my equal number 1 (with Disgrace)but I thought it had been totally forgotten. I agree about Waterland. I reread it recently after a 20 year gap and loved it even more than i did the first time round. Apart from these I would have Tim Winton (Dirt Music) in my list.
Reviewing my list i consider it to have been a wondrful and diverse period for British and Commonwealth literature. Much better than American literature of the same period in my opinion. Toni Morrison got the nobel prize for one good shot in a dreary and pretentious career.
Posted by montewarden on October 8, 2006 5:00 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Very surprised not to see any mention of Martin Booth's Booker-nominated "The Industry of Souls".
Posted by TumblingYak on October 8, 2006 5:04 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Hanif Kureishi's The Buddha of Suburbia is undoubtedly the major novel of this era. It changed the face of Britain -- from English Anglo-Saxonism to its rich contemporary hybrid cultural mix. It brought formerly fringe and minority figures into the narrative centre. It was the first literary novel to put cultural references like pop music lyrics into the fabric of English prose. And, more than any other book of its time, it tackled head-on the politics of the day in vitally artistic terms. Kureishi's vision of 'the real Britain' also spoke to the rest of the world about modern times, updating Englishness by, paradoxically, using the traditions of Englishness (comedy and humanity) to do so.
Deanna Kamiel, New York
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And I forgot to mention a little read but wonderful writer..James Hamilton Paterson. I would nominate Griefwork.
Posted by montewarden on October 8, 2006 5:06 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I choose Byatt's 'Possession' for # 1. Surprised that not one Anita Brookner novel was in the list.
Posted by ndion on October 8, 2006 5:14 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Is Louis De Bernieres too popular or something? Re read Captain Correlli this summer - although politically flawed still feel it is a great novel for its sweep and emotional truth. Delighted to see ' As Meat Loves Salt' there - thought I was the only person who'd read it!
Posted by Powderpup on October 8, 2006 5:14 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Ugh, what a tired list. Full of exactly the precious, insipid, self-congratulatory writers the judges at the Booker prize seem to adore. Come on, guys! There's so many other writers out there, and ones with actual blood in their veins, to boot! For me, it has to be Murakami's Wind Up Bird Chronicles, Coupland's Generation X, Philip Roth's American Pastoral, Tobias Wolff's Old School, Nic McDonnel's Twelve... Okay, so there are a few on the list I liked, but Harry Potter?! And what is it about Atonement these judges like so much? As far as European writing in general, these days, it's all so depressing. Where are the Nabokov's, the Hasek's, the Kafka's? And as for the Brits, well, aside from dear old Pullman, who is a treasure, the only people pushing the boat out, are writers like Helen Walsh, who has some way to go. Where's the aggression, the compassion, the concepts AND the characterisation? The only ones doing this right now are the Japanese, and most of them are doing it in Anime and Manga.
Posted by Bettygoestothezoo on October 8, 2006 5:24 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
the most rivetting, unputdownable thing I have read in the last few years....Michael Hoffman's "The Wisdom of Crocodiles".
It is endlessly surprising, wonderfully magical and despite that it, says so much about every day life and relationships.
For poetry posing as prose, I have to point to Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient. Yes, I know it's beloved of the "London Literary Mafia", but I found it deeply moving. Like Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day, it has something to say about the life of the UK and the people who were pushed to one side in the making of modern Britain...and why they lost out.
Posted by CorkyTheCat on October 8, 2006 6:09 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
How about Jose Saramago's Blindness?
Posted by juddha on October 8, 2006 6:35 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
From Adam Torpe; Ulverton & No Telling.
From Hilary Mantell: A Place of Greater Safety.
Posted by eurobogeyman on October 8, 2006 6:43 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Just remembered:
Murukami: The Wind-up Bird Chronicle
Posted by eurobogeyman on October 8, 2006 6:49 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Hilary Mantel's A Change of Climate is the most surprising omission in my view. I can't see why Ondaatje's The English Patient is not on there either; is this an example of a successful Hollywood film tarnishing the literary reputation of a fine writer? Mediocre films (of Amis, McEwan, Atwood et al) are soon forgotten.
And what about the great Robertson Davies? The Cornish Trilogy is pure pleasure. I wonder how different the list would have been if everyone could have nominated, say, five novels. It might have been less conventional, though I have to confess the list does reflectt he conventionality of my own taste.
Posted by JohnCa on October 8, 2006 7:05 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Wind-up bird chronicle by Haruki Murakami.
Posted by romily on October 8, 2006 7:05 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I agree with most of your shortlist, except for one huge omission: what about Jonathan Coe? All of his work is compelling, and The House of Sleep and/or What a Carve up both deserve to be in the best British books of all time.
I would also have included one of Irvine Welsh's books due to his work on the Scottish dialect.
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*Disgrace* in first place before *Midnight's Children*!!! I really cannot see that. *Disgrace* maybe a fifth or sixth placer.
Get that wretched misery guts Ian McEwan off this and all lists. He is just awful, boring, banal and pointless.
Posted by splendidthing on October 8, 2006 7:18 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
splendidthing - i think the thing about mcewan that's frustrating is that he's definitely capable of great writing but some of his books leave me feeling disappointed because they aren't as good as they could have been - enduring love and amsterdam for example. Some of his work is brilliant, particularly some of the stuff in 'first love, last rites' like 'homemade'. But this work pre-dates the scope of this list.
Posted by davearmchair on October 8, 2006 7:42 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Special world of 'literature' keeps its self alive with idiot lists for idiot list readers. Gah.
The descriptions of very average books like 'On Beauty' as luscious - WTF?
There are fresh figs in Greece that are luscious - this is a dull book.
How about a list of all the people that insane narcissistic ambitious writers have fucked over or stolen from in their desperate search for fame and money?
Now that would make a good read.
Posted by dithers on October 8, 2006 7:44 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
dithers - who's on that list?
Posted by davearmchair on October 8, 2006 7:50 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
My faves have probably all been mentioned but what about considering: -
David Peace: 'GB84' or 'The Damned United'.
Carol Shields: Larry's Party'
Jackie Kay: 'Trumpet'
Oscar Moore: A Matter of Life and Sex' - a stunning tale of HIV & AIDS through the eyes of a gay man living in London in the days before antiretroviral therapy. It's easy to forget how far we've come.
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I'm surprised that Michael Ondaatje's The English Patient was left off - I thought it would've been a shoo-in for a list of this type.
Ditto the mentions of Swift's Last Orders.
I'm pretty sure short story collections were ineligible (no William Trevor or Alice Munro) but I still would've been curious to see if any would have made it.
I'm also surprised that The Unconsoled made it above The Remains of the Day.
My favourite mention? Probably Fugitive Pieces - I didn't expect it to sneak through.
Posted by Okri on October 8, 2006 8:01 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Disappointing to see how many of those that have commented failed to read the criteria explaining this was for British Irish and COmmonwealth writers after 1980.
There is one surprising omission for me in terms of writers and that is Ballard - although I think his best work is done before the start date. I suspect that in later years we will look back at this period and see some important early works by two important writers - neither of whom have made the list - David PEace and David Mitchell.
I am pleased to see 1982 Janine by Alasdair Gray on the list (and guess that Jonathan Coe has nominated it - given his love of the novel) but when Gray is mentioned that Lanark - the book that kickstarted modern Scottish fiction - is omitted is surprising, although this may be down to the people polled. I suspect that if there more modern Scottish novelists had been polled that Lanark would have been nominated if not made the top ten.
Posted by scotslawyer on October 8, 2006 8:08 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
You'd be a fool to say that "Disgrace" wasn't Coetzee's best book, but in the tough competition for his second-best, I'd nominate "Foe," his stunning retelling of Robinson Crusoe. So few postmodern novels have the rigor and moral commitment of this one.
And speaking of South Africans, where on earth is Nadine Gordimer?
Posted by jsf27 on October 8, 2006 8:10 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Almost don't care who wins - commendations from readers will make up my Christmas present list. Thanks to all - love to hear from other avid readers.
Posted by kiwigirl on October 8, 2006 8:25 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Yes I second the nomination of Jackie Kay's Trumpet - an excellent novel. I also want to stick up for Zadie - I thought On Beauty was fantastically accomplished for such a young writer. It was also incredibly funny and wise.
Can't understand all this anti-McEwan sentiment though. I think Atonement [and Saturday come to think of it] is quite clearly the work of a master.
Posted by jamesc23 on October 8, 2006 8:33 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Kate Atkinson - 'Behind the scenes at the museum' - I've read it and reread it and bought it as a present for many friends.
Totally fantastic.
Posted by hrhpod on October 8, 2006 9:12 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
David Peace: GB84. Best book I read in the last 25 years or so, in fact since I read Bulgakov's Master and Margarita.
Posted by Ithecat on October 8, 2006 9:17 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
To pick any best book is purely subjective. What does it constitute - sales? Obviously not or else Harry Potter would be topping the list (apologies to Mr McCrum - you must be spinning to have at least one hitting the list - but at least your parameters can excluse Dan Brown).
Seriously though - does it not, at the end of the day, reflect preferences? I can not get my head round Sci-fi - don't know if any of the authors listed wtite in this genre - but I accept that if they do they could well be on the list.
Lists, I know, are fun but I hope that they do not prevent readers from reading authors who are, by their very nature, populist. Anyway at least this list is more reflective of general opinion then the 'good holiday reads' which have our great and good going on their summer hols toting obscure biographies and other 'worthy' tomes.
I still think 'A Fine Balance' should be number one.
Posted by kiwigirl on October 8, 2006 9:17 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
120 contributors, 67 (give or take - I only counted once) different nominations. Can't decide if that's reassuring or not. But it would be interesting to know just how many votes Disgrace received. 10% of the vote ?
I would have liked to see Sinclair's Downriver, Macgregor's If Nobody Speaks. But then again, if I had one vote and one vote only, I can't believe that I would honestly spend more than a matter of seconds considering 90% of the books on this list (or my two suggested additions).
And come on - who voted for him/herself ?
Posted by Waterhot on October 8, 2006 9:19 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
What about Captain Corelli...English Patient...and Zadie Smith
Posted by BigAnto on October 8, 2006 9:34 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
how absolutely thrilling to see alastair macintyre's "no great mischief" included. one of the very best reads of the last 25 years. one of those books that says with you and continues to haunt you long after you've moved on to the next great read. i'd have included carol shield's " stone diaries" and keri hulme's"bone people", and left off possession by byatt. for the life of me i don't understand the fuss.
Posted by wendyp on October 8, 2006 10:03 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I would nominate Vernon God Little by D.B.C. Pierre. Not enough humour on the list.
Also The Master by Toibin, McEwans Saturday, Line of Beauty by Hollinghurst and Will Self´s How The Dead live.
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I do admire Peter Carey's work greatly but I think that The True History of the Kelly Gang has nowhere near the imaginative intensity of Tristan Smith or Illywhacker. In terms of examination of the Aussie national psyche through its history, Thomas Kenneally does a very good job.
Not much mention of Howard Jacobson, either - pity.
I have to agree on Flashman - I did think of sending that nice Mr Spielman a note suggesting he would like to make a couple of moving pictures from the series, but I don't imagine he opens his own mail much these days.
Posted by Monobrow on October 8, 2006 10:19 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Adam Thorpe. Only 3 comments thus far (referncing 'Ulverton' and 'No Telling')and yet Thorpe is the only fiction writer whose novels I have pre-ordered in 25 years of avid devotion to literary fiction. With the exception of 'Nineteen Twenty One' all his prose fiction is mesmeric.
Posted by Saumur on October 8, 2006 10:36 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
What a depressingly safe list, both the books themselves and the fact that they were chosen. The only out and out masterpiece on it is Hoban's Riddley Walker.
Also pretty shameful is the omission of the only novel of the period that came close to making fiction genuinely f***ing relevant again, Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting.
My own nomination is The Man Who Walks by Alan Warner, the best non-American novel for decades.
Posted by marioincandenza on October 8, 2006 11:09 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Watchmen by Alan Moore.
'Nuff said.
Posted by Lambchop on October 8, 2006 11:35 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I don't understand the appeal of Coetzee, but it's clear that many people do. I've read both of his Booker winners and neither would make my top ten. I'd put Midnight's Chidren and Money high on my list. I'd put Moon Tiger and Regeneration higher than the voters did. I prefer Enduring Love, for all its uneveness, to Atonement. Of the books that didn't make it, I like Ondaatje's In the Skin of a Lion, Smith's White Teeth--uneven but a thrill--, and Waters' Fingersmith, which is as good as high quality page turners get.
And why oh why do people keep listing novels written by Americans, Czechs, and Japanese? Have they not read the article?
Posted by Essrog on October 8, 2006 11:38 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I would have voted for Penelope Lively's 'Moon Tiger'
and, if collections of short stories were included, also
'Pack of Cards' - again by Penelope Lively - brilliant!
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I'm glad to see Disgrace at the top. I re-read it recently for a paper and loved it even more than I did the first time. For a book that is little over 200 pages in length, it does not feel like a "short" novel at all - in fact, a lesser writer than Coetzee would've padded it out to something twice as long. It's beginning to sound cliche, but truly, Coetzee wastes not a single word. He is our heir to Conrad and Camus.
Coetzee's Waiting for the Barbarians (from 1980) is also a masterpiece. I surprised at its absence.
Posted by LeoToadstool on October 9, 2006 2:15 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I don't really feel qualified to vote on this; I'm American and haven't read a lot of the authors/works listed. Still, I noted with surprise a few omissions. Some have already been mentioned--Gray's Lanark, Nicholas Mosley, Jonathan Coe. How about Jim Crace and Barry Unsworth? Not the greatest, I know, but surely worth a word or two in their favor. And Ben Okri, isn't he a member of the Commonwealth? I was pleasantly surprised to see Derek Raymond's name, and appreciate tips on Achmat Dangor, Bill Drummond, Jonathan Falla, Zakes Mda, David Peace, Adam Thorpe, Alan Warner. I'll look into these--some day. Finally, if you're going to stretch the definition of "novel" to include Omeros, why not Anne Carson's Autobiography of Red? Carson's is one of the most original voices I've read in the last 25 years.
Posted by binkieandmarcel on October 9, 2006 6:37 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
A selection of the best in my opinion would include:
A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
Waterland by Graham Swift
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
The Master by Colm Toibin
An Artist Of The Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro
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Having said the above, I think the overall quality of the Commonwealth list comes nowhere near its American counterpart.
Posted by shaftoe on October 9, 2006 7:33 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I thought The Unconsoled was great. The middle section of Atonement is very good, but the first section is fake and pretty dull.
Anyone else wonder why The Beloved is praised so highly? I though it was daft.
Disgrace is very powerful.
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I'm also astonished that no one has mentioned anything by that colossus Robert McCrum.
Posted by marioincandenza on October 9, 2006 9:21 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee (NOT pronounced "curtsey" as heard on TV!) or London Fields by Martin Amis.
Posted by taffyess on October 9, 2006 10:09 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Interesting that Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting's doesn't get a look in. Surely fashion (and a stream of garishly covered, ill-conceived and poorly titled - Porno, Glue, Gash, Wank - follow ups) don't alter the fact that here was a bonafide underground classic that burst through to the mainstream (albeit via a vasty overrated and inferior film version), battered through the boundaries and barriers (see the latest best of list) and enlightened an entire generation (of Scots, at least) to the wonderful fact that characters in novels can - and will, goddamnit - express themselves in their own, non-RP voice, even outwith the speech marks, and to the colour, vigour and all round benefit of the prose. An exciting and purposeful narrative structure, black but spot on humour, and an impressive truth all of it's own - come on, you know you love it...
Posted by hitsofsunshine on October 9, 2006 10:46 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
As a Norwegian I am not all that into British literature (I, as many Norwegians can understand and read English OK, but we have to rely on translations to really get into the text).
I am happy to see that several of you mention Graham Swift and "Last Round", one of my big reading experiences the last years.
But why does nobody mention John Berger; his "Into Their Labours"-trilogy and "To The Wedding". The last book is the reason I write this, it must be said everywhere when good literature is discussed; John Berger's "To The Wedding" is one of the best books written the last 20 years, and should be read by everyone.
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I thought it was a surprisingly likeable list - obviously the past 25 years is an arbitrary timescale, but still. The only book that didn't deserve to be there at all was Atonement; and Disgrace should have come slightly further down. Also, it would have been nice to see something by A.L. Kennedy - Everything You Need, perhaps.
Posted by redondobeach on October 9, 2006 11:09 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Very pleased to see A Far Cry from Kensington in the long list. I don't think this wonderful book receives the attention it should, so thanks to whoever voted for it.
Posted by pobble on October 9, 2006 11:28 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
It's certainly not my favourite book but I'm very surprised that Captain Corelli's Mandolin didn't make it into the nominations.
Posted by MikeLo on October 9, 2006 12:16 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
There's plenty on here that is predictable, but that doesn't make it wrong, necessarily. As such, I didn't expect William Boyd's 'Any Human Heart' to be top ranking, yet I'm very disappointed that it didn't even get a look in. Every time I return to it, I'm staggered. The writing, the range of emotion, the backdrop, the story, the scope, the mix of cerebral and viscreal, the lot.
Posted by RileyG on October 9, 2006 12:58 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Kundera is originally Czech, now living in France - neither of which count as UK, Ireland or the Commonwealth.
What about Bruce Chatwin's 'On the Black Hill'?
Posted by Petal69 on October 9, 2006 1:24 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
The Buddha of Suburbia by Hanif Kureshi; What a Carve Up and The Rotters' Club by Jonathan Coe; White City Blue by Tim Lott.
Posted by Bluebaby on October 9, 2006 1:51 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
depressing demonstration of the lack of imagination of a self-engorging demographic. i suspect a thousand urgent pens were set down for the morning on its perusal.
Keri Hulme's The Bone People won the booker and must be known to these people, and yet, and yet The Life of Pi...
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I am surprised that no one has yet mentioned "Crimson Petal and the White" by Michel Faber. It's certainly the best novel I have read in five years - and as an editor and translator I have read many.
Or is it possible that Michel isn't eligible, since he was born in Holland?
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oh dear! Only read one of the top 10 and 8 of the rest. So many books, so little time. Anything by Louis de Bernieres for me, especially the last "Birds without wings"
Posted by franzipan on October 9, 2006 2:57 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Um, sorry but the USA (Don DeLillo) is not part of the Commonwealth as far as I know - we lost that one.
Graham Swift's 'Waterland' seems a glaring omission though...
Posted by trevlino on October 9, 2006 3:05 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I have to join the list of Ondaatje fans - how on earth can the English Patient not be there?? I'd also add Anil's Ghost by the same author.
Posted by woodlington on October 9, 2006 3:21 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Earthly Powers is the single greatest novel I have read in the past 25 years.
I thought I would be the one to get all contraversial and bring up Alan Moore's Watchmen, but someone beat me to it. It deserves the recognition and barely beats out Neil Gaiman's Sandman collection which rivals Burgess's gift for telling stories.
Further down the list I would have The Life of Pi which I was so sure I was on top of until the ending turned it into something magical and unexpected. Martel has said that he wants to write a Holocaust novel. I think he has already done it.
I was a big fan (and still am) of Martin Amis's books, but since reading his autobiography, I kind of think novels are the thing he does second best. Is that weird?
Rushdie is always a treat and I actually enjoyed The Moor's Last Sigh more than his other work.
Vikram Seth: Golden Gate was too clever, A Suitable Boy was too long, but An Equal Music was juuuust right.
The Remains of the Day is perfectly restrained while The Unconsoled was uncontrolled.
Finally I would throw in Hornby's High Fidelity. It's funnier than Lucky Jim and smarter than any self-help book.
Posted by 23ewd on October 9, 2006 3:33 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Nothing is funnier than Lucky Jim...
Posted by Petal69 on October 9, 2006 3:38 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Ian McEwan 'The Child in Time' (which I thought knocked the spots off 'Enduring Love'); Rose Tremain 'Music and Silence'; and please shunt Seths' 'A Suitable Boy' up to the top ten, preferably the top three.
Posted by KShelley on October 9, 2006 4:05 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
God I love all this pretentious warbling!
For me its: Midnight's Children - Rushdie, because no one writes with as much imagination. And 'the comfort of stranger's by McEwan, for sheer impact... Especially becuase my boyfriend and I had a strange encounter with a freaky swinging couple in Venice a few years before... I was shaking for days.
ps. What's this obsession with Life of Pi.. Writing was uninspired - ending was just stupid. Forgive me but I failed to see any meaning in it at all... can someone explain?
plus - I loved Atonement, but didn't anyone else see the similarities with the Go-between by LP Hartley?
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I've got to lend my wait to Lanark, it should be up there with Midnight's Children. It has influenced the majority of Scottish [and some English] that have come after it.
Posted by mckayinexile on October 9, 2006 4:39 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Jack Maggs by Peter Carey. A postcolonial Dickensian "Get Carter": a masterpiece.
Posted by mercylarkin on October 9, 2006 4:40 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Yeah, Lucky Jim is certainly better than anything by Nick Hornby, past present or future.
And yeah, What a Carve Up should be in there.
Posted by CheererUpper on October 9, 2006 4:41 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I'm down with the Ondaatje clan, me. The English Patient should be in there. Although I live in South London, I re-read it a couple of weeks ago in a fashionable, North London kind of way. It has plenty of flaws - but then I have plenty of flaws as a reader - but it really is a wonderfully rich piece of work.
It's not my number one, though. No, that accolade goes to A Month in the Country by J. L. Carr. Terribly unfashionable, terribly quiet, but - and I mean this - a beautiful rendering of what life really is for the majority of us: unfashionable, quiet, and full of regret. It's faultless - and I don't think that can be said for the other books on the list.
Posted by daveleetravis on October 9, 2006 4:53 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I've got to lend my weight Lanark, it should be up there with Midnight's Children. It has influenced the majority of Scottish [and some English] that have come after it.
Posted by mckayinexile on October 9, 2006 4:57 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
For me, the most glaring omissions were:
Waterland - Graham Swift
A Month in the Country - J L Carr
Felicia's Journey - William Trevor - although he's more known for short stories, he has written some marvellous novels
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Absolutely, Trainspotting, IS the best novel of the last 25 years. The energy, style and comedy of the book AND the misunderstood philosophy (perverted by the film). Read it again away from the hype. Agree the rest of his work doesn't stand up
Posted by ItsMeSimon on October 9, 2006 5:34 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I was glad to see I was not the only one who thought David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas should be on this list. And who nominated the Harry Potter book? I wish everyone who loves J.K. Rowling would read something by Diana Wynne-Jones. And while I was glad to see Peter Carey on the list, Oscar and Lucinda seems a glaring ommission.
Posted by fraumalaprop on October 9, 2006 6:37 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Any Human Heart and The New Confessions by William Boyd and Waterland by Graham Swift are glaring omissions. Why have the best storytellers been overlooked ?
Posted by peterspops on October 9, 2006 7:58 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
My nominations:
Waterland by Graham Swift: far and away the best novel of the last quarter century.
A Perfect Spy & The Constant Gardener by John Le Carre (in fact, almost anything by John Le Carre)
Atonement by Ian McEwan
A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters by Julian Barnes
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I'm only a Yank, so what do I know? Still, I agree with those who feel that William Boyd's been unfairly overlooked; An Ice Cream War, for one, is a wonderful book. I was also very surprised to find no mention of James Hamilton-Paterson, whose Whitbread-winning Gerontius is but one example from the exceptional catalogue of a superbly talented writer of both fiction (Griefwork, Loving Monsters) and non- (America's Boy, Three Miles Down).
You also passed over the very highly regarded and prolific Irish-Canadian, Brian Moore (The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne et many al.); Barry Unsworth seems to have gone missing as well. Surely Pascali's Island and Morality Play were worthy of a moment's consideration? To say nothing of Sacred Hunger, which won the Booker in '92 (but then you also scorned that year's co-winner, Ondaatje's The English Patient -- rough year for you?). Perhaps books by Moore and Unsworth, along with those by Hamilton-Paterson, whose delectable confection Cooking With Fernet Branca I gather won some sort of "People's Booker" last year, fail to meet some received notional standard for "good literature" because they are so very popular; but one era's pop novelist is the next's literary giant -- Dickens, anyone?
One last book, although it was written too long ago to qualify: in the spirit of a more ecumenical approach to this sort of list, one that admits of the possibility that excellent literature may exist outside the blinkered purview of self-regardingly "serious" reviewers, I'll put in a word for Keith Roberts' Pavane -- an absolutely extraordinary example of what these days is called "alternative history," a subset of fantasy and/or sci fi. Roberts brilliantly and quite unforgettably imagines an England (and a Europe) after the victory of the Spanish Armada, the assassination of Elizabeth I, and the centuries-long hegemony of the Roman Catholic church.
But then again, what does a mere Yank know?
Posted by Gerrit on October 9, 2006 8:19 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I am far less sure about Lucky Jim now compared with when I first read it. My good reads in the period have been 'Earthly Powers' and Fitzgerald's 'The Bookshop'. So little mention of William Trevor was a big surprise. For me, the great read has been Max Sebald's 'Austerlitz'. Read the first sentence. His base is so clearly in England. He wrote all his totally wonderful stuff here, not in Wertach or anywhere else. 'Rings of Saturn' is a big sky story, love it
Posted by Ignatiusgallagher on October 9, 2006 8:27 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
As well as the omission of "Lanark" another major Scottish novel has been missed. Jeff Torrington's "Swing hammer swing" is a warmer, funnier Scottish "Ulysess".
I notice the American list allowed Updike's Rabbit quartet as it was completed in the period though begun in the 1970s, on those grounds I would offer a vote for A.S.Byatt's Fredrica quartet.
I agree J.G.Ballard should be on the list but I go for "Millenium people", there are gems of poetic prose on every page and I think it should be see as much of a dream vision as "The unlimited daydream company."
Also Zadie Smith for "White teeth" and Jonathan Coe for "What a carve up", I suspect both these books made the mistake of being funny.
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I just don't understand why people rate Martin Amis and Ian McEwan - and Rushdie is one of the sloppiest writers around! Not to mention super-lightweights like Julian Barnes or Roddy Doyle. I agree that "Empire of The Sun" and "Trainspotting" should be on the list.
Posted by StephenDedalus on October 9, 2006 9:04 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes should be somewhere on the list also.
Posted by Amandastudio on October 9, 2006 9:31 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
1) If you are going to contribute to a blog at least understand the parameters of the debate first. Thus no Murakami, no Auster, no Kundera etc... much as I love them all.
2) I loved both Disgrace and Midnight's Children, but of all the Booker winners it is Rushdie by a country mile.
3) Surely it was old Salman that voted for himself? And whoever it was that said Rushdie wrote "sloppily" clearly doesn't know the meaning of the word.
4) Swift's Waterland is a glaring omission. After, Midnight's Children, this is far and away the best British novel that I have read. (Cloud Atlas is a contender...)
5) If none of you have read The Minotaur Takes a Cigarette Break by Steven Sherrill, you should. A great book. (Although American and consequently not eligible for this list.)
Posted by georgesperec on October 9, 2006 9:33 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I was frustrated to not see What a Carve Up! make the list. Carey's True History of the Kelly Gang deserves its spot, but Illywhacker should also be on the list. Overall, it's a handy list, and much less embarrassing than what the New York Times came up with (No T.C. Boyle, no Ann Tyler, no Pete Dexter, no William Kennedy).
Posted by Guildzilla on October 9, 2006 10:10 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Good to see Trainspotting getting some votes in a list for best novel - rather than best overall writer. Although his work isn't as reliably good as some of the other authors, Trainspotting has to be one of the best in the last 25 years (that I've read anyway). Everything about it is good - the characterisation, the humour, the interest of the episodes themselves, the dialogue, the energy, the sadness, and the risks that the author takes. Since then I think that Welsh has had brief moments where he has acheived some of these things - but it's never come together as well as in this book.
Posted by davearmchair on October 9, 2006 11:13 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I'm sorry. I tried to think of some interesting British, Commonwealth, Irish writers, and failed. I actually quite like The Snapper and The Van - And actually, come to think of it, Paddy Clark... was pretty good. Trainspotting was a startling book, certainly, but that's about it. I don't know why, but I often get the sense that British writers are way too busy being so terribly terribly clever, and it gets on my tits, because they're not. No more than anyone else, anyway. I get so angry, because, as a people, we're so utterly fascinating, riviting, complex, messed-up, intriguing and exctiting (so, plenty to draw upon), and yet, in a contempory setting, we seem to have noting to say. That's why I was comparing everyone else. I find us wanting in almost every way, novel-wise. It's depressing. There's some good genre writing out there - lots of jolly romps through Victorian London's back streets - which are often nicely written, but it's so derivative; they all blend into one another. Maybe all the best writers from the UK go into writing history, because that area is bloody fantastic. Although, even then, an American gets my vote for best history, too (Shelby Foote's history of the American Civil War). So there.
Posted by Bettygoestothezoo on October 9, 2006 11:34 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I'd LOVE to know which voters picked which book. And I'd love to know who voted for him/herself. Did Banville vote? If he somebody bothered to ask him, I bet that he replied "Why, myself, of course. I write real books."
Posted by Guildzilla on October 10, 2006 1:53 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I can't believe Iris Murdoch isn't mentioned on this list. Yes, while her masterpiece The Sea, The Sea is too early (1978), her absolutely brilliant 1985 novel The Good Apprentice outshines many of the books listed. And where are Doris Lessing, Nadine Gordimer, Janet Frame, and Edna O'Brien? I find it interesting that the article mentions a number of younger women writers whose books may make a future version of this list while omitting so many internationally-acclaimed grande dames of English letters, all of whom have written fine works in the last 25 years.
And while she's younger than the women listed above, I'll also second the nomination for Anne Carson's Autobiography of Red if verse novels are eligible.
Posted by Pantheon on October 10, 2006 2:57 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
What no Doris Lessing - surely at least a nomination, although perhaps she is a Frank Zappa of literature: easy to see the genius, not so easy to pick a single best of ... My own favourite is 'Maru and Dann'. While 'Disgrace' is sure to be controversial in South Africa, I do have to agree with its nomination in first place. Also from South Africa: Zakes Mda is seriously worth a read, 'Heart of Redness' is a personal favourite. I would also second a previous nomination for de Bernieres, probably 'The war of Don Emanuel'e nether parts'. Does no one else think that when we talk about Rushdie 'The Moor's last sigh' deserves a major mention?
Posted by iainsp on October 10, 2006 7:50 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Rushdie is a terrible writer.
Here's the opening of Shalimar The Clown: "At twenty-four the ambassador's daughter slept badly through the warm, unsurprising nights. She woke up frequently and even when sleep did come her body was rarely at rest, thrashing and flailing as if trying to break free of dreadful invisible manacles. At times she cried out in a language she did not speak. Men had told her this, nervously. Not many men had ever been permitted to be present while she slept. The evidence was therefore limited, lacking consensus; however, a pattern emerged. According to one report she sounded guttural, glottal-stoppy, as if she were speaking Arabic. Night-Arabian, she thought, the dreamtongue of Scheherazade. Another version described her words as science-fictional, like Klingon, like a throat being cleared in a galaxy far, far away. Like Sigourney Weaver channeling a demon in Ghostbusters."
I'm sorry, but this is just rubbish. "Unsurprising" nights? Just stick in an unusual word at the end of the opening line and and - hey presto - great literature. Sorry, no. "She woke up frequently" is weak. "Dreadful invisible manacles" is weaker still. "Men had told her this, nervously." More weak adverb use, not to mention a weak, unnecessary pluperfect. "The evidence was therefore limited, lacking consensus; however, a pattern emerged." Weak. "...;however, a pattern emerged" is flat and lifeless. "glottal-stoppy" is just horrible. I understand that it's supposed to be, but that's no excuse. It's too conversational. Ditto 'science-fictional'. "Another version described her words as science-fictional, like Klingon, like a throat being cleared in a galaxy far, far away. Like Sigourney Weaver channeling a demon in Ghostbusters." This is just awful stuff..
Posted by StephenDedalus on October 10, 2006 8:16 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
His Dark Materials Trilogy - Philip Pullman
If your going to read Sci-Fantasy then these are the books to read. Harry bloody Potter - pah!
Posted by Fluke on October 10, 2006 8:43 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I believe that Seamus Deane's novel "Reading in the dark" deserves honourable mention. My personal list would include "The Dead School" by Patrick McCabe, "The Far Side of the Lough" by Polly Devlin and "Rachel's Holiday" by Marion Keyes.
Posted by doire1962 on October 10, 2006 9:38 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
1. Peter Carey : Bliss (1981)
2. Tim Winton : Cloudstreet (1991)
I also like Thomas Keneally's A dutiful daughter (1971) which is outwith the date range, but I am surprised at no mention of Schindler's Ark.
And while I am a big fan of Rushdie, and think he deserves to be fairly high on any list of 20th century authors, I think Ishiguro is just boring. The Unconsoled is not a masterpiece, it is just dull.
One has to assume from this list that the people concerned are not particularly widely read outside of a rather narrow contemporary British literary framework.
Posted by Doodler on October 10, 2006 9:46 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Rohinton Mistry's "A Fine Balance." A definite first.
Anthony Burgess's "Earthly Powers"
A.S.Byatt's "Possession"
Peter Carey's "Jack Maggs"
Thomas Keneally's "The Playmaker"
if only Lewis Grassic Gibbon's "The Scots Quair" trilogy - "Sunset Song", "Cloud Howe" and "Grey Granite") was inside the time zone!
Posted by geoffstear on October 10, 2006 9:50 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
The most glaring omission must surely be The Accidental by Ali Smith - a book which represents a turning point in writing as surely as Midnight's Children did twenty odd years ago.
Would also include Irvine Welsh's Trainspotting, Vikram Seth's Suitable Boy and Rushdie's Midnight's Children.
Posted by Boab on October 10, 2006 9:57 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
William Boyd's 'Any Human Heart' has been hugely overlooked!
I can't let someone's calling Julian Barnes a 'super-lightwieght' go unchallenged: I was glad to see Flaubert's Parrot on the list, being superior to Metroland in many respects.
Plus, as an avid McEwan fan, I can accept the criticisms levelled at him and would not place Atonement at the top of his, let alone any author's output from the past 25 years. Ditto Enduring Love which suffers from 'should-be-a-short-story' syndrome. However, I defy anyone to call him lifeless or dull after reading First Love, Last Rites, In Between The Sheets or The Cement Garden. Unfortunate that these largely ignored gems are outside of the time-frame.
Also, Will Self's 'Great Apes': just me who wanted to see that on the long-list?
Posted by jonge on October 10, 2006 11:10 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Well, i was delighted to see many of my beloved writers in that list - Ishiguro, Arundhati Roy, Alisdair Gray, to name just a few, but..com'on guys, if you feel that sure that 'Life of P' of Yann Martel deserves a better place than 'Mr Mee' of Andrew Crumey, 'The Crimson Petal and The White' of Michel Faber or 'The Corrections' of Jonathan Franzen, then i'm sorry to say that you'll have to read them again.
I really think that it was unacceptable that these books have been left out.
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It's also me who'd love to see Will Self in that list. Some fresh air for god's sake..
Posted by popy on October 10, 2006 12:47 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Point taken StephenDedalus, but find me a sloppy passage from Midnight's Children....
Posted by georgesperec on October 10, 2006 1:03 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Oh, i just noticed i mentioned the name of Jonathan Franzen.
I'm sorry, of course he is an american. In some peculiar way i've connected him too much with england in me.
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I for one am delighted 'Atonement' is placed so high - I think it's an absolutely marvellous book. From previous comments, it seems McEwan's growing complexity is alienating some fans of his earlier work. If he had stayed the same he would be kicked for repeating himself.
'Cloud Atlas' by David Mitchell is energetic, warm, inventive and lovable - but flawed. I'm sure however DM will feaure in future lists of this kind; he's a talented writer.
It's delightful to see Vikram Seth's 'Golden Gate' remembered by a few commenters - a beautiful read.
Posted by Hedgiecc on October 10, 2006 1:26 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
The Best is Life & Times of Michael K by J M Coetzee
Posted by PupZemli on October 10, 2006 1:39 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
No Trainspotting? A bit like saying that the Sex Pistols "Never Mind the Bollocks..." is not one of the most important British albums since the sixties!! Don't think that Mr Welsh's other books are top drawer only "Glue" perhaps.
Posted by Wasps on October 10, 2006 2:00 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
A passing thought - is the White Hotel really classed as a novel?
Posted by kiwigirl on October 10, 2006 2:58 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
What is the first disgrace is the number of Guardian/Observer readers who cannot read the rules properly. The second disgrace is that Jonathon Coe's superb What a Carve Up doesn't get a mention, ( I admit I only scanned) Of the rest I'd go for Corelli, Hopeful Monsters and Birdsong of the epics along with Patrick Neate's Musungu Jim and Tim Lott's White City Blue of the newer stuff. Any list with Atonement up in the top ten needs its head examined.
Posted by maurmer on October 10, 2006 3:26 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Blimey, I've just read the date of publication and Monsignor Quixote by Graham Greene sneaks in by a year. That's it then
1) Coe
2) Greene
3) de Bernieres
Piece of cake this.
Posted by maurmer on October 10, 2006 3:41 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
The Observer list is more in the line of "books you would like to have read without actually having read them." Four books not listed that I would champion:
1. Empire of the Sun - J.G. Ballard,
2. Oscar and Lucinda - Peter Carey (in addition to the True History of the Kelly Gang),
3. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nigthtime - Mark Haddon,
4. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell.
I was happy see English Passengers by Matthew Kneale get recognized (even if it year of publication was in error).
Posted by Manitoban on October 10, 2006 6:57 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Sarah Hall, Haweswater
Rohinton Mistry, A Fine Balance
Graham Swift, Last Orders
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I can't understand why Robertson Davies is left off. Both the World of Wonder and Rebel Angels trilogies would do, or individual books. For that matter Samuel R Delaney (Nova, Dhalgren, Babel 17) or Theodore Sturgeon (any novella).
Posted by dragonwine on October 11, 2006 12:22 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
No mention of Graham Swift's Waterland then? I find that astonishing.
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Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime is excellent
Posted by jo1980 on October 11, 2006 10:35 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Yet another voice to say: how on earth can Waterland and Lanark be left out for such comparatively jejeune novels as The Remains Of The Day, Birdsong and Enduring Love (never mind Harry Fooking Potter).
Posted by Harhoo on October 11, 2006 10:41 AM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
I would agree with the many other people who have listed JG Ballard's Empire Of The Sun and Graham Swift's Waterland as glaring omissions. I also think that Bruce Chatwin's On The Black Hill, Anthony Burgess's A Dead Man In Deptford and Jim Crace's Quarantine deserve to be mentioned.
Posted by TheMisfit on October 11, 2006 2:45 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Come on now Mr McCrum - Waterland must be put on the Observer's revised list.............please?
Posted by kiwigirl on October 11, 2006 7:46 PM.Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Disgrace? I am struggling through this fantasy of a university professor having sex with a student ( written by a prof of English in Capetown university about a prof of English in a Capetown university..c'mon.) The writing is quite plain really. No chapter ends with an oomph..and who calls their daughter ' my dearest'? It seems like an intellectual discourse from a sexually frustrated teacher disguised as a novel. Still, haven't finished it so I'll get back to you.
No ...my nominations which you have missed :
The Sportswriter Richard Ford.
The Corrections Jonathan Franzen
Underworld Don DeLillo
Plot Against America Philip Roth
..and just to wind up the 'authors' ..anything by George Pelecanos, his later novels ( or would you have that ' crime fiction'?) Drama City and Hell to Pay particularly good, Carl Hiaasen 'Skiny Dip' and lastly any Ian Rankin
( Fleshmarket Close particularly) But from your list I assume crime novels are excluded although they are often a better read than most novels.
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text:
The Definitive Ranking Of All 131 Baby-Sitter's Club Cover Outfits
Stoneybrook's finest, ranked from worst to best. Claudia Kishi forever.
Stoneybrook's finest, ranked from worst to best. Claudia Kishi forever.
There's just never enough Daryl Dixon in my life. Or Dowager Countess of Grantham, for that matter.
The extinction of the Sinclair family was a blow to childhoods everywhere. But the episode also delivered a powerful message.
Okay, so your dad is a terrorist and all but why must you be so angsty!?
On Tosh.0 last night, it was announced that come September, Daniel Tosh's new show Brickleberry — an animated series — will premiere, in which he is voicing a character.
In an interview at yesterday's New Yorker Festival, author Jonathan Franzen confirmed his 2001 dysfunctional family epic will be a four-year series on HBO. Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Greenberg) is also involved with the project, likely to direct. (via.) View Media ›
It doesn't even premiere until January 21st, but here's the first full episode of Portlandia. The internet is bountiful and generous today. View List ›
I …I think I just learned something. ¬_¬ Watch Video ›

subset: commoncrawl


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Asphalt Roadway Technician Certification/Re-Certification
Reminders: 1) Handheld calculator required. 2) Starts at 9:00 am on the first day of class and at 8:30 am on subsequent days. 3) Prerequisite for EVERYONE: signed experience form. 4) Prerequisite for SCDOT attendees only: signed experience form + Nuclear Gauge Certification. 5) Prerequisites may be submitted via fax (864-646-2046) or email (email@example.com). 6) If BOTH payment and prerequisites are not submitted by 2 weeks prior to the class start date, the individual may be dropped from the class. Sorry, this course is closed
Enrollment Progress ... What's This?
18:23:58.28 ACECODE.ONPROCESSINIT On init: coursestatus


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text: South India covering Tamil Nadu and Kerala States are Madurai, Rameswaram, Tirunelveli, Thiruchendur, Trivandrum and Velankanni. Out of these popular pilgrimages in South India are to Rameswaram and Madurai. Aside from these two Tirupati and Trivandrum as well are pilgrimage metropolitan areas for Lord Balaji and Lord Padmanabha Swamy respectively. Few of the cities have one working day deals as well to make a visit like Kanyakumari and Rameswaram that benefits active vacationers and tourists. Though one working day journey deals do not include the whole in and around beauties of the tourist locations however the journey agencies or guides help us with the famous tourist spots. One can avail special South Indian Temple Package when they wish to cover all the temple metropolitan areas at as outlet moncler italia soon as in South India. It includes Thiruchendur, Kanyakumari, Rameswaram and Madurai. Noteworthy places to be covered in this South India Temple Package tour are as follows. From Madurai Meenatchi Amman Temple, Tiruparangundram and Tirumulai Nayagar Mahal. And Rameswaram temple, Ramar Pathan Devi piumini moncler outlet pattinbam from Rameswaram. The package deal addresses Kanyakumari Bagavthiamman temple, Vevekananda Memorial and Sun set in Kanyakumari. The other city to be covered below the South Indian Temple deals tour is Thiruchendur. Places to be covered woolrich bologna outlet online in and around Thiruchendur are Thiruchendur Temple and Vana Thirupati. Rameswaram, which is an island in the Indian Ocean, is popular for Lord Shiva Temple. It is a customary for the Hindus to visit Rameswaram after visiting the most sacred Kasi. Places that are covered in 1 working day trip to Rameswaram are Rameswaram temple, Pamban palam, Devi Pattinam, Ramar Patham and Seaside. Most of the vacationers going to Rameswaram do pay a go to to Kanyakumari. Even the transportation automobiles are also borse louis vuitton outlet frequently accessible from Rameswaram to Kanyakumari spherical the clock. Kanya Kumari is also one of the stunning place in South India to make a go to and it is the intense southern edge of India. Well-liked places that are to be coated below 1 day tour deals in and about Kanyakumari are Sunset Sunrise, Vivekananda Rock, Thiruvalluvar Statue, Gandhi mandapam, Kamarajar Mandapam, Kids"s Park, Vattakottai, Bagavathiamman Temple and Baywatch water Theme Park. Other popular tourist metropolitan areas to strategy a go to for on working day trip are Courtallam, Thiruchendur, Nagarcoil, Tenkasi, Thenmalai, Manjolai and Manumuthar Pabanasam. Apart from Velankanni and the above stated Rameswaram, even Madurai attracts lot of crowds each yr. Maduri, well-known for its old Meenakshi temple where lord Shiva is recognized as Sundareshwar. Round the yr individuals go to this temple so resort bookings should be extremely well advance. Along with the seaside and hill station deals these temple city packages are drawing crowds from throughout the globe. Petersburg, develop on swampland, was fashioned after Venice and London. The canals are reminiscent of Venice and river tours are the most popular way to discover the city. Uk and many locations in Europe are scorching destinations. Cotswolds in


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I'm an aspiring writer, an avid gamer, and an Anime fan. I tend to enjoy action-oriented anime like Kenshin or Full Metal Alchemist, but I'm really a huge sap for a Romance story(Spice and Wolf, Gundam 08th MS Team, etc.), though I'd hardly admit it to anyone who knew me.
My Anime Ranking System:
.5-1.5 Star- Horrible, can't be unseen. 1.5 is less Horrible than .5.
2-2.5 Stars- Meh in every way, not something I'd ever rewatch.
3 Stars- Decent, I may rewatch in a year or so if I'm bored enough.
3.5-4.5 Stars- Not bad at all, I wish all anime were this level. Very likely to rewatch.
5 Stars- Perfect. There is almost nothing that could make this better. WILL REWATCH!
I issue my rankings based on my impression of the anime at it's conclusion. Exceptions to the previous statement include but are not limited to: Anime I've stalled or Dropped, Kenshin where I omit everything After Shishio, and Dragon Ball Z which gets a 5 because I've rewatched it at least 10 times (willingly, because DBZ WAS my childhood).
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December 27, 2009
February 10, 2013
25 / Male
total episodes: 4,561
total anime ratings: 164
total manga ratings: 1


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This gorgeous Floral Scallop Schiffli Lace will add the perfect touch to all of your projects and crafts. This lace is made from sheer fabric and embroidered with a unique floral design. The lace also features a rolled hem on one edge of the lace and a detailed scalloped edge on the other. The embroidery on this lace can be felt on both sides. This lace is great for shirts, jeans, dresses and evening gowns. Use this trim to also embellish items around the home including pillows, duvets, table cloths and more. Made in the United Kingdom. Available in one color.
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- details
- Item ID
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- Ages
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"Who the heck is Tangent Audio?"
So, surrounded by some of the world's greatest authorities on hi-end audio, I, of course, consult Google.
A quick search leads me to Tangent's surprisingly attractive webpage, decorated with sleek table radios.
"Young Stephen," JA informs me, "Don't you know that those are modeled after 50s-era radios?"
"Well, there can be a sleekness to some old stuff."
Indeed, while the styling may be a bit retro, there's a simplicity and cleanliness to the Tangent gear that I find attractive. And even more attractive than all that are their relatively affordable prices. This is stuff even my friends might be able to buy.
The very good-looking CDP-100 CD player goes for a modest $350. [No relation to the Classe player of the same name.] $350 also gets you Tangent's AMP-100 integrated. Add speakers (and cables, of course), and you've got a pretty system.
How this stuff sounds, I can't say. But, maybe someday, I'll let you know. The Tangent site shows no US distribution, but we received their information from our friends at VMAX Services, who handle the distribution for Italy's Opera Loudspeakers and Unison Research, among others.
I've put in a call to get the lowdown.
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Disney Princess 32 Page Colouring Activity Book
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Kids colour and learn with their favourite Disney Princesses! Includes 32 pages of colouring and fun activities, such as mazes, hidden pictures, matching games and more! Also contains 7 Pipsqueak Washable Markers and reusable marker storage tray. For ages 3 years up.
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YUMMYPUSSY1006 10 months ago
mydick is so hard fucking whore I would bang her
k1981el 2 years ago
goooooo ashlynn!
bigitalo 2 years ago
Ashlynn fucking hot id like to fuck her
sexgod78 2 years ago
Ashlynn i love you
sksi5 2 years ago
I love her!!!!
Traci_Li 2 years ago
i'm so wet :p
Span312 2 years ago
She is so cute!! ,I love her face !
Ahrimy 3 years ago
Love Ashlynn
Sedussivo 3 years ago
Ashlynn, you should be back to us
promobichas 3 years ago
Porn misses you and your teen vibe Ashlynn
blondelad 3 years ago
gomez21 3 years ago
i love your voice Ashlynn
you are so beautiful.. everything about you is perfect
PaulMorin88 3 years ago
I want you Ashlynn
maxee 3 years ago
i like this
Adam3108 3 years ago
I love this actress, one day I'll make a movie with her
Mjutsu 3 years ago
she is so cute
HansBoy 3 years ago
Man I pumped out a bucket of cum watching that!
MistressBarbara 3 years ago
Love this vid!


text:
Found February 26, 2013 on
Hoop Fantasies Fantasy Basketball Blog:
CM Punk and John Cena put on a pay-per-view-caliber match to close Monday Night Raw. Punk and Cena kicked out of each other's finishers. They fought out of submission holds. Cena even survived a piledriver, supposedly a banned move in WWE (and one Cena shouldn't be taking with his history of neck issues). More on that in a second.
The Dr. of Thuganomics attempted a hurracarrana, which he should never do because he's too jacked up, and finished the Straight Edge Superstar with an Attitude Adjustment. So it's official: Cena will face The Rock for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania XXIX.
This was a helluva match, but one Vince McMahon wasn't happy about.
On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported (subscription required) that McMahon "blew a stack" over Punk and Cena's use of the piledriver. Since we're talking about Cena and Punk, nothing is likely to happen to the guys.
Since the piledriver is so rarely ...
Original Story:
It is still John Cena's WWE world
Numerous Talents Praise John Cena vs. CM Punk
Hulk Hogan Comments on Match with John Cena Being Nixed
WWE Stars Impressed with John Cena vs. CM Punk
The Rock Explains Why He Returned to the WWE
Several WWE Stars Comment on Monday's Raw Main Event
Kenny Dykstra Talks About The Spirit Squad, Cena's Affairs, Being Released
The WrestleMania Wedding Is A Little Much
Triple H Bloodies Lesnar, Cena Reclaims Wrestlemania, Zeb Confronts Del Rio: Feb 25, 2013, WWE RAW
Heyman and Titus Hype Tonight's RAW, Early Attendance News
Raw Opener Revealed, Undertaker on Raw Tonight?
Press Release: WWE Announces Business Plan & Potential Path to Significant Earnings Growth
WWE Releases 2012 Financial Numbers
WWE Forum Discussions
1 replies,
February 03, 2013
1 replies,
February 03, 2013
1 replies,
July 13, 2012
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text:
These are great - very oriental sounding. Good work!
nice work !!
great! loved this immediately
Great clip. Worked perfectly for a video Im working on.
lightly processed? lol
The beauty of the humble sine. very nice.
I was going to reply with a PM but I figured it'd be better to comment. This is a great recording! I like how you used multiple fingers for a natural chorus effect, it adds a whole other texture element to the sound. I'll definitely have fun with this!
Thanks a lot!
Hey - love it!
Great deep wind.
The above should have read; Good stuff - very real - now we have both natural and artificial winds firmly in the can Dobroide - master of the elements - and chipfork - synthesiser of winds! Sorry about the cock-up. Great sound.
Good stuff - very real - now you have both natural and artificial winds firmly in the can. Dobroide - master of the elements!
what a interesting sound you got man !! i just play it looped...many riots at my mnd.
I love this territory you are in - it would be great to hear more.
The beauty of the sine. A world in a sound!
very nice, satisfying sound. think will make an interesting drum sound.
brilliant...just what i´m looking for
Unique sound.
Brilliant - had me jumping!
I agree - very very nice.
Dig this one s well.
Beautiful in both substance and sound quality!