27 August 2009

The best American novels of the Noughties are...

Here's an interesting list (via Bookslut) of the five best novels by American writers published in this decade. I've read four of this blogger's picks (not the Ozick); one almost made my list, one I really liked, one is not the author's best and one I strongly disagree with.

I was just going to throw this in as a link and leave it, because this is hard, but I sallied forth. Observations on the process:
  • When it comes to publication dates, my memory is not good.
  • Armed with those dates, it appears some of my favorite writers have not published their best books (I.M.H.O.) yet in this decade.
  • The limitation on American authors (which I didn't see the first time I made this list) is actually a godsend, but -- and this is absolutely true -- I was noodling on this post last night, as one does, and then I had a dream that Jonathan Franzen was telling me he was actually Canadian. And I was all, "J.Franz. In this dream world where we know each other for some reason, you forgot to tell me about that? Whatever happened to St. Louis?" I think we were crossing the border at Niagara Falls when this came up (I have never been there).
  • Now that you've all stopped reading in boredom and/or disgust, the list!
Jonathan Franzen, THE CORRECTIONS (2000)
Ann Patchett, BEL CANTO (2002)
Jonathan Safran Foer, EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE (2005)
Michael Chabon, THE YIDDISH POLICEMEN'S UNION (2007)
Junot Diaz, THE BRIEF WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO (2007)

8 comments:

Wade Garrett said...

The Corrections and Gilead are the first two novels that came to my mind. Off the top of my head, the other three would be The Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Falling Man, and The Road. But I'll have to think this over for a little while.

Elizabeth said...

But...but the decade isn't over yet!

It's not too late!

Ellen said...

Elizabeth, you're right; it's not too late. I sort of doubt that in the next three months I will read 5 books so amazing they will blow all of these away... but that would make this The Best Fall Ever, so I will revisit this issue in December, just in case.

W.G., GILEAD was the one from the original list that almost made mine. I've been meaning to read it again. I have not read FALLING MAN yet; will add it to the list.

Elizabeth said...

Actually, I was kind of hoping that between now and December you would write the best American novel of the decade.

Ellen said...

Even if it could be done, is there a publisher out there insane enough to crash the book so it can get into this decade? To make a case for that it would have to be insanely topical...

...so I'm off to work on VAMPIRE MICHAEL JACKSON AND TED KENNEDY SOLVE THE RECESSION WITH TWITTER, AND PRESIDENT OBAMA IS GRATEFUL.

Wade Garrett said...

There is an off-blog conversation going on among the CSD contributors about our 20 favorite albums of the decade, and the consensus is that you need to limit it to one spot per artist, otherwise your lists can get too clogged up with Radiohead and Wilco and Arcade Fire. The same is true of books; were I go to pick my favorite novels of the decade I would have several Ian McEwan, Michael Chabon, Philip Roth, Zadie Smith, Margaret Atwood, and Neil Gaiman novels would make the list. That wouldn't be inappropriate, but its just less fun to make lists when you have to talk abotu the same people over and over again. "So, remember when I talked about All That You Can't Leave Behind, acknowledged that yes, U2 is old and no, the album isn't any better than the sum of its parts, but it still has fifty minutes of ass-kicking songs? The same is true of How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, only Atomic Bomb is better, so that's why I'm ranking it here" kind of thing.

Ellen said...

I didn't explicitly make that rule for myself on this list, but it's probably a good idea. It adds another layer of evaluation to the project, because as you say, not all books by a favorite author or albums by a favorite band are created equal.

I have no idea where I would start with my 20 favorite albums of the decade, though; not only do I not have a list of every album I've listened to since 2000, 5 is much easier than 20 because some titles just jump out. Well, there goes my weekend...

Camus said...

Uh oh, you forgot The Plot Against America!