concinnity commented on…
Pulitzer Prize Winners for Novel/Fiction
Best Pulitzers for a Lazy Reader: a short list — 1 year ago
People often ask me which of these are worthwhile. I’ve only read a little over half of the winners, but maybe that’s enough to make a short list for “lazy readers” (nothing wrong with not having enough time to read every book in the world). Here are the ten Pulitzer-winners I find myself recommending most to friends and family:
1.To Kill a Mockingbird
2.The Color Purple
3.Beloved
4. Middlesex
5. The Old Man and the Sea
6. Lonesome Dove
7. The Hours
8. The Mambo King Play Songs of Love
9. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
10. The Shipping News
(11. The Stone Diaries 12. A Thousand Acres)
Now, it occurs to me that most of these books have been made into movies. The reason for this is that they’re pretty good stories. In almost every case, the movies are TERRIBLE. Some only take the names of the characters and then follow their own plots. Even the few movies that are good aren’t as good as the books. Seeing the movie isn’t the same as reading the book, folks. Ever. What makes a book great is as much the way thing are said as what is said. And, yes, seeing the movie before reading the book will ruin the book for you. So be careful; you don’t want to cheat yourself of the ability to really enjoy some of the United State’s best literature.
Also, these selections are balanced for enjoyment/readability and artistic achievement/importance. I don’t recommended some books because they aren’t enough of one or the other. I haven’t recommended The Known World to anyone yet, for example. It’s a stunning achievement and very important, in my opinion, but it’s a little dense and very depressing. Most people I know would probably put it down before finishing it. Breathing Lessons is delightful, but maybe a little on the light side, so it didn’t make the list. Beloved might be too difficult for your typical beach reader, but I put it on the list because it’s important enough to deserve a concerted effort. Likewise, some might say The Shipping News lacks importance, but it’s SO enjoyable. Nearly everyone who reads it loves it, and I think the artistic achievement is there.
It you don’t see one of your favorite Pulitzer winners on the list, it may be because I haven’t read it.
I hope that’s helpful, especially to fellow readers in other countries. Maybe someday I’ll make a general purpose “top ten American novels.” Nah,too hard! Happy reading, everyone.
Comments
these not read?
The ones not listed which I think are the best are;
The Killer Angels
All the King’s Men
A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain
There ae others not listed which I would list, and some you list I would not. In fact The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love is my pick for the worst of the Pulitzer winners—so de gustibus.
Yep, I've read those
Hi Schmerguls,
Yeah, I’ve read the three you mentioned. They just weren’t the greatest, in my opinion. I liked them,but they didn’t blow me away.
Let me see if I can remember my reactions to them:
Reading the The Killer Angels felt like going to the dentist. It was necessary and healthful and virtuous, but painful and not at all enjoyable. Maybe the Civil War is just too close, still, historically speaking. And I’m the kind of person who can’t take violent battle scenes in movies. They hit me right in the gut. Reading them is a little better, but not much.
I thought All the Kings Men was almost a great book. I felt like it could have been better with some vigorous editing. Themes needed to be tightned and clarified, loose threads needed to be tucked in, and so on.
The invisibility of southern blacks in the book bothered me a little (even though I give the book credit for pointing out the connection between power, currupt politics, and racism in the schoolhouse incident). The book’s Modernist ideolgy put me off, but it contained some beautiful writing, and I think it’s opening pages are some of the best in the English language.
A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain was interesting and amusing. I made my husband read “Love.” The mian character collecting goat poo in a popcorn container at a petting zoo for a VooDoo spell was just too funny. I don’t have a single negative thing to say about the book, but neither have I had much reason to recommend it to others. Maybe I’m biased against short story collections.
I notice you’ve read ALL the pulitzer winners for fiction. I’m so impressed. I could never stay that focused. It’d be great if you could make your own top ten list to help the rest of us along. I’m really not planning on reading all of them, so a “Don’t bother” list could also be helpful.
My main “don’t bothers” are A Summons to Memphis and Martin Dressler.
What didn’t you like about Mambo Kings?
PS
I see you’ve nearly finished the Random House list, too. Are you ever going to dig in and read Finnigan’s Wake? Could ya help out us losers with a top ten and a don’t bother list for Random House, too?
concinnity