Top Ten Tuesday: Modern Classics
Will these books become classics? Only time will tell.
1. James by Percival Everett (2024) -- An instant classic to be read next to The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. As with all classics, when one rereads this book I bet new aspects will be revealed.
2. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (2022) -- a modern twist on Dickens' David Copperfield. Rich and multilayered, this book has a lot to tell us about modern life.
3. The Overstory by Richard Powers (2018) -- nine characters with interlocking stories about trees. This book compels the reader to think about the natural world in a new way. It is powerful stuff.
4. The Road by Cormac McCarthy (2006) -- a dystopian novel after a cataclysmic event where all remaining humans have to fight each other and the elements to stay alive. In the midst of all that horror is a father-son love story which stands in stark contrast to the horrors of daily life.
5. There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib (2024, nonfiction) -- a thoughtful masterpiece. Described by one reviewer as "one of the century's most beautiful and thought-provoking exploration of adolescence and race." It is a blend of poetry, memoir, history, and cultural criticism.
6. Atonement by Ian McEwan (2001) -- A young girl makes a false accusation which impacts so many lives. The story probes the relationship between storytelling and memory.
7. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (2014) -- Set during the days after civilization's collapse, this novel probes at our interconnectedness.
8. The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz (2007) -- both humorous and deep, this book begs for a reread to catch everything it has to offer.
9. My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante (2011) -- Named by the NYT as the best book of the 21st Century. It is an intense story about the friendship of two girls in post-WWII Naples.
10. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon (2000) -- A decidedly American story. While the rest of the world was focused on the Nazi encroachment of Europe in the 1930s, we were fascinated by comics and superheroes. This book challenges the reader to think broadly.
(I've read all these books and recommend them. What do you think of my list? What books did I miss?)
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