Joyce Carol Oates
1992
Around 155 pages
Joyce Carol Oates is a genius for this work, regardless of anything else she ever does. To take a real life event and turn it into a mythical story that explores an age old theme (woman trusting man in power with devastating results, man facing zero consequences), was just brilliant.
So it's the Chappaquiddick incident, but with different names because the Kennedys are scary. This story really resonates with me. Maybe because I live in Pittsburgh, The City of Bridges, and I constantly have nightmares that I'm in a car that goes over the edge. And being trapped with somebody in their final moments in the most harrowing place books can be put us. It's so morbid and compelling, which is perhaps why we were all so interested in the Titanic submersible going missing.
By far the most essential Oates novel on the List so far. I hope Ted Kennedy's hell involves having to listen to an audio version of this, in Jar Jar Binks' voice, for eternity.
RATING: *****
Interesting Facts:
1993 Pulitzer Prize finalist.
UP NEXT: The Butcher Boy by Patrick McCabe
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