680. Amateurs

Amateurs
Donald Barthelme
1976
Around 185 pages

Once again, the Powers That Be have sneaked a collection of short stories on this List, the crafty bastards. I haven't been too impressed with Donald Barthelme so far, so I was happy to have the opportunity to experience his writing in smaller doses. 

I suppose the Listmakers thought this could pass for one entry because it is such a tonally consistent collection. But just like with albums, there are always going to be some weaker tracks, even if it is an overall decent curation. I did enjoy a few of these, but Barthelme's humor never really lands for me. It often comes across as dated.

Nothing too offensive here, so another meh notch on our bed posts. 

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Wrote over 100 short stories.

UP NEXT: Cutter and Bone by Newton Thornburg

679. Patterns of Childhood

Patterns of Childhood
Christa Wolf
1976
Around 415 pages

My superpowers failed me on this entry, and I wasn't able to locate a free edition of this work. So I ended up ordering this very thick novel and using it as one of my travel books overseas. Which is a lot of pressure to put on our relationship. You have to be pretty entertaining to make a seven hour flight in coach bearable. 

So this is an immensely complex novel that apparently got shanked in the English edition. But the List is already forcing me to learn Korean for one of these entries, so I can't really take on German right now. Our simplified, English version shares the narrator's experience of being a child in Nazi Germany. 

The narrator is trying to make sense of the past by telling her story. Her understanding of what was actually going on in Nazi Germany was so warped based on what she was told. It reminded me of Margaret Mitchell not knowing that the South lost until she was ten years old. Children are told by the people in power what the world should be like, so it was a unique and disturbing perspective coming from this time period. 

But I just couldn't stand Wolf's writing. The shifts to second person were particularly irritating. I felt like the narrator was still trying to keep a distance between herself and the events of the past to protect her emotional and mental health, but then we missed really deep diving into the biggest moments. Of course, this might have just been an issue with the translation.

A heavy, tangled novel and not at all fun to read on a vacation. 

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

One of these changes in the English edition is the modification in tone towards political elements of the text. For example, criticism of America disappears in translation.

A notable difference between the original German version and the English translation is the significant decrease in length. In a number of places, whole paragraphs have been omitted.

UP NEXT: Amateurs by Donald Barthelme

678. The Autumn of the Patriarch

The Autumn of the Patriarch
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
1975
Around 255 pages

I am very tired but I wanted to pop in and pay Papa Marquez my respects, before I fall asleep and hopefully dream of sexy Latinos. Like all Marquez novels, this was an exceptional work. 

The book is divided into six sections. Marquez creates a portrait of an archetypal corrupt dictator. It's a much more challenging read than his usual fare, because of the shifting points of view, run on sentences, and stream of consciousness style. It's tough to get through a novel that is essentially one paragraph. 

But it's Marquez, so we are in good hands, and magic realism really fits with a modernist methodology. Humanizing a monster is not an easy task, but Marquez accomplishes it here. Obviously, Marquez has a host of maniacs to draw inspiration from. Unfortunately, this story will never lose its relevance.

Not my favorite Marquez, but that's only because he set the bar so high. 

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Most popular book sold in Spain in 1975.

UP NEXT: Patterns of Childhood by Christa Wolf

677. W, or the Memory of Childhood

W, The Memory of Childhood
Georges Perec
1975
Around 180 pages

The List is obsessed with this guy, and my library is obsessed with erasing his existence. So far I've been able to find copies online, which is not my preferred way to read, but you do what you have to do when you're on a mission like this. 

The novel contains alternating chapters of autobiography and a fictional story. Like all Perec novels, he uses wordplay extensively, much of which is probably lost in the English translation. For example, the title is a pun on "double ve/vie," referring to the two narratives of the text. It's probably much more rewarding to read this in the original French, but mon français est mal.

The best part of this novel for me was when he was gushing about how much he loves to reread. I always appreciate it when writers wax poetic about their love of reading, for obvious reasons. This was probably my favorite Perec so far. He does an excellent job capturing how scattered our memories of childhood can be. I wish he had just stuck with a more traditional autobiography, but then he wouldn't be Perec.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Perec's father died in World War II, and his mother died in the Holocaust.

UP NEXT: The Autumn of the Patriarch by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

676. A Dance to the Music of Time

A Dance to the Music of Time
Anthony Powell
1951-1975

Around 3000 pages

Every country needs its own Proust. Anthony Powell is our British Proust, and created one of the most impressive works of all time. In fact, I might even like this more than In Search of Lost Time. Sorry Marcel.

Okay, hear me out: this is a fast read. I know, that's probably worthy of an eye roll, but I don't think page count necessarily determines the difficulty of a novel. There are 200 pagers on this List that took me much longer to read, because it was such a slog. But I didn't want to put this one down, and would have happily kept reading as many volumes as Powell could pump out.

Obviously at 12 volumes, this is a challenging novel to summarize succinctly. But our main character is Nicholas Jenkins, who is much more of an everyman than Marcel. I found Kenneth Widmerpool to be one of the most memorable characters in fiction, and his arc was just as compelling as Nick's.

I'm sorry I can't stop comparing the two, but both Proust and Powell are wizards. They manage to capture an entire lifetime with breathtakingly beautiful prose. I also love reading about the British upper class during this time period, so even the "slice of life" scenes were wildly entertaining.

Definitely an essential read.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Over a million words.

Time magazine included the novel in its list of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005.

UP NEXT: W, or the Memory of Childhood by Georges Perec

675. Dead Babies

Dead Babies
Martin Amis
1975
Around 210 pages

RIP Martin Amis, who died recently. Once I tried to take out a book by Amis, and the library let me keep it because it had been so long since anybody checked it out. So I guess he's not that widely read anymore. At the very least, he was better than his father, although I wouldn't call this novel a good demonstration of his talent.

The title is so obviously inflammatory, that you can tell this was designed for edgelords. This is meant to be a parody of Agatha Christie's country house mysteries, and takes place over a single weekend at the Appleseed Rectory. Another drug fuel romp, with all the things men think are funny, like digestive failures and fucked up sex.

Needless to say, I didn't find this amusing. Just an ugly story, and don't we already have plenty of those?

RATING: *----

Interesting Facts:

Adapted into a film in 2000.

UP NEXT: A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell

674. Correction

Correction
Thomas Bernhard
1975
Around 260 pages

This is a lot of post modernism to cope with at once. Can't we get a bit of a break, at least before we have to deal with Dead Babies? 

Unfortunately, the List has denied my request, so we get this. Roithamer is a philosopher who has obsessed with constructing a conelike habitation for his sister. This isn't my first Bernhard, and let me tell you, the guy had more sister issues than Nabokov. 

The point of view was interesting, but doesn't it feel like we have had hundreds of novels detailing a mental breakdown? It's an intentionally claustrophobic work, given, you know, the Cone. So more readable than other post modernists, but still a bit of a slog.

Sorry for the crankiness for the post. My throat is sore and I don't have ice cream, and I can't take this many cone related disappointments.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

His will forbade any of his works from being published in Austria.

UP NEXT: Dead Babies by Martin Amis

673. Grimus

Grimus
Salman Rushdie
1975
Around 315 pages

Ugh, we just got rid of Saul Bellow, and he's quickly been replaced with another author I don't like. Believe me, I would like to adore Rushdie, because he's pretty fearless and is still pumping out content, even after being stabbed in the eye. But I've never liked any of his books, which will you have to hear me say six more times.

Flapping Eagle, a Native American, becomes immortal after drinking a magic fluid. He wanders the world for 777 years, 7 months, and 7 days, before falling into a parallel dimension. Just like his later works, the novel is steeped in mythological and literary allusion.

Even Rushdie fans seem to disparage this one, but it felt consistent to me with other Rushdie novels. It was just as dense and taxing as his other works. It's a heavy read, and probably only enjoyable if you are a hardcore fan.

We are in a rough patch, and here's hoping somebody rescues us soon.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Brian Aldiss has claimed that he, Kingsley Amis and Arthur C. Clarke served on a science-fiction book prize jury at the time which identified Grimus as the best candidate for a science fiction book of the year award, but this prize was refused by the publishers who did not want the book to be classified as science fiction for marketing reasons.

UP NEXT: Correction by Thomas Bernhard

672. The Dead Father

The Dead Father
Donald Barthelme
1975
Around 180 pages

I was looking for a somewhat lighthearted break after Fatelessness, but of course we are immediately confronted with dead fathers. Luckily this was so confusing, I barely knew what was going on.

Which makes it pretty difficult to summarize, but I'll still give it my best shot. The Dead Father is a powerful being hauled with a cable by some children. All I can say is Barthelme's dad must have been a piece of work, for fatherhood to be represented the way it is in this novel.

This isn't as obnoxious to me as other post modernist novels have been, maybe because it wasn't 700 pages. It did contain some good moments, and would probably have had greater resonance if you are a parent, or have an overbearing father. Luckily, that doesn't describe me.

I appreciated how many influences Barthelme drew on for this, from Gulliver's Travels to Christian lore. So an impressive work, but not my cuppa.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Chapter 17 includes an adapted version of a previously published short story, "A Manual for Sons."

UP NEXT: Grimus by Salman Rushdie

671. Fatelessness

Fatelessness
Imre Kertesz
1975
Around 265 pages

There are quite a few famous novels that take place in concentration camps, and I definitely have to space out my readings. It's such an emotional experience, because you know it's going to be incredibly upsetting, powerful, and also strangely inspirational. It's a lot to go through when you are a sensitive lass like me.

Gyorgy Koves is a young Hungarian Jew who is sent away to concentration camps (first Auschwitz, then Buchenwald, and finally Zeitz). It's really a mind fuck how ordinary it all seems. Based on modern depictions, we see families getting ripped apart and this immediate understanding of what's going on. And while I am sure that often was the case, in Kertesz's story, most everybody is in denial or at least acting like they are, because what choice do you have? The guards aren't cartoonishly evil, and joke with the young Jewish boys. It's just not how you imagine hell. 

Gyorgy provides a fascinating perspective, even referring to the concentration camp as beautiful, because human beings can adapt and cope with anything. I also appreciated his reaction to people who didn't experience the camps. They wanted horrifying details and you could feel Gyorgy reluctance for his experience to be dramatized or consumed in that way. 

An incredibly moving and essential read. Now to pick up the pieces of my soul.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize for literature.

Adapted into a film in 2005.

UP NEXT: The Dead Father by Donald Barthelme

670. Willard and His Bowling Trophies

Willard and His Bowling Trophies
Richard Brautigan
1975
Around 170 pages

I started reading this book while waiting at the DMV to renew my license. I didn't know how sexually explicit it was going to be, and ended up feeling a little bit perv-y for reading it in public. But I guess none of us are at our best at the DMV.

Bob likes to tie up and gag his wife Constance, and read her Greek poetry. Constance caught genital warts from another man, which really puts a crimp in the sex life. Meanwhile, the Logan brother have dedicated their lives to recovering the bowling trophies that were stolen from them three years earlier.

Brautigan writes in such a straight-forward, digestible style, that he can tell the strangest stories. It was an odd reading experience, because the characters are all so weird, and the title character is a paper-mache bird. But I enjoyed the ride. Brautigan never overstays his welcome.

Unlike many raunchy novels on this List, it wasn't completely revolting. So that was nice change.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Brautigan got the name Willard in the novel from his friend Stanley Fullerton's papier-mache bird.

In 2018, filmmaker Kansas Bowling and musician Kat Meoz shot the only existing footage of the real Willard for a music video for Meoz's song "Here I Wait."

UP NEXT: Fatelessness by Imre Kertesz

669. High Rise

High Rise
J.G. Ballard
1975
Around 210 pages

We've had quite the string of unremarkable novels, so it's nice to have something come along that is so different and exciting. I'm surprised it took so long to adapt this into a movie, as the reading experience was very cinematic.

Following a divorce, Dr. Robert Laing moves into a high rise building that has plenty of amenities: a grocery store, a restaurant, a hair salon, a school, a bank, pretty much everything you need to function. The residents don't feel the need to leave the building anymore, and it doesn't take long for civilization to crumble. This feels like a particularly relevant read after surviving the pandemic in an apartment building.

I haven't been the biggest Ballard fan, but he finally hit it out of the park here. It's satisfying watching an author improve. The result was a smart novel with good pacing that had more to offer than shock value. He has three more books on this List, and I'll be interested to see if this is his peak.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Adapted to film in 2015.

One of Ian Curtis' favorite books.

UP NEXT: Willard and his Bowling Trophies by Richard Brautigan

668. Humboldt's Gift

Humboldt's Gift
Saul Bellow
1975
Around 490 pages

We are officially done with Saul Bellow! I know it's tradition to do a ranking once a Prominent Author leaves our List, but honestly, in this case, I don't really see the point. I was equally unenthused about all of them. 

This was initially conceived as a short story, but of course I would never expect Bellow to keep it brief. The novel is based off of Bellow's relationship with the poet Delmore Schwartz. Humboldt stands in for Schwartz, as a serious but "failed" writer, while Bellow is represented by Charlie Citrine, Humboldt's protege who achieves greater recognition and financial success than his mentor. 

I find Bellow's prose tedious and verbose. Nothing ever has a clear structure, so it just feels like you are meandering around, listening to an old drone. I wasn't too into these characters, probably because I don't find Bellow particularly relatable.

So happy we are done with this fella! Being boring is worst than being offensive.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Won the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

UP NEXT: High Rise by J.G. Ballard

667. Ragtime

Ragtime
E.L. Doctorow
1975
Around 270 pages

E.L. Doctorow is a guy who you have an okay time with, but you don't really want to schedule a second date. Unfortunately, for the purposes of this List, I will have to hang out with him two more times, and probably have to sleep with him too. 

This is probably his most famous work, and centers on a wealthy family in New York in the early 1900s. Their fortune comes from the sale of flags and fireworks, and I guess it was a patriotic time. The most unique thing about this novel is how often Doctorow incorporates real people into his narrative, starting with Harry Houdini crashing into a telephone pole outside the main family's house. So this would be an interesting read if you are fascinated by the era.

Doctorow couldn't be bothered to name his main characters, because he is so busy name dropping real people that have no relevance to the plot. You'd think a book named after Ragtime music would be snappier and less tedious.

I did enjoy the moments where he was describing the music, which is not an easy subject to write about. If you need proof, check out my 1001 album blog!

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

In 1998, the Modern Library ranked Ragtime number 86 on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. 

Adapted into a 1981 film and 1998 musical.

UP NEXT: Humboldt's Gift by Saul Bellow

666. The Fan Man

The Fan Man
William Kotzwinkle
1974
Around 190 pages

I was hoping our Satanic entry would be a bit more impressive. Instead we get another comic novel that falls flat. Oh well, at least it was short.

Our protagonist is named Horse Badorties, and I'm already tired. He likes fans and is putting together a benefit concert featuring teenage girls. Honestly, I would watch it if it was a Bravo show, but I wasn't that interested in the prose. The lowlight for me was definitely a chapter when Horse says the word "dorky" approximately 15000 times. 

In another writer's hands, I might have been much more sympathetic to Horse as a character, but the humor here didn't land for me. Whatever the goal, repeating the same phrase thousands of times is obnoxious. Maybe he had a word count to reach and panicked. We've all been there.

Obscure for a reason.

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Kotzwinkle wrote the novelization of E.T.

UP NEXT: Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow

665. Dusklands

Dusklands
J.M. Coetzee
1974
Around 160 pages

J.M. Coetzee will definitely be featured in the opening credits of this blog's television adaptation. He gets 10 novels on this List, so I better like him or else.

Dusklands is divided into two stories. The first part, The Vietnam Project, follows Eugene Dawn, who works for a government agency responsible for the psychological warfare in the Vietnam War. The second story is about a hunting expedition in South Africa. I definitely enjoyed the second part more, as the Vietnam War is such a depressing subject. Come to think of it, I think this may be the first novel we've had that really focuses on that war. Most of our authors are still trying to process World War II.

This is Coetzee's very first novel, but he is already a powerful writer who isn't afraid to deeply disturb his readers (although who isn't on this List). It did feel too dense, and not quite cohesive, but it's still an astonishing debut, and promises greater talent in the future.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Featured in the movie G.I. Jane.

UP NEXT: The Fan Man by William Kotzwinkle

664. The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum

The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum
Heinrich Boll
1974
Around 105 pages

The previous Heinrich Boll novel, Group Portrait of Lady, was good. But now that I've read this, I have the feeling it was simply practice for The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum. This entry is much tighter and more focused, with a much more compelling story.

The novel is presented as a confidential report, based on a variety of sources, about Katharina Blum. Katharina is a housekeeper whose life is turned upside down by the tabloids and an unlucky police investigation. Boll really has a swipe at the press here and did an excellent job capturing the political panic and sensationalism of the time period. So glad we are past all that now.

Katharina was a fascinating character worthy of study, which I didn't really feel in his previous "documentary." I always appreciate a novel with zero filler. I'll be curious to see if this is peak Boll, as he still has one more entry on this List.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

The fictional tabloid paper, Die Zeitung (The Newspaper), is modeled on the actual German Bild-Zeitung.

Adapted into a film in 1975.

UP NEXT: Dusklands by J.M. Coetzee

663. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
John le Carre
1974
Around 380 pages

Thanks to my ex, the 1001 movie list, I had already seen the movie adaptation of this novel. I have more fun with spy novels than film/television shows, so I expected this to be a step up from the movie. And I was right! It's rare, but exciting. 

George Smiley is back! And he's trying to uncover a Soviet mole, which I guess had particular relevance since this was penned shortly after the defection of Kim Philby. Le Carre's novels are always a little more grounded in reality than, say, the escapades of James Bond (but I still love you Fleming, my old chum). 

I enjoyed this only slightly less than The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, which had a better ending. Everything was tied up a little too neatly here for it to feel completely realistic. I always love it when novels seamlessly introduce the reader to an entirely new vocabulary, which le Carre pulls off here.

Another solid entry in the George Smiley catalogue.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Included on the "Big Jubilee Read" list of 70 books by Commonwealth authors, selected to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II.

The title alludes to the nursery rhyme and counting game Tinker Tailor.

UP NEXT: The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum by Heinrich Boll

662. Breakfast of Champions

Breakfast of Champions
Kurt Vonnegut
1973
Around 305 pages

Kurt Vonnegut gave this novel a "C," which just goes to show that we are always our harshest critics. 

This might actually be my favorite Vonnegut novel, but of course they are all bangers so it's difficult to choose.

Vonnegut is able to tell complicated stories well because of his simple and comedic style, so it's always easy to follow. Basically, the novel focuses on two characters: Dwayne Hoover, an Ohio car dealer and respected figure in the community who is going mad, and our homeboy Kilgore Trout, our favorite obscure sci fi writer, who is already a little mad.

There are many comedic novels I enjoy, but it's rare to find an author who can actually make you laugh out loud (for a full list of writers who are capable of doing that, please read my memoirs). Vonnegut's style has always appealed to me. He is philosophical as well as witty, and it's fun just watching his characters collide and bounce off each other.

Sadly, this is the last Vonnegut on the List. So here comes the ranking (even though they are all top tier).

1. Slaughterhouse Five

2. Breakfast of Champions

3. Cat's Cradle

4. God Bless You Mr. Rosewater

Damn, Vonnegut, don't leave me alone with these people.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Spent 56 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List.

Adapted into a film in 1999 with Bruce Willis, which was largely panned by critics.

UP NEXT: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John Le Carre

661. Fear of Flying

Fear of Flying
Erica Jong
1973
Around 340 pages

Finally, something juicy. Usually if we get anything sexual on this List, it is highly disturbing and almost always written by a man, or a woman trying to prove she can be just as disgusting as a man. But this one is for the ladies, and it is most definitely appreciated.

Isadora Wing is a Jewish journalist on her way to a conference in Vienna. It is the first psychoanalysts conference since analysts were driven out during the Holocaust, and she is apprehensive, as she has a phobia of flying. She is accompanied by her husband Bennett, also a psychoanalyst, but falls quickly for Adrian Goodlove. 

Sorry Bennett, but I was definitely rooting for Isadora to explore all her untapped sexual fantasies with Adrian. Of course, it's not as shocking now as it would have been to the first readers, but it is still immensely satisfying to see women's sexuality not treated as something shameful, or something strictly toted out for male pleasure.

I'm not going to spoil it, but I have to give a shout out to the ending as well. Definitely a must read in the feminist canon.  

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Sold more than 20 million copies.

UP NEXT: Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut

660. A Question of Power

A Question of Power
Bessie Head
1973
Around 210 pages

A female African author is about the rarest thing you can find on this List, besides an emotionally healthy sex scene. You can always tell when a book is underrated if the novel doesn't even get its own Wikipedia page. 

My only experience with Botswana is the Number One Ladies Detective Agency, which paints an idyllic and peaceful version of the country that I expected to be shattered immediately after reading this. The novel is a semi-autobiographical account of Head's life in Botswana after fleeing South Africa following a breakdown. 

This is such a genuine novel that it is obvious Head is drawing heavily from her own life. It's not a comfortable read, because we are in the head of somebody having a psychotic break. But the disjointed structure complemented the narrative well, as the reader was just as confused about reality as our narrator.

So I wouldn't label this an enjoyable find, but it was intriguing to get a glimpse of how mental illness is treated in Africa. And it's nice to get out of the West every once in awhile.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Head once said that Gandhi was God as a man.

UP NEXT: Fear of Flying by Erica Jong

659. The Siege of Krishnapur

The Siege of Krishnapur
J.G. Farrell
1973
Around 345 pages

I've just realized it's been awhile since we've had a new author on the List. I'm hungry for fresh blood. Unfortunately, we get J.G. Farrell again, who has yet to make a strong impression on me.

As the title so astutely describes, the novel details the siege of fictional Indian town of Krishnapur, during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Needless to say, the siege takes a toll on the British garrison, even as they remain decidedly English during the stand off. 

I'm not sure why this novel failed to engage me, as it took place during an undeniably excited time. But just like with Troubles, Farrell took an interesting premise and never really got off the ground with it. No one behaved naturally as you would imagine in this situation, which I think was part of the comedy, that even in sieges, English people will still adhere strictly to their class systems and daily routines. 

Another skippable novel, but Farrell has one more chance to impress us. 

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

Won the Booker Prize for Fiction in 1973.

UP NEXT: A Question of Power by Bessie Head

658. The Castle of Crossed Destinies

The Castle of Crossed Destinies
Italo Calvino
1973
Around 145 pages

Italo Calvino always brings some magic to this List, which is much appreciated because let's face it: most of our authors are muggles. 

In what I assume is a nod to Chaucer, Calvino presents a narrative where a group of travelers meet and swap stories. Only these characters find themselves unable to speak after passing through a magical forest, so they have to recount their tales using tarot cards.

Taking away the characters' ability to communicate is always a fun narrative technique, as we are forced to dissect all the non verbal ways we can connect with each other. This is a very short novel, so the concept doesn't have time to grate. And I really enjoyed the illustrations as well, usually if we have any drawings on this List, it's a penis.

I have to recommend this novel to my sister who is very into tarot, although I'm not sure she trusts me after the John Banville incident.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Contains allusions to Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso.

UP NEXT: The Siege of Krishnapur by J.G. Farrell

657. Crash

Crash
J.G. Ballard
1973

Around 225 pages

I had the slight apprehension when I saw the title of this novel that it was the basis for the 2004 movie Crash, which the other List made me watch. But once I realized this was written by J.G. Ballard, I knew he could never come up with anything that sanctimonious. What can I say, the List makes you jumpy sometimes. 

The List gods have been deaf to my pleas for less gross novels. I guess life is gross and we just need to deal with it, but can we at least have a moratorium on the word "mucus?" Our main character (who is also named James Ballard), is in a car crash that kills a man, but James and the man's wife are only injured. So of course James has an affair with the widow, because we are strictly in male fantasy land. James meets Vaughan, who gets sexually turned on by car crashes.

The List sure has introduced me to a lot of fetishes. Ballard doesn't shy away from depicting all the carnage of car accidents, and he treats sex the same way. It's a pretty disturbing read, and will certainly make you hesitant to trust male drivers. 

I have to give him props for being such a visceral writer, but not my cup of tea. 

RATING: **---

Interesting Facts:

One publisher's reader returned the verdict "This author is beyond psychiatric help. Do Not Publish!"

A 1973 reviewer in The New York Times wrote: "Crash is, hands-down, the most repulsive book I've yet to come across."

UP NEXT: The Castle of Crossed Destinies by Italo Calvino

656. The Honorary Consul

The Honorary Consul
Graham Greene
1973
Around 335 pages

I was disappointed to discover this is the last Graham Greene novel on the List. I thought we had more time! Okay, you could argue at eight novels, he is slightly overrepresented, but I personally enjoyed every single one of his offerings. As is tradition for the VIP members of this List, we now must complete our official ranking:

1. The Honorary Consul

2. The End of the Affair

3. The Quiet American

4. England Made Me

5. The Power and the Glory

6. Brighton Rock

7. The Heart of the Matter

8. The Third Man

As you can see, The Honorary Consul is top of the list, and I'm always impressed when novelists can finish with their strongest work (at least for the purposes of this blog). 

Eduardo Plarr is an unmarried doctor living in a provincial village in Argentina. The only English inhabitants of the village are Humphries, an old teacher, and Charles Fortnum, the alcoholic honorary consul. Plarr is attracted to Fortnum's wife Clara, and becomes involved in a plot aimed at freeing prisoners in Paraguay, Plarr's father being among them.

This is a fast paced, exciting novel. Greene has finally mastered all the things he wanted to say in his earlier works about political upheaval, Catholicism, even death. I wasn't surprised to learn that Greene considered this one of his best novels. When you have such rich characters, it's thrilling just to watch them think, so I enjoyed the lengthy imprisonment scenes the best.

GG, you will be missed! Why couldn't you take Pynchon with you??

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Adapted into a 1983 film with Michael Caine and Richard Gere.

UP NEXT: Crash by J.G. Ballard

655. Gravity's Rainbow

Gravity's Rainbow
Thomas Pynchon
1973
Around 760 pages

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. After the high that was The Black Prince, we were due for a reckoning. As the sage of our time, Ms. Taylor Swift, puts it, "I don't like how flying feels like falling 'til the bone crush."

I'm sure that I've complained on this blog about my S.O. liking Thomas Pynchon. Well, even he won't read this monstrosity, which really shows us what deep shit we are in. Okay, let's get this over with.

Summarizing a book like this is a thankless task. I feel like writers like Joyce and Pynchon suck all the heart and magic out of prose, reducing it to some sort of mad mathematical formula designed to create as much intellectual stress on the reader as possible. In tomes like this, there is always plenty of weird sex stuff, which might be the bulk of the appeal this holds over the literary crowd. 

For me, this held the same amount of enjoyment as reading the Yellow Pages. You either hate this, or you have to get a Gravity's Rainbow tattoo. I'm not sure how genuine the readership of this one is, the appreciation feels performative (which is even lampshaded in the most recent Knives Out movie). 

I'll give one star because I hated it slightly less than its spiritual successor, Infinite Jest, and I'll need a way of demonstrating my contempt later.

RATING: *----

Interesting Facts:

Though the book won the National Book Award for 1974, Pynchon chose neither to accept nor acknowledge this award. 

Time named Gravity's Rainbow one of its "All-Time 100 Greatest Novels."

Dedicated to Richard Farina.

UP NEXT: The Honorary Consul by Graham Greene

654. The Black Prince

The Black Prince
Iris Murdoch
1973
Around 365 pages

When somebody asks me what my favorite novel of all time is, well, first I slap them for their impertinence. Then I apologize and explain that favorite is a tier, and I couldn't possible pick one book. The Black Prince definitely qualifies as a top tier masterpiece. 

Our main character is Bradley Pearson, a London author. He shares a friendship and literary rivalry with Arnold Baffin, who he regards as writing more mainstream, shallow prose. The novel begins with Arnold calling Bradley, afraid that he has accidentally killed his wife Rachel during an argument. Bradley hurries to the Baffins' house, along with his former brother-in-law Francis. Murdoch creates such rich characters that it truly feels like they are driving the plot. Bradley mostly just wants to be left alone so he can write, but Murdoch's characters are so emotionally complex, that they are constantly drawing Bradley into their dramas. The Baffins' 18-year-old daughter Julian begs Bradley to tutor him, and it doesn't take long for Bradley to fall head over heels for her.

I didn't want to give too much away about the dynamics of this novel. The characters are constantly shifting and surprising one another, and there's enough sexual tension to power a host of sex toys. This novel feels like it was made for my personal tastes. I always love it when characters spend time interpreting works of art; it might be my favorite way to get in somebody's head. So Bradley and Julian's discourse on Hamlet was particularly intriguing to me. 

With such a deeply philosophical work, you might think the action might lag, but this is one of the most exciting stories I've ever read. Thank the goddesses for Iris Murdoch. To me, this book is about as close to perfection as you can get.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Shortlisted for the 1973 Booker Prize. She was robbed!

UP NEXT: Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon

653. Sula

Sula
Toni Morrison
1973
Around 175 pages

This is Toni Morrison's second published novel, and her second entry on the List. If we end up reading all of her works, I wouldn't be too upset about it, although my soul will definitely feel heavier. I didn't enjoy this quite as much as The Bluest Eye, but it's still an impressive follow up on her debut novel.

I suppose our protagonist is Nel Wright, who is best friends with Sula. Even though neither girl has a father figure, they both have very different home lives. Nel's mother Helene is rigid and conventional, while Sula's mother Hannah is eccentric and sleeps around. Nel and Sula share traumatic life events together, but take separate paths as adults. 

I don't want to spoil any events in this novel, some of which are incredibly shocking. Personally, I enjoy the strange twists and turns of her stories. She always keeps the plot moving. Still, I didn't connect to these characters as I have with her other novels. I don't need characters to be angels to enjoy a novel, but when everybody is constantly making amoral decisions, it makes it hard to care about the outcomes of their stories. 

So this book might end up on the bottom of my Morrison ranking when the time comes, but it's still worthy of a read.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

In 2022, it was reported that HBO will adapt the novel into a television limited series.

UP NEXT: The Black Prince by Iris Murdoch

652. Invisible Cities

Invisible Cities
Italo Calvino
1972

Around 165 pages

So far the 1970s have been a real mixed bag, but I think we are entering a good streak here; we have this, Morrison, Murdoch, Greene all coming down the pike. Of course, Thomas Pynchon is around the corner as well, but I'm trying to stay in a happy place.

The novel is framed as a conversation between Marco Polo and Kublai Khan, who often had traveling merchants describe the state of his vast empire. Marco describe 55 fictitious cities, with brief interruptions of dialogue between Marco and the emperor. 

I would read a fantasy novel that takes place in every one of these cities. It really speaks to the creative well that Calvino has at his disposal that he was able to conjure up so many fantastical cities. If I came up with any of these settings, I would need my entire novel to take place there, as the brief histories he provided were so rich and fertile for development. But Calvino is only interested in presenting us with a compendium of sorts, that is made further complex by his strict thematic categorization, which I'm sure is the subject of many theses.

My favorite work from Calvino so far. Definitely a helpful read if you need some inspiration to write.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Adapted into an opera in 2013.

UP NEXT: Sula by Toni Morrison

651. The Breast

The Breast
Philip Roth
1972
Around 115 pages

Well, it was only a matter of time before it came to us. Out of the 651 books so far, about 475 have been about men obsessing over women's bodies. So a story about a man becoming a breast feels long overdue. 

David Kepesh is a literature professor, so the similarities of his plight to that of Gregor Samsa in The Metamorphosis or Kovalyov in The Nose are not lost on him. As he gradually transforms into everybody's favorite body part, he describes his new sexual reality and the feelings that got him in such a unique situation in the first place.

When you have an absurd concept like this, the key is to keep it short, as these premises wear thin after awhile. Of course, this is an off the wall story, but Roth is so talented at created fleshed out characters (teehee) that it still feels grounded.

Definitely a step up from Portnoy's Complaint. Strangely, this felt less adolescent, and it was about a man turning into a boob.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

Talking to The Observer's Robert McCrum in 2001, Roth said, "I'm not good at finding 'encouraging' features in American culture. I doubt that aesthetic literacy has much of a future here."

UP NEXT: Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino