read the 100 greatest novels written in English

My Antonia, and I am glad (once again) that I decided to undertake this list. The novel is about immigrant farmers in the beginning of the twentieth century, and the way their culture and hardships blend into the fabric of the “American” experience. The more I read novels on Radcliffe’s top 100, the more I am happy that I have a background and education in literature. It gives the experience of reading a classic (or even just a great book) layers of satisfaction. As a reader, I can savor the good writing, and the subtle nuances in plot and dialogue. But, I can also embrace a different level in meaning from having studied periods of literature and the way they influence writers and give us a better sense of shades of American identity. This is what I was able to take away from My Antonia: a better grasp of how each American family experience differs and enriches the American spirit.

but I finished The Grapes of Wrath before Christmas. As I started it, I really thought I would fizzle out. Steinbeck’s prose is dense, and the heavily accented dialogue in the book is tough to digest. I remained committed however, for the sake of finishing this list. 450 pages later, I had to reconsider my initial skepticism. I felt such heaviness and the inexplicable feeling of fullness that accompanies a remarkable piece of literature. This was definitely worth my initial patience—extraordinary read!
15% done with the list, and I ordered Willa Cather’s book to start next week.

and it was such a powerful novel, I’m not sure how I could have missed it in college. I feel that I could really embrace Toni Morrison’s writing style. I really look forward to reading Beloved, a novel that’s actually on the list. Also started The Grapes of Wrath, which will probably take much longer, as it’s 450 pages!

on this. I am thinking however, of switching lists. I originally intended to read Time magazine’s top 100, but I like the Radcliffe publishing top 100 a little bit better. I’ve read 15 of the 100 so far, so hope to get started quickly on the rest. Once I’m in a reading groove, I seem to completely devote myself to it. I went to the library yesterday and picked up The Bluest Eye and The Grapes of Wrath, only to discover that The Bluest Eye isn’t on the list (Beloved is). Oh well, it’s obviously a worthy read anyway, and I’m already a 150 pages into it.

As soon as I saw that Time magazine published a list of the 100 greatest novels published in English since 1923, I knew it was a mountain I had to climb. I felt the slightest bit shamed that as an English major I had only read 11 books on the list. Granted, being a lit major in college left me with little time for authors outside of Shakespeare, Milton, and the like, but I still felt inadequate for not having explored more modern writers. So, one at a time, I intend to check off every book on the list.