read all of "Times" best 100 novels of all time

This.was.amazing.

Everything about this book is amazing. If I were to write a book, I would want it to be this book. From the description of how beautiful women love to the final quote, all of it is amazing.

I’m not sure I’ll ever understand why literary folk love this book so very, very much. It is a chronicle of growing and changing and loss of innocence, and well done. But there are better. I promise you.

This was hard to read, and not just because it was very graphic, but because it’s hard to keep many of the characters straight. That being said, the description and monumental historical nature that was covered was amazing, and I see why it’s on the list.

I’m not a huge fan of 40s detective serials, but this one set the standard and, while it’s true that I wouldn’t read the rest of the series, was pretty pivotal in literature and not an unenjoyable read!

This may be one of the most singularly beautiful things that I have ever read. The ending quote about being as useless as God will stay with me forever. As will the quote about the French understanding sadness, which is why they have bidets.

Now here’s a book that’s truly great. Isherwood is amazing at capturing characters, mood and inner dialogue implications. Sure, it’s not the bitter and ugly pre-WW2 Germany that we think it to be, but it’s important to remember that Germany didn’t feel that way (the way described above) to a lot of Germans and ex-pats. Isherwood gives us a look into what things really felt like, and it’s a beautiful look at the tragedy of being human in a context.

You know, it’s not that I didn’t enjoy this book, because I frankly enjoyed it greatly. I’m just not sure if it’s one of the 100 greatest novels ever, and for the time period it’s representing, Fitzgerald is certainly a stronger author with better stories. That said, the subtle depiction of Julian English demise is, well, tastefully done and the world is believable. Perhaps I just like the drama of Fitzgerald…better.

You know, as I was reading this book, I was saying “This is beautiful writing, but I’m not sure it’s one of the best of all times. Saul Bellow, after all, is on this list for establishing Jewish voice in writing.”

But then you get to the last 100 pages, and it moves you so deeply. I’m not sure that I don’t think that there are better books that could have replaced this on the “100 best” list, but I sure did love it.

I’m not sure that this needs to be on the list as long as there’s a James Joyce book on the list. Perhaps we don’t need two representations of the genre of meta fiction when one would be so far superior to the other. However, there’s obviously a lot of “great” in this book. It’s worth reading…maybe. If you really like meta fiction. If you just want to understand the genre, a single Joyce reading would be enough.

Yes, I know. Many of these are chosen for historical relevance rather than quality of craft. And while I didn’t not enjoy this book, I’m not sure I’d call it the most amazing novel I’ve ever read, or even one of the 200 best.