Girls, It's Here! "The New York Times Ten Best Books Of 2022 List!" Now, I Am Here Only To Discuss "The 5 Best Works Of Fiction!!!!!!!!" Are You Ready? Let's Go!!!!!!!!!!!

                      I wait for this moment every year, but I can tell you, The Times has really messed up big time.  Let's take a look!

                                                                      

                               1.  "The Candy House," Jennifer Egan--This is the writer's sequel to her earlier success, "A Visit From The Goon Squad," which I did not like.  However, after that, her "Manhattan Beach" turned out to be the book of that year, which was 2017.  But this?  Give me a break!  Now, I have to go out and read this crap.  I would rather see "The Rabbit Huch" on this list.  Or "Tomorrow And Tomorrow And Tomorrow."  Why is The Times so crazy about Egan?  If she writes a sequel to this, hons, I am telling you, I am done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                   

                                    2.  "Checkout 19," by Claire Louise-Bennett--So much fuss was  made about this debut.  It should have grabbed me.  A lonely little girl turns to writing stories on scraps of paper, evolving into a person who loves reading and writing. Yet, something about the author's style put me off a story which should have engaged me.  I have empathy, but not much for how characters were portrayed here.  With the Egan book, I cried, "Oh, really?"  With this, I simply threw up my arms and said, "You have GOT to be kidding!!!!!!!!!"

                                                                             

                                      3.  "Demon Copperhead," by Barbara Kingsolver--Now, this is more like it.  First of all, it is Barbara Kingsolver.  Second, it involves Dickens.  I am sure all Dickensians have had their own ideas on re-telling "David Copperfield"--I admit I have--but after reading this, I am telling you, girls, it is definitive.  She gets all the essentials right, while maintaining the cultural tensions of the present time period.  Only one other  writer of note do I think could have done this, and that would be Donna Tartt.  Hopefully, she is working on other projects which will soon be seen!  Hail to "Demon Copperhead."  I fully endorse it, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                                  

                                     4.  "The Furrows," by Namwali Serpell--I have heard mixed things about this, and was ready to dismiss it myself.  Until I discovered she was the author of "The Old Drift," which was a novel I genuinely loved.  Also, it was on my list of "The Five Best Works Of Fiction Of 2019." So, I am more than willing to take a chance on this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                                        

                                     5.  "Trust," by Hernan Diaz--Another book that divided readers, who either loved it or hate it.  I was so afraid it would be SO Ayn Rand, but it really isn't.  It's a cohesive narrative covering three viewpoints, spanning topics as diverse as Capitalism and Literature.  I was consumed by this to the very last page.

                                        Well, girls, that's what "The New York Times" thinks.  It's not what I think, though I will say closer than might seem.  If you hate the list, take a look at mine, coming up.  

                                          And if you hate "The New York Times," remember, fifty years ago, they had the audacity to elevate Joyce Maynard as the voice of my generation!

                                          Forget it, dolls!  I am the voice of said generation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!