Well, Girls, Today's The Day!!!! And We Have To Talk!!!!!!!!

Darlings, today was the Biggest day of the year for us literature lovers!!!!!
The New York Times released its list of the Ten Best Books of 2010, and you can bet I have plenty to say about it!!!! The first thing hooray! because Jonathan Franzen's "Freedom" heads the Fiction list. I mean, is anyone surprised????? It had just better; could you imagine if it had NOT??? The future of Western Civilization would have hung in the balance!!!!! The other piece of good news is that "Matterhorn" did not make the list; thank God, because don't we have enough Viet Nam books out there? Thank God for Julia Glass, who does NOT write Viet Nam novels; if she starts, I will scream!!!!! Besides, Joyce Carol Oates will probably beat her to it!!!!!

I am thrilled that Emma Donaghue's "Room" made the list; I have been anxious to read it, and now have a legit reason to. But Jennifer Egan???? Oh, my God, she is just one step up from Jodi Picoult and that ilk!!!! For THIS they omit "Skippy Dies?" And "Super Sad True Love Story," or whatever the hell it is called????? And why Ann Beattie and William Trevor, when there are plenty more innovative short story writers out there???? Not to mention, Nicole Kraus' latest book?????? I swear, if Truman Capote returned from the grave with a manuscript, it wouldn't see the light of day of THIS list!!!!!!

As to non-fiction, the only big surprise is the presence of one I would ACTUALLY read. In fact, own. And no, girls, I am not talking about Patti Lupone's memoir, or the Karen Carpenter biography. I am referring to "Finishing The Hat--Collected Lyrics (1954-1981) With Attendant Comments, Principles, Heresies, Grudges, Whines, And Anecdotes" by Stephen Sondheim. Now, I know Steve has played around in the S and M scene, but does his book HAVE to have the longest title since "Marat/Sade?" Is it necessary. I think this is a first, darling, where I not only read a Ten Best Non Fiction book; I actually own it!!!!!!

But the rest--that migration book? Strum Und Drang!!! Give me Jane Darwell or Lois Smith as Ma Joad!!!! A Cancer biography????? After my mother dying of it????
Not on your life????? At least nothing by Paris Hilton got on here, because I am telling you, if Jennifer Egan can make it, is Miss Hilton far behind?????

The only thing I want to get behind is my reading lamp, so I can start reading some of these goodies. So the New York Times does it again--and that is not necessarily a compliment. But anyone who can recognize the Wisdom of Franzen cannot be all bad!!!!!!

Just make sure YOU recognize it, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!