No Michael Chabon. No Alice Munro. No Toni Morrison. Are you kidding???????????
These were some of the shocking surprises which greeted me, as I perused the New York Times Ten Best Books Of 2012 List, particularly in the Fiction category. So, before going any further, let us start with what was actually selected. Mind you, I am only covering five titles, since I am only talking about Fiction. I know from nothing about Non-Fiction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Times chose--1.Bring Up The Bodies, by Hilary Mantel
2. Building Stories, by Chris Ware
3. A Hologram For The King, by Dave Eggers
4. NW, by Zadie Smith
5.The Yellow Birds, by Kevin Powers
As far as how I did, I got two right. I said the Mantel book and the Kevin Powers novel would make the cut. I was counting on Michael Chabon's "Telegraph Avenue," Toni Morrison's "Home," and Alice Munro's "Dear Life" to support them. Instead, the Times confounds again!!!!!!!!!!!!
A graphic novel???????? ("Building Stories, by Chris Ware) What a blow to those of us devoted to the English language!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How DARE they?????????? What are they trying to prove; that they are "with it??????????" Listen, you panelists, who need to be overhauled, or at least have ME on there, until you can get through a visit to Alice's Tea Cup on West 73rd Street, don't make effusions about books that don't merit a listing, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dave Eggers?????????? Oh, no!!!!!!! Not AGAIN!!!!!!!!! He seems to be the new flavor, that every time he comes out with a book he gets on the list. And he is such a mixed bag; sometimes he's worth reading, sometime not.
Same with Zadie Smith. After reading "White Teeth" twice, and still not convinced it was as great as everyone said, I wrote her off. But then came "On Beauty." And then references to its being a reinvention of "Howard's End," by E.M. Forrester, one of my faves!!!!!!!! And it just blew me away!!!!!!!! So, I am more than willing to give Zadie a chance; I just haven't read her yet. But when I do, dolls, you will know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am anxious to read "The Yellow Birds" for several reasons. First, it is not that long. Second, it has gotten its share of atttention. And, third, I don't think I can strike out twice in a row with a war book. Last year, there was that "Matterhorn" thing I could not get through, and while it made the Most Notable List, thank God it did not make the Top Ten!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Interestingly, "The Yellow Birds" is the only book on the What I Would Have Picked List. I did not even choose Mantel, though I have it at home, waiting to be read. I went with the Chabon, "Canada," by Richard Ford, "The Road House," by Louise Erdrich, and the novel that, now I will say it, I would have made my choice for Book Of The Year--"Beautiful Ruins," by Jess Walter!!!!!!!!!
Which means the Times needs me on that panel, to circumvent all this weirdness that keeps popping up each year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As for the final results, I have read one, and plan to read three. Unless I hear more glowing reports of the Eggers book, I will skip it, along with the Chris Ware title!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But can you believe it???????? I hardly have time to take a breath after the 100 Most Notable, when out comes the Ten Best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well. at least "Fifty Shades Of Grey" didn't make it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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