Kevin's Watch

Dave Eggers, Zeitoun *
Maureen Donaghue, Room
Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road *
Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye
Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid’s Tale *
Ana Castillo, So Far From God *
Edward P. Jones, The Known World *
Cormac McCarthy, The Road *
Cormac McCarthy, Suttree *
Claire Messud, The Emperor’s Children *
Joshua Ferris, Then We Came to the End *
Faulkner, Go Down, Moses
Welty, Delta Wedding
Wright, Black Boy *
Humphreys, Rich in Love *
Shearer, The Celestial Jukebox *
Horwitz, Confederates in the Attic
Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire
Arden of Faversham
Johnson, Volpone
Middleton and Decker, The Roaring Girl
Marlowe, Doctor Faustus *
Middleton and Rowley, The Changeling
Webster, The Duchess of Malfi

* liked/recommended

4 English classes. Never again.

The Duchess o...!!!!


Heh.


No way I could read that many books in a semester. Sure wish I was a faster reader.

Hmmm, and it doesn't look like I've read any of those.

The Handmaid's Tale was great. I love Atwood's stuff. Really liked her latest one, The Year of the Flood.

The Bluest Eye was not my favorite Toni Morrison -- Beloved is probably my favorite of hers.

I've heard good things about that book by Edward P. Jones. Might have to seek it out at some point.

Revolutionary Road...one of those books that is really good but so life destroying depressing.

Oh, I don't know. I wasn't sad at all when

Spoiler

April died

.

But yeah, not the most uplifting story.

I liked The Handmaid's Tale as well, but it's showing a few signs of premature aging. The hazards of dystopian near-futures and contemporary references, I suppose.

I didn't care for The Bluest Eye. Well written, but the black female POV just doesn't move me. Tellingly, the only part of the book I really liked was Cholly's perspective.

The Known World was very good. I wouldn't tackle it until you have some free time, though. Many complex characters with complex relations to one another along with a shifting time frame make it a book that requires serious attention and probably at least one reread. I'm looking forward to hearing Jones speak at a conference I'm attending in February.

Of the ones listed, the ones I would most strongly recommend are The Road (of course) and Ferris' novel (which he signed for me at a recent reading on campus).

you didn't like Streetcar ???? how could you not like tennessee williams?

btw, last patch before cata tomorrow syl. yer missing the changing of the world!

I didn't dislike it, and if I'd put up my list from a year ago when I first read it, I probably would have highlighted it. Reading it again just didn't do it for me.

Yeah, I know. Wish I could, but even if I had a spare $15 right now, I still have Suttree to finish (a daunting task in itself), a term paper to write on it, two final exams, a take-home final, and an essay portfolio to put together before the end of the semester (two weeks).

As a theater major, at one point, all I've read on your list is Faustus (acted a Mephistopheles monologue) and Streetcar. I've seen Revolutionary Road...and parts of The Handmaid's Tale.

I had a black cat named Mephistopheles years ago...
About all I can say regarding any of these.

I think I've seen clips of Brando in Streetcar.
...maybe?