100 Notable Books: 2019

The NYT "100 Notable Books" list can be overwhelming. A few thoughts:

*There is an interest in "genre fiction" here. This is slightly rebellious for the NY Times. It's like if Elizabeth II appeared in public and performed a Taylor Swift song. I'm thinking--especially--of "Mrs. Everything," "The Institute," and the Joe Hill title. (Plus the Tremblay stories.)

*A surprising omission: Susan Choi's novel, which just won the National Book Award. No comment.

*"Say Nothing" calls out to me--not only because people are so breathless about this book, but also because it seems to be (in part) about restitution. Restitution is on everyone's mind, in the MeToo era. When people behave badly, is there a way to "come back"? Apparently, people in Ireland are walking around with monstrous deeds in their past--and people aren't talking. It's a compelling situation.

*I'd give a spot to Alison Lurie, for her book of essays, and in fact I'd subtract Ann Patchett to make room for Lurie. But that's just one opinion.

*Elizabeth Strout--"Olive, Again"--is also conspicuously absent. This is like neglecting to give Jeremy Irons an Oscar for "Dead Ringers." Or overlooking TayTay for a Grammy Award. But the Meryl Streep Impact might be at play here: Remember, Meryl went many, many years after "Sophie's Choice" before she won another Best Lead Actress Oscar. Does that really mean Reese Witherspoon had a better 2006 than Meryl Streep? Hmmm.....One must consider an occasional desire to "spread the wealth....."

Your thoughts?

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/books/notable-books.html

P.S. Omitting “Ladies who Punch,” the definitive history of the Barbara Walters project “The View” --? Unacceptable!

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