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Hobbitus Emeritus
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Re: Book of the Century?
I find the following books submitted as being better than LORD OF THE RINGS:
Atlas Shrugged (People think I have read the book, because so many of my opinionated musings seem to have been foreseen by Ayn Rand. I haven't, but it is an obviously great and noted book. I've heard enough about it to perhaps even summarize it! I think its impact has yet to be felt, but that time may be coming.)
Bridges of Madison County I didn't even watch the movie! But I don't think it is really comparable in scope and impact.)
Difficult Daughters. (Never heard of it. Perhaps that only demonstrates my ignorance, but I think it is of lesser cultural impact.)
House of Spirits. (Ditto)
Eva Luna. (Likewise)
Sister of my Heart. (Same here)
The Fountainhead. (I have at least heard of this one! Haven't read it, can't comment directly, but I don't think it's sold as many copies, if that matters.)
Godan. (I'm ignorant again.)
Midnight's Children. (Likewise)
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (Another notable book that was filmed. I've neither read it or watched it. Again, does it meet the impact criterion?)
Pigamalion. (A great play by George Bernard Shaw. I don't know that it's had the impact of LOTR, and it is not strictly speaking, a book. But I've got it on my shelf. Unlike
My Fair Lady it does not have a "happy" ending.)
Morgoth's Ring (Ummmm. Not a story, strictly speaking.)
Silm (Another of Tolkien's own works. Or at least assembled from his notes. At one time he wanted it published simultaneously as part of a whole with LOTR. A matter of taste, I suppose, but it lacks impact and following.)
Book of New Sun (I'm ignorant, I confess!)
Merlin trilogy (Now this was a fine work! A matter of taste again, I suppose. While I enjoyed it, the work did not hang with me, personally, as Tolkien's did. I, too, was a Merlin nut, until I discovered Gandalf!)
Stormbringer, by M. Moorcock (I've heard of this prolific author, but never read his work. This is one of the guys who earns a living because Tolkien created his employment!)
Corum: Coming of Chaos. (Huh? I'm not very well read, I suppose.)
Frankenstein (I think we're in the 19th Century here! But otherwise, this work is arguably in the running for its impact on culture and literature. I find Tolkien's prose superior, myself. However, Mary Shelley gets credit for an almost entirely original sort of work. Tolkien's is somewhat more derivative. Though, one could argue that the Greek myth of Pygmalion (ironic, no?) is a forerunner of the tale.)
Animal Farm (Now we're talking. Orwell certainly made people think about what Stalinism truly was! This was a work of great impact and excellent writing, though not very beautiful. This was one of the allegorical things that Tolkien hated, I suppose, but it certainly is one of the best such ever written. Too bad the filmed versions completely miss Orwell's point. I suppose the producers were sympathetic to Communism.)
1984 (This novel was Orwell's great indictment against Communism. Oddly enough, Orwell was a Socialist! This work is not beautiful, but it is haunting. Its predictions were marvelously accurate and tell us much about the world we live in today. We're not there yet, but in some ways we're surpassing his grim prophecies... Orwell's work is not as acclaimed today as it once was. I personally find that significant of the accuracy of it...)
Mila 18 (I confess to ignorance again!)
Exodus (Rings a bell, but I've missed out on this one.)
Gone With the Wind (I did actually read this. It was mighty good, and had a great impact in its day. It inspired a motion picture that is still among the best ever made. Its characters are now immortal icons of our culture. Definitely in the running!)
The Time Machine (H.G. Wells classic science fiction tale. As a whole, Wells body of work was certainly of great impact and brilliance. I personally find his stories to be somewhat contrived and his characters very flat and lifeless. Even so, if we were classing authors of the 20th century, his name would be near the top.)
The Castle and the Trial (Kafka) (No one would argue against the significance Kafka has had in Western Literature. Unfortunately, I've not read a single one of his works, and cannot comment.)
Ulysses (One of the few books I started and did not finish. I may pick it up again, for perhaps I was simply too immature 20 years ago to appreciate it. Joyce certainly impacted 20th century literature, perhaps more than any other author, or so I've been told. Arguably among the great of that century. But I can't argue where in the lineup he might be.)
As I hoped, we've delivered a lot of great recommendations here, and I'm sure everyone would do well to follow up on these. Horizons will be broadened and thought will be deepened by these works. This is a fairly serious list! (For the most part!)
I do have to wonder, however, if any of these works will provide the sheer enjoyment and satisfaction of LORD OF THE RINGS!
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