Music Banter - Who's our Homer?

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There are only 3 non-American authors on that list. Is that a bit biased?

Is anyone else having trouble picking a winner?

Toni Morrison really? I can think of one book Beloved.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FRED HALE SR. (Post 1066478)

Toni Morrison really? I can think of one book Beloved.

She's won both the Nobel prize for literature, the Pulitzer Prize, and the National Book Award for her writing, In addition to various other awards, medals, and forms of recognition She's written 10 novels (I've read them all), 7 non-fiction books, and 2 children's books.

I can honestly think of no living author that can come close to the skill and absolute beauty of her writing. In my opinion she is the greatest living author and easily one of the greatest American authors ever.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SATCHMO (Post 1066485)

I believe she won all of those awards for Beloved? I did enjoy the book and she is certainly a skilled author. Wow i've never heard such praise, I guess i stand corrected. I'm assuming you picked Toni Morrison. I would put Alice Walker neck and neck with her style of writing, but thats the beauty of books, so many authors, so little time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paloma (Post 1066244)

Vonnegut is more consistent, I definitely agree, but I feel that maybe John Irving could have a bigger impact if more people read him :) After all, he's written several novels with controversial aspects, like abortion (Cider House Rules, which is such a pro choice book I get a feminist boner when I read it), homosexuality (several of his books actually, and they're never condescending and hardly ever ascribe to stereotypes which is so progressive) and he even has a trans person in his novels, and no one acts like there's something wrong with her, she's a great character. Vonnegut does write great stories but I think in a more lasting impact, Irving would get the crown.

I would think your argument that John Irving addresses more topical issues would actually make him less likely to be well known a thousand years from now. I'd imagine people in the next millennium will be so far past debates about abortion and LGBT rights that they would have a hard time even understanding the topic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conan (Post 1066462)

Poll shall include:

Tolkien
Vonnegut
Stephen King (he was nominated twice)
Irving
Murakami
Dr. Seuss (it could happen)
Toni Morrison
John Updike
James Baldwin
Mark Twain
William Faulkner
James Joyce
Asimov

I wanted to add Melville but I guess he doesn't qualify since it's been a little over a hundred years since his passing. I'll add any other suggestions.

Mark Twain doesn't qualify either. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FRED HALE SR. (Post 1066478)

Toni Morrison really? I can think of one book Beloved.

How many books can you name by Chaucer?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon (Post 1066492)

Canterbury Tales and the Book of Duchess spring to mind. Not a big fan myself, but I get your point.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FRED HALE SR. (Post 1066487)

From what I've been able to gather, her Nobel Prize was for general achievement in literature and not for a specific novel. Here's a list of her achievements, from wiki, of course:

Quote:

1977 National Book Critics Circle Award for Song of Solomon
1977 American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters Award
1987-88 Robert F. Kennedy Book Award
1988 American Book Award for Beloved
1988 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award in Race Relations for Beloved
1988 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for Beloved
1989 MLA Commonwealth Award in Literature
1993 Nobel Prize for Literature
1993 Commander of the Arts and Letters, Paris
1994 Condorcet Medal, Paris
1994 Pearl Buck Award
1994 Rhegium Julii Prize for Literature

Aside from the fact that Walker and Morrison are both female African American fiction authors, there's not a lot of similarity in their work. Morrison is famous for blending the genres of fantastic realism and historical fiction, and Walker is pretty straightforward historical fiction. I do appreciate both authors, but Toni is by far my favorite.

Tolkein all the way! Anybody here read Farm Giles of Ham btw? Its one of Tolkein's short storys -very fun read.