Neither Shakespeare nor Chaucer was British. Britain was founded in 1707 with the union between Scotland and England.

Hmmm, splitting hairs perhaps?

I tend to think of Henry James as an American author. Is it just me?

he lived in england i think. Thats enough. I think he's eligible for English and american status really.

This list is weak.

But his writing was American wasn't it(I guess I mean in style.)? And his leading characters were often if not always American, weren't they? Wasn't he usually thinking about an American viewpoint? Or am I perhaps not remembering all his books?

What about the turn of the screw?

Anyway, it's besides the point. The list says "best fiction by british authors". it doesnt mention anything about "best fiction written in a british idiom".

You misunderstand my point. I was commenting on my perception of James as an American author, and considering why I might have perceived him that way.

We can't have the complete novels of Jane Austen AND pride and prejudice. I'll remove the complete novels.

God, this list is awful.

whatsa matter with it? too horizontal? (authors grouped in single time period), too many dead white authors? what are you driving at?

I can't figure out how to add books to the list... it looks like I have to vote on the ones that are already there, which may be part of the problem.

Henry James, I believe, was American, but took British citizenship at some point. Can't remember when, offhand.

Hayes wrote: "whatsa matter with it? too horizontal? (authors grouped in single time period), too many dead white authors? what are you driving at?

I can't figure out how to add books to the list... it looks li..."

I can't believe the number of listopia users who can't figure out how to add books. Half the lists I've ever seen feature copmplaints about not being able to add books.
There's a search box in the upper right hand corner with "find/add books to list" written above it.

There definitely is too much of an emphasis here on stuffy, dead authors. British Lit isn't just about suitable boys and social faux pas.
Also there haven't been enough votes generally so it's a bit random attm.

Weirdly, until now the irish lit list had about 3 times as many votes as this list.

If you don't like the way people are voting you can accept it or not accept it, but I think, frankly, that you should a) stop taking it personally, b) stop whingeing, and c) stop being so hypercritical.

Susanna wrote: "Henry James, I believe, was American, but took British citizenship at some point. Can't remember when, offhand."

Susanna, Henry James became a British citizen in 1915. However, when he died of pneumonia in 1916, following a stroke, he was buried in Massachusetts. You had the right of it. Cheers! Chris

Deleted animal farm/1984 because the separate volumes appeared higher up.

What?? No Kingsley Amis?? No George MacDonald Fraser? For that matter, no Ruth Rendell? Surely there are others here who suspect that some halfway decent literature might've leaked out of the UK since about, oh, 1960?

Then why don't you vote for them yourself?

It saddens me to see Anne Bronte so poorly represented when she's every bit as good as her sisters.

Travis wrote: "It saddens me to see Anne Bronte so poorly represented when she's every bit as good as her sisters."

True. You hear tht there were 3 bronte sisters and most readers could probably name them but "the tenant of wildfell hall?" wth is that? I've honestly never heard of it before. I think Anne's poems are reasonably well known though...

Anyway, IMO, Wuthering heights sucked. Its not exactly a high watermark anne has to aspire to.

Mary wrote: "What?? No Kingsley Amis?? No George MacDonald Fraser? For that matter, no Ruth Rendell? Surely there are others here who suspect that some halfway decent literature might've leaked out of the UK s..."

1. Theres actually quite a few post 1960 books in this list. You just have to scroll down a bit. You can't expect relatively modern novels to compete with old classics in a popularity contest.

2. Why don't you add some books yourself?

3. Lucky jim is at #73

Travis wrote: "It saddens me to see Anne Bronte so poorly represented when she's every bit as good as her sisters."

Travis, I agree; and that's why I added The Tenant of Wildfell Hall to the list. I loved that book so much! Cheers! Chris

Harry Potter (#13) is most certainly post-1960, but probably not what you were thinking about!

Removed The Jungle - Upton Sinclair was American.

And the Pratchett books are post-1960. And the Ian McEwan books...

V for Vendetta is ranked higher than King Lear? Honestly!