Catching up on Classics (and lots more!) discussion

In 2021, My challenge is to read all the Booker and Pulitzer Prize winners since 2000. So far, I have read 10, which leaves 30 more to read. I have had some difficulty ordering a few of these books (I live in China), but I'm sure I'll find a way. Also, I hope my VPN holds up, so I can keep posting here.

Booker/Man Booker Prize Winners:

2000 Margaret Atwood The Blind Assassin

2001 Peter Carey True History of the Kelly Gang

2002 Yann Martel Life of Pi

2003 DBC Pierre Vernon God Little

2004 Alan Hollinghurst The Line of Beauty

2005 John Banville The Sea

2006 Kiran Desai The Inheritance of Loss

2007 Anne Enright The Gathering

2008 Aravind Adiga The White Tiger

2009 Hilary Mantel Wolf Hall

2010 Howard Jacobson The Finkler Question

2011 Julian Barnes The Sense of an Ending

2012 Hilary Mantel Bring Up the Bodies

2013 Eleanor Catton The Luminaries

2014 Richard Flanagan The Narrow Road to the Deep North

2015 Marlon James A Brief History of Seven Killings

2016 Paul Beatty The Sellout

2017 George Saunders Lincoln in the Bardo

2018 Anna Burns Milkman

2019 Margaret Atwood The Testaments
Bernardine Evaristo Girl, Woman, Other

2020 Douglas Stuart Shuggie Bain

Pulitzer Prize Winners

• 2000: Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
• 2001: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
• 2002: Empire Falls by Richard Russo
• 2003: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
• 2004: The Known World by Edward P. Jones
• 2005: Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
• 2006: March by Geraldine Brooks
• 2007: The Road by Cormac McCarthy
• 2008: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
• 2009: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
• 2010: Tinkers by Paul Harding
• 2011: A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan
• 2012: No Award Given
• 2013: The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson
• 2014: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
• 2015: All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
• 2016: The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
• 2017: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
• 2018: Less by Andrew Sean Greer
• 2019: The Overstory by Richard Powers
• 2020: The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

All the best. Please rate the books. 😀

Good luck and have fun, Scott! I'm doing Pulitzers as well. Many here are... ;-)

Thanks Nidhi and Philina!

I've liked most of the prize winners that I've read so far. The Underground Railroad, The White Tiger, Vernon God Little, Life of Pi, Wolf Hall and the True History of the Kelly Gang were exceptional. The only one I did not enjoy was All the Light We Cannot See, which I thought was a bit contrived.

The Known World has been on my tbr for many years. You may be lighting a fire under me.

I've ordered The Sellout and Lincoln in the Bardo. So those two will probably be what I read in January. Or I might start The Luminaries, which I already have on my shelves in all it's daunting 800 page or so thickness. All three are from the Booker list, but The Sellout and Lincoln in the Bardo are actually by American authors.

Meanwhile, I am reading Go Down, Moses by William Faulkner. My son is named Moses, which is part of the reason I chose it.

Cynda wrote: "The Known World has been on my tbr for many years. You may be lighting a fire under me."

Let me know what you think after you read it. Of course, I'm going to read it to complete my list, but there are some books I am putting off because of the mixed reviews from readers...

I am currently reading The Sellout. I rarely laugh out loud when reading, but I'm laughing on almost every page, with this one. It is also a perfect parody of race in the US, roasting both black and white culture. This book is so long overdue!

Finished The Sellout. Now I am starting Lincoln in the Bardo

I liked Lincoln in the Bardo very much. Looking forward to your rating.

I finished Lincoln in the Bardo. It was a quick read-- probably because of the structure.

It took me a whole chapter to figure out what was going on (that some of the speaker were ghosts in the cemetery) and another couple of chapters to really get into the story. I was disappointed that it wasn't more about the history of the period, or focused on the Lincoln family. Still, an interesting novel. I liked the multiple points of view in the quotes (I'm still not sure if those were quotes from real sources...)

Overall... yes, I would recommend it. I liked it for its inventiveness and gothic (a touch of Poe?) elements.

Milkman is finished (and reviewed). I didn't love it, but it was worth reading as an historical novel, illuminating life during the Troubles (1970s) in Belfast.

Next up: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

I'm really looking forward to this one. I've heard good things...

Scott wrote: "Milkman is finished (and reviewed). I didn't love it, but it was worth reading as an historical novel, illuminating life during the Troubles (1970s) in Belfast.

Next up: [book:The Brief Wondrous L..."

I highly recommend taking this one in via audio read by Lin-Manuel Miranda (of Hamilton fame). I had read some complaints of people who read it saying that it had too much Spanish. With the Miranda audio, the Spanish didn't detract one bit (and I don't know Spanish). He brings out the humor, sadness, and thriller aspects perfectly. I found myself taking the long way home, sitting in the garage listening, and cleaning a lot more. It was hard to put down!

Thank you for the suggestion, Sue! Lin-Manuel Miranda would be great for the audio. Hmm... but I've already bought the paperback (1/3 read, too) so I think I'll just stick to that.

The written version has long footnotes (about half the page!) on Dominican history. Quite interesting, actually. I wonder if the audio includes them?

Finished Oscar Wao (and reviewed). Now reading The Road

I finished The Road. Man, that was slit-your-wrists depressing! Good story, though.

I'm not sure whether to start Bring Up the Bodies, which is the sequel to Wolf Hall, which I read in December, or take a slight detour off this list. I have a few modern Chinese classics I'd like to read: Mo Yan's Red Sorghum and Eileen Chang's collection of novellas titled Love in a Fallen City

I read Bring up the Bodies.

Ok, let me just say: Wow! The research Mantel must have done for these books: she deserves a Ph.D. I never had much interest in the story of Henry VIII and his many wives before, but I feel like I just took a crash course. Great writing, too.

Scott wrote: "I read Bring up the Bodies.

Ok, let me just say: Wow! The research Mantel must have done for these books: she deserves a Ph.D. I never had much interest in the story of Henry VIII and his many wi..."

Oh, I'm jealous. I read Wolf Hall last year and am so anxious to get to this one. Glad you enjoyed it. You are reading some wonderful books!

Kathleen, you won't be disappointed. If you liked Wolf Hall, this is in no way a lesser book. In fact, as Cromwell plots against Anne Boleyn, who is a very dangerous adversary, it becomes more tense and riveting than the first book (even though we know from history how it will turn out).

Scott wrote: "Kathleen, you won't be disappointed. If you liked Wolf Hall, this is in no way a lesser book. In fact, as Cromwell plots against Anne Boleyn, who is a very dangerous adversary, it becomes more tens..."

Great--thank you, Scott! Isn't it funny how we hang on her words, like we don't know how the plot will unfold? :-)

I think I will start The Luminaries soon. It is a long book, and I am rather busy with a new semester starting, so it might take awhile.

I finished the Luminaries a couple of days ago. What an incredibly complex plot! Every time you think the mystery(ies) are about to be solved, the mystery only deepens. I can't recommend it highly enough!

Next is Empire Falls by Richard Russo. I ordered the Pulitzer winners from 2002-2005, and this was the first to arrive, so...

I wanted to read The Luminaries for a long time but because of its length I couldn’t start. I will be looking forward for your response to Empire Falls.

Nidhi wrote: "I wanted to read The Luminaries for a long time but because of its length I couldn’t start. I will be looking forward for your response to Empire Falls."

I was intimidated by its length too. But it is such a fascinating story that I read it in much less time than far shorter books. Once you start, you'll forget how long it is.

I read Empire Falls. For a book without much of a plot, it lingered for a long time in my mind whenever I put it down. The characters (especially Miles, the central character) are very likeable and relatable. There are no 'heroes' and 'villains'-- or at least we see the flaws of the heroes, and how the villains suffer too. For example, Miles' estranged wife first appears as a horrible, selfish person, until we see that she is just sexually frustrated and disappointed with her life.

The novel is also very funny. Max, Miles' father, seems like a character borrowed from Steinbeck's Cannery Row. Although he is a terrible husband and father, it is somehow impossible to stay mad at him, as he is so cheerful in his irresponsibility.

Now, I am reading Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.

Gilead was not what I was expecting! Actually, it was much better. It's a tender, respectful novel about an old man who marries and has a son when he is almost 70, then has to face leaving them (he is dying) a few years later. But he is also a pastor, and the book is as much a philosophical essay on religion and faith as it is a novel. Well, I enjoyed it-- and it struck close to home, as I also married late (not that late, though!) and have a young son.

Scott wrote: "Gilead was not what I was expecting! Actually, it was much better. It's a tender, respectful novel about an old man who marries and has a son when he is almost 70, then has to face leaving them (he..."

Good to know, I have it on my soon to read list.

Scott wrote: "Gilead was not what I was expecting! Actually, it was much better. It's a tender, respectful novel about an old man who marries and has a son when he is almost 70, then has to face leaving them (he..."

Thank you for your synopsis Scott I am glad you enjoyed the book. This is a title I have seen repeatedly without really knowing what it was about. I had planned on reading The Sea by John Banville for the Bingo square featuring this book prize, but now I have a second option.

Lynn wrote: "I had planned on reading The Sea..."

I enjoyed Gilead better than The Sea, but neither is as good as Middlesex, which I am reading now. In fact, of the Bookers I've read so far, I'd put The Sea in the bottom four. But that's just my humble opinion.

I just finished Middlesex. I'm glad I set this challenge for myself, to read the Pulitzer and Booker prize winners, because it is not the kind of novel I would otherwise read. And I would have missed a great story-- more an immigrant tale than a tale about a hermaphrodite-- and also a tale of the changing culture of the U.S. in the 20th Century. Highly recommended!

Scott wrote: "I just finished Middlesex. I'm glad I set this challenge for myself, to read the Pulitzer and Booker prize winners, because it is not the kind of novel I would otherwise read. And I would have miss..."

I loved it too Scott and wouldn't have read it without my Pulitzer challenge.

Scott wrote: "I just finished Middlesex. I'm glad I set this challenge for myself, to read the Pulitzer and Booker prize winners, because it is not the kind of novel I would otherwise read. And I would have miss..."

Me too! I was so glad to have read this book.

Scott wrote: "I just finished Middlesex. I'm glad I set this challenge for myself, to read the Pulitzer and Booker prize winners, because it is not the kind of novel I would otherwise read. And I would have miss..."

It sounds like you are getting the best out of what a book challenge can offer. How nice!

Wow! The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay was... amazing! Quite the fun read, especially the part about how they got started in the business.

It was also interesting to see what life was like for Jews in the U.S. in the 1930s and early 40s, a time of increasing anti-semitism, when they saw the persecution of Jews in German-occupied lands but were powerless to do anything about it. I was surprised to realize that I had never read a novel with that perspective before, although I have read many books about the holocaust.

A big book, but well worth it.

This was a book that I picked up in the past but just couldn’t get into. Maybe I should try again.

Terry wrote: "This was a book that I picked up in the past but just couldn’t get into. Maybe I should try again."

The book was mildly interesting at first, but didn't really grab me until the two cousins suddenly decide to write comic books together, and created the character of the Escapist. That's when the novel really picks up.

I just finished Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies. A wonderful collection of short stories, although some of them seem more like sketches. The style of some of the shorter stories reminded me of Eileen Chang's stories in Love in a Fallen City

The Narrow Road to the Deep North, which I just finished, is a very moving tale of the Australian POWs' sufferings on the Burma Death Railway in WWII. It's also a story of a failed love affair, and of one man whose life was shaped by both. Well, yes, it is a bit depressing at times. But it is the love story, more than the POW camps, which is depressing. I think the novel would have been better, too, if it hadn't jumped back and forth between past and present(s) so much at the beginning. Usually that device works well, but in this case the novel improves once the author keeps the focus on the POW camps.

So... if you are looking for a light beach read, this isn't it. But it is a powerful book and really makes you feel as if you are there, in the POW camps, with the Australian soldiers.

Scott wrote: "The Narrow Road to the Deep North, which I just finished, is a very moving tale of the Australian POWs' sufferings on the Burma Death Railway in WWII. It's also a story of a failed ..."

I thought this book was amazing, Scott. Sometimes hard to imagine how anyone survived such tortures.

Sara wrote: "Scott wrote: "The Narrow Road to the Deep North, which I just finished, is a very moving tale of the Australian POWs' sufferings on the Burma Death Railway in WWII. It's also a stor..."

It must have been a horrific experience. The author's own father was a POW on the 'death railway', so he must have heard some of these stories growing up.

I just finished The Finkler Question. Not being Jewish myself, I wasn't really aware of the existential questions Jews living outside of Israel face these days about what it means to be Jewish, and their relationship to Israel, the 'Jewish State'. Also, how to react to rising anti-semitism recently, especially in Europe.

A very interesting novel, and not without a fair bit of humour, too.

I am reading The Gathering by Anne Enright. So far, it seems entirely plotless and dull. The characters aren't even interesting. I'm hoping for some big dramatic twist. Or any drama, really...

Interesting I started The Gathering and put it away for another time. I thought it was just my mood, but maybe not. Dang.

I too found The Gathering dull and somehow too personal too be a book ( I can’t properly explain what I mean by that).

Well, I finished the Gathering. I can't recommend it. It is sort-of a character study (there isn't any plot) but the characters are just not unique or colourful enough, and in the end the narrator's 'crisis' is little more than middle-aged, middle class ennui.

I'm just realizing that the Booker Prize winners by British and Irish writers have been my least favourite, while I loved the books by Indian, Australian and New Zealand authors.

I read half of A Brief History of Seven Killings last month. I liked it... but I just needed a break. It is a bit long, or feels long, sometimes. I guess I will go back to it now.

I am going to push back The Gathering, Scott and find something else for the challenge category I was using it for. Thanks so much for your input. I am in no mood for anything bland or "middle class ennui" at the moment.

Sara wrote: "I am going to push back The Gathering, Scott and find something else for the challenge category I was using it for. Thanks so much for your input. I am in no mood for anything bland or "middle clas..."

Yes: there are so many other Booker Prize winners which are amazing books. This is, so far, the worst of them that I have read.

I just finished The Known World by Edward P. Jones. Highly recommended. It's an unusual novel about slavery, as it focuses on a plantation owned by a former slave who gains his freedom, only to start his own plantation. A black slave owner of slaves who are of course also black.

The novel is very well written and draws out the twisted 'morality' of the Antebellum South, where slavery is 'good' and the slave owners-- white and black-- believe they are doing God's will. (It shouldn't be forgotten that the abolitionist movement in the North was lead by Evangelicals and other Christians who believed slavery was a crime against God)

By the way, I have a category for 'African American literature' in my list of 'books read', separate from 'American literature' as I consider it a distinct genre. I don't mean to exclude African American literature from American literature, because of course it IS American literature, but African American literature has themes and styles unique to itself, and seems worthy of its own category. Anyways, I find African American literature fascinating and hope to read a lot more in the future.