Let's Talk about Lists
If you’ve been reading this blog for more than a few months, you’ve probably come across one rant or another about listicles and lists in general. Aside from the ones on the ROC in Your Mouth blog I think most of these things are pretty stupid. Actually, let me refine that a bit: “Best of” lists can ...
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The One Pro-NPR Three Percent Post
The only thing more rare than a Three Percent post praising—or at least, gently supporting—NPR is one heaping accolades on a publisher’s website. But, well, this is proof that anything is possible. NPR, the World’s Greatest Source of Middle-minded Hem-Haw Opinions, is actually doing something ...
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Kirkus's Best Fiction of 2012 List Featuring TWO Open Letter Titles
Now that Cyber Monday is underway, it’s about time for the “Best of Everything!!!” lists to start coming out. (Or, as documented at Largehearted Boy, continue coming out.) Personally, I fricking love these sorts of lists, to find books/albums that I need to check out, and to serve as fodder for my anger . . ...
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A Year in Reading at The Millions
Another good source for a year-end roundup is The Millions. As with the TLS and Guardian roundups we mentioned yesterday, The Millions will be posting personal recommendations throughout the month from authors, editors, etc. They have six entries up there so far, the most recent by Mark Binelli, author of Sacco & Vanzetti ...
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NY Times Top 10 List
The NY Times just posted their Top 10 list for 2007, and the five fiction selections are actually pretty solid: Man Gone Down by Michael Thomas. (Black Cat/Grove/Atlantic) Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson. Translated by Anne Born. (Graywolf Press) The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolaño. Translated by Natasha ...
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More End-of-Year Lists
As I mentioned before, I’m a big fan of end-of-the-year lists, even if they do tend to be fairly safe and uninteresting. I prefer the Guardian list because it’s a collection of “best books of the year” as recommended by other writers and cultural figures. This approach seems to lead to more ...
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