Three best novels of the 1990s

[Mark A. Douglas]

> >
> >Richard Romeo opines:
> >
> > > 1. Infinite Jest
> > >
> > > 2. Underworld/A Frolic of His Own
> > >
> > > 3.  Mason & Dixon
> > >
> > > Yes, in that order.
> > >
> > > Rich
> > >
> >"Infinite Jest" is a very important book for the 90's, I think, because it
> >will
> >change the way SOME people view fiction, but I would change the order a
> >bit,
> >with a deletion and an addition.
> >
> >1. A Frolic of His Own
> >
> >2. Mason & Dixon
> >
> >3. The Tunnel
> >
> >Just a thought on a slow Wednesday afternoon.
> >(And I'm not even sure, yet, in my own mind, that "Underworld" is DeLillo's
> >best
> >book of the 90's.)
> >(And "Infinite Jest" probably comes in a close 4th or 5th place here.)
> >
> >Peace,
> >MAD
> >madness at airmail.net
> ---------------------------------
> Thinking about it last night, I should have qualified my post:  IJ seen in
> the light of the 90s is the book of the decade.  Now, since 1975 or the last
> 1/4 of the century, it doesn't rate with M&D or even Underworld.  I wonder
> it's staying power outside of that decade. But this is just riffing
> nonsensically.
>
> Rich
>
If we're going back to the last 1/4 of the century, (and I was hoping we would,
eventually, because, honestly? the 80's, the 90's...kinda blow for truly great
works from this century), then we're allowed to add Joseph McElroy's "Women and
Men", which for my money is one of the truly great novels of not only this
century but any century.
And giving us 25 years or so to look at allows us to IJ in it's proper
prospective.
And again, I think it's an important book, and could continue to be so, but more
for it's influence than for it's actuality.  If that makes any sense...
So amended (and strictly at this point, Americanized, by the by)...

1.  Women and Men by Joseph McElroy

2.  JR by William Gaddis

3.  Mason & Dixon by Thomas Pynchon

And Pynchon's listing here only precludes the fact that we're not quite back far
enough for Gravity's Rainbow, which would be Numero Uno on the list (followed by
McElroy and Gaddis).

Peace,
MAD
madness at airmail.net