Religion and Ethics Forum

General Category => Literature, Music, Art & Entertainment => Topic started by: Nearly Sane on November 07, 2019, 12:18:38 PM

Title: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: Nearly Sane on November 07, 2019, 12:18:38 PM
I think it's a bit of a poncy notion but the list itself isn't bad.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/494P41NCbVYHlY319VwGbxp/explore-the-list-of-100-novels-that-shaped-our-world
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: Outrider on November 07, 2019, 01:01:25 PM
It's not often I come across one of these lists where I've actually read some of the entries, and even rarer that I've read them by choice rather them being part of my school English curriculum.

It's nice to see Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore's storytelling starting to get some recognition, as well.

O.
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: Anchorman on November 07, 2019, 01:50:16 PM
I think it's a bit of a poncy notion but the list itself isn't bad.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/494P41NCbVYHlY319VwGbxp/explore-the-list-of-100-novels-that-shaped-our-world
   

I've read a few of these, the Pratchett, O'Brien, Lewis, Tolkien sets, plus M.M. Kaye, etc.
I waws quite chuffwed to see "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" there, but I'd question Buchan. If I could I'd have added Rankin's Rebus set to the crime and punishment section, and Aldiss' Heliconia series to the adventure category.
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: Nearly Sane on November 07, 2019, 02:16:45 PM
Yep, it's not an up itself list. Slightly surprised by the choice of novels for Attwood and Dickens
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: Nearly Sane on November 07, 2019, 02:42:21 PM
And just noticed the choice for Rushdie - mmm
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: Robbie on November 07, 2019, 10:49:57 PM
Wow that is a good list. I've read quite a few of them, seeing the titles and names of authors took me back which was pleasurable.

The film of 'Half of a Yellow Sun' – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, was on TV a few days ago. Thandie Newman starred.
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: Steve H on November 07, 2019, 11:33:09 PM
'The Lord of the Rings' is a single novel, not a trilogy. Given that some of the entries are indeed trilogies, or larger series of novels, the total is more than 100, and it's much too heavily weighted to the last 100 years.
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: Gordon on November 08, 2019, 07:37:12 AM
I'd have expected to see D H Lawrence's 'Sons and Lovers'.
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: jeremyp on November 08, 2019, 04:43:06 PM
'The Lord of the Rings' is a single novel, not a trilogy. Given that some of the entries are indeed trilogies, or larger series of novels, the total is more than 100, and it's much too heavily weighted to the last 100 years.

It's divided into three books that you can (or could) buy separately. It is a trilogy.

Anyway, I've read 13 or parts of 13 of these. But I would dispute that any more than a couple have shaped the World.
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: Steve H on November 08, 2019, 11:05:12 PM
It's divided into three books that you can (or could) buy separately. It is a trilogy.
No, it isn't. I've got a two-volume edition of 'War and Peace', and each volume of that was available separately, but it is nevertheless only one novel. None of the three books of LotR stand alone as a complete story.
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: jeremyp on November 11, 2019, 03:44:09 PM
No, it isn't.
Yes it is.

There are three books:

The Fellowship of the Ring

The Two Towers

The Return of the King.

This is how the Lord of the Rings was first published.

As a Christian, you should be able to understand how something can be one thing and three things at the same time.
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: Nearly Sane on November 12, 2019, 09:27:29 PM
And here we have a companion series. But in a very specific view.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000b8mh
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: Steve H on November 13, 2019, 10:33:39 AM
Yes it is.

There are three books:

The Fellowship of the Ring

The Two Towers

The Return of the King.

This is how the Lord of the Rings was first published.

As a Christian, you should be able to understand how something can be one thing and three things at the same time.
Very funny. They are three parts of a single novel, and do not form complete narratives on their own.
https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/petty-service-announcement-the-lord-of-the-rings-is-not-a-trilogy
"There wasn’t enough paper in England to print it in its entirety.

Literally.

After World War II, Britain faced paper shortages that limited the amount of books that book publishers could produce in a year. Unlike most modern movie studios, Unwin wasn’t about to double down on an extensive and expensive production without some tangible results first. The solution was to publish in the novel in three parts over the course of a year or so—The Fellowship of the Ring in July of 1954, The Two Towers in November of 1954, and The Return of the King in October of 1955.

Voila: a single novel, just delivered in three volumes for economic reasons."
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: jeremyp on November 13, 2019, 10:47:34 AM
Very funny. They are three parts of a single novel, and do not form complete narratives on their own.
Neither does the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy or the Harry Potter series.

Quote
https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/petty-service-announcement-the-lord-of-the-rings-is-not-a-trilogy
"There wasn’t enough paper in England to print it in its entirety.

Literally.
And yet you can't deny the fact that there are three books.
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: Steve H on November 13, 2019, 11:20:18 AM
Neither does the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy or the Harry Potter series.
Yes, they do: they are complete novels.
Quote
And yet you can't deny the fact that there are three books.
But they don't form a single, complete narrative on their own.
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: jeremyp on November 13, 2019, 11:24:36 AM
Yes, they do: they are complete novels.But they don't form a single, complete narrative on their own.
You haven't read the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy then. The first book segues directly into the second book. The Harry Potter Series has an overarching story arc.

In neither series is it really possible to fully understand what's going on unless you reads the books in order.
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: Steve H on November 13, 2019, 11:30:58 AM
Yes, I have read THGTTG - all of the books, each of which is a separate novel, complete in itself, even if there is an overarching hyernarrative. I haven't read the Potters, but I understand that the same applies to them. The three parts of LOTR, on the other hand, do not form complete narratives on their own.
Now go away. You're boring me.
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: jeremyp on November 13, 2019, 11:35:46 AM

Now go away. You're boring me.

I accept your admission of defeat.
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: Steve H on November 14, 2019, 09:57:55 AM
I accept your admission of defeat.
I think you're deliberately trying to piss me off. You haven't come up with an answer to my last argument, or indeed any of the previous ones, and obviously don't know what a novel is.
Title: Re: '100 novels that shaped the world'
Post by: jeremyp on November 14, 2019, 11:14:35 AM
You haven't come up with an answer to my last argument, or indeed any of the previous ones, and obviously don't know what a novel is.

I had every indication that you had decided to throw in the towel, so there wasn't a need to counter your last argument.