Recommendations

[Oldposts]

bb,
I've read some of Angelou's poems, they're simple and elegant. I especially remember the one she wrote about a black boxer becoming the first heavy weight champion of the world(Joe Lewis I think) it is memorable. Some of her narrative poems were refreshingly personal and feminine. She has this nourishing quality about her writing that I love.

In the above list I forgot a very important person!
I can't believe I forgot him!

Ralph Ellison
Ellison was a literal unknown when he published his seminal novel Invisible Man in the 50s. The novel eventually won the National Book award and has become the testament to the social irrelevance many blacks feel in America. Even beyond race and class, the novel exquisitely articulates the displacement of man in his search for meaning, relevance and a sense of belonging. Definitely one to reflect upon, the novel makes its point with gentle grace.

[Oldposts]

Thanks Udhaya....
I'm going to try them

Do you have any recommendations for books of the genre of Salinger (whatever it's called) ...
Does jean Paul sartre fall in this category for I found a striking similarity in their works...?

Vijay

[Oldposts]

vj, salingerllaam padikkaadhE, the assassin of john lennon, after killing, sat and read catcher in the rye till police came)))
another interesting thing about salinger is that he is an ardent devotee of ramakrishna paramahamsar.
what is his genre? hmmm...i guess, close to mark twain, but with a more nihilistic view. he is not as much a philosopher as sartre...

[Oldposts]

Another of Toni Morrison's good book is "Beloved" which was recently made as a movie.

Nithya

[Oldposts]

that reading "catcher in the rye" story about Mark Chapman is so much hyped up that people associate Chapman with Holdfield (is that is name?) ....
and actually one of Sartre's story called Erostratus comes very close to Salinger's prototype protaganist.... and Salinger I agree was not as much of a philosopher as Sartre but they I believe thought on similar lines....
Mark Twain and Salinger? Clarify bb..

Vijay

[Oldposts]

Catcher in the Rye's protagonist is Holden Caulfield.

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Ralph ellison's new book, juneteenth is out!

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i recommend "an equal music" by vikram seth. have reviewed it in the book reviews thread.

[Oldposts]

bb: I read the review of "an equal music" in the Newyorker magazine. From the review the book
does not sound to be very promising.

[Oldposts]

I'd like to recommend "Possession" by A.S.Byatt. Excellent book with complex gripping characters. Supposedly a romance (the title itself says so) but I'd like to call it a literary romance.