5/6     Any new fiction books out there that are any good? (I'm looking
        for something along the line of Forester, Hemingway, etc., ie
        literature or some reasonable facimile there of)
        \_ well, i bought "sick puppy" by carl issaison (sp?) on a hunch
           before a trans-pacific flight and liked it.  it's neal
           stephenson w/o the sci-fi part, if that helps.  very
           hyperbolic.  read the first few pages at the store and decide
           for yourself.
        \_ New only in comparison to the names you mention, but I'm reading
           Gaddis' JR.  Good stuff.
           \_ why did Gaddis have to forego chpater breaks, or breaks
           \_ why did Gaddis have to forego chapter breaks, or breaks
        \_ READ HARRY POTTER YOU MUGGLE!
           \_ tmonroe is that you?
        \_ Read The Moor's Last Sigh, if you have not already done so, I suggest.
              of any sort, for that matter? it makes reading his book
              so much more difficult
           \_ I said literature, not bedtime stories for 6 year old
              children.
                \_ and he gave you a decent reading suggestion, not a bedtime
                   story for 6 year old children.  read it before you knock it;
                   if you've read it, say why you didn't like it
                   \_ Okay I've read HP, and its like a Scooby Doo eps.
                      The characters are way to sterotypical and there is
                      little in the way of plot or character development
                      or even social interaction.
                      HP is like Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew. Its okay if you
                      are under the age of 10.
           \_ come on. it's for elementary school children. i read some of it.
              how is it literature? it reminds me of Roald Dahl. it's popular
              probably because elementary school is the level of these adults'
              reading. if you want a good fantasy, Song of Ice and Fire by
              Martin has moments of pure excellence.
              \- I've read the first two HP books and i think they are popular
              rather than good ... i can see why people like them, but they
              dont have complex character or plot or great dialog. I suppose
              you get cuaght up in what will happen to various characters
              and how the "mystery will be solved" ... i'd compare HP to a
              popular TV show rather than to literature. --psb
        \_ Read The Moor's Last Sigh, if you have not already done so,
           I suggest.
           \_ I couldn't finish it. But then again, I've never liked
              Rushides' work.
              \- I think "White Teeth" is pretty good. But some people are
              likely to get more out if it than others ... such as if you
              are familar with ehtnic issues in London. I dont understand why
              you say "new fiction" and then mention Hemingway. I liked
              David Lodge too: Changing Places has a lot of berkeley refs.
              This is literate fiction not "literature" BTW. --psb
              \_ I should have said new "literature". Basically I'm looking
                 for something written in the last 10 years that has the
                 depth of description and character development that was
                 found in some of the better novels in the early to mid
                 1900s.
                 \- what's the deal with "written in the last 10 yrs" ... you
                 want a contemporary setting? you could try saul bellow's
                 ravelstein. --psb
                 \_ I gather that the 70-90 was a bad time period for
                    literature, ie commie/liberal/feminist propoganda
                    masquerading as literature. My take is that the
                    situation has improved, and the writing is much more
                    honest in the last 10 years.
                    Contemporary setting is not that important for me
                    as compared with good honest writing.
                    BTW, I just finished "True at first light" and
                    didn't like it much. That's why I'm asking about
                    some newer authors.
        \_ My list of 20th century literature I think measures up well...
                ~cody/bookrec.html
                \- everyone i recommended "A Fine Balance" to liked it.
                fo rsomething more cheery, Changing Places, Small World,
                Therapy (last three are more good stories than serious lit.
                although you have to knpw a bit of litcrit to get SW).--psb