Who's the best American author? (1 Viewer)

[walrusbear]

i agree with kerouac being overrated, though i've only read 'on the road'
add pynchon to that list!!

 

[nwatts]

American "classics" are just, not.

Hunter S. Thompson would get my vote. Jeffrey Eugenides is also just exceptional.

 

[walrusbear]

eugenides certainly is a top writer, especially amongst the newer ones. I'm quite fond of jonathan safran foer too, though he has his critics.

someone neglected thus far is Phillip Roth. one of the best post war writers and his focus has shifted to particularly american concerns in the last decade.
don delillo is pretty special too.

 

[nwatts]

Yeah, DeLillo is good. We actually covered one of his works at uni today. I'm keen to read some of his extended fiction. The stort stories i've looked at have been very good.

 

[walrusbear]

Yeah, DeLillo is good. We actually covered one of his works at uni today. I'm keen to read some of his extended fiction. The stort stories i've looked at have been very good.

that's pretty cool you looked at him in class!
make sure you check out 'White Noise', that's the best i've come across so far.

 

[Tulipa]

that's pretty cool you looked at him in class!
make sure you check out 'White Noise', that's the best i've come across so far.

we looked at "Videotape" which i found to be quite an amazing piece of short fiction.

i'd have to say F. Scott Fitzgerald and Joseph Heller to be two quite exceptional writers.

 

[libertine]

ahhh i havent read enough american literature..

any tips ppl?

 

[nwatts]

that's pretty cool you looked at him in class!
make sure you check out 'White Noise', that's the best i've come across so far.

It isn't the source of that terrible 2005 film as it? Doesn't entice me!

 

[absolution*]

damn you fucking kerouac haters. cunts.

 

[Trippendicular]

Kerouac rocks!

 

[walrusbear]

It isn't the source of that terrible 2005 film as it? Doesn't entice me!

oh good god no!!
on the contrary i think you'd really like white noise.
it's hard to really describe it - it's another one of those novels of 'ideas'
it's essentially about a university teacher in charge of the Hitler studies dept in a mid-america town and his family
on a side note it has excellent dialogue too (i like dialogue ).

 

[walrusbear]

ahhh i havent read enough american literature..

any tips ppl?

pretty much every author listed in this thread is good

if you're undecided just read the great gatsby or catcher in the rye or something

 

[MasterP]

Am I the only one who likes Bukowski?

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Am I the only one who likes Bukowski?

yes

 

[MasterP]

yes

Bukowski > Kerouac for whatever it's worth.