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1000 novels everyone must read.

The Guardian has published a list of "1000 novels everyone must read." I thought I'd check how many titles by lesbian/bi authors were included in the list. Here's what I found:

  • Nightwood by Djuna Barnes
  • Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
  • Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown
  • The Well of Loneliness by Radclyffe Hall
  • Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith
  • The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
  • Zami by Audre Lorde
  • Delta of Venus by Anais Nin
  • The Night Watch by Sarah Waters
  • Affinity by Sarah Waters
  • Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
  • Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson
  • The Passion by Jeanette Winterson
  • To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
  • Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
  • Orlando by Virginia Woolf
So what do you think? I'm a fan of Sarah Waters, but three? three titles? of hers? Really? There are only three of Hemingway's novels included! Just pondering. Is there any title you really think they missed out on? Do you think any of those included don't deserve it?

Comments

Anonymous said…
Seriously, three Sarah Waters books? That does seem to be rather like overkill.

It's neat to see someone as contemporary as Alison Bechdel on the list.

And 17 isn't bad out of 1000, but maybe I'm just used to these lists only including at max 3 or so queer additions.

- Tam
7:57 PM
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