Wherein We Elect Our Favourite Novels of 1949

Happy to report that this was difficult to limit to 50 books not because of US or UK but international authors.

Finally a Maigret I've read, and enjoyed a lot, so I'm voting that.

Pretty sure Orw*ll will walk this.

Thought I had read Love in a Cold Climate but turns out I was thinking of Love on a Branch Line, which was very much not written by Nancy Mitford!

Lottie and Lisa!!!! Easy vote.

Lottie and Lisa is The Parent Trap btw

Shocked not to see The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles listed here. I haven't read any of these, not even 1984, which I suppose I believe I've consumed by osmosis.

Sheltering Sky is really great. I've read the below and I'd stan for all bar Cré na Cille which is a good concept that doesn't quite come off.

Confessions Of A Mask by Yukio Mishima
Nothing More Than Murder by Jim Thompson
The Thief's Journal by Jean Genet
The Beautiful Summer by Cesare Pavese
Cré na Cille by Máirtín Ó Cadhain
The Moon And The Bonfires by Cesare Pavese

Going for The Moon and The Bonfires

if anybody voting for 1984 could mention it in the thread that would be great thanks

didn't realise some of these were published quite so early, my first instinct is Man with the Golden Arm

Oh yes and 1984, which I dislike.

These are ones I'd love to read:

The Kingdoms Of This World by Alejo Carpentier
A Mind At Peace by Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar

Never heard of Cannon-Fodder lol xxp

voting mishima, runner up would go to carpentier's el reino en este mundo which i read in university and found somewhat flawed but which i need to re-read.

I think I've only read the Algren and Orwell out of this list. I liked them both fine at the times I read them, but I'm not sure I'm particularly motivated to vote for either.

1984 is far more of a cultural artifact than great literature. I've read so little of this list that I think I'll abstain.

This is Tim Parks on his new translation of The Moon and The Bonfires:

https://fondazionecesarepavese.it/en/news/dialogues-with-pavese-tim-parks/

Anyone have an opinion on the dueling translations on Cré na Cille? They’re both available at my library!

Shocked not to see The Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles listed here.

It was on the initial list but got culled to bring it down to 50, as stated I gave precedence to non US/UK stuff (even tho it's less likely any of us will have read it).

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

There's this really cool bit in Lottie and Lisa where Erich Kastner stops and addresses any adult readers who think it's inappropriate for him to write a kids' book about divorce (his point being that as kids are affected by divorce it's only fair to let them read about it.)

When Shirley Temple was no more than seven or eight she was already a film star, famous all over the world. And she earned for the film companies many millions of dollars. But when Shirley wished to go with her mother to a cinema and take a look at a Shirley Temple film, she was not admitted. She was still too young. It was forbidden. She could only make films. That was not forbidden. She was old enough for that.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

I gave precedence to non US/UK stuff

no offense, but maybe give precedence to non heinlein too? i mean, stranger in a strange land or starship troopers okay, but

Getting here too late to vote, but since there was a request for posts re 1984:
When I was in the Ninth Grade, we were required by the State Legislature to read this and Animal Farm, as part of course work re Anticommnunism. Lionel Trilling's intro told us right off that it wasn't just about the Commies, that O. got the idea while writing WWII propaganda. Also, Winston and Julia were in bed--thanks, State Legislature! Nevertheless, O's briskly detailed, brittle (wood-framed) scenes drove his points home, with determination, not just slickness--that too, but goes with the hooks. I still remember unsettling phrases from it. And then he's done, over and out, make of it what you will. Maybe it's more artifact than literature, but so is my head. (Also, as w several of these lists, it's the only one I remember reading).

Writing WWII propaganda *for the BBC*

Actually, my head can be about even between artifact and literature (at least contents-wise, re the latter), and so is this book (at *least* that much literature)

no offense, but maybe give precedence to non heinlein too? i mean, stranger in a strange land or starship troopers okay, but

Haha, point taken. Should have added I also tend to let as much genre stuff in as possible to keep the polls from getting too predictable.

didn't vote but would have gone for Algren I think. Did love teh books i read by him think I was turned o by some music pres coverage of people Like Nick Cave or possibly just the writers enjoying him.
Film with Frank Sinatra's quite good.
As is Walk On The Wild Side

Failing that the Genet . who I eally should read more by. Think it has been a while since i did read him. Definitely read a lot of the basic stuff in my late teens.
I have the Sartre book on him lying around somewhere too.

MIshima
Celine
THompson
Hamsun
are all good, even if a couple of them are like totally fascists

actually I think the Celine there was one i had in a translation by Billy Childish too.

Must compile these lists then neglect to read the ones I do manage to find in charity shops, such a wonderful habit why break it now

Wherein We Elect Our Favourite Novels of 1950

Orwell winning is pure silent majority