tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133489888936435050.post2998339198933026116..comments2024-03-12T18:52:31.920-04:00Comments on Write with Fey: My Top 25 Reads of the Past 125 Years #25BetterBooksChrys Feyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11955009490266358041noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133489888936435050.post-26927867751904056252022-03-15T13:13:36.698-04:002022-03-15T13:13:36.698-04:00I agree, their list wasn't very inclusive. Tha...I agree, their list wasn't very inclusive. Thank you for sharing your list with me. Those are some very inclusive and impressive titles/authors.Chrys Feyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11955009490266358041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133489888936435050.post-89942184683853491972022-02-28T20:55:28.751-05:002022-02-28T20:55:28.751-05:00I've read one from your list and have another ...I've read one from your list and have another in my TBR pile (Their Eyes Were Watching God). I've read five of the NYT list, but knew of most of them. However, I didn't think there list was ver inclusive of the past 125 years. And then, are we looking for the best books (which is very subjective) or the book had the most impact? If the later (which would be more of my direction. I would like to see books like Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle;" James Baldwin, "Go Tell it On the Mountain;" Flannery O'Conner, "Short Stories;" John Hersey, "Hiroshima;" Rachel Carson, "Silent Spring," Orwell, "1984;" Alan Paton, "Cry, the Beloved;" Erich Maria Remarque, "All Quiet on the Western Front;" Hosseini, "The Kite Runner;" Wendell Berry, "The Unsettling of America;" Edward Abbey, "Desert Sojourner," something by Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Graham Greene, Herman Hesse, China Achebe, Rabindranath Tagore and probably Chairman Mao's "Little Red Book" Jeff https://www.blogger.com/profile/06423765367745022144noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133489888936435050.post-11164571338637505392022-02-23T15:12:50.268-05:002022-02-23T15:12:50.268-05:00I agree. The NYT taking thousands of random nomina...I agree. The NYT taking thousands of random nominations and figuring out how to conflate those into a single list as narrow as 25 books was a waste of time, especially given how problematic the list turned out to be. The only motivation that they shared was to celebrate their 125th anniversary, which they could’ve done in many ways. If they wanted to highlight books, they could’ve looked at their past reviews and had staff pick their favorites, and not asked readers. It wouldn’t have solved the diversity issue as they had chosen the finalists, but at least it would’ve only represented the staff instead of them using readers’ initial nominations to do that. They also could’ve upped it to the top 125 books to really honor 125 years. Or they could’ve published ALL the readers’ nominations (minus books that got only one nomination) in a three or four-part series.<br /><br />Thank you for commenting!Chrys Feyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11955009490266358041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133489888936435050.post-5916354250666990422022-02-23T11:39:08.293-05:002022-02-23T11:39:08.293-05:00Not to dismiss your personal list, I think the ide...Not to dismiss your personal list, I think the idea of conflating many people's list into one - especially one as narrow as 25 books!! - is a waste of time. I couldn't even begin to remember all the books I've read that have meant something to me at the time. In fact, I look through my Goodreads list and don't remember reading half of them.Annalisa Crawfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14943610814274794998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133489888936435050.post-21006077873280278512022-02-23T08:09:13.433-05:002022-02-23T08:09:13.433-05:00I can understand that thought when it comes to mak...I can understand that thought when it comes to making up your own list. That’s why I had tried to read certain books beforehand (at first, I struggled to come up with 25) and why I said my list isn't set it stone. If I had to recreate it, it’d change slightly each year. I did have fun coming up with mine, though. 🙂<br /><br />But that’s a great example of why it was unnecessary for the NYT to create such a list, or want to name “the best book” of the past 125 years, in the first place; there’s so many books that it’s impossible to read them all to make that decision, and there’s no point in doing so when so many are great to us individually and collectively, as Ad Astra had pointed out. That’s what our own personal lists demonstrate…that although we may not have read ALL the books in all the world, or we may think we don’t read widely enough, there’s countless books out there that we have read that we believe deserve the honor. And that each of our lists would be vastly different from the next because of how subjective such a list like this naturally is.<br /><br />Aside from our own lists demonstrating all that and being a fun project and insight into ourselves, our lists also act as a wonderful way to recommend books to others. I ended up reading a handful of books I saw on other peoples’ lists on IG to see if they’d make my own list. (And three of them did.) Sharing our favorite books, whether it’s a list like this or not, is how we can encourage others to read more diverse books.😍<br /><br />I’d love to know which books make it on your (non-permanent) list. 😀<br /><br />And gosh that was a long reply. lol I’m very chatty right now, I guess. And I love this discussion. Plus, I knew you wouldn’t mind a lengthy reply (if you see it). ❤️Chrys Feyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11955009490266358041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133489888936435050.post-5017034858763649052022-02-23T00:15:22.275-05:002022-02-23T00:15:22.275-05:00You have some of my favorites on this list, and a ...You have some of my favorites on this list, and a lot of titles on my TBR list.<br /><br />I started to think about what I might include on such a list, but was soon swarmed by thoughts about how I haven't read ALL the books in all the world, so how could I possibly make such a list (which I am sure I have made in the past)? Interesting to think about, though. If my brain ever calms down (ha), I'll have to give it a try. :)M.J. Fifieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15626475963328519693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133489888936435050.post-40111395141601217622022-02-22T22:27:35.465-05:002022-02-22T22:27:35.465-05:00Your own top 25 list would be just for you, but I ...Your own top 25 list would be just for you, but I understand what you mean.<br /><br />That’s an excellent point about privilege playing a huge role behind who works for the NYT. Privilege for sure is a factor, from wealth privilege, male privilege, and, of course, white privilege. I hadn’t thought of the wealth aspect, but you’re right that that would contribute greatly to who could work/intern there, and thus contribute articles addressing issues important to marginalized communitie, as well as review books with more diverse representation. People from marginalized communities would unlikely be able to apply, land the position, or make it work on a low salary or for no pay at all.Chrys Feyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11955009490266358041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133489888936435050.post-91104992355226517642022-02-22T21:53:59.762-05:002022-02-22T21:53:59.762-05:00I would not even dream of making a top 25 list. I ...I would not even dream of making a top 25 list. I don't feel I read widely enough to attempt it. The NYT is problematic on a lot of fronts. I think the big issue is one of privilege. To become a journalist working for the NYT, a certain amount of luck and a lot of systemic support had to be in their background. (Poorer people can't take low paying or no paying internships.) And that reflects in the types of takes they're putting out there as of late.<br /><br />As for your books, I've read a few of them. Liz A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16531953467834426316noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133489888936435050.post-43504804503467354542022-02-22T16:13:39.652-05:002022-02-22T16:13:39.652-05:00They are revealing. I have to thank Ad Astra for m...They are revealing. I have to thank Ad Astra for most of those stats and for their message that got me to really ponder this. <br /><br />Thank you for asking about my mom. She’s doing well. :)Chrys Feyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11955009490266358041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133489888936435050.post-6939523721161908092022-02-22T15:02:00.710-05:002022-02-22T15:02:00.710-05:00Your stats are very revealing. And you're righ...Your stats are very revealing. And you're right that what makes it on the list is very subjective. Thanks for sharing your list. And hope your mom is doing okay.Natalie Aguirrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756087804171246660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133489888936435050.post-64422351113058666972022-02-22T09:23:29.179-05:002022-02-22T09:23:29.179-05:00The books about the refugee crisis in the Mediterr...The books about the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean sound amazing, definitely important reads. Thanks for sharing, Hilary! And thank you for visiting and commenting! :)Chrys Feyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11955009490266358041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9133489888936435050.post-37226002411179872022022-02-22T06:50:08.096-05:002022-02-22T06:50:08.096-05:00Hi Chrys - to read is one of my major goals this y...Hi Chrys - to read is one of my major goals this year ... I have just acquired The Colour Purple from the Migration Museum here ... and have two two of their books both relating to the refugee crisis that is found in the Mediterranean ... Greece, Turkey and Cyprus ... they tell stories, remind us of history, offer up recipes from their homelands ... very thought provoking - very! As one of the author's notes: "It's a book about the resilience of the human spirit" and is dedicated to all migrants.<br /><br />Thinking of you - cheers HilaryHilary Melton-Butcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17596532480645510678noreply@blogger.com