Until I was about 24 years old, I hadn’t read a single book by an author that was still alive. I guess it was some dumb principle I had in my head that it’s all been said before, so what’s the point of reading a rehash? But, what I found when I did start reading contemporary novels is that they hit harder simply from the language. Hemingway’s dialogue, for example, is written the way people spoke back then. Same can be said for Steinbeck, Faulkner, Dickens (especially Dickens), and the list goes on. So one day a friend explained this to me. I don’t know why I never thought of it myself, just thick and stubborn I guess. So I picked up something contemporary. I don’t even remember what it was, but I was pleasantly surprised at how easily the dialogue flowed.
In any event, here are some of my favorites and comments on them. Feel free to argue vehemently or agree gushingly.
Also, take a look at my Good Reads profile. There are many books that I love and I can recommend all of them I’ve rated with at least 5 or 4 stars.
Brady's Cellar 