Steven’s Comments (group member since Mar 23, 2011)

Steven’s comments from the Tackling the Pulitzer Prize Winners! group.

I had read Demon and had Trust checked out from the library. Now to catch back up :-)

I have only read 1,2,8 and 23. Hopefully 1 or 2 are not the winner. I enjoyed 8 and 23.

Steven wrote: "I thought that the announcement would be next week, but it is not until May 8. I am just not into it this year, especially with the results from last year. I haven't read any of the books on the pr..."
Looking at the prediction list again, I overlooked that Babysitter was number 2. It would be interesting if this book wins. Will they finally give Oates the Pulitzer? It is not her best work and parts of it appeared 16 years ago. The Pulitzer is for work released in the year of the award. Not something that was written years ago and put on the shelf and just updated to contain some current social issues. Some of her early work was Pulitzer worthy, but not recently in my opinion.

Oh, and I forgot that I read Horse last year. It was really good.

Steven

I thought that the announcement would be next week, but it is not until May 8. I am just not into it this year, especially with the results from last year. I haven't read any of the books on the prediction list at pprize.com. The final prediction is available now. I have a month until the announcement now, so maybe I will try and read a few. In any case, I will not be making a prediction this year.

I like the Gilead books as they take place near where my Dad's family lived in Iowa.

Picked up Babysitter by Carol Oates at the library.

From the copyright page:

Portions of this work originally appeared as "Babysitter" in ..... (2006)

Is this a new work from 2022? Is it eligible for the Pulitzer? See my thoughts above.

Steven wrote: "Rebecca wrote: "The PPrize site has up its prediction list as of February 1. http://www.pprize.com/Discussions.php... This is not yet final, as their prediction is based on other award..."
Looked at the website on my computer and found it. Neither of my phones show the discussions on the page.

Richard wrote: "Will this be the year that Joyce Carol Oates finally breaks through? :) I have read French Braid (Anne Tyler) and am finishing up Demon Copperhead (Kingsolver). French Braid is nice, but I don't se..."

It will be interesting to see what Oates wrote this time. Is it a re-write of something she wrote years ago but never published that just adds in current day social issues? I have read one review of the book that was not too good. Too many divergent issues trying to be pulled together in one book instead of trying to concentrate on one issue.

Rebecca wrote: "The PPrize site has up its prediction list as of February 1. http://www.pprize.com/Discussions.php... This is not yet final, as their prediction is based on other awards and not all ha..."
They must have just put it up as it was not there on Saturday when I was at the library. I am trying to decide if I do my usual pre-reads to see if I can predict the Pulitzer. I have been disappointed in the past few years with the selection process. Especially last year. Steven

Richard wrote: "I can't believe I'm saying this but, I'd like to nominate a book by Anne Tyler: Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant"

Richard, this is the Anne Tyler book that is on the 500 Great Books by Women Authors list. They chose only one book per writer.

1919 did not have a lot of great books to choose from, so I can understand why a prize was not awarded. A look through the books published that year brings up few memorable books. Of course, all Pulitzer winners have not stood the test of time. Another book that I saw from 1919 that I may look at reading is Free Air by Sinclair Lewis. I also ran across a first edition of Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis at a book sale last week and it intrigued me so it is in my to read soon stack. I think I may have a copy of Winesburg Ohio here in one of my many stacks. I have till August to find it :-) Steven

How about Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson for 1920. It may have been the best from 1919.

I am re-posting a link to what I wrote 10 years ago when we were reading The Good Earth. It is not a full review of the book, but has some additional information about Pearl Buck. https://bramanswanderings.com/2013/01...

I was going to take my time reading The Good Earth, but picked up one of my copies yesterday and am already through it again. The back cover of my Cardinal Edition paperback has 'A Book to Read and Reread'. I believe that this was the 4th or 5th time I have read it. I am thinking of reading Sons and The Townsman soon. It will depend on what other books come in at the library for me. Plus, it is about time to start trying to read the Pulitzer probables for the year.

Steven

I am thinking of finally starting to read all the Pearl Buck novels (~40) I have slowly collected over the years, so will probably read The Good Earth again soon.

I may have to read it again sometime. It was a long time ago that I read it, but I remember it was a good read. See my comment above from 11 years ago :-). It has now been thousands of books ago.

Steven

Rebecca wrote: "Alas, I am joining the chorus of those who did not enjoy this book (which is not just our group--this book has an average rating of 2.91!!) I enjoyed the setting of the book and getting a window in..."

You mean I can stop at pages that are less than my age? :-)

Definitely a different style. I rated it 3 stars, but more for the overbearing sexual content and profanity in the book. I can see why it was on the 500 Great Books by Women list based on the theme and story.

Corregidora was in the Link+ books that had come in this week at the library. I picked them up on Saturday and didn't notice it was one of them. I started reading it last night and a least you can follow a plot. It is less than 200 pages.

I should get it early this week. I have a few books ahead of it in my to-read pile, but may move it forward. I will let you know.