[Cairn]

Yesterday I picked up a few SF novels and one fantasy. I tore through some modern literature in the last couple weeks and I felt like I had to give my brain a rest. There really is a big difference between literature and pulp, and I enjoy both.

Anyways, once I'm done the books that I just bought I'll probably work my way through some more literature. I was wondering if any of you had any good recommendations. When I'm looking for a new novel I often look at the awards lists and go from there.

The last two I read were:
Divisadero by Michael Ondaatje. I just finished this one last night. Ondaatje does not concern himself with leading the reader with a defined plot. Yet, I couldn't put this book down. I think this is one of the most defined novels I have ever read. Ondaatje stays stalwart to his themes while letting the reader's imagination fill in the (many) blanks.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy. There is a discussion thread on the first page of this forum about this book. I have to agree with everything written within it. This book is bleak and full of despair but it perfectly demonstrates McCarthy's ability to tell a story. His omission of clarity and detail submerge the reader in the same unknown that the protagonists are struggling to survive in.

I'm looking at purchasing a couple books in the coming week and I was wondering if any of you had read them and could provide feedback. Namely:

The Gathering, Anne Enright (Booker 2007)
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Díaz (Pulitzer 2008)
The Law of Dreams, Peter Behrens, (Governor General's 2006)

Any comments/suggestions?

[scooter13]

I read "The Brief Life of Oscar Wao" last month. I would strongly recommend it. Especially anyone that is into sci-fi and fantasy as there are a lot of references to great works. It's a family immigration story and one characters growth to understanding what is important in life at the root.