Top Classic Novels by women, written in the last 50 years

[gingerclementine]

Hi

I want to read more novels this year, and a lot more by women. What would you sya are the absolute classics. Especially keen on modern classics, as I've read most of the 19C ones except Middlemarch and am hoping to find some that I've missed.

Who's been writing really outstanding stuff in the last 50 years? What are your favourites?

AS Byatt has been on the A level syllabus.

Indeed : hadn't seen her mentioned on the thread but she has.

The new AQA spec actually features a shockingly low number of women on it and no non white authors, unless you choose a particular route through.

highlandcoo the 'picking oakum' reference is Dickens' Oliver Twist IIRC; one of the tedious skin-wrecking jobs they gave to the workhouse kids.

Is that the test of a classic? From my own experience, I studied Child in Time by McEwan, and I’m not sure I would consider it such, even some time on. It was probably 10 years old at the time. I mean when was the last time anyone recommended it to you? I never see it mentioned on Book threads, or anyone’s list of favourite books, or must read lists. It has largely been eclipsed by his others. It’s been on tv I think recently but I didn’t notice any upsurge in people mentioning it. Compared to say Handmaid’s Tale which was published at around the same time, has always been more well known, liked and widely read, more consistently recommended and has had a huge upswing in popularity having been adapted on a larger scale.

Satsuki I wonder the same thing about Geoffrey Household's Rogue Male, which I had the misfortune to study for O-level. I've never seen anyone read it, never heard anyone discuss it outside the syllabus and the commonest response to me telling people I studied it is '...what?'

I've read Rogue Male.

Thanks GallicosCats .. I know in real life it was a brutal sort of hard labour which involved tortuously picking old tarred ropes apart.

I still have a memory of a scene with some children (not in a workhouse; they were playing) being discovered while picking an old rug apart and, when asked what on earth they were doing, they replied: "picking oakum". It was the first time I'd come across the phrase and I remember being puzzled by it.

This is so niche - I'll be amazed if anyone comes up with the answer!

I think it's a test , yes, in some ways as with the new reformed A Levels exam boards have to meet criteria for setting texts so they have to be 'deemed worthy of serious study'. The female authors that you also find in literary fiction sections of book sites or 'modern classics' in book shops would probably also be fairly described as classics. I don't think classics means popular , does it? It means both popular and highly regarded by white malesacademics and scholars. Angela Carter and Winterson also make the list and Sarah Waters is on the fringes.

Of the most recent books I have read, I reckon Jessie Burton will be on future A level specification and The Essex Serpent . Although I am not a huge fan , they both write very well and are scholarly.

I do think McEwan is regarded as one of the modern canon. Atonement is definitely a 'modern classic'.

agree piggy atonement is an interesting book, although it's on a par with life after life for me - they're good examples of post modern novels.

Yes, I agree. Although McEwan is a man so he is A Proper Writer.

The Woman in Black by Susan Hill
It's one year out now (1967) but The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (more of YA classic maybe)
The Secret History definitely, ditto Possession
Most of Atwood

I don't know if you'd call these classics but in terms of contemporary reads I really enjoyed:

The Poisonwood Bible - B Kingsolver
The Goldfinch - D Tartt
The Blind Assassin & Cat's Eye - Atwood
Room - E Donoghue

Well yes re: McEwan - but Atonement and not The Child In Time, right? Is it even discussed much critically still? I’ve never found any cause to refer to it, or quote a line from it, or use it as an example in any time since.

Also I didn’t say classic was the same as popular, but part of establishing the value of something over time is assessing whether it remains pertinent and continues to strike a chord or make an impression after its “moment” has passed. I was using the examples of places where people who read a lot discuss books, and choose all time favourites, as a measure of that, not popularity as such, but relevance. Continuing relevance, critically and publicly, as well as originality, subject matter, I think all those things come in to play, and what is the darling of the moment on the curriculum may not stand the test of time.

Really Jessie Burton? I’ve not read either of hers, mainly because I viewed them as very much flavour of the month type popular hits rather than serious scholarly works that everyone would still be talking about in years to come, perhaps I’ve misjudged there. The Essex Serpent I could see.

Sorry that last one re Burton came out wrong, I didn’t mean I only consider reading serious scholarly works, just that I didn’t see them as such!

satsuki I do agree although exam boards tend not to go for bang up to date books. I think actually White teeth could be an example of a book that has had its moment

I think Burton is probably a bit overhyped but in a way exam boards like : interesting chronology and so on. I am liking The Muse much more than The Miniaturist at present.

Child In Time does still crop up on reading lists. I just found it sooooo frustrating!

Donna Tartt is also one who writes very long books but will probably become a classic, I agree bass

I hated Room and couldn't get beyond about 5 pages in (loved the film!). It is on the Lang Lit syllabus interestingly!

Agree with White Teeth. I think within ten years is too soon to tell perhaps, they can gain a lot of early momentum.

Rogue Male is a funny one gallicoscat, I’ve heard of it as a thriller but wouldn’t have pegged it as an a level text.

The Women's Room, by Marilyn French
Fear Of Flying, by Erica Jung
The Golden Notebook, by Doris Lessing

Oh, and of course Rebecca, by Daphne DuMaurier, although that's a bit older.

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent

Is the Isabel Allende book out of print? I was hoping to find it on kindle, but seems to be second hand paperback only