The New York Times Book Review has announced its 100 Notable Books of 2014.
(I have to admit the NYTBR has become near-unfathomable to me; under Sam Tanenhaus' leadership it was at least fairly predictably off (especially regarding coverage of fiction in general and works in translation in particular), but the new administration continues to surprise (or, more precisely: baffle); the fact that Thomas Piketty's Capital in the Twenty-First Century isn't considered one of the hundred (100 !) notable books of the year, and, for example, World Order Henry Kissinger is sums it up as well as anything.)
There are eight translated titles in the top 100 -- which is more than in recent years (and a great improvement over last year's three ...). Last year I'd only reviewed three of the 100-notable at the complete review; this year I've already gotten to ... five:
There are eight translated titles in the top 100 -- which is more than in recent years (and a great improvement over last year's three ...). Last year I'd only reviewed three of the 100-notable at the complete review; this year I've already gotten to ... five:
- Can't and Won't by Lydia Davis
- Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami
- F by Daniel Kehlmann
- Geek Sublime by Vikram Chandra
- Limonov by Emmanuel Carrère