but no good lists.
these canonical exercises are invidious, with senseless inclusions and exclusions.
or, let's just face it, some people's tastes.
tastes are ok; canonizing taste is idiotic
what is the best food in the world? do you want to compare pepper soup with sukiyaki?
ndole with enchiladas?
well, try don quixote with the divine comedy. that's, let's see, beef cassoulet with poulet yassa.
then you can compare fela with youssou ndour, and get your 100 best musicians
that's jeboujdienne and egusi soup
ken
As for the claim of Don Quixote having the highest votes, I doubt if those who voted have read the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Divine Comedy which are also in the list.
The Mahabharata is an entire library and Don Quixote cannot be in the same class, I expect it would be like comparing a candle to the sun. The Divine Comedy is a fantastic cosmic vision yet rooted in human experience that I would be very surprised if Don Quixote is able to match.
Anyway, Mahbharata and Divine Comedy, I expect , require much more stamina to read than Don Quixote and I suspect the writers who did the voting have not read those books or have not completed them as I have not, nor I have read Don Quixote either.
Thanks
toyin
On Tue, Jan 15, 2013 at 1:15 AM, Anunoby, Ogugua <AnunobyO@lincolnu.edu> wrote:
There are books. There are good books. There are great books. If this list was of two, three, or more hundred books, many more books by more readers' favorite writers would make the list. Are all the books in this list worthy of inclusion? Yes would be a fair answer. The quality and diversity of selectors makes the list credible.
Would there have been a different list of books by a different bunch of selectors? Yes of course. Would different selection criteria, and quality and diversity of selectors have resulted in a different list of book? Probably yes. Will there ever be a list of top books of all time that will satisfy all readers? I do not think so.
oa
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of OLUWATOYIN ADEPOJU
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2013 3:57 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - The UK Guardian: Top 100 books of all time...
Very powerful books but they did not add The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien nor the Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling.
I dont think its possible to discuss 20th-21st century world literature without those books.
toyin
On Mon, Jan 14, 2013 at 9:40 PM, Shola Adenekan <sholaadenekan@gmail.com> wrote:
Lol! You are a tough customer! My favourite writer Ngugi didn't make the list either, and there's no Soyinka.
Perhaps, somebody should ask Africans to come up with their own list but I'm sure Naipaul will not make that list.
By the way, many Western liberals actually like Naipaul; he is very popular in Britain and the United States, for example. It is folks like me from the postcolonial world - Africans, Indians and West Indians - who are more likely to hate the man for what he thinks of us.
On Mon, Jan 14, 2013 at 9:30 PM, Ikhide <xokigbo@yahoo.com> wrote:
Oga Shola,
See me look trouble O! I am performing jimgbilations and oyokomations that my main man, Chinua Achebe's book is rightly celebrated for what it is - one of the best books ever ever ever written. I am happy with the list, but you know me na, never completely satisfied. I think one of Naipaul's books should have made that list. A House for Mr. Biswas. But Oga Shola, you know, all you woolly eyed liberals will not let that happen. You hate my man, Naipaul.
#GodDeyLookUna
- Ikhide
Stalk my blog at http://www.xokigbo.com/
Follow me on Twitter: @ikhide
Join me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ikhide
From: Shola Adenekan <sholaadenekan@gmail.com>
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Cc: xokigbo@yahoo.com
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2013 4:04 PM
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - The UK Guardian: Top 100 books of all time...
Oga Ikhide,
The books were chosen by 'writers from all over the world', the same way that fellow footballers pick the world's best football (soccer) player. This is not a compilation by some frappucino-drinking, tofu-eating, organic chicken rearing, sandals-wearing and Kumbayah-singing wolly liberals!
SholaOn Mon, Jan 14, 2013 at 8:39 PM, John MBAKU <jmbaku@weber.edu> wrote:
Things Fall Apart deserves to be on any list of the most important and influential books of all time, regardless of who puts the list together. Congratulations to Achebe and Nigeria.
JOHN MUKUM MBAKU, ESQ.
J.D. (Law), Ph.D. (Economics)
Graduate Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law
Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution
Attorney & Counselor at Law (Licensed in Utah)
Presidential Distinguished Professor of Economics & Willard L. Eccles Professor of Economics and John S. Hinckley Fellow
Department of Economics
Weber State University
3807 University Circle
Ogden, UT 84408-3807, USA
(801) 626-7442 Phone
(801) 626-7423 Fax
>>> Ikhide 01/14/13 12:51 PM >>>
Check it out. Professor Chinua Achebe's Things fall Apart is on the list. VS Naipaul's book should have been on the list also. Liberals strike again. But it is a good list. I approve. *cycles away slowly*
- Ikhide
Stalk my blog at http://www.xokigbo.com/
Follow me on Twitter: @ikhide
Join me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ikhide
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