Comments on: A Service for Presidential Candidates – The Favorite Novel Survey

By: jc

jc — Sun, 06 May 2007 09:48:29 +0000

Portnoy’s Complaint

That way you must meet every voters opinion at some stage.

By: Mark_Belt

Mark_Belt — Sat, 05 May 2007 02:16:18 +0000

The Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop. (1968) by Robert Coover.

By: Ken Hahn

Ken Hahn — Fri, 04 May 2007 22:46:25 +0000

Novel hmmm? When I’m in the mood for fiction I just turn on CBS news. But if has to be a book, then One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. If it had to be SF, then The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.

By: Devin

Devin — Fri, 04 May 2007 22:38:52 +0000

Well, I think that religious scripture is off the table by the use of the word “novel” rather than the more emcompassing “literature.”

It seems like some people (*cough*HughHewitt*cough*) are dismissive of science fiction. Frankly, I would be more confident of a presidential candidate who was familiar with science fiction than one who had no use for it. Science fiction is primarily a genre concerned with ethics; in fact, I dare say it may be one of the most moral of genres. Beneath its wires and blinkies, sci-fi is concerned with forming an ethical approach to future technologies and situations that we may face as a culture, as a nation, and as a species.

Now, having said all that, Battlefield Earth is a very, very poor choice…

By: alanarmstrong

alanarmstrong — Fri, 04 May 2007 22:37:39 +0000

How do you define a favorite novel? Is it one you mention most often, one you read more than once, or some other criteia?
The one I mention most in teaching is The Foundation by Asimov. (Usually when dealing with the Rule Against Perpetuities.)
Screwtape Letters by Lewis is one I have not read in awhile, but should read again. That may get some comments.
Other ones I like: Lord Pete Whimsey series. Cadfael series.
There are so many books. Some are entertaining (equivalent of popcorn movies). Others are entertaining AND have something memorable in them. (e.g. Lemon tarts as defined in Bonfire of the Vanities.)
Others are more than simply entertaining. Lord of the Rings, Hamlet, Gates of Fire, and others.

By: The Hedgehog

The Hedgehog — Fri, 04 May 2007 20:07:39 +0000

David Copperfield. Not by an American author, but . . . darn good fun.

By: JayHub

JayHub — Fri, 04 May 2007 18:10:49 +0000

A Confederacy of Dunces by the late John Kennedy Toole

By: OhioRose

OhioRose — Fri, 04 May 2007 11:06:38 +0000

To Kill a Mockingbird ….

Regardless of the candidate ….

And if asked why, simply respond with “Why do you think it is my favorite book?”

Maybe it will get the journalists to read a book themselves.

In fact, maybe that should be the topic of the next debate (Since we are about twelve years out from the election anyway….)

Assign a book to the candidates and have them all discuss what they think it means.

People won’t back out because it would look like they don’t read books. Even if they don’t, they won’t want to admit it.

Inevitably their staffs would create a series of position statements. Imagine the poll questions – or, even better, the responses from people who haven’t read the book either.

The spin on the relevance/meaning of Scout’s wearing of a ham costume alone would make the event worth watching.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Fri, 04 May 2007 02:54:46 +0000

The Great Gatsby it is.
If asked for a second novel: Under Western Eyes by Joseph Conrad. Not only because the central theme is terrorism, but also because it’s about the dangers of seeing other cultures through “western eyes.”

By: moheroy

moheroy — Thu, 03 May 2007 17:21:13 +0000

Roger, I would have thought you’d give “bonjour tristesse” a shout out, too bad the country is so anti-french, but Id love to vote for a guy (or gal) who went with that.

Gatsby is dagerous because the question of self identification will come, does that make you Gatsby? etc…

But I think modernism is the right direction, nobody will believe you if you say Moby Dick, and unless you are cornball enough to show some evidence for previous interest, Huckleberry Finn, or the even safer choice of Tom Sawyer sounds too pat.

That’s why I suggest “A Farewell to Arms,” sappy, macho yet sensitive, and it shows an understanding of the “true cost of war,” but it is still Hemingway, so as long as you are enough of a hawk it won’t make you look like a wuss, just a little romantic (which has to be good for some votes). Also since most people have read it (or at least seen a movie version), it is not to hard to remember the plot details, and anyone who criticizes it will come across as pretentious.

Oh and just to be careful mention that you are assuming this is’t including religious scripture.