the best American novel

The New York Times printed revealed today that the best American novel of the past 25 years is...drum roll, please...Toni Morrison's Beloved. I was happy to see three of my personal favorites, JK Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces, Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian and Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried, were runners up. You can read the article here.

One book that didn't make the list, but I never get tired of plugging: The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe (see, I love the book so much I've memorized how to spell that damn tricky Dutch name!) Truth be told, I believe Guy is an English author, but the novel should be considered anyway since it's one of the finest westerns written since Lonesome Dove. Not that I've read that many. But I've read both of those, and I'll be damned if anyone has a cross word to say about either. But that's just the whiskey talkin'. Did I mention that Tombstone wasn't that good? (the movie, not the pizza..although the pizza has no braggin' rights, either).

Commencement is tomorrow. Big day. Weather is supposed to be cold and rainy, unfortunately. I'm not sure who's giving the address. Stay tuned!