What an interesting thread!
I've been reading and re-reading the novels of Robertson Davies for many
years, and agree with Patrick Leader that the Deptford trilogy is his
masterpiece.
Also, as a devotee of Jane Austen, I agree with Mark that Northanger
Abbey is the weakest of her novels. Margaret Drabble once wrote that the
discovery of a new Austen novel would be second only to the discovery of
a new Shakespeare play. Pride and Prejudice is a personal favorite, but
I love Persuasion even more. Also Mansfield Park, considered her
"difficult" novel, but very rewarding. (Another interesting appraisal of
Jane Austen from Virginia Woolf: "Of all the great writers, she's the
most difficult to catch at the act of being great." That's quite an
endorsement!)
These days, I've been reading a lot of short stories (Canada seems to
have produced several story writers of genuine distinction!)
First and foremost, Flannery O'Connor, IMHO the greatest writer from the
South. If you've never read her disturbing masterpiece A Good Man is
Hard to Find, you should.
Also William Trevor, an Irish writer with the great gift of capturing a
whole world in only a few pages of storytelling.
Alice Munro, Mavis Gallant, and Margaret Laurence ("A Bird in the
House") are my favorite Canadian short story writers.
Then there's a New Zealander, and a great writer of short stories:
Katherine Mansfield. ("The Doll's House" is so great and powerful, but
every effect she achieves and every point she makes is done with such
subtlety...)
Moving to Faulkner one of these days!
Cheers, you all!
Roberto
