Hi Andrea! I haven’t read The Odyssey yet and wondered if you could tell me a line or two about why you’d recommend Wilson over Fagles translation. Thank you in advance :)
I read both of these this year and thought they were great. For the Iliad she allowed herself more lines than the original which she hadn't for the Odyssey and I think it was a great choice.
"I’ve often thought that the classics tend to be weirder, funnier, hornier, and more mysterious than one might expect." Found this to be true over and over. I read Don Quixote in college out of a sense of obligation and then got to the part where him and sancho panza start throwing up on each other's faces and was like WTF IS THIS you mean classic literature is allowed to do this? it's fantastic
A couple weeks ago I had a scene in my head and was trying to remember what film it was from. I eventually realized it was not from a film, but from Iris Murdoch’s novel A Severed Head. It was so vivid I remembered it visually! A black comedy that actively seeks to surprise you by allowing its characters to get more and more unhinged. Highly recommended
Thank you for the list! Have you read any Noor Naga? "If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English," was really well done (experimentalish, but not speculative).
I started reading Actual Air right before I was called up for jury duty (a 3 day trial) many years ago and the day we went into deliberations, I brought the book in because I thought my fellow jurors would be as taken with "Civics" as I was. They were not lol.
hey, just an FYI: it seems like bookshop only operates in US, UK and their website is not accessible in many other countries. so all the bookshop links are basically broken. i had to find the links to your book (Metallic Realms) and others mentioned above separately via google.
yeah. alternative: instead of bookshop links (which work in 2 countries only), add a google search query link which can be generated like: "google.com/search?q=" + "<book name text>"
Love this list, Lincoln! Thank you! I trust your (very specific) taste. I am going to reread the Berman poems, and anything similar to Daniil Kharms will surely float my boat, and my new boss just recommended Iris Murdoch to me!
Way more importantly: congratulations on becoming a parent! As you know, it can complicate one’s relationship to art (and reading for pleasure), but it is a cool adventure, and I’m excited for you! You will be a great dad! Wishing you and your family a cozy winter!
Great list. I participate in a yearly book/reading bingo challenge, and one of the boxes is to read a famous author you've never read. Both Homer (gulp) and Iris Murdoch are on that list for me. Maybe I'll tackle both authors in 2026!
Happy holidays to you and yours! One of my own favorite 2025 reads was "Zama" by Antonio di Benedetto—it's an excellent "piece of shit narrator" novel from South America, and I was the only person in my book club who thought it was at all enjoyable or (darkly) funny. In fact I read it a couple weeks after your "unlikable characters" essay came out (https://countercraft.substack.com/p/whats-not-to-like-about-unlikeable/), so I kept thinking of your piece every time Zama did something frustrating or ridiculous. Heartily recommended if you haven't yet read it!
I highly recommend Emily Wilson's two translations of both The Iliad and The Odyssey. The Odyssey is my favorite book of all time
I do have the Wilson translation on the shelf. I'll probably wait to reread the book, but will read that translation next time.
Hi Andrea! I haven’t read The Odyssey yet and wondered if you could tell me a line or two about why you’d recommend Wilson over Fagles translation. Thank you in advance :)
I read both of these this year and thought they were great. For the Iliad she allowed herself more lines than the original which she hadn't for the Odyssey and I think it was a great choice.
"I’ve often thought that the classics tend to be weirder, funnier, hornier, and more mysterious than one might expect." Found this to be true over and over. I read Don Quixote in college out of a sense of obligation and then got to the part where him and sancho panza start throwing up on each other's faces and was like WTF IS THIS you mean classic literature is allowed to do this? it's fantastic
A couple weeks ago I had a scene in my head and was trying to remember what film it was from. I eventually realized it was not from a film, but from Iris Murdoch’s novel A Severed Head. It was so vivid I remembered it visually! A black comedy that actively seeks to surprise you by allowing its characters to get more and more unhinged. Highly recommended
Came here to recommend A Severed Head! I also love The Sea, The Sea and The Bell. Hoping to get to The Black Prince next year.
Thank you for a great selection. Speaking of Kristóf, have you read her Twins Trilogy? If not, go ahead.
Haven't yet!
Thank you for the list! Have you read any Noor Naga? "If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English," was really well done (experimentalish, but not speculative).
In the interests of sharing:
Best Fiction
THE LADIES PARADISE by Emile Zola
SPEEDBOAT by Renata Adler
BETWEEN TWO FIRES by Christopher Buehlman
A RAGE IN HARLEM by Chester Himes (as read by Samuel L. Jackson)
THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD by John LeCarre
Best Nonfiction
A CHILDHOOD by Harry Crews
THE YANKEE WAY by Andy Martino
CARELESS PEOPLE by Sarah Wynn-Williams
A FATHER'S STORY by Lionel Dahmer
150 GLIMPSES OF THE BEATLES by Craig Brown
DEATH BY SHAKESPEARE by Kathryn Harkup
I started reading Actual Air right before I was called up for jury duty (a 3 day trial) many years ago and the day we went into deliberations, I brought the book in because I thought my fellow jurors would be as taken with "Civics" as I was. They were not lol.
excellent! you've captured the chip on my shoulder. snubbed by my own imagination.
Wow. The Odyssey read by Ian McKellen. I absolutely love that man. I'm going to get this--thanks for the tip.
Yeah he’s pretty perfect for it!
Thank you SOO much for this excellent list!
hey, just an FYI: it seems like bookshop only operates in US, UK and their website is not accessible in many other countries. so all the bookshop links are basically broken. i had to find the links to your book (Metallic Realms) and others mentioned above separately via google.
Ah that’s helpful to know. Sadly, there probably isn’t an alternative to Amazon that will appear in every country.
yeah. alternative: instead of bookshop links (which work in 2 countries only), add a google search query link which can be generated like: "google.com/search?q=" + "<book name text>"
Love this list, Lincoln! Thank you! I trust your (very specific) taste. I am going to reread the Berman poems, and anything similar to Daniil Kharms will surely float my boat, and my new boss just recommended Iris Murdoch to me!
Way more importantly: congratulations on becoming a parent! As you know, it can complicate one’s relationship to art (and reading for pleasure), but it is a cool adventure, and I’m excited for you! You will be a great dad! Wishing you and your family a cozy winter!
Great list. I participate in a yearly book/reading bingo challenge, and one of the boxes is to read a famous author you've never read. Both Homer (gulp) and Iris Murdoch are on that list for me. Maybe I'll tackle both authors in 2026!
I read Under the Net this year as well and it was a lot of fun!
Happy holidays to you and yours! One of my own favorite 2025 reads was "Zama" by Antonio di Benedetto—it's an excellent "piece of shit narrator" novel from South America, and I was the only person in my book club who thought it was at all enjoyable or (darkly) funny. In fact I read it a couple weeks after your "unlikable characters" essay came out (https://countercraft.substack.com/p/whats-not-to-like-about-unlikeable/), so I kept thinking of your piece every time Zama did something frustrating or ridiculous. Heartily recommended if you haven't yet read it!
All: O Dougs, where are you?
Dougs: In the wild hotels of the sea.
EDIT: I don't know how this got threaded here and not as a general comment. Sorry!