I'm reading through a variety of works by Joyce Carol Oates with BFB readers and the Literature Study Group both over at Yahoo. This is the list of books with proposed dates for discussions to start, no one is expected to read every book and other comments about JCO work is welcome. I'm certainly not tricking myself that I'm going to read all of them but I'm going to give some a go. I have Bellefleur ordered but I still haven't recieved it so I won't be reading it in time for the discussion, I also have Middle Age out from the library so I'll be way ahead with that one. And as some pre-reading I am looking at some of JCO's short stories, one of which I have reviewed here. Previously I have read We are the Mulvaneys, which I absolutely loved and Rape: A Love Story which I certainly didn't love so this may be a bit of an adventure.
The Reading List
01.07.08 Bellefleur
01.07.08 What I Lived For
16.07.08 A Garden of Earthly Delights
08.08.08 Wonderland
01.09.08 Middle Age: A Romance
16.09.08 Zombie
Did you know?
- She has published an average of 2 books a year since 1970
- Frequent topics in her work include rural poverty, sexual abuse, class tensions, desire for power, female childhood and adolescence, and occasionally the supernatural
- Violence is one of the most frequent topics in her novels
- She also writes under the pen names Rosamond Smith and Lauren Kelly
If you have any recommendations etc for me let me know.
3 comments:
I have yet to read any Oates, although I know how highly many of my US friends think of her. She tends to be the sort of author who makes a splash here in the UK when she has a new book out, but who is not in the public conscience at other times. Perhaps this would be the opportunity to get to know her works alongside others who are better informed.
Having a quarter dedicated to one writer is such a good idea. Maybe I'll try it next year. I love Oates. My favorite book from her is I lock my door upon myself, which is about racial tensions, violence, and love. It's also a short but disturbing read.
I'll look out for it, thanks x
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