Just out of curiosity, what were the defining books of the decade you lived in?
My point of departure for such an answer, BeerGood, would start with the decade, rather than the books published, and with the question "What does it mean to 'define a decade'?" Based on the recollections of the decade which stand out in my mind, the decade I have lived has been defined by:
>the September 11 attacks on territorial US
>the consequent US military involvement elsewhere in the world
>my sudden awareness of militant Islamic terrorism, worldwide
>the controversial re-election of President Bush
>the hysterically vitriolic attacks upon President Bush by the left-liberal wing, (predicting Gestapo marching down Pennsylvania Avenue, and suppression of minorities by a dictatorial right-wing Christianity ascendant, for example)
>the rise of anti-Christian expression on the Web following Richard Dawkin's book
>my retirement from full-time professional employment
>the beginning of my participation in Internet discussion forums and blogs
>my broadening interest in literature toward more challenging authors
>my growing interest in poetry, both reading and writing,
>my banishment from an online forum
>a number of significant events and changes in my personal and private life
So-o-o, the defining books of the decade I lived would be the books I read, from whatever decade, relevant to the above.
As you see, it depends on what one is trying to define, and that was the thought leading to my comment.
Were the books on the list indeed "the books that were talked about, were big news, and were influential over the last 10 years," Beer Good? I take your word for it. Based on casual perusal, though, not that many interested me.
Hope that answers. :flowers:
.
status (Persepolis, Plot Against America, The Road, Atonement, possibly The Night Watch) but I suppose that's not the point. It's not supposed to be the best books of the 00's, after all.
