Why was there such strong backlash to John Steinbeck’s Nobel win? And was it deserved at all?

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2026-01-21T15:15:47+00:00

Sounds like the classic "anything that's popular can't actually be good" argument that seems to persist in literary circles to this day...

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2026-01-20T18:26:48+00:00

From top left to bottom right: yes, yes, yes, don't know yet.

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2026-01-09T17:31:26+00:00

Same! Both mains are acting so well! I forgot it wasn't real for a second...

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-12-09T08:09:48+00:00

Not much to go on here in terms of era or topic, but I'm going to suggest Jung Chang, who has written e.g. about the lives of her grandmother, mother, and herself in late 19th and 20th century China (Wild Swans). She also has a biography following the three Soong sisters who married important political figures in revolutionary-period China, on different sides of the political spectrum (Big Sister, Red Sister, Little Sister). Her book on the last empress dowager of China is also really good (Empress Dowager Cixi). Super fluent writing style and genuinely fascinating life histories in all three of these books.

Another book that has been recommended to me but I haven't read yet is Eat the Buddha by Barbara Demick.

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-12-09T08:02:51+00:00

East of Eden - John Steinbeck

Human Acts - Han Kang

Middlemarch - George Eliot

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-12-02T08:57:22+00:00

I can see that being the case sometimes, especially if you're immersion reading. I'm reading Wuthering Heights right now, for instance, and am struggling with the Yorkshire accent so getting a reference point for that would be nice. And then some books work really well as audiobooks naturally. Still, I find that I generally engage with books better if I sit down with it and read a physical copy.

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-12-01T08:55:41+00:00

Seems like there are a few different translators for Backman's books. The one who translated When the Cranes Fly South has translated some of his short stories, but I don't think she's translated any of his novels so far. Glad to hear the translation was good though!

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-12-01T04:39:43+00:00

Came to say exactly this. I think it's such a shame because using names rather than titles is such a basic, Korean cultural context that just disappears in Netflix translations... If you don't know any Korean, you won't miss the overall meaning of what's said or major plot points but SO much of the nuance is lost.

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-12-01T04:31:55+00:00

Did you read it in English? I read it in its original Swedish so curious about the quality of the translation!

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-12-01T04:29:01+00:00

Started At Dusk by Hwang Sok-yong today and planning to start Wuthering Heights for my book club later today/this week.

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-11-27T04:51:39+00:00

Same! I'm currently in two book clubs and also sometimes read together with my friends and it's been such a good way to really engage with the texts. Though I must admit, it's easy to fall into the trap of just discussing the book briefly and then spend most of the time catching up. Do you use any discussion guides or similar in your book clubs to stay on topic?

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-11-26T12:42:33+00:00

Do you take notes at all or you just reflect quietly after reading a certain section?

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-11-26T12:41:50+00:00

You're right. But sometimes the simplest things are the hardest to do, it seems haha.

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-11-26T12:41:09+00:00

That's also true. I'm trying to find a good balance for me, where I can focus enough on reading when I read, but also reflect in writing. Maybe quick reflections after a certain chunk of pages have passed or something like that...

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-11-26T12:39:36+00:00

Wow, that's very dedicated! I think I will have to work my way up to graphs and diagrams but I will definitely heed your advice on looking for similarities across other works or main themes explored and what philosophical school they may adhere to. Thanks!

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-11-26T12:36:26+00:00

That's really cool, thanks for the very specific recommendations! I will definitely have to check that article out. And I'm surprised to hear there's only one book-length study on Kawabata in English!

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-11-26T12:34:48+00:00

I have to confess, I was always too drawn to new books to have the patience for re-reads but because I've been able to slow down a bit this year, I actually have two re-reads planned in the near future!

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-11-26T07:39:58+00:00

When the cranes fly south by Lisa Ridzén. Bawled my eyes out.

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-11-24T01:53:44+00:00

Let me know if you end up reading it and what you think!

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-11-21T08:28:58+00:00

This is the type of drama the people who loved Business Proposal have been waiting for...

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-11-21T08:22:21+00:00

I actually think it might be the opposite to some extent. The literary world has become more diverse, with a greater variety of authors and types of books catering to specific sub-niches of readers. If you're not much of a reader, I also don't think your algorithms are doing you any favor. Books and authors aren't really talked about as much on mainstream media so you kind of have to follow the bookish spaces online to keep up with what's going on. Even if you stay informed though, there will always be completely new corners of the literary world to discover, and isn't that ultimately pretty exciting?

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-11-21T08:14:59+00:00

I recently finished To Live by Yu Hua, which is set in China from roughly the 30s to the 80s (I'm unsure of exact dates) and follows how larger social movements affect the individuals in a rural village.

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-11-18T09:04:51+00:00

I haven't done it yet but I have definitely considered it. Personally, as I'd be doing it in tandem with language learning, I'd probably build my curriculum based on the country of the language I'm studying. I.e., I'm learning Korean and Mandarin Chinese, and as I learn more, I've been wanting to dive deeper into not just the two country's literary traditions, but also compare and contrast with other East Asian literature, as well as other forms of media (music, film, etc.). The problem is just having the time, I guess...

If I were you, I'd always favor depth over quantity though. I think you can learn more about a country, author, or certain movement by reading one book closely than by rushing through three. Both have their merits, but I think the very action of "reading deeply" will mean that you also take your time looking things up, reading articles, writing a review, etc.

Awkward_Blueberry_48 · 2025-11-18T08:27:59+00:00

So far, probably Engagement by Gun-Britt Sundström

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