Guess what time it is! That’s right. Time for the next installment of EW’s New Classics list. (What, you thought we were done? Pshaw!) Hopefully you’ve had a chance to peruse our top book picks of the last 25 years (if not, the four parts are here, here, here, and here). As an avid TV watcher and woefully inconsistent book reader, I felt quite proud that I had plowed through several of the books on our list including the heart-wrenching Kite Runner, the "controversial" Da Vinci Code, and the I-never-want-to-eat-Chicken-McNuggets-again Fast Food Nation. My momentary conceit quickly disolved into melancholy, however, when I realized that the BEST BOOK EVER was not on our list: Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife. I will never get back the 27 minutes I spent sobbing through the final chapters of this book, and I’d never want to. I can only hope the movie version starring Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana will be half as poignant. But what do you think, PopWatchers? Did we leave one (or more) of your new classic favorites off our list? Want to sign my Time Traveler’s Wife petition? Please spill.
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Comments (1-30) of 106 Add your comment
Amy, i will be glad to sign your Time Traveler’s Wife petition. That is my second favorite book ever and I was shocked not to see it on the list! I’m anxious to see how the movie turns out because it would be sad if it wasn’t true to the book
Also, where was Harry Potter 7??
I think Sarah Vowell deserved a little recognition, but I’m not sure which book I would’ve selected, maybe “Assassination Vacation” because of the premise of the book.
And from a creative take on books, “I Am America (And So Can You)” or “America” from the good folks at Comedy Central could get a nod.
I agree about The Time Traveler’s Wife.
Also missing: Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer and Life of Pi by Yann Martel.
Running With Scissors should probably be on the list as well. And Harry Potter should have taken spot number 1.
It may be for some an acquired taste, vulgar, or even too bold, but why wasn’t Bret Easton Ellis mentioned ONCE on this list? You had the audacity to include one of the most blandly written novels of all time, The Da Vinci Code, and yet no love for American Psycho or his fictional autobio Lunar Park? Somewhere in his fictitious world, Patrick Bateman is listening to Phil Collins and shaking his head at you.
I’ll also sign your petition for “The Time Traveler’s Wife.” And I’d also like to throw in a vote for “My Sister’s Keeper” by Jodi Picoult. I know not everyone liked it but I thought it was a fantastic read!
Very, VERY cool to see “The Watchmen” on your list, but “House of Leaves” not being on that list buh-lows my mind.
I agree with “The Time Traveler’s Wife”. (I’m very leery of the movie version. There are just too many ways to mess up.) However the book that I really noticed was missing was Gregory Maguire’s “Wicked”. It’s easy to be down on it because it spawned a hit musical (although the musical isn’t that great). But, the book is such a clever idea, so well written that it’s a real shame that it wasn’t included. I’d personally have put it on the list over “The Da Vinci Code”.
I also agree that harry potter should be at number one.
and maybe this book isn’t as well-known amongst adults or what, but I’m an avid reader and hadn’t heard of half the books on that list. with that being said, where was stephen chbosky’s “the perks of being a wallflower” ??? I’m almost 25 years old and the book still makes me cry everytime– the perils of high school, knowing what it’s like to have a crush on your best friend, that perfect drive on that perfect night and feeling infinite.. come on, EW! how could that not be on the list??
I also agree that harry potter should be at number one.
and maybe this book isn’t as well-known amongst adults or what, but I’m an avid reader and hadn’t heard of half the books on that list. with that being said, where was stephen chbosky’s “the perks of being a wallflower” ??? I’m almost 25 years old and the book still makes me cry everytime– the perils of high school, knowing what it’s like to have a crush on your best friend, that perfect drive on that perfect night and feeling infinite.. come on, EW! how could that not be on the list??
how could you guys forget about ALIAS in the TV section?? that show became a huge classic and has quite a cult following even after it was unfortunately axed… then MOVIES, umm KILL BILL!!! this movie went way beyond the norm and surpassed most of the orignal, “out-of-the-box” ideas in the way it was presented and mixed several genres and techniques into one. I was happy to see that MOULIN ROUGE wasnt passed up.
im sorry i was thinking this was for the whole pop culture list, not just books…
I don’t remember seeing Michael Cunningham’s The Hours on the list. Why was it left off?
I think Edward P. Jones’ The Known World should be on the list. And Harry Potter should definitely NOT be number one. Success alone should not determine a book’s standing.
I am happy that Neil Gaiman made the list with his Sandman comics, but his novel American Gods is one of the best books I have ever read. The mix of new & old mythology done in a beautiful writing style. Sandman is iconic, but American Gods is simply brilliant!
My vote would be for “Girl With the Pearl Earring” by Tracy Chevalier. The narrative of this novel is simply poignant. A very beautifully written book!
I felt there were several holes in the list.I agree that Bret Easton Elis should be on there.I loved Less Than Zero. Also, Million Little Pieces and Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs.
I’d add “The Last Town on Earth” by Thomas Mullen and “Guns, Germs and Steel” by Jared Diamond.
Why wasn’t The Post-Birthday World by Lionel Shriver on your list? You named it the number one best book of 2007 and I’d have to agree. What gives?
Um, I will TOTALLY sign the petition for “Time Traveler’s Wife”. Never in my life have I read a book more poignant, touching, and entertaining. No, not even “Harry Potter.”
i was shocked to see the post-birthday world miss the list. ew gave it really high marks and put it on all kinds of other “must” lists.
Time Traveler’s Wife – a true gem. There are always so many amazing books, it’s hard to pick even 100 best… but from clicking through the EW galery I have a list of at least 10 books I’ll be checking out soon from my library. Thanks for the recommendations, EW!
I really wish there had been separate lists for fiction and non-fiction, but maybe they thought that would be overkill? Anyway, my biggest complaint is the omission of ‘The Terror’ by Dan Simmons. I don’t know how ‘The Ruins’ made the list, when ‘The Terror’ is a superior novel in every way. Also would have liked to see: ‘Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell’ by Susanna Clarke; ‘She’s Come Undone’ by Wally Lamb; ‘Chronicles, Part 1′ by Bob Dylan; and ‘The Devil in the White City’ by Erik Larson.
The Time Traveler’s Wife is pretty fantastic, but my favorite book of all-time is Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. I can’t believe it didn’t make the list! It’s just stunning and I tell every single person I know to read it. And yes, I read it before Oprah dug her self-promotional claws into it.
I have, in the past year, read The Ruins by Scott Smith, as well as his debut novel A Simple Plan, published in 1993. While I did enjoy The Ruins, it paled in comparison to A Simple Plan. Definately more list worthy of the two.
I agree with aaa; non-fiction books are severely underrepresented here, and should probably have their own list.
Also, Orhan Parmuk should probably have a book on this list.
I wasn’t too happy with this list. I’d never even heard of the number 1 book listed and though I’m a voracious reader, other than a handful of books on there, there’s not much that I’d sit down and read. While I know not to expect much of anything from my favorite genre (fantasy), I still would have loved to see anything by Katharine Kerr or Morgan Llywelyn (her Irish Century books starting with 1916 and ending with 1999 are simply amazing) on the list. The most glaring ommissions to me though is “The Eyre Affair” by Jasper Fforde and Bernard Cornwell’s Arthur trilogy.
One of my favorite books of the last 25 years is “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe” by Fannie Flagg. It is a wonderful story that always makes me laugh and cry. Definitely a new classic as far as I’m concerned.
While several of my favorites were included, one more I would have loved seeing on the list is “The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy. Oh, and I was a bit surprised that “Geek Love” by Katherine Dunn didn’t make the cut.
I’ll also sign your Time Travler’s Wife petition. I was sad to not see it on the list.