What does /lit/ think of contemporaries such as Zadie Smith, Dave Eggers, and Jon Franzen? I never see any discussion of them on here, and I'm still building up a more classical literary base, but eventually I want to have someone I can talk to my friends about.
Opinions on the above authors mentioned, or other suggestions of contemporary authors that aren'tutter trash?
Eggers' short stories are good, but over any real length he wears on me.
Elena Ferrante was recommended to me recently, so I can pass on that rec (along with the advice to ignore the terrible covers)
>>7642565
>Zadie Smith, Dave Eggers, and Jon Franzen
They're awful, especially Eggers. I haven't read any of them though.
Eggers is legitimately awful
>>7642659
Kek yeah that's my position on them too. Why do I feel so strongly about authors I've never read, especially John Green?
>>7642565
While we're on the topic, what about Mark Leyner? He was on that one Charlie Rose interview with DFW and Franzen.
>>7642565
>Zadie Smith, Dave Eggers, and Jon Franzen
contemporaries fifteen years ago maybe
>>7642565
Miranda July?
Franzen is white suburbia's favorite author. It should come as no surprise that he's fucking awful.
>>7642864
you need to look up the definition of "contemporaries" again
Mary Karr dated DFW and wrote one of the best literary memoirs ever, 'Lit'
>>7643047
I put The First Bad Man down, but No One Belongs Here More Than You was good. It Chooses You is even better.
>>7643052
>white suburbia's favorite author
>not DFW
You sure about that? I've seen positive mentions of The Corrections on here at least a few times, in any case.
>>7643047
i would put my finger in her hole if you know what i mean
>>7643801
I too would not mind having that large sign
I really related to her comment, it really spoke to the childish sense of exploration present when interacting with rocks and trees and animal burrows. When the primary sense of sight fails, our probing fingers are available to gain sensory information.
And there's a sense of adventure in examining holes. Perhaps they hold an edible grub, or a venomous insect, or perhaps it's a handhold for climbing, or an electronic outlet or perhaps there is something unknown, something that must be fished out into the light. Do you play it safe and to the strengths of a tool-using species by probing the hole with a stick? Or do you gamble with your own flesh?
Yes, I think she's definitely giving voice to the small survival adventure we humans experience whenever we reach out to the unknown, quite quite.
