What is missing from the Guardian’s 100 best novels list | Letters
Readers share their reflections on the best works of fiction in English, and ask whether popularity or lightheartedness disqualified books from consideration
As an avid reader, I was excited to go through your recently published book list (100 best novels, 16 May). However, I swiftly became disillusioned at the old-fashioned and frankly elitist lens used to judge the “best”. Why were there so few modern books? Why does “best” so often seem to equate to misery?
The article introducing your list (Who’s in, who’s out, and how many have you read? The story behind our 100 best novels list, 16 May) says “Never has such a list been more needed” and that “reading for pleasure is a dying pursuit”, adding “we are here to help”. But this list will not help non-readers get into reading.
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