This is the
WikiProject assessment department "Top-Important" page belonging to
Wikipedia:WikiProject Novels. It is used as a basis for those trying to agree the "Top" priority or importance of existing articles.
In other words a forum to discuss agreement on which Novel articles should "Always" be present in representations of this on-line encyclopedia. See also the
WP:1.0 and
WP:0.5 WikiProjects.
N.b. Please bear in mind that the aim is not to assess the relative qualities of the novels themselves, but to determine how important (of what priority) it is the have an article about the subject in this on-line encyclopedia or any variant outtake from it. (see the
WP:1.0 and
WP:0.5 rationales.) It is not about literary merit, but how much expectation would the average encyclopedia reader have of finding the novel article present.
Please keep to starting the entry with emboldened class names (i.e. "Top", "High", "Mid" or "Low") only so it is clear for those following and so that the rating is clear regardless of where the entries are moved, (promote etc. are relative terms in this context).
n.b. please list strictly alphabetically
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 10:12, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 09:55, 27 February 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 09:54, 27 February 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 7 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:53, 5 April 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:32, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 10:13, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 7 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 10:14, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
- Top - I'm convinced. Although not well-known in the public, an encyclopedia must have an educational aspect as well. I have at least learned something new.
Errabee
09:51, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - Not the most well-known of Dickens novels. Others are probably more accurately described as his magnum opus and thus justify a higher rating than for this novel.
Silverthorn
11:59, 12 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Actually, this is one of the most acclaimed of Dickens' novels (eg. Chesterton & Harold Bloom). The only reason it's not as familiar to the general populace is because film adaptations and remakes do not appear every Christmas season and no one has tried to turn it into a musical.--
Ibis3
20:54, 19 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Like
Our Mutual Friend and
Little Dorrit, this novel is too long to be widely read by general readers but academia rates it as one of his very best. Recent BBC serialisation has raised its profile. --
Sordel
07:19, 19 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Long been regarded by most who have actually read Dickens as one of his best. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
14:30, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - While not his best known novel, it is the novel best-respected by critics. And the recent BBC miniseries has made it better known.
john k
18:40, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - I changed my mind. While this doesn't have the popular recognition, I just realized that this list is about the importance of there being an article for each novel. Bleak house definitely needs one.
Applejuicefool
16:22, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top -
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 6 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 09:48, 27 February 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:34, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 6 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:47, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 10:15, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
- High - Another Dickens novel, less important than Oliver Twist.
Errabee
12:50, 11 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Again, you can't judge importance by the fact that someone made a musical. Dickens himself said David Copperfield was his favourite. I know that's not exactly a NPOV statement, but in terms of the Dickens canon, this one generally rates higher than Oliver.--
Ibis3
21:02, 19 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - More critically respected than Oliver Twist or A Christmas Carol, and more famous than Bleak House.
- Top - Yeah, what they said. Plus, it's got a famous
magician named after it.
Applejuicefool
16:31, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top -
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - --
GoldenGlory84 (
talk)
02:11, 9 January 2011 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:50, 3 March 2009 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 10:17, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 6 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 13:30, 3 January 2007 (UTC)
- Top - Not assessed yet, but *the* most important and influential Spanish novel
Errabee
00:36, 13 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - I have yet to be able to get through it, but it is one of the most important novels written.--
Ibis3
21:33, 19 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - This is in DIRE need of work; it is not just the most important Spanish novel - it is often listed as the greatest novel of all time! I tried to solicit a call to action on the talk page, but no regular editors seem to watch the page. I think the easiest thing would be a partial translation from the Spanish article, which was a FA, but it wouldbenice to have consensus before proceeding.
Eusebeus
15:58, 25 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Incredibly important.
john k
18:40, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - The most important and influential novel of all time
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Obviously. --
Wikimol
15:50, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 6 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 09:56, 27 February 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 09:57, 27 February 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 4 against) Top class - as at 13:32, 3 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:45, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 15:48, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 09:39, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:48, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:49, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Top - Generally seen as one of Dicken's greatest, and, along with David Copperfield, the one most likely to appear as the Dickens work in critical lists. More critically respected than Oliver Twist or A Christmas Carol, more famous than Bleak House. Should go in.
john k
22:56, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - In addition to being one of the great novels, it's a good example of bildungsroman and has been adapted repeatedly, not least in the film directed by David Lean. --
Sordel
11:54, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - This I would indeed expect in an encyclopedia.
Errabee
10:02, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top -
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:50, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 15:51, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:54, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 0 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:54, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 13:28, 3 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:51, 24 November 2006 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:55, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
discovery today
- Top - Would enhance Wikipedia's reputation as a serious world encyclopedia. Mandel 06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 13:27, 3 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
16:42, 24 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:55, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:56, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:54, 5 April 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:57, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 15:57, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Top - Most famous novel by Nobel laureate; widely accepted into popular culture. --
Sordel
20:40, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Masterwork even without the film version adding to it's popularity. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
08:13, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - I really hated this novel, but agree that it should be top-important.
Errabee
10:06, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top -
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - Not convinced this should be top. Seems like a book used by the establishment to tell children that they are innately bad - not much positive comes out of the book, hmmm --
Lethaniol
17:38, 2 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - Admittedly well-written, but if it weren't part of the US High School curriculum, would anybody read it? --
llywrch
20:35, 8 November 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 10:05, 27 February 2008 (UTC)
- Interesting comment that, about 95% of the world's population I should imagine. Many won't have heard of a novel let alone this one. Still highly importance work though. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
16:10, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Let me rephrase then. Of all the people interested in literature, who hasn't heard of this novel?
Errabee
09:54, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:58, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 10:05, 27 February 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 6 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 10:01, 27 February 2008 (UTC)
- Top - Big Brother is watching you has become general knowledge.
Errabee
12:50, 11 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top -
Silverthorn 12:04, 12 August 2006 (UTC
- Top - I suppose.
john k
18:40, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top -
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - where would be without newsspeak --
Lethaniol
17:38, 2 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Btw cca #7 English literature book in CZMyBookPoll (To give some comparison - nothing from Dickens qualified in that poll. For most readers here, Dickens is one of the authors you've learned about on high school, read a book or two, and that's all. On the other hand, 1984 is well alive "handbook" to totaliaran regimes, prohibited durring communist rule.) --
Wikimol
15:50, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 09:34, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 09:35, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 09:35, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 3 against) Top class - as at 10:02, 27 February 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:07, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 7 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 10:03, 27 February 2008 (UTC)
- Top - Nobel price winner García Marquez's materpiece.
Errabee
09:35, 13 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - The seminal work in magical realism. --
Ibis3
21:40, 19 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - This work not only important as a premier example of magic realism, but its impact on the understanding of Latin American literature. --
chemica
00:28, 23 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - One of the major novels of the 2nd half of the 20th century, I think.
john k
18:40, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High -
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Best known Latin American novel, had a great impact.--
Rataube
14:07, 2 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - all of the above --
Lethaniol
17:39, 2 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - as above, CZMBP#56 --
Wikimol
- Summary status ( 1 for | 3 against) Top class - as at 07:23, 24 October 2006 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:00, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 6 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:44, 24 November 2006 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 09:37, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 09:34, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:00, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:48, 24 November 2006 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 18:17, 3 March 2009 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:48, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 09:38, 10 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 16:41, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 3 against) Top class - as at 16:01, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Top - Masterpiece of Nobelprice winner Albert Camus
Errabee
12:50, 11 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - Nothing that Camus wrote seems to merit top-importance and, even if it did, I can't see why one would make an argument for this as opposed to L'Etranger. I can't imagine anyone mentioning The Fall in the same breath as the other, more evidently top-important, novels on this list. --
Sordel
07:32, 19 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - Of Camus works, this is clearly less improtant than The Stranger, and not sure any Camus should be on there.
john k
18:47, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Why shouldn't Camus be here, other than the fact he is not American? La Chute is perhaps even more important a novel as L'Etranger. La Chute is as great a novel as any on this list.
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - The philosophical importance of this novel is far too great to warrant a rating less than this. --
Todeswalzer |
Talk
17:33, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - however The Stranger should be top. --
Wikimol
15:50, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 18:28, 3 March 2009 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:02, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:03, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:17, 8 March 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 7 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 16:35, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- High - I'd rather that the character has top-importance in this case, but I don't massively object to this novel having top-importance. --
Sordel
14:47, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Anyone who has head of Sherlock has almost certainly heard of this novel. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
08:18, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Probably the best known of the Sherlock Holmes works.
Silverthorn
09:12, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top -
Errabee
10:11, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Hugely influential in both horror and mystery fiction.
Badbilltucker
23:33, 1 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Agree most famous of Sherlock Holmes stories, (and of course I come from Devon too :):) )
Lethaniol
17:30, 2 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - the best known of the Sherlock Holmes --
Wikimol
15:50, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Definitely the best known of the Sherlock Holmes works. --
9muses
15:16, 31 December 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:46, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:21, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:04, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 18:22, 3 March 2009 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:05, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 6 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 10:52, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 3 against) Top class - as at 16:08, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:51, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Top - Best known novel by Henry James, who is clearly a novelist of the first rank. Could be joined by
The Ambassadors,
The Golden Bowl and
The Wings of the Dove for snob value, but this one has the widest reputation. --
Sordel
07:24, 19 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Something by James should be at top, and this is the obvious one.
john k
18:47, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top -
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Comment - keep at top only if
The Turn of the Screw, arguably a more pivotal and important work by the same author, is ineligible.
Badbilltucker
14:48, 2 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Comment - We shouldn't have quotas as per author, at least not at 1! 15:17, 10 April 2007 (UTC)
- Top.
Er
rab
ee
15:52, 4 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:09, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 3 against) Top class - as at 16:49, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:49, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:26, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 18:24, 3 March 2009 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 7 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:26, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:44, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Top - Arguably the first novel, and obviously the list is currently very heavily weighted towards the west.
john k
22:17, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Good point; is our old-fashioned eurocentrism just a reflection of the supposed end-user, or is it us? There's a good case for including this title and (coincidentally) it also has a very good article. --
Sordel
11:52, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - This novel, plus the great Chinese novels, should be in any serious encyclopedia.
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Even I've heard of this one, and I don't know a bloody thing about Chinese literature.
Badbilltucker
20:08, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top -
9muses
15:19, 31 December 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:44, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 16:46, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:53, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 15:50, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 6 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 16:00, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:10, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:50, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:28, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 18:28, 3 March 2009 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:29, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:02, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 5 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 12:36, 26 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 18:28, 3 March 2009 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:32, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 16:30, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 12:29, 26 January 2007 (UTC)
n.b. please list strictly alphabetically
- Summary status ( 3 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 16:31, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Top - Third in the Modern Library list of top 100 novels in English of the 20th century. Widely read, by people who don't have time to read Ulysses (University survey classes, for instance).
john k
19:49, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - There's a literary argument for making this top-important, but I especially dislike the argument that it should attain that importance because it is "set". By that criterion,
Hard Times would be top-important, and it just isn't. I'd recommend holding off on giving this one top-importance but keep it on the candidates list and reconsider further down the line. --
Sordel
21:53, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- I agree that being widely assigned in classes is not a sole criterion. Hard Times is "set" because it's the only one of Dickens' mature novels that is reasonably short (and possibly the shortest of all his novels?). The length issue is partly true of Portrait, but Portrait is also widely recognized as a major work in its own right, unlike Hard Times.
john k
21:56, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top -
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - User:Wikimol|Wikimol]] 15:50, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 09:07, 3 September 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- And see what I said about MotOE below while you're about it, please. --
Sordel
17:56, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:36, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 16:51, 3 March 2009 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 4 against) Top class - as at 16:51, 3 March 2009 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 16:37, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:37, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:39, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
n.b. this is not the work by H.G. Wells
- Summary status ( 1 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary Status (1 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 22:50, 18 August 2008 (UTC)
- Top - Won the booker prize (1981), the booker of booker (1993), and then the best of the booker prize (2008), amongst many other significant awards. it is also regarded as iconic in post-colonial literature, and is the first and most critically accliamed novel form an indian author to achieve mainstream popularity.
Percival500 (
talk)
21:54, 18 August 2008 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 2 for | 3 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- I don't have much objectivity on Christie, because I'm working on her now, so I'm not going to give a vote as such. It's worth noting that her three most important Poirot novels are
Murder on the Orient Express,
Death on the Nile and
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, the last of which is so important in detective fiction (due to the furore regarding its twist ending) that it's perhaps the nearest top-importance of the bunch. Personally, I'd rather that Christie herself gained top-importance because
And Then There Were None is massively influential (it virtually invented the stalk 'n' slash genre) but is not a Poirot novel. Christie is listed as the most widely published novelist of all time, so I would have thought that top-importance in some form is mandatory (accusations of "hack" notwithstanding!). Over to you. --
Sordel
17:53, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 01:32, 7 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Top - Another masterpiece from Russia's Golden Age of Literature (19th century).
User:Errabee
- Question to Errabee - is what John below says true or is this better known - regarded in Russia in which cas should the Top stand. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
15:41, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- This is an English encyclopedia. Knownness in the English-speaking world should generally be the main criteria, especially for languages like Russian and French where English-speakers are familiar with many works originally in the language.
john k
15:45, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Although I can't now find it is did see a wikipedia main page that discuss just this issue of geographical relevance and indicated that this is not the case. i.e. significance / notability; transcends language / natinoality / culture etc. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
16:03, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Well, compared with the 5 major novels (
Eugene Onegin,
War and Peace,
Anna Karenina,
Crime and Punishment and
The Brothers Karamazov) everything else from the 19th century is clearly second rank. After those novels come
Dead Souls and
Fathers and Sons. I would rate
Oblomov at least equal to the rest of the novels written by Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, some of which would merit a Top rating as well (e.g.
The Idiot,
The Gambler or
The Death of Ivan Ilyich), and some other works like
A Hero of Our Time. I would certainly be surprised not to find Oblomov in an encyclopedia.
Errabee
18:16, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - Oblomov is clearly in the second rank of Russian 19th century novels, and is not widely read (at least in English).
john k
15:27, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Though this is an English-language encyclopedia, it is our obligation to introduce what is considered a great world novel. Knownness in the English-speaking world is not a criteria, given the fact some novels are under-translated. Oblomov is not just an important novel, it may be the best novel description of a
superfluous man in Russian literature.
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - The criteria should be: 1) it's famous in its own language 2) it's well known in the rest of the world. Fails to meet second criteria. --
Wikimol
15:50, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 2 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2.5 for | 4 against) Top class - as at 21:04, 8 November 2007 (UTC)
- Top - Equal to Pride and Prejudice.
Errabee
12:50, 11 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - Not as well-known as Pride and Prejudice
Silverthorn
13:24, 14 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - S&S has no better a claim to top importance than
Emma,
Persuasion or
Mansfield Park, while P&P has the definite advantage of being widely known and adapted. If S&S is top-important, then we might as well decide to make all Jane Austen's novels top-important. --
Sordel
14:15, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- I think it's arguable that all of Austen's novels, save Northanger Abbey, should be of top importance.
john k
18:52, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- I'd also say, though, that if we had to pick a #2, it should be
Emma, which seems to show up on more lists than any Austen other than P&P.
john k
22:56, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High -
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - agree with all of the above --
Lethaniol
17:27, 2 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - the equal of Pride and Prejudice. --
llywrch
21:04, 8 November 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 4 for | 3 against) Top class - as at 18:15, 3 March 2009 (UTC)
- Top - Arguably Heinlein's most influential work. --
Gizzakk
22:32, 11 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- I'm not sure this one should go as top, but if does then
Dune by Frank Herbert should go too. I understand they achieved a similar cult status.--
Rataube
16:25, 4 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- I agree that Dune is equally, and maybe more, obvious. I don't have the sci fi knowledge to comment on this one, though. --
Sordel
16:49, 4 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - Who is Heinlein?
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Extremely influential to the 60's counter-culture, even if I think it is a bit overrated myself.
Robert A. Heinlein is probably counted one of the top science fiction writer of the 20th century.
Badbilltucker
23:26, 1 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top -
Wikimol
15:50, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - top science fiction's work but not among the top in general literature
- Top -
Showers
20:26, 2 September 2007 (UTC)
reply
- High - influential within sci fi and popular with Ayn Rand types but clearly not top
69.86.228.200 (
talk)
02:19, 23 April 2008 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Top - Not that well known in English, but it's the most important Italian novel of the 19th century, and perhaps the most important Italian novel period.
john k
19:04, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - I totally agree. john k contradicts himself ;) (it's not known in the English-speaking world!) The most important Italian novel and one of her best works, after La commedia.
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 6 for | 10 against) Top class - as at 08:16, 10 October 2007 (UTC)
- Top - Literary not very interesting, but in very popular demand.
Errabee
12:50, 11 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Has had major popular impact, but is perhaps of less significant literary influence.
Silverthorn
12:08, 12 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - Very topical. Give it a year or two and the importance will be minimal. Resources can better be used improving more important novels.--
Ibis3
21:43, 19 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - As a cultural icon it isn't as influential as Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, etc. It's not that influential currently, and will be forgotten in a few years. As literature it's rubbish with comercial value only.--
Rataube
18:12, 25 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - or lower. Novel has little literary merit and no historical significance (as yet). The fact that an article is often consulted in the short term cannot necessarily be taken to imply that it is of enduring cultural significance. --
Sordel
07:47, 19 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - Hasn't stood the test of time as yet.
john k
18:52, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - The encyclopedia would be deficient without this novel. Personally I hate it, it is drivel in all senses, but it is culturally importance in the popular field. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
08:13, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- I'm still strongly opposed to this having top-importance. A top-important article should be one that one would anticipate retaining top-importance for a century to come. I agree that DVC deserves an entry, and like many mid/high novels it has one, but surely top-importance for this is absurdly generous? --
Sordel
11:33, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- My heart says agree with you, but my head says otherwise!. Why "for a century to come" by the way. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
11:43, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- "Century to come" is just criterion to cover the same idea expressed by "must be in an encyclopedia" or "should eternally be in an encyclopedia". It's true that we can't foresee the future value ascribed to DVC - it might be this generation's Ulysses (well no, probably not) - but when a novel has only been popular for five years (or however long it is) one is surely entitled to say: "I'd be mighty surprised to see this included in a printed encyclopedia even in twenty years". --
Sordel
12:28, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Agreed about the "printed" but this isn't a printed. And it (wikipedia) will change as times change. I would be surprised to see it in in 10 years time, but at present it is a "must". Shame to say! ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
16:03, 25 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - I hate the novel but it, and its pre/sequels have had such a response from the public it should be included. I feel ashamed of myself.
Lethaniol
11:36, 25 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High -
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - The only reason this article even deserves an entry is because it's a fad and therefore well-known. Aside from that, it has very little merit -- literary or otherwise. --
Todeswalzer |
Talk
18:41, 21 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - or lower. The popularity of the novel is due to the theories the author "borrowed" from the book
Holy Blood, Holy Grail. I could argue that, right now, the original non-fiction book might qualify as very or top importance, but this novel, which is basically only a very weak regurgitation of that book with some additional laughable and almost unprecedented opinions about Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper", borrowed from yet another book wikipedia already has a page on, does not.
Badbilltucker
23:32, 1 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Mid - or lower. This book is neither original nor particularly good. The storm it created will blow over.
Loyola
13:43, 14 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - book of movie fame. --
Wikimol
15:50, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Mid - or lower. This is merely
The Celestine Prophecy for the 21st century.--
Alabamaboy
01:33, 28 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top- This book has had a massive impact on popular culture, and that needs to be recognised.
I will not specify what I did to Mr. Jameson, I will just verify that I was present when the murder happened. 07:27, 20 May 2007 (UTC)
- Top - While I admit that it is not a particularily interesting piece of literature, it is not our job here to judge books quality. We can only quantify their reception into popular culture. Given the Da Vinci code's popular success, and the amount of contrerversy it has spawned I feel it as an extremely worthy candidate for further analysis.
207.164.21.130
00:55, 10 October 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Low - The fact that it generated controversy makes it notable for generating controversy not for being a good novel.
Loyola (
talk)
10:51, 30 November 2009 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 0 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 12:27, 26 January 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 12:25, 26 January 2007 (UTC)
- But they are novellas ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
16:44, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 2 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 21:13, 8 November 2007 (UTC)
- Top - One of the great German language novels of the last century. Various critics have put it alongside Ulysses and In Search of Lost Time as one of the novels of the century.
- High - It's an unfinished novel, and I can speak from personal experience when I say that even those who put it on their bookshelves don't read it. I agree that it is considered to be a masterpiece, but there are plenty of masterpieces rated high. --
Sordel
07:01, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - A very great, though little read novel.
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - Hey, I've read it. Well, most of it: I got bogged down in the third volume. Italo Calvino gives it high praise. --
llywrch
21:13, 8 November 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 3 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 21:08, 8 November 2007 (UTC)
- Top - not sure about English, but certainly world novel, at the same time famous and influential. Best known and possibly best from Eco. (see also the interwikis... contemporary encyclopedia should not miss thiss one) --
Wikimol
15:50, 22 November 2006 (UTC)\
reply
- High - I remember hearing it was the most famous book no one had read a few years ago, and, if no one read it, it ain't that important. Also, personally, I think it's probably too new to really qualify.
Badbilltucker
17:15, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - I read it years ago; it's the DaVinci Code of the 1980s. While a very strong and well-written book, it just isn't the quality & influence of (to pick examples from different genres) The Big Sleep, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, or The Stranger. --
llywrch
21:09, 8 November 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 1 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:19, 4 April 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 18:29, 3 March 2009 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 17:03, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Can't see why, we have all numbers of examples of articles of top importance in there own arena. The English speaking world should be sufficient. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
17:03, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
reply
- It is very well known in the UK, but not necessarily outside it.
Mandel
121.6.49.48
10:49, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 1 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 17:03, 15 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status (1 for | 0 against) Top Class - as at 22:05, 18 August 2008 (UTC)
- Top - Arguabely Virginia Woolf's most significant novel. Many elements of her previous work are present in The Waves, making this a prime example of modernism, feminism and experimental fiction.
Percival500 (
talk)
21:01, 18 August 2008 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 2 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 10:46, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Your description is almost self contradictory - "Children's classics"! almost ensures inclusion surely. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Children's books then.
Mandel
121.6.49.48
10:53, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 2 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 16:48, 10 March 2008 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 1 for | 0 against) Top class - as at 11:13, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 3 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 10:40, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
Here I prepare a list of candidates since there were not a single Chinese language novel above. Besides those classics, some people claims China has no really good novels written in 20th century. Personally speaking, I somewhat agree with this view. But if
Harry Potter was in the list, I think at least one or two 20th century Chinese languages novels could be good enough too. But it would be difficult to decide which one could be better. Here is a list of top 100 20th century Chinese language novels for references.
[1] This list covers both mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and overseas.
- Top - These novels are widely considered as best five in China. I'll look for some references if I have time. Among the five novels,
Dream of the Red Chamber was widely considered as Chinese novel number one (but not unchallengeable), and
Romance of Three Kingdoms could be number two in my opinion. Aside of these, I suggest
Fengshen Yanyi could be number six. —
Yao Ziyuan
13:34, 3 January 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top - to balance Western centricity.
Mandel
17:44, 18 February 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top - as
Mandel and also for their own merit which is considerable. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
10:39, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
reply
- High. Notability outside of China (but not necessarily in Western world) has to be asserted.
Er
rab
ee
16:21, 4 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Since when has
the West been the sole arbriter of literary significance? Talk about colonial chauvinism! :) These novels are popular in Japan and Korea too, and their critics don't need white eggheads to tell them what is good from bad.
Mandel
11:05, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top for the 4 greats at least. One of them is the basis for Monkey!, and they are known in the UK at least.
Yobmod (
talk)
09:07, 29 July 2008 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 3 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 10:40, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
Here I prepare a list of candidates since there were not a single Chinese language novel above. Besides those classics, some people claims China has no really good novels written in 20th century. Personally speaking, I somewhat agree with this view. But if
Harry Potter was in the list, I think at least one or two 20th century Chinese languages novels could be good enough too. But it would be difficult to decide which one could be better. Here is a list of top 100 20th century Chinese language novels for references.
[2] This list covers both mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and overseas.
- Top - These novels are widely considered as best five in China. I'll look for some references if I have time. Among the five novels,
Dream of the Red Chamber was widely considered as Chinese novel number one (but not unchallengeable), and
Romance of Three Kingdoms could be number two in my opinion. Aside of these, I suggest
Fengshen Yanyi could be number six. —
Yao Ziyuan
13:34, 3 January 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top - to balance Western centricity.
Mandel
17:44, 18 February 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top - as
Mandel and also for their own merit which is considerable. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
10:39, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
reply
- High. Notability outside of China (but not necessarily in Western world) has to be asserted.
Er
rab
ee
16:21, 4 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Since when has
the West been the sole arbriter of literary significance? Talk about colonial chauvinism! :) These novels are popular in Japan and Korea too, and their critics don't need white eggheads to tell them what is good from bad.
Mandel
11:05, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top for the 4 greats at least. One of them is the basis for Monkey!, and they are known in the UK at least.
Yobmod (
talk)
09:07, 29 July 2008 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 3 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 10:40, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
Here I prepare a list of candidates since there were not a single Chinese language novel above. Besides those classics, some people claims China has no really good novels written in 20th century. Personally speaking, I somewhat agree with this view. But if
Harry Potter was in the list, I think at least one or two 20th century Chinese languages novels could be good enough too. But it would be difficult to decide which one could be better. Here is a list of top 100 20th century Chinese language novels for references.
[3] This list covers both mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and overseas.
- Top - These novels are widely considered as best five in China. I'll look for some references if I have time. Among the five novels,
Dream of the Red Chamber was widely considered as Chinese novel number one (but not unchallengeable), and
Romance of Three Kingdoms could be number two in my opinion. Aside of these, I suggest
Fengshen Yanyi could be number six. —
Yao Ziyuan
13:34, 3 January 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top - to balance Western centricity.
Mandel
17:44, 18 February 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top - as
Mandel and also for their own merit which is considerable. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
10:39, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
reply
- High. Notability outside of China (but not necessarily in Western world) has to be asserted.
Er
rab
ee
16:21, 4 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Since when has
the West been the sole arbriter of literary significance? Talk about colonial chauvinism! :) These novels are popular in Japan and Korea too, and their critics don't need white eggheads to tell them what is good from bad.
Mandel
11:05, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top for the 4 greats at least. One of them is the basis for Monkey!, and they are known in the UK at least.
Yobmod (
talk)
09:07, 29 July 2008 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 3 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 10:40, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
Here I prepare a list of candidates since there were not a single Chinese language novel above. Besides those classics, some people claims China has no really good novels written in 20th century. Personally speaking, I somewhat agree with this view. But if
Harry Potter was in the list, I think at least one or two 20th century Chinese languages novels could be good enough too. But it would be difficult to decide which one could be better. Here is a list of top 100 20th century Chinese language novels for references.
[4] This list covers both mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and overseas.
- Top - These novels are widely considered as best five in China. I'll look for some references if I have time. Among the five novels,
Dream of the Red Chamber was widely considered as Chinese novel number one (but not unchallengeable), and
Romance of Three Kingdoms could be number two in my opinion. Aside of these, I suggest
Fengshen Yanyi could be number six. —
Yao Ziyuan
13:34, 3 January 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top - to balance Western centricity.
Mandel
17:44, 18 February 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top - as
Mandel and also for their own merit which is considerable. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
10:39, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
reply
- High. Notability outside of China (but not necessarily in Western world) has to be asserted.
Er
rab
ee
16:21, 4 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Since when has
the West been the sole arbriter of literary significance? Talk about colonial chauvinism! :) These novels are popular in Japan and Korea too, and their critics don't need white eggheads to tell them what is good from bad.
Mandel
11:05, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top for the 4 greats at least. One of them is the basis for Monkey!, and they are known in the UK at least.
Yobmod (
talk)
09:07, 29 July 2008 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 3 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 10:40, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
Here I prepare a list of candidates since there were not a single Chinese language novel above. Besides those classics, some people claims China has no really good novels written in 20th century. Personally speaking, I somewhat agree with this view. But if
Harry Potter was in the list, I think at least one or two 20th century Chinese languages novels could be good enough too. But it would be difficult to decide which one could be better. Here is a list of top 100 20th century Chinese language novels for references.
[5] This list covers both mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and overseas.
- Top - These novels are widely considered as best five in China. I'll look for some references if I have time. Among the five novels,
Dream of the Red Chamber was widely considered as Chinese novel number one (but not unchallengeable), and
Romance of Three Kingdoms could be number two in my opinion. Aside of these, I suggest
Fengshen Yanyi could be number six. —
Yao Ziyuan
13:34, 3 January 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top - to balance Western centricity.
Mandel
17:44, 18 February 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top - as
Mandel and also for their own merit which is considerable. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
10:39, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
reply
- High. Notability outside of China (but not necessarily in Western world) has to be asserted.
Er
rab
ee
16:21, 4 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Since when has
the West been the sole arbriter of literary significance? Talk about colonial chauvinism! :) These novels are popular in Japan and Korea too, and their critics don't need white eggheads to tell them what is good from bad.
Mandel
11:05, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- High High for other 2.
Yobmod (
talk)
09:07, 29 July 2008 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 3 for | 1 against) Top class - as at 10:40, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
Here I prepare a list of candidates since there were not a single Chinese language novel above. Besides those classics, some people claims China has no really good novels written in 20th century. Personally speaking, I somewhat agree with this view. But if
Harry Potter was in the list, I think at least one or two 20th century Chinese languages novels could be good enough too. But it would be difficult to decide which one could be better. Here is a list of top 100 20th century Chinese language novels for references.
[6] This list covers both mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and overseas.
- Top - These novels are widely considered as best five in China. I'll look for some references if I have time. Among the five novels,
Dream of the Red Chamber was widely considered as Chinese novel number one (but not unchallengeable), and
Romance of Three Kingdoms could be number two in my opinion. Aside of these, I suggest
Fengshen Yanyi could be number six. —
Yao Ziyuan
13:34, 3 January 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top - to balance Western centricity.
Mandel
17:44, 18 February 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Top - as
Mandel and also for their own merit which is considerable. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
10:39, 19 February 2007 (UTC)
reply
- High. Notability outside of China (but not necessarily in Western world) has to be asserted.
Er
rab
ee
16:21, 4 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- Since when has
the West been the sole arbriter of literary significance? Talk about colonial chauvinism! :) These novels are popular in Japan and Korea too, and their critics don't need white eggheads to tell them what is good from bad.
Mandel
11:05, 14 April 2007 (UTC)
reply
- High High for other 2.
Yobmod (
talk)
09:07, 29 July 2008 (UTC)
reply
This list is now so large it is normally "shrunk" - use the "Show" on the right hand side to expand it.
Top-important (now reassigned)
n.b. please list strictly alphabetically
- Summary status ( 4 for | 5 against) Top class - as at 12:46, 24 October 2008 (UTC)
- Top - This one is considered Richardson's masterpiece and is thought to be the longest novel in English. Influenced much later literature. --
Ibis3
22:38, 20 August 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - I agree with those points, but feel that the promotion might be compromised by the fact that no one seems to read this novel any more. --
Sordel
07:38, 19 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top - although I'd prefer Pamela, as the first epistolary novel and the work by Richardson that is currently more likely to be read.
john k
18:52, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Top -
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High - from non-English viewpoint, I'd say its really obscure piece of literature hardly anybody except English literature student would be interested in. --
Wikimol
15:50, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- High. Unknown author and unknown work for me (which I assume is indicative for non-English natives).— Preceding
unsigned comment added by
Errabee (
talk •
contribs)
- High. I'd say one in five degree-educated people in this country (UK) would have heard of it.— Preceding
unsigned comment added by
Psmither (
talk •
contribs)
- Mid. An obscure novel, and as Wikimol said, only English lit students would know of it (or the author, regardless of importance). Non-native English & European POV.— Preceding
unsigned comment added by
193.11.230.74 (
talk •
contribs)
- Mid. Obscure indeed - never heard of it.
Yobmod (
talk)
09:02, 29 July 2008 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 2 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 15:45, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
- Keep. The central character in a currently 11-part detective novel series by
Boris Akunin, the pen name of Russian scholar Grigory Chkhartishvili. Each novel is a pastiche on a different genre of detective novel. Literary interesting, and immensely popular (more than 15,000,000 copies sold).
Errabee
15:34, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Relegate to high or medium. Immensely popular in Russia, maybe, but not very well known in the English-speaking world. There's any number of high-selling series of mystery novels - I'd suggest
Lord Peter Wimsey, for instance, is much better known in the English-speaking world.
john k
18:40, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Keep. "Immensely popular in Russia" should be given sufficient notice. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
15:45, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Demote. I'm a literature major and I've never heard of it. While that doesn't mean it's not an important novel, it probably doesn't need top status.
Applejuicefool
16:42, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- The second novel was turned into a movie in Russia, which was released around the same time as LotR:The Return of the King. LotR was clearly defeated in the box office: $19Million for Fandorin vs $14Million for LotR. Perhaps this says something about its popularity. And you probably never heard of it, since it is relatively new: the first books were published in 1998, and translated into English only in 2003.
Errabee 17:48, 21 September 2006 (UTC) P.S. And as a bonus compared with
Harry Potter and
The Da Vinci Code: Fandorin has significant literary value, comparable to Sherlock Holmes. P.P.S.
Paul Verhoeven wants to turn the first novel into a movie to be released world wide.
Errabee
17:52, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Relegate to medium. Nothing contemporary should be under top class - too early to tell.
Mandel
06:21, 10 October 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Relegate - I have no doubt that they are important and well-known in Russia, but this is the English language wikipedia, and I, a big mystery fan, have never even heard of it.
Badbilltucker
23:18, 1 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Relegate - will have to wait for world fame. --
Wikimol
15:50, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
reply
- Summary status ( 0 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 08:21, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 2 for | 3 against) Top class - as at 16:12, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
- Keep. Very influential novel, formed inspiration for the establishment of the
Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International.
Errabee
12:50, 11 August 2006 (UTC)
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- Rerate to high. It may be influential historically overall and within Dutch/Indonesian culture especially, but I think in terms of literature, there a lot of other books that would rate higher in priority. This book isn't listed as one of the Great Books, nor on Bloom's Western Canon list or on BBC's Big 100 list etc.--
Ibis3
21:22, 19 August 2006 (UTC)
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- Rerate to high. I had never knowingly heard of this novel, and the argument made for its inclusion in this group seems weak. It just doesn't seem to rank with others at this level. --
Sordel
14:27, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
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- Rerate to high. There's so many better known works that aren't in top.
john k
18:40, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
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- Please note that Max Havelaar is considered to be THE most important Dutch work (not just novel) by members of the Dutch Literary Society (see
this list of the Digital Library of Dutch Literature (sorry, Dutch only))
Errabee
20:04, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
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- You make a good point, but of course we don't have national quotas for top-importance. We can only base our personal recommendation on our own knowledge or the case made to us. --
Sordel
20:13, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
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- A couple of thoughts on this. Dutch is a relatively little spoken language, and Dutch novels are not especially well known in English. Perhaps this is a similar case to
The Betrothed, but I think the latter is actually considerably better known than Max Havelaar, perhaps just because Italian is a more spoken language than Dutch. but I guess there's a real question as to what our responsibilities are to literature that is not widely known in English. This is an English encyclopedia, and it should cater to things likely to be looked up by English-speakers.
Anna Karenina, or
The Charterhouse of Parma, or
The Tin Drum, is well known in English as well as in its native language. I'm not sure the same can be said of this one.
john k
20:22, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
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- Keep. Very influential novel. I'm with
Errabee on the importance in Dutch literature. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
16:12, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
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- It got demoted to Mid-importance.
Errabee
19:48, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
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- Rerate to high.
- Top. I disagree with john k. Criteria should not be made on knowability but on how influential or important the novel is. This is an English-language world encyclopedia. If a book is little known in the English-speaking world but important and highly regarded elsewhere, all the more it should be promoted.
Mandel 07:53, 10 October 2006 (UTC
- Summary status ( 0 for | 4 against) Top class - as at 15:42, 8 March 2007 (UTC)
- Rated as High as a compromise - can't see this as a Top yet myself either ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
15:42, 8 March 2007 (UTC)
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- Summary status ( 0 for | 4 against) Top class - as at 15:48, 8 March 2007 (UTC)
- Rated as Medium based on concensus ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
15:48, 8 March 2007 (UTC)
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- Summary status ( 0 for | 3 against) Top class - as at 08:21, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
- Mid - While there are classic children's novels that justify Top and High importance, I wouldn't think of this as one of them. --
Sordel
18:29, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
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- High or Mid - One of an enormous series of children's books I've never heard of. Doesn't seem comparable to Moby-Dick or Crime and Punishment
- Mid - Agree with Sordel and john k.
- Summary status ( 0 for | 6 against) Top class - as at 08:21, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
- Strong rerate as mid. The film is well-known, the book itself hardly had any impact on society.
Errabee
12:50, 11 August 2006 (UTC)
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- Rerate as High. The novel really furthered the
Military Science Fiction genre, the influences can be seen in even
Star Wars. Not to mention that it is by Heinlein, which has to count for something. However, I agree that it is probably not deserving of a Top rating when included in the general "novels" category; if this was just science fiction, then probably. --
Gizzakk
22:28, 11 August 2006 (UTC)
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- Strong rerate as mid.--
Ibis3
21:07, 19 August 2006 (UTC)
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- Strong rerate as mid, never heard of it --
Jahsonic
23:34, 23 August 2006 (UTC)
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- Strong rerate as mid Only of interest within a very specialised genre. --
Sordel
07:53, 19 September 2006 (UTC)
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- Rerate as High, Of interest within the genre - but it is elitist to say "very specialised". The fact that someone has not heard of it or doesn't rate the genre does not indicate that the novel is of little significance. Please read the article and you might get the notion of it's significance. Please note I have no particular pro-title allegience here, I am no fan, but it is a highly influencial novel. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
09:33, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
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- "Very specialised" was a response to the argument above that the novel had furthered the
Military Science Fiction genre, which seems to me to be a very specific sub-genre of Science Fiction in general. I am not, admittedly, a Science Fiction expert, but at the time that the film came out I had never heard of
Starship Troopers whereas I had heard of
I, Robot,
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?,
Dune,
The Martian Chronicles,
Fahrenheit 451,
The Time Machine,
The Invisible Man etc., none of which are currently rated as Top-important although perhaps they should be. Presumably once the evident classics of Science Fiction have all been rated Top-important it will not be conspicuous when a novel comparatively obscure in broad cultural terms is admitted to this category on its own merits. I accept, nonetheless, that High may be more appropriate for this novel than mid. --
Sordel
10:24, 20 September 2006 (UTC)
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- Summary status ( 2 for | 3 against) Top class - as at 08:21, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
- I know of no idea of queue here - or even of the real benefit for one. However if that is what we want, we should get on with those titles you mention. They should all be Top in my view. Even Famous Five as they have had hugh impact on readership particulary in the 20th Century. ::
Kevinalewis :
(Talk Page)/
(Desk)
11:50, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
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- Just to note, as an American, I'd never heard of this book until I came upon it in the top category. Some children's classics, I suspect, are strongly centered in a single country, and this would appear to be among them. Perhaps I'm wrong, and this is popular outside of Britain, but I'd be interested to see some evidence of that. Beyond that, I largely agree with Sordel - I think an informal "queue" makes a fair degree of sense - basically, starting from a small list of indisputable great novels (Anna Karenina, Don Quixote, Ulysses, and so forth), and gradually building up by putting in books that are of comparable importance to those already on the list. Otherwise we get into a lot of these problems of commensurability.
john k
18:46, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
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- Return to Top. I agree with Kevinalewis. Probably the best known of this series, all of which have stood the test of time and should be represented in some form. The other novels mentioned by Sordel are also worthy of consideration, but the fact that they have not been considered up until now is not a sufficient reason to downgrade this one.
Silverthorn
11:53, 21 September 2006 (UTC)
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- Summary status ( 1 for | 2 against) Top class - as at 08:21, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 0 for | 3 against) Top class - as at 08:21, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 0 for | 3 against) Top class - as at 08:21, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
- Summary status ( 0 for | 4 against) Top class - as at 08:21, 22 September 2006 (UTC)
- Weak rerate as high. Yet another Dickens novel; don't get me wrong, I love Dickens but too much is too much.
Errabee
12:50, 11 August 2006 (UTC)
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- Rerate as high. Whilst Dickens is undoubtedly an important author, I do not believe that justifies rating all of his novels as top. This one I do not believe is of sufficient significance in it's own right to justify the top rating.
Silverthorn
13:19, 14 August 2006 (UTC)
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- Weak rerate as high. The only argument for keeping is that this was arguably his debut (ok, so technically Sketches came first).--
Ibis3
21:27, 19 August 2006 (UTC)
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- Rerate as high. It's not much read, has no major film and is thought to be minor in terms of actual literary value. With so many candidates for top-importance in Dickens's oeuvre, this is one that really could be relegated. --
Sordel
07:29, 19 September 2006 (UTC)
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- Summary status ( 0 for | 6 against) Top class - as at 16:11, 10 March 2008 (UTC)