It is Buy a Friend a Book Week again and I am running a giveaway. Amongst Simon's questions that I answered yesterday I think the most interesting was "What recently published book do you think deserves to become a classic in Time?" To enter this draw, for a surprise book, just answer that question in the comments below before midnight on Wednesday April 8th.
I will announce the winner on April 9th. I am happy to post anywhere in the world. Also, if you are hosting a BAFAB draw yourself please let me know and I will do a round-up mid-week with links to all the draws that I know about.
I love Sarah Waters and hope that the Fingersmith becomes a classic.
BAFAB week is a great idea - I've never heard of it before. I love your surprise book idea too - I may have to steal it for my own blog!
Posted by: Jackie (Farm Lane Books) | April 01, 2009 at 03:40 PM
The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry - flawed ending and all. Loved it!
My BAFAB giveaway may be found at:
http://nonsuchbook.typepad.com/nonsuch_book/2009/04/buy-a-friend-a-book-drooling-for-drood.html
Posted by: Frances | April 01, 2009 at 10:47 PM
Although I really enjoyed The Secret Scripture by Barry, I found his book The Wheareabouts of Eneas McNulty to have a timeless quality. That would be my choice for a classic.
Posted by: Loretta Dunne | April 01, 2009 at 11:34 PM
Carrie Jones' young adult book Need is top notch. Fast reading and she turns the tables by having good werewolves and bad pixies.
Posted by: John Clark | April 02, 2009 at 02:10 AM
This is a really tough question for me because I don't read a lot of recently published books (I tend to wait a year or so until the library reserve queue is empty). I think The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman deserves to become a children's classic.
Posted by: ikkinlala | April 02, 2009 at 06:37 PM
I think that People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks will be a future "assigned reading" book that will achieve classic status just through mass reading by our youth.
Posted by: Kristen M. | April 02, 2009 at 07:57 PM
I'd say The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard. Her writing is just beautiful.
Posted by: Sarah Wiss | April 03, 2009 at 05:16 AM
I just found your lovely blog via Jackie's award post and I am so glad that she honored you with the award. I look forward to following you in the future.
This is a great idea for a book giveaway - but a very difficult question. I suppose the first book that comes to my mind is The Book Thief (which isn't brand new - but I don't think it is considered a classic yet). I think the subject matter (the Holocaust) is serious, yet handled in an appropriate way. I think Death's point of view is quite unique and thought-provoking.
Posted by: Molly | April 03, 2009 at 12:28 PM
On my blog I actually said The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer or The Luminous Life of Lilly Aphrodite by Beatrice Colin should be classics, but I actually think that Mr Pip by Lloyd Jones should! Mind you I change my mind everyday!
I have finally gotten round to doing this too so mine is here...
http://savidgereads.blogspot.com/2009/04/not-delivered-by-stalks-but-by-telegram.html
Posted by: Simon S | April 03, 2009 at 07:25 PM
My answer is The History of Love by Nicole Krauss.
My BAFAB giveaway is at: http://kissacloud.blogspot.com/2009/04/will-you-be-my-friend.html
Posted by: claire | April 03, 2009 at 08:31 PM
Oh, boy--I love suprise books, and you have such great taste that I'm sure it'll be something delightful.
Now as for a recent book that should become a classic, I'd have to point to Blindness by Jose Saramago. His writing is so amazing--he's one of the only authors I've seen successfully pull of writing without paragraphs or standard punctuation.
Posted by: Teresa | April 03, 2009 at 11:27 PM
I honestly think the book you're currently reading - Never Let Me Go - deserves to be a classic. Brave New World is my favorite book and this book is the "modern" version of that with more relevant issues for our times.
I'm also having a BAFAB giveaway on my blog (if you'd like to enter) :)
Posted by: lena | April 04, 2009 at 01:42 AM
Hmmmm...this is a tough one I loved THE THINGS THEY CARRIED by Tim O'Brien, I think it is on it's way to become a classic of the Vietnam era
madeleine444 AT gmail DOT com
thank-you for the give away
Posted by: madeleine | April 04, 2009 at 10:32 PM
The Shack by William P. Young. I love the kind-of-life-altering tale.
thanks.
Posted by: Fran | April 06, 2009 at 04:14 AM
I'd like to see "The God of Animals" by Aryn Kyle become a classic.
Posted by: Oregon Sunshine | April 07, 2009 at 01:00 AM
I'll vote for Marilynne Robinson's Gilead. And as runner-up, Vikram Seth's An Equal Music. Absolutely gorgeous prose, and incredible insight into the human condition, which is what makes books last.
Posted by: Jenny | April 08, 2009 at 05:59 PM