I very proud of Barbara kingsolver. She is from my hometown of Carlisle, KY. Her dad was a physician here for many years. He was my family doctor and the doctor who delivered me when I was born. I never knew Barbara but it makes me happy that she is a wonderful writer and has won a Pulitzer for her writing.

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

That’s wonderful! I’m not from that area but I’ve heard from someone who is that the voice in the story felt very authentic and I found that very reassuring.

I met Hernan Diaz at the opening of our new local Barnes and Noble.

Giving judges the autonomy to make these kinds of decisions is important. I was supportive of the year they gave no award too. If two books are truly worthy then give two awards, if no book is worthy then give no award.

I think it is better that they pick two winners, rather than no winners, if they can't select one stand out book.

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

Definitely!

@PinoyMN

2 ай бұрын

Fiction is not a boxing match; how does one single out one book as the "best" in a given year? I have browsed through both novels, and they are on my docket. I wish more attention was given to all entries short-listed on the major book prizes, and I tend to look broadly at these rather than limiting myself to the chosen winner.

I loved Demon Copperhead and Barbara Kingsolver is a favorite of mine. One of my favorite books she wrote was The Poisonwood Bible.

Love your enthusiasm. I haven’t yet read Trust but I do want to. The only thing I have thought about is the fact that Diaz works for Columbia University and they’re the ones that award the Pulitzer. His first book was nominated and now his second has won. I’m not saying it’s for sure linked but it’s notable I think. I think people would like to think it’s not the case that it’s linked but there’s no denying that American Institutions are driven by money and reputation so it does make me wonder. And yet its a well read and liked book and worthy of prizes. Just with the double win I’m like hmm ok, i think it’s worth taking these circumstances into consideration.

I agree that both Trust and Demon Copperhead deserved to win the Pulitzer Prize. As you mentioned, I, too, got emotionally involved with each one and could not put them down. They were two of my most favorite books from last year. I just ordered Ducks, Newburyport based on your recommendation. Well done as always, Eric. Thank you.

Both authors completely deserve the Pulitzer!

Trust and Demon Copperhead were my third and fourth favorite books of 2022. (Elizabeth Finch was number one and Lucy by the Sea number two.) I can see both of them becoming classics, perhaps Demon more so than Trust. I was greatly surprised and pleased that two winners were named.

Thanks, Eric. This does feel different to me from the 2019 Booker Prize for many of the same reasons you pointed out.

Both books fascinated me from beginning to end, so why not go for a double-winner!

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

Exactly!

Great commentary as always. Love your channel!

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

I was furious about the Booker but I think that’s different because the Booker rules make it clear that the judges have to choose a single winner and they didn’t. What’s more, from the commentary it seems as though they included The Testaments as more of a lifetime achievement award for Atwood than a comment on that particular book, which felt quite wrong. So far as I know, there isn’t a similar directive in the Pulitzer rules to choose only one winner and I think there have been joint winners in the past, just not in the fiction category. So the decision did not really bother me and both novels have been among the most highly lauded fiction writing by American authors during the past publication season, so in many ways it feels fitting.

Excellent discussion! Your excitement is infectious. 😊 I just finished Demon and loved it.

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

Thank you and I’m so glad you loved it too.

I adored Demon Copperfield, I couldn't be bothered to finish Trust (listened to about 40% of the audiobook).

I've read Trust...looks like I should go ahead and read Demon Copperhead now! It has been on the tbr for a while, been saving it

Besides the Pulitzer and Booker, I've recently turned my attention to another book prize, the Prix Goncourt. I've been looking over the recent winners and checking to see if there is an English translation to the prize winners. Quite a fun list to follow, if you like book prizes.

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

I'd love to explore some of that award's winners at some point. 📚

I read both, loved them both and have recommended both to many people. You make some good arguments about allowing for two winners. The competitive person in me say, no, that's just not right. But at the end of the day, life is too short to get worked up over something like this. They were both great literary achievements, so why not? I actually felt a little bad for the third book that didn't win. I haven't read it, but talk about odd man out!

So I just finished Demon Copperhead last night( finally got it from my library after a long wait!), and I loved it! So very heart breaking, but her characters are compelling and I didn’t want to put it down. I also have read Trust and also loved that novel. I disagree that we knew where the plot was going in either book… Anyway, I’m also very excited that both books won, both quite deserving!

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

Fantastic! I'm so glad you got to read it and that you loved it and that you're also glad with the Pulitzer win. 😊📚

@QuirkyGirl10

Жыл бұрын

Given that Demon Copperhead a retelling of David Copperfield, is it a fair argument that some readers are saying it's predictable?

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

@@QuirkyGirl10 Maybe for some broad aspects of the plot but Kingsolver's novel is about modern America and modern issues related to that so the content is quite different from Dickens' novel.

Great video. I loved these books was very disappointed when Trust failed to make the shortlist for the Booker prize. Very pleased these books were chosen for the Pulitzer.

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! Yeah, I couldn’t believe, in retrospect, that it didn’t make the shortlist as well.

I've just read Trust and really liked it, in particular the way the different narrative layers build until we can see the truth. A really interesting book! 😊 It must have been so interesting to be at that Booker ceremony!

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

I’m so glad you enjoyed Trust as well! That structure created such an interesting effect.

I thought “Trust” was a better novel than “Demon Copperhead.” I don’t think the book deserved the Pulitzer Prize. It felt very gimmicky and devolved for me into a cliched, overwrought movie of the week plot. It appeared to me she was awarded the prize based on her body of work,most notably “The Poisonwood Bible.”

My favorite book of the 2022 was Properties Of Thirst by Marianne Wiggins, which seems to have been abandoned by its publisher for reasons unknown.(more zeitgeist-y authors to pay attention to in their line up?) It is astonishingly beautiful, should become an American classic, and has just slipped under the radar. I highly recommend it to all of you. Was deeply disappointed it wasn't nominated for the Pulitzer. Have any of you read it?

Good morning. I think they are both great books. I wonder what effect if any it will have on which novel wins the Women's Prize.

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

Interesting question!

Completely agree with you about Ducks Newburyport - just the mention of that awful decision has made me so cross all over again 😊

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

😅

Did they follow their own processes? If their guidelines allow for two awards and they observed their customary processes, it seems completely fine to me. However, if over time, the committee cannot arrive at a single winner most of the time, then I believe the committee should re-examine its processes in order to prevent dilution of the award.

Loved that you loved both. There isn't always as much love for Trust and I just treasure it so much.

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

😊📚 I'm glad you agree about Trust!

double win means more books on my TBR. What's the problem?

Didn’t even realize there was a controversy. The response I have seen was almost universally positive. So different from what happened after the Booker debacle a few years back. I was just really happy for those pulling so hard for Demon to win. I have no plans to read either, but who knows. Maybe someday. I hope this opens the door for another book to win the Women’s Prize, but I don’t feel that strongly about any of the books on the shortlist.

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

Maybe it was just the mixed responses I’ve seen. I did just finish reading Black Butterflies which is excellent and was unknown (to me) before it was listed so it’d be exciting to see such a debut win the Women’s Prize. But I’d also be very happy if Demon Copperhead wins that too.

@mradcaqbdb

Жыл бұрын

@@EricKarlAnderson Yes, I’d be thrilled for Black Butterflies to win. I’ve only read that and Trespasses and would be very happy for either to win. Or Jacqueline Crooks, even though that book isn’t for me. Let’s go, debut authors!

These two novels were my favorites of the year.

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

📚👍

haven't read Demon (yet?) but i agree, Trust was brilliant

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

I *think* you’ll really like Demon 😄

About Demon Copperhead being predictable (I haven't read Trust, so I can't speak for it), if you're already familiar with David Copperfield, then you pretty much know where the plot is going because the novels follow each other pretty well. I enjoyed that Kingsolver put her own twist to the story, but I felt it was lacking compared to the original, especially because the characters didn't stand out as much. Still, I was certain it would win the Pulitzer if nothing else. It is a very Pulitzer prize type of book.

@gnostic268

Жыл бұрын

Agree. She is an extractive writer to me. She wrote a novel in the past where the main character (who was mot Native) adopted a Native American child. This is against the ICWA law passed in 1978. I'm sure she thought her opinion was more important than tribal sovereignty and the experiences Native children have are less important than her fictional story (many who are cross-adopted out of their culture have the highest rates of suicide). I lost all respect for her writing after that.

I'm reading Demon Copperhead and It seems to me to be a good book. And in the case of Trust I love it the complexity of the book and the great potrayal of capitalism

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

😊📚

I found Demon Copperhead predictable and I quickly lost interest because of that. I very much enjoyed Trust, I love Hernan Diaz writing.

As long as Barbara won, I'm good. It doesn't matter to me if more than one book wins the prize.

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

👍

Two winners is better than none at all. I will admit I am a naive purist that thinks the 'best' book that fits the prize rules should win, rather than having a career win or boosting the profile of an under appreciated book. That's what long lists and marketing departments are for. 😁

I started reading Trust about 5 days ago. I really tried to finish it. I had to stop. What a slog. What a bore. I was not able to finish it.

Hello, I haven´t read either, don´t intend to read the re-write of David Copperfield. I remakes of movies make me angry, so I don´t think i can enjoy a re-write of a book. I don´t mind that two books win. Sometimes you can´t choose.

Barbara Kingsolver is a well-established popular novelist who does not need any "help" to sell books. I was disappointed that the Pulitzer did not go to a less established author.

Winning has a meaning. Splitting the win cheapens it. It’s not a win anymore; it’s a tie. I would never utter it aloud if I were to win, but it would honestly make me a little sad.

@lonnie4827

Жыл бұрын

Another thing I’ve noticed is that publications about the prize always list Kingsolver first in the title. Same with the actual titles of the book: Trust is always kinda pasted on at the end.

Yeah, frankly, for my taste Ducks, Newburyport wiped the floor with the two Booker winners that year, with no disrespect to either.

Your argument is nonsense. First place is one winner. Let me explain there are hundreds of good books every year one gets the Pulitzer Prize. Oh wait let's also give it to ... No that's just ignorance.

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

It’s the chaotic nature of publishing that some years many decent books are published and other years multiple brilliant timeless novels are published. As such, why not award multiple books when it happens to be a year of true winners?

Demon Copperhead, imo, is a mastery of craft and I am ecstatic it won. Haven’t read Trust yet, but hype it won too, as the topics within both books are close up portraits of Am3rica w no filters. 📖🪱💚

@EricKarlAnderson

Жыл бұрын

Yes! Hope you get to reading Trust at some point.