Ten English-Language Books That Deserve Far More Readers Than They’ve Gotten
(John Banville has said that “every writer who’s worth anything has about 2,000 readers. Many more admirers, maybe, but about 2,000 readers,” which is simply to say that most good books deserve far more readers than they get. In any case, for this list, I’ve relied on the titles in my collection that hold a place of honor on the tall bookcase in my living room. It’s jam-packed with my favorites—211 of them at the current count, though that number fluctuates; occasionally, I might have to jettison two or three thin books from the case to make room for one thick one, or vice-versa. Here, listed alphabetically by author, are the ten books on the case whose readership seems the most shamefully small to me given their accomplishments. [English-language originals, I mean; I’ve made a separate list of translations.] Many of these titles are out of print, though not all of them. A few of them are by authors who’ve written other books that have been read more widely—Helen Phillips, for instance, has been a National Book Award finalist, Jeremy Jackson’s first novel was adapted to film, and many of Theodore Sturgeon’s novels are considered classics in the SF community—but the titles I mention remain unjustly obscure.)
A Field Guide to the Aliens of Star Trek: The Next Generation by Joshua Chapman, Age 11 by Zachary Auburn
The Torturer’s Wife by Thomas Glave
I Will Not Leave You Comfortless: A Memoir by Jeremy Jackson
Jesus Christs by A. J. Langguth
Their Brilliant Careers: The Fantastic Lives of Sixteen Extraordinary Australian Writers by Ryan O’Neill
The Afflictions by Vikram Paralkar
And Yet They Were Happy by Helen Phillips
The Dragon Griaule by Lucius Shepard
Argyll: A Memoir by Theodore Sturgeon
Grow a Pair: 9 ½ Fairytales About Sex by Joanna Walsh
— August 22, 2021