CURRENT JCO favorites

Thus far, I think my favorites are:

Dear Husband: Stories
The Gravedigger's Daughter
Rape: A Love Story (not for everyone but it really makes one think)

Hmm. All relatively recently published. How interesting. I have much more to read, of course.

My favorites are

Bellefleur
American Appetites
Middle Age.

I read them when it was first published and was very impressed with it. I can't remember much about it now, but I want to reread it.

I want to read Blonde (because I have it on my shelf) and We were the Mulvaneys (because it is so highly praised.

My favourites mirror those of Lois.

The Gravedigger's Daughter (I thought this was a fascinating story)
Rape: A Love Story (as above - a difficult read, but extremely powerful)

I am keen to read Zombie next. It is on my TBR tower and sounds rather intriguing.

This is not necessarily my favourite JCO novel, but is one of my all-time favourite novel openings:

"I was a child murderer.

I don’t mean child-murderer, though that’s an idea. I mean child murderer, that is, a murderer who happens to be a child, or a child who happens to be a murderer. You can take your choice."

Expensive People

Favourites so far are:

Middle Age: A Romance - I loved the tone
Blond: A Novel - I thought it was a very sensitive imagining of what it might have been like to be Marilyn Monroe
The Falls - I liked the quality of the writing.

I have read other of her novels years ago, but all would require a re-read I think.

I'm not sure yet which will be my next JCO read - there are several nearing the top of TBR piles.

I agree with Caroline. Those three are my favorites of her more current works. I'd also include The Tattooed Girl.

Of her older stuff, I loved them and Bellefleur. Also Expensive People. Oh, and also Marya:A Life.

Mid-career works: Foxfire, What I Lived For, We Were the Mulvaneys, Man Crazy.

I just need to either stop now, or just paste in her whole bibliography.

New to this site. So happy to find others who enjoy JCO as much as I do!

Favorite is by far her short story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been" which you can read online at http://jco.usfca.edu/works/wgoing/. It is such a powerful story! Let me know what you think if you aren't already familiar with it.

I wish I could visit Princeton to take one of her classes. Did you know she just got married in May?

It looks like every JCO book I read is going to be my favourite one! I just read (listened to) Missing Mom. Fabulous!

I'm new to the group, too. Was very happy to hear about it from avaland. :)

My favourite JCO story is probably I'll Take You There. I guess it's not her most accomplished, impressive work, but I love it very much. I've read it several times (tried to write my bachelor's thesis on it a few years ago) and it has become part of me.

Like others here, I also thought Rape: A Love Story was brilliant. It's dark and powerful, but never cynical or exploitative. Also, Blonde: A Novel and Because It Is Bitter and Because It Is My Heart.

>9 goneagain: It's always interesting to hear what is another's favorite, especially with JCO because there are so many novels and short stories (etc...etc...) to chose from. I still have not read Blonde .... (I have developed a fear of thick books, I think. Mostly because I know that once started I may ignore all else to read the book).

One of the things I like so much about her is that her diversity and prolific nature mean that there are books of hers I both adore and despise.

I think my current favorites are The Falls (I read it on my honeymoon! I loved it!) and The Gravedigger's Daughter, which Amazon was nice enough to randomly send as a signed first edition (seriously! It just came that way!).

Contrast this to My Sister, My Love, which I didn't finish, and The Tattooed Girl, which gave me the creeps :).

Blonde was pretty great, too.

I need to read Rape: A Love Story -- thanks for reminding me!

--Lyza
http://books.lyza.com

>11 lyzadanger: well, she does certainly have novels which are meant to give one the creeps:-)

I'm new to this group, so I thought I'd restart this discussion, my favorite JCO books:

Bellefleur This one lives on my nightstand within easy reach, the chapters can easily be read as individual stories...tho' I am looking forward to reading it through start to finish this summer.

Wonderland I first read it when I was 16, and it haunted me, so I read it again when I was 24, and again when I turned 40...it still haunts me.

them a real stunning book

Middle Age I found this a very funny book, probably one of her most approachable for a new JCO reader.

The Falls She hit a sweet-spot with this one.

I'll Take You There Since I live in the Syracuse NY area and I am affiliated with SU (alum and employee) I connected with the place and although it was of a specific time, it is timeless.

Welcome, Laura. We are a pretty quiet group, and always interested in new blood. It's endlessly fascinating to me that we can all name our favorites, and because she has published so many books, the lists are so wonderfully varied.

I would have to add Mysteries of Winterthurn, A Bloodsmoor Romance and I Lock My Door Upon Myself to those listed in my first post. But then, maybe also Little Bird of Heaven and The Female of the Species...