Recommendation of the lesser known

[rabid reader]

I was looking through the author section of the forum and admiring a lot of the books that are advertised under each other. While reading some of the older extinguished threads in the Orwell section I found something on Burmese Days and how a reader was asking for recommendations on it as they had never heard of it, being overshadowed by Orwell's better knwon books Animal Farm and Nineteen-Eighty-Four. I have always loved the book Burmese Days and also the lesser known works of well known authors or the works of lesser known authors. So, in hopes to be both illuminated toward some gem that I was previously unaware of, and to share some books in hopes they gain some recognition themselves I have created a thread dedicated to us sharing our almost-famous favourites with the world.


To start off I wish to recomend:

Zelda Fitzgerald’s Save Me the Waltz Her brilliant use of metaphor and similes has an unequalled ability to set both mood and emotion in motion.

[Niamh]

I find Ruth by Gaskell gets over shadowed by her other works.

[stlukesguild]

Well... before JBI posts it I might as well suggest Giacomo Leopardi's poetry which is sorely under-recognized in the English language world. The translations by Eamon Grennan seem to be the most highly admired... but the early (1888) translation of Frederick Townsend have also received admiring praise. Undoubtedly one can come up with a virtual endless collection of under-rated works worthy of greater recognition. I'll throw out a few more suggestions by just glancing around my book collection:

J.L. Borges- Dreamtigers (El Hacedor)- While Ficciones and Labyrinths are perhaps the best known collections, many... including Borges himself, would argue that this slim volume is his best book. I would also suggest Borges' Selected Poems is a magnificent volume.

Boris Pasternak- My Sister-Life and Selected Poems. Pasternak is all too commonly known only for his late novel, Dr. Zhivago. He was acknowledged by many as THE great 20th century Russian poet.

Alejo Carpentier- Baroque Concerto- A marvelous little prose fantasy/fairy tale by this masterful novelist.

Italo Calvino- The Baron in the Trees-Another marvelous fairy-tale-like novel by the masterful Italian Magic Realist weaver of perfect prose fictions.

Friederich Durrenmatt- The Physicists- A marvelously absurd post-war German play.

Friederich Hölderlin- Selected Poems- A far, far too little known poet outside of the German-speaking world. This is especially unforgivable considering the quality of English translations available from Richard Sieburth, Christopher Middleton, and the magnificent Michael Hamburger.

Edmund Spenser- Amoretti and Epithalimion- To my mind the most gorgeous sonnet cycle in English poetry culminating with the absolutely splendid Wedding Song. Where many other poets built upon the conventions of Dante and Petrarch and invented an untouchable/unrealistic lady love, Spenser's poems follow his courting and eventual wedding of his wife. The poems evolve from her initial rejection and mockery, to a developing respect and friendship and eventual love.

Thomas Traherne- Selected Poems and Prose- Traherne has been described as a 17th century William Blake... and certainly there are similarities, but Traherne is a magical visionary poet quite unique and sorely ignored.

Emily Bronte- Poems- Known primarily for novel, Wuthering Heights, Bronte was also a poet more than worthy of reading.

Goethe- The Italian Journey- More than a simple travelogue, the great German artist muses upon art, history, his own failings in love, literature, etc... A wonderful exploration of the thinking of the author... available in an equally wondrous translation by the poet, W.H. Auden.

Charles Lamb- Essays- Just read them. Exquisite and often moving prose gems.

Anthony Burgess- Nothing Like the Sun- Burgess is the great heir of Joyce and best known for his Clockwork Orange. This marvelous novel is a fictionalization of the life of William Shakespeare and tosses out any number of shocking suppositions about Hamlet, his wife, his brothers, and the "Dark Ladie".

Gore Vidal- Julian- Known mostly for the brilliant Myra Breckenridge as well as the historical novels Burr and Lincoln, this novel is set in the Roman Empire after the establishment of Christianity as the state religion. Vidal blurs history with fiction in a novel laden with intrigue, politics, bawdy sex and humor.

Just a few ideas...:wave:

[JBI]

Christopher Smart - Jubilate Agno - a very strange, yet beautiful work, which I think is very little known outside of certain circles. Certainly the first major open form (free verse) poem in the language though, predating Blake by half a century.

[sixsmith]

Totally agree with Burmese Days. My favourite Orwell.

Something Happened:Heller - Heller wrote two masterpieces. This is one of them.
Poor People: Dostoyevsky - Tragic and modest little tale but i much prefer it to C&P.
Running Dog: DeLillo - Small but tasty slice of paranoia and conspiracy

[kelby_lake]

Orpheus Descending- Tennessee Williams. His personal favourite play but not a commercial success.

[promtbr]

Local Anasthetic-- Gunter Grass

By Night In Chile-- Roberto Bolano

Confessions of Felix Krull-- Thomas Mann

[Pryderi Agni]

Well... before JBI posts it I might as well suggest Giacomo Leopardi's poetry which is sorely under-recognized in the English language world. The translations by Eamon Grennan seem to be the most highly admired... but the early (1888) translation of Frederick Townsend have also received admiring praise. Undoubtedly one can come up with a virtual endless collection of under-rated works worthy of greater recognition. I'll throw out a few more suggestions by just glancing around my book collection:

J.L. Borges- Dreamtigers (El Hacedor)- While Ficciones and Labyrinths are perhaps the best known collections, many... including Borges himself, would argue that this slim volume is his best book. I would also suggest Borges' Selected Poems is a magnificent volume.

Boris Pasternak- My Sister-Life and Selected Poems. Pasternak is all too commonly known only for his late novel, Dr. Zhivago. He was acknowledged by many as THE great 20th century Russian poet.

Alejo Carpentier- Baroque Concerto- A marvelous little prose fantasy/fairy tale by this masterful novelist.

Italo Calvino- The Baron in the Trees-Another marvelous fairy-tale-like novel by the masterful Italian Magic Realist weaver of perfect prose fictions.

Friederich Durrenmatt- The Physicists- A marvelously absurd post-war German play.

Friederich Hölderlin- Selected Poems- A far, far too little known poet outside of the German-speaking world. This is especially unforgivable considering the quality of English translations available from Richard Sieburth, Christopher Middleton, and the magnificent Michael Hamburger.

Edmund Spenser- Amoretti and Epithalimion- To my mind the most gorgeous sonnet cycle in English poetry culminating with the absolutely splendid Wedding Song. Where many other poets built upon the conventions of Dante and Petrarch and invented an untouchable/unrealistic lady love, Spenser's poems follow his courting and eventual wedding of his wife. The poems evolve from her initial rejection and mockery, to a developing respect and friendship and eventual love.

Thomas Traherne- Selected Poems and Prose- Traherne has been described as a 17th century William Blake... and certainly there are similarities, but Traherne is a magical visionary poet quite unique and sorely ignored.

Emily Bronte- Poems- Known primarily for novel, Wuthering Heights, Bronte was also a poet more than worthy of reading.

Goethe- The Italian Journey- More than a simple travelogue, the great German artist muses upon art, history, his own failings in love, literature, etc... A wonderful exploration of the thinking of the author... available in an equally wondrous translation by the poet, W.H. Auden.

Charles Lamb- Essays- Just read them. Exquisite and often moving prose gems.

Anthony Burgess- Nothing Like the Sun- Burgess is the great heir of Joyce and best known for his Clockwork Orange. This marvelous novel is a fictionalization of the life of William Shakespeare and tosses out any number of shocking suppositions about Hamlet, his wife, his brothers, and the "Dark Ladie".

Gore Vidal- Julian- Known mostly for the brilliant Myra Breckenridge as well as the historical novels Burr and Lincoln, this novel is set in the Roman Empire after the establishment of Christianity as the state religion. Vidal blurs history with fiction in a novel laden with intrigue, politics, bawdy sex and humor.

Just a few ideas...:wave:

Wow, that's a lot of ideas...:eek2:

I remember when I first read Robert Erskine Childers' Riddle of the Sands, and I totally loved this nearly legendary--yet mysteriously unheard-of--spy thriller. I think you guys should check it out as well.

[Mariamosis]

'Keep the Aspidistra Flying' by Orwell is also a good one.