The London Telegraph has a great article of the 50 best cult books. I'm a sucker for book lists and I particularly like the British take on things."Cult books include some of the most cringemaking collections of bilge ever collected between hard covers. But they also include many of the key texts of modern feminism; some of the best journalism and memoirs; some of the most entrancing and original novels in the canon."
Is there anything better in the book review world than a terse British take on a volume? And this list is full of them. Here's their view on Iron John: a Book About Men by Robert Bly which took the world by storm: "For decades, the cowed menfolk of the world ambled about in pinafores, dusting ornaments and saying "yes, dear". Then Robert Bly wrote Iron John, invented mythopoetic masculinity, and the daft creatures all rushed off into the woods together, hugged, bellowed, wept, painted their furry parts blue and felt re-empowered to wee standing up."
They also point out beautiful novels that defy time:
"TheMaster and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (1967) Satan
live and in person, a man sized black cat, a magician and his
helpmate, Pontius Pilate… Classic text of dissident magic realism, banned for years under Stalin: now you’ll struggle to find a Russian who hasn't read it. Essential stuff, and with the finest description of a headache yet committed to paper."
It interesting to note what's left off, they include Ann Rand's Fountainhead but leave off Adam Smith, both canons of Republican sway.
And I can't imagine anyone involved in the home birth revival of the 60s without a copy of Spiritual Midwifery by Ina Mae Gaskin by the bedside. But all in all, its a wonderful list to contemplate and to see if you still have many of these stashed beside all those colleges book you never tossed.
helpmate, Pontius Pilate… Classic text of dissident magic realism, banned for years under Stalin: now you’ll struggle to find a Russian who hasn't read it. Essential stuff, and with the finest description of a headache yet committed to paper."
It interesting to note what's left off, they include Ann Rand's Fountainhead but leave off Adam Smith, both canons of Republican sway.
And I can't imagine anyone involved in the home birth revival of the 60s without a copy of Spiritual Midwifery by Ina Mae Gaskin by the bedside. But all in all, its a wonderful list to contemplate and to see if you still have many of these stashed beside all those colleges book you never tossed. 
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