American Literature vs British Literature

According to the Friendswood library (an American organization), here is a list of the top 10 English language novels of the 20th Century.

1.The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
2.1984, George Orwell
3.Catch-22, Joseph Heller
4.The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck
5.Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov
6.Animal Farm, George Orwell
7.Slaughterhouse Five, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
8.Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison
9.Ulysses, James Joyce
10.The Lord of the Flies, William Golding

Here are the nationalities of the authors:

George Orwell - English
James Joyce - Irish
Vladimir Nabokov - Russian
William Golding - English
:- the rest; as expected are Americans (an obvious bias)

The organization claims their list consolidates on 4 sources: Harvard Bookstore's Top 100 Recommended Titles, Modern Library's 100 Best Novels, Koen Book Distributors' Top 100 Books of the Past Century, and Library Journal's 150 20th-century Most Influential Fiction.

I think its just an American propaganda to claim false superiority in the aspect of English literature.

Do you think American literature is better than British literature? what is your opinion?

The quality of a work has nothing to do with the nationality of the author. Given that most native English-speaking authors are, and have been Americans, they should have proportionally a large representation on that list.

I must confess, I'm a big fan of "Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)"; I think it deserves its position.

We do outnumber all of the other English-speaking countires, so it may not be bias, it may be just that we've put out more literature to choose from. But any list like that is going to be somewhat subjective anyway. Of the list you cite, I've only read "Animal Farm" so I can't speak to the others (although I liked the movie version of Catch-22 and I've read a few other Vonnegut books).

As to the question "Is American literature 'better' than British literature?", well, I don't know that I've ever really pitted one against the other while reading them; I've thought of each book on its own merit, as a work unto itself. Even when they were overtly British, American, or whatever in setting or tone or sensibilities -- they were each a world unto themselves.

"Do you think American literature is better than British literature?"

Surely you jest.

I was rather dismayed that Mark Twain did not feature in the listing.

What about Hemingway?

Of course there was a natural bias in that list! A British list would be similarly so. The 20th century saw fantastic literary works being produced on both sides of the Atlantic.

I think it's a bit invidious to compare the merits of one against the other, but even so, tastes vary and it's natural that Americans would favour an American flavour in what they read, and vice versa. Much like food, I reckon. Food for the palate and food for the mind and intellect.

I was surprised Hemingway didn't make the cut, too, JJM.

Perhaps the key words are "novels of the 20th century". When I took Brit Lit, it was mostly Shakespeare, Jane Austen, The Mayor of Casterbridge, etc -- older works.

Comeon! Why not Shakespeare he is INDEED the best all time best author?

MMmmm, because he was long dead by the 20th century, and didn't write novels, anyway? After all, the list is "the top 10 English language novels of the 20th Century."

I found another list, by an American, this list was credible in some aspects, I think the author of the list knows a lot about books. Ernest Hemingway's "A Farewell To Arms" was number 3 (acknowledging some of the comments by you guys). Here is the list - as it included 2 authors from Pennsylvania (U.S.A), I think the author of the list is from that part of America, revealing the nature of its subjectivity.

10. Slaughter House Five - Kurt Vonnegut [American]
9. The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald [American]
8. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood [Canadian - a surprise]
7. The Tin Drum - Günther Grass [Polish German]
6. Of Human Bondage - W. Somerset Maugham [English]
5. Rabbit Run - John Updike [American]
4. The Good Earth - Pearl Buck [American]
3. A Farewell To Arms - Ernest Hemingway [American]
2. Elmer Gantry - Sinclair Lewis [American]
1. All Quiet On The Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque
[French - German]

A Farewell To Arms (Ernest Hemingway) [That is a great book, I read it when I was 16.].

It is difficult to get a list of top British authors of the 20th century - even on the internet, or do the Americans take their literature more seriously. I'm about to concede to the fact that Americans write better (and more) books. I'll be glad if someone can dispute that fact.

<<It is difficult to get a list of top British authors of the 20th century - even on the internet, or do the Americans take their literature more seriously.>>

I'm not sure that would be a valid interpretation, Stan. I remember various occasions when the British media published lists of the top 10 or top 100 British novels, or whatever it might have been. Probably American novelists were more dominant in the 20th century (because there were more American authors than British ones, or other reasons), but perhaps if you go back to the 19th century, there would be far more British authors represented. (I believe I read on another thread that you're a fan of 19th century literature?)

<< It is difficult to get a list of top British authors of the 20th century >>

I meant top British novels (and their authors) of the 20th century.

<<Probably American novelists were more dominant in the 20th century (because there were more American authors than British ones, or other reasons), but perhaps if you go back to the 19th century, there would be far more British authors represented.>>

i think you're right, Candy. It took a long time for American literature to be taken seriously; our nation and cultural offereings were in the shadow of Europe for the first part their development, since we were sort of a distant backwater. When you read early American lit, the names are few: William Dafoe, Washington Irving, etc.

America comes nowehere near Britain, and nevr will.

Britain is the country that produced Shakespeare and Dickens.