What's the purpose of the New York Times 100 Best Books list?
Author and editor Jen Sookfong Lee joins unpacks the authors and titles that made the cut, and why publishing is so dependent on lists like this.
The paper ranked a mix of fiction, nonfiction and books in translation from the last 23 years
Earlier this week, the New York Times released their list of the 100 Best Books of the 21st Century. The list was compiled by 503 novelists, nonfiction writers, poets, critics and others in the know.
I do think that they reinforce the fake meritocracy that people seem to think the book world is built on.- Jen Sookfong Lee
So, how well did they do at curating such a monumental body of work? Author and editor Jen Sookfong Lee joins host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to unpack the authors and titles that made the cut, and why publishing is so dependent on lists like this.
WATCH | Today's episode on YouTube (this segment begins at 16:39):
You can listen to the full discussion from today's show on CBC Listen or on our podcast, Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud, available wherever you get your podcasts.
Interview with Jen Sookfong Lee produced by Jane van Koeverden.