Black Water by Joyce Carol Oates

"Black Water" is a fictional account of a young woman's tragic death in a car accident. The novel is inspired by the infamous Chappaquiddick incident, where a young woman drowned when a senator drove his car off a bridge. The story unfolds from the perspective of the woman, revealing her thoughts and experiences in a stream-of-consciousness style as she remembers her life and the moments leading up to the accident. The narrative also explores the power dynamics and abuses that can occur in relationships between older, powerful men and younger, vulnerable women.

The 9950th greatest book of all time

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Total Points: 28

Since this book was first published in 1992, there is a penalty of 28.8%. The age adjusted score is 19.94.

This is to prevent newer books from reaching super high on the ranked list of the greatest books of all time. The greatest books should also stand the test of time.