White Noise by Don DeLillo
The novel is a postmodern exploration of death and consumerism in the United States. It follows a year in the life of Jack Gladney, a professor who has made his name by pioneering the field of Hitler Studies at a small liberal arts college in Middle America. Jack and his fourth wife, Babette, are afraid of death and are obsessed with finding a cure for their fear. Their lives are disrupted by an airborne toxic event, which forces them to confront their mortality and the toxic effects of modern life.
The 254th greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 1214
This book was first published in 1985
14 Lists
- score: 150 -- 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die - 2006 (Weight: 150)
- score: 144 -- The 50 best books of the past 100 years - 2022 (Weight: 144)
- score: 97 -- Koen Book Distributors Top 100 Books of the Past Century - 1999 (Weight: 96)
- score: 96 -- 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read - 2009 (Weight: 96)
- score: 92 -- Harvard Book Store Staff's Favorite 100 Books - 2011 (Weight: 90)
- score: 90 -- Radcliffe's 100 Best Novels - 1998 (Weight: 90)
- score: 88 -- 50 Books to Read Before You Die - 2012 (Weight: 81)
- score: 87 -- A Century of Reading - 2018 (Weight: 87)
- score: 81 -- TIME Magazine All Time 100 Novels - 2005 (Weight: 81)
- score: 75 -- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon - 1994 (Weight: 75)
- score: 72 -- As if You Don't Have Enough to Read, Fiction Edition - 2011 (Weight: 72)
- score: 72 -- What Is the Best Work of American Fiction of the Last 25 Years? - 2006 (Weight: 72)
- score: 51 -- The 100 Greatest American Novels, 1893 – 1993 - 2013 (Weight: 51)
- score: 18 -- National Book Award - Fiction - Yearly Book Award (Weight: 18)