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JR blogs here about the recent New York Times Book Review's list of the most distinguished American fiction in the past 25 years, along with a similar list compiled by North Carolina authors. It sort of puts me in a bind. On the one hand, as an English major I feel sort of obliged to stand up for the discipline. On the other, most of my "pleasure" reading for the past decade or more has been either nonfiction or the kind of trashy, quick-read fiction that wouldn't be mistaken for literature even in the darkest of alleys.

Of the books on the Times list, I've read "Beloved" by Toni Morrison; three of the four Rabbit Angstrom novels; "A Confederacy of Dunces," by John Kennedy Toole; "Winter's Tale," by Mark Helprin (I enjoyed this when it first came out, but I think I must have overlooked a lot of its value, so I should re-read it); "White Noise," by Don DeLillo; "The Counterlife," by Phillip Roth; and "Independence Day," by Richard Ford.

If I were compiling my own list, I'd have to include "Cold Mountain," by Charles Frazier; "A Lesson Before Dying," by Ernest Gaines; "Gospel," by Wilton Barnhardt; and "Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch," by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. The latter is kind of lightweight as literature goes, but never was there a more clever and affectionate satire written -- the only thing in any creative area that I think comes close is Mel Brooks' film "Young Frankenstein."

Most of the nonfiction I read isn't exactly what you'd call literary, but some of it is. As possible contenders in that group, I'd have to throw out "Liar's Poker," by Michael Lewis; "The Killer Angels" by Michael Shaara; "Blood Done Sign My Name," by Tim Tyson; and "To Hate Like This Is to be Happy Forever," by Will Blythe.

Finally, I'll continue JR's meme:

• The book that I stayed up all night reading: "The Stand."
• The book I always recommend to others: "Good Omens."
• Most recent book that gave me an Oprah moment: I'm not sure what an Oprah moment is, so I'll pass on this one.
• The author whose books I buy as soon as they come out: I don't really have one of these.
• The literary character I still miss: Yeah, I miss Travis McGee, too.