The Best of the Best of the Very, Very Best

What is the very best work of American fiction published during the last 60 years? I could give you three guesses but, according to the National Book foundation, you’d probably be way off base. Of the 78 winners those 60 years represent, six finalists have already been selected. And, honestly? It’s a funny little list:

• The Stories of John Cheever
• Invisible Man, by Ralph Ellison
• The Collected Stories of William Faulkner
• The Complete Stories of Flannery O'Connor
• Gravity’s Rainbow, by Thomas Pynchon
• The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty

Still looking to turn their November shindig into a celebration that can be enjoyed by all, the NBF is asking people to help select the finalist of the six. The e-mail address of those who vote will be entered to win two tickets to the 60th National Book Awards celebration in NYC on November 18th, as well as two night in the Marriott Hotel Downtown.

You can cast your vote here. The entire field can be seen here. Once you’ve done that, you might come back and let us know who you would have selected from 60 years of winners.