The Last Gentleman by Walker Percy
"The Last Gentleman" is a novel about a disoriented and confused man from the South who suffers from a "nervous condition" that causes him to forget who he is. When he meets a young man dying from a brain tumor, he decides to leave his home in New York and travel with the man and his family back to the South. Throughout his journey, he attempts to discover his own identity and grapples with existential questions about life, love, and death.
The 1920th greatest book of all time
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Total Points: 192
Since this book was first published in 1966, there is a penalty of 0%. The age adjusted score is 192.0.
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.
- score: 98 -- The Best Southern Novels of All Time (Weight: 96)
- score: 94 -- Quintessential American Fiction, According to the Rest of the World (Weight: 90)