Jazz - Toni Morrison

Sure, the story here is somewhat interesting, but the really great thing about this novel is the blatant homage that Morrison pays to the great writers of the past. It's a rare (and brave!) author who knows that since she can't come up with stories any better than the ones already written, she doesn't even try.

Whether it's a murder plot straight out of Native Son or revisiting the same milleu that James Baldwin already explored, Morrison shows that she is a master of the post-modern narrative. No nasty surprises here! Just some great Literature! (And hey, can a couple million Oprah viewers be wrong?)