The RecognitionsThe Recognitions
Score Classic
What it's about
Wyatt Gwyon, the son of a New England minister, wants to be a painter, but finds the art world only values the past. He becomes a master forger of old Flemish paintings, whose fakes are better than the originals. Around him, in 1950s New York and Europe, a vast cast of fakes, counterfeiters and phonies chase authenticity.
Why it's worth reading
It's on TIME's list of the 100 best novels. Ignored when it came out, it's now seen as a towering, influential masterpiece.
You'll love it if you liked
JR
Gravity's Rainbow
Infinite JestGood to know
It's nearly a thousand pages and extremely demanding, full of allusions and unattributed dialogue.
By the numbers
- Readers82 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller17 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
More by William Gaddis
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The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York
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1984
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Quick answers
Is The Recognitions worth reading?
Yes. It's on TIME's list of the 100 best novels. It ranks #465 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 78.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Recognitions about?
Wyatt Gwyon, the son of a New England minister, wants to be a painter, but finds the art world only values the past. He becomes a master forger of old Flemish paintings, whose fakes are better than the originals. Around him, in 1950s New York and Europe, a vast cast of fakes, counterfeiters and phonies chase authenticity.
How long does it take to read The Recognitions?
About 24 hours (956 pages), or about 7 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Recognitions?
If you liked it, try JR by William Gaddis, Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon or Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace.