Under the Volcano (1947)
0.1239Canon Score · ranked #207 all time
Aggregated from 5 of 14 authoritative lists, weighted by authority and adjusted for each list's scope and age. How scoring works →
About the book
It is the Day of the Dead. The fiesta in full swing. In the shadow of Popocatepeti ragged children beg coins to buy skulls made of chocolate...and the ugly pariah dogs roam the streets. Geoffrey Firmin, HM ex-consul, is drowning himself in liquor and Mescal, while his ex-wife and half brother look on powerless to help him. As the day wears on, it becomes apparent that Geoffrey must die. It is his only escape from a w
Why it ranks #207
Every list on which Under the Volcano appears, with its position as published.
| List | Authority | Position |
|---|---|---|
| The Novel 100 (Burt) | Editorial list | #89 / 100 |
| Le Monde 100 Books of the Century | Critics' canon | #99 / 100 |
| Guardian 1000 Novels (2009) | Critics' canon | Selected |
| 1001 Books You Must Read (union) | Critics' canon | Selected |
| Bloom, The Western Canon (1994) | Editorial list | Selected |