Ten of the best twice-told tales

For the Guardian, John Mullan named ten of the best updates--novels that retell a story previously told in a classic work of literature.

One book on the list:

A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley

Set on a prairie farm in Iowa, Smiley's novel tells how the three daughters of Larry Cook struggle over the control of the land and of their family memories. It is the plot of King Lear moved to the mid-West, with the added twist that it is narrated by the sister who has taken the role of Goneril.

Read about the other entries on the list.

For another take on updated novels, see: Twice-told tales.

--Marshal Zeringue