what books do you recommend to a girl who likes Salinger, Fante, bukowski, Vonnegut, and Kerouac?

Question

what other great authors i am missing out on? i have been wanting to read a crazy fiction novel lately. not too too long though, as i have a short attention span.

Answer 1

Radical read "The Naked Lunch" by w. s. Burroughs it is in that vein. I applaud your advant guard "passe" (sp ) taste in literature, however salinger was a sick man, he inflicted thumb screws on his grandchildred. And how really good is catcher in the rye?? So what a kid contemplates suicide in New York?? Just a suggestion for biazarre check out William Faulkner, specically Absolom, Absolom, suicide and then some without the sensationalism. Salinger will decline. Kerouac won't. also if i may suggest one poem, Ginsberg's "Howl". I hope your appreciation of literature will grow and you will be on the vanguard of cont.lit. keep gowing, do read "howl", they minus one were contemporaries, and read Faulkner, he had some short stories, exclude "the Bear: Jack London minus a huskey. Naked Lunch is awesome. Enjoy the eternal.

Answer 2

Three recommendations, given your taste:

"Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell. A recent book that is absolutely cool -- a series of interlocking stories told in a variety of manner -- from 18th century shipboard tale, to Nancy Drew detective, to futuristic science fiction -- and the stories are linked by detail and in theme. It is a great puzzle to think about, but not hard to get through. He's English.

Anything by Haruki Murakami -- try "The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle" Its humorous and full of fantasic elements, but has at base a nice depiction of modern life. He's Japanese.

If you like the guys you listed, you'll probably really like Thomas Pynchon -- but most of his work is really long and, for most people, hard to get through. Start which "The Crying of Lot 49" which is neither long nor hard to get through. Pynchon is the modern master of contemporary involved paranoid fiction, depicting the world as a series of hidden systems -- and hes quite funny. The book is about a woman who uncovers a secret conflict between two hundred-years old mail company. Like a whacked out Da Vinci Code. He's American.


You might also check out Philip K. Dick -- a science fiction writer of 20 yeasr or so ago, whose great theme is about the modern creation of false realities, simulated reality, through drugs, videos, robots, etc.

Answer 3

you have wonderful taste my friend... Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes is an absolute must read for anyone who likes fiction... when in need of a good book, always look backwards. if you look to writers today you find a lot of Alberto Bandinis; much talent but they are in it to make a buck and not to write. go to Barnes and Nobles, they own the coppy rights to almost all of the classics, Dracula, Frankenstien, Cantebury Tales and the list goes on and on and on. they sell the books in paperback for about five dollars. these books are classics for a reason, they are all wonderful almost life changing novels, give them a try... well if this dosnt interest you, ask me again and ill give you some good authors...

Answer 4

C.S. Lewis - the Narnia books, The Screwtape letters, etc.
poetry by Tennyson, Khalil Gibran, "The Prophet," "Lost Horizon",
"To Kill a Mockingbird", "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest." amd the BOOK, "Zorba the Greek," not the movie. Entirely different.
That's just for starters.

Answer 5

Body by Harry Crews

Answer 6

Try "The Wheel of Time" by Robert Jordan, its definitely some crazy fiction.

Answer 7

Tom Robbins! He's completely crazy. My favorites were "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" and "Villa Incognito." He doesn't have a huge body of work, and none of them are difficult to read, so it might be interesting to read them in the order they were published.

Answer 8

How about Henry Miller?
Another modern day writer I like is Chuck Palahniuk: his books lullaby and diary are both good reads