Any good books? Postmodern that would suit me?

Question

I am 19 and a junior in college. I am an English major so I read a lot and my reading level is mature. I want to find some books that take on the subject of young adult life and struggle. I like reading older books but I am ready to tackle recent ones. I really enjoy different types of writing; like sparse or pessimistic works. Plus, I need something to pass the time til HP comes out. SO what would you suggest? Thanks!

Answer 1

Many people find it difficult to read, but I would definitely recommend The Sound and the Fury by Faulkner if you haven't read it yet. It's a great English major book for one thing, and all of the major characters struggle in many ways. Plus the writing style is really interesting and you feel very accomplished when you finish it. Someone else suggested The Awakening. That's a really great one. Or for something different, you could try Ender's Game. We read it in a science fiction class and I loved it. I read a lot of Arthurian literature in college, some of which I really enjoyed. The Once and Future King by TH White is a good choice, or The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Or perhaps something completely related to any of these, but dealing with young adults and their struggles for love and identity and other such things, you should check out anything by Francesca Lia Block. I particularly like her Weetzie Bat books, or I Was a Teenage Fairy. She has a very poetic writing style that I absolutely love, and her books read really quickly which is good as the release of Harry Potter draws ever closer. I hope you like some of those.

Answer 2

I highly reccomend all of these books for someone with brains. You sound like a smart cookie, and these will give you something to think about. Enjoy:
The Red Ten By Anita Diamant
The Traveler By John Twelve Hawks
Eat, Pray, Love By Elizabeth Gilbert
The Historian By Elizabeth Kostova
State of Fear By Michael Crichton
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Answer 3

The Shopoholic Series by Sophie Kinsella is a modern read
The Awakening by Kate Chopan is a pre 20th century but my favorite book.

I love HP! lol good luck finding some books.

Answer 4

"raise high the roofbeam, carpenters and seymour, an introduction" by j.d. salinger, which is really two novellas, or "franny and zooey" if you haven't read that one already. these are impossible to describe, but very fun to read.

"the end of the road" by john barth is both sparse and pessimistic.

"the woman warrior" by maxine hong kingston mixes memoir and fiction and is an absolute classic coming-of-age book.

"native son" by richard wright is horrifying and angering, if not gratuitously pessimistic.

Answer 5

Woman in Red by Eileen Goudge was excellent

Answer 6

i just got finished reading "killing britney" by sean olin. its was a book about britney aftershe turns her slef from geek to the most popualr girl in school.and her mom died in a rafting accident years ago and then her boy friend dies. she thinks someone is out to get her. it has alot of twists and turns. loved the book.