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Wanna read about Paul Robeson, what do
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Sep 5, 2014 19:21
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I'm looking for something noirish, set in 20's - 60's America, with a (preferably an alcoholic or drug/gambling addicted) protagonist who is a bad person. I know that most noir/hardboiled probably constitutes this, but I haven't read any before so I want something good to start with. I'd really prefer it if the protag is straight up a dick and motivated by all the wrong reasons with few redeeming qualities rather than a "conflicted, but ultimately doing it for the right reasons" kind of character. e: doesn't have to be detective or anything either, could be paying off a debt or whatever which is why I mentioned drug or gambling addiction. Just someone doing violent or cynical things in a bleak, corrupt older setting for terrible reasons. Crack fucked around with this message at 19:38 on Sep 5, 2014 |
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Sep 5, 2014 19:31
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If you've never read any noir, that almost always means you should start with The Maltese Falcon. In your case since you specify a straight-up dick, with essentially no redeeming qualities, you might want to try Red Harvest instead. Falcon is the better book but Sam Spade's morality is at least debatable, the Continental Op is just purely cold. http://www.amazon.com/Red-Harvest-Dashiell-Hammett/dp/0679722610
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Sep 5, 2014 19:34
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Rat Flavoured Rats posted:I read Norwegian Wood quite a long time ago but didn't feel particularly compelled to go any deeper. What would you recommend besides that one? Norwegian Wood isn't really a good indication of the quality of Murakami's oeuvre. Murakami himself said he only really wrote it to break into the mainstream and not be pegged as a cult writer. If you like Mitchell, I would highly recommend either Kafka on the Shore or Hard-Boiled Wonderland & the End of the World.
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Sep 5, 2014 19:49
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Crack posted:I'm looking for something noirish, set in 20's - 60's America, with a (preferably an alcoholic or drug/gambling addicted) protagonist who is a bad person. The L.A. Quartet by James Ellroy is brilliant. Read them in order if you can, but if you only want to read one read L.A. Confidential. It is way better than the film, if you've seen that, and I speak as someone who thought the film was great.
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Sep 5, 2014 19:59
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Crack posted:I'm looking for something noirish, set in 20's - 60's America, with a (preferably an alcoholic or drug/gambling addicted) protagonist who is a bad person. In addition to the LA Quartet, The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy gets recommended in this thread a lot. I just finished it recently and I think one of the two main detectives definitely fits your description. It's a bit slow to start but once it got going I burned through to the end.
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Sep 5, 2014 20:35
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timp posted:In addition to the LA Quartet, The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy gets recommended in this thread a lot. I just finished it recently and I think one of the two main detectives definitely fits your description. It's a bit slow to start but once it got going I burned through to the end. The Black Dahlia is part of the LA Quartet.
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Sep 5, 2014 22:59
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Crack posted:I'm looking for something noirish, set in 20's - 60's America, with a (preferably an alcoholic or drug/gambling addicted) protagonist who is a bad person. Grab anything by F. Scott Fitzgerald, though detectives aren't part of the main action. The Great Gatsby has a handful of dicks, though not the protagonist. Tender Is the Night is filled with even more dicks. Though the loose concept (falling down society's ladder) was done better in Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, it was a different era and less dickish than Fitzgerald's The Beautiful and the Damned, which even more fits your request of motivated for the wrong reasons. Fitzgerald also has a lot of short stories that fit.
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Sep 6, 2014 07:44
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I've been struck by an urge to grab a nice genre novel to read alongside some of my other books. One of my favorite books of all time is The Stand. What is another book that is similar to that (that isn't Swan Song)? Preferably no zombies. Thank you guys, this forum never steers me wrong.
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Sep 6, 2014 17:42
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blue squares posted:I've been struck by an urge to grab a nice genre novel to read alongside some of my other books. One of my favorite books of all time is The Stand. What is another book that is similar to that (that isn't Swan Song)? Preferably no zombies. Thank you guys, this forum never steers me wrong. Read Earth Abides, it was a major influence on The Stand.
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Sep 6, 2014 17:44
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From what I read about Earth Abides, the main character is a real rear end in a top hat and unlikeable. Does it have a lot of things going on? I'm having a hard time saying what I'm trying to say, but the best I can do is that I want something with tons of plot, things happening, etc. I own and have not yet read Oryx and Crake, but I feel like that's a slower book than what I'm in the mood for. Is Metro 2033 any good? I'm just looking for a rip-roaring genre novel, something exciting. VVVV Thanks. I'm on my way to the bookstore now. I'll likely be there for an hour or two (I'm very indecisive with books and it's a long walk), so I gladly welcome any more suggestions. blue squares fucked around with this message at 18:13 on Sep 6, 2014 |
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Sep 6, 2014 17:54
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blue squares posted:From what I read about Earth Abides, the main character is a real rear end in a top hat and unlikeable. Does it have a lot of things going on? I'm having a hard time saying what I'm trying to say, but the best I can do is that I want something with tons of plot, things happening, etc. I own and have not yet read Oryx and Crake, but I feel like that's a slower book than what I'm in the mood for. No, that's not true, but neither is he a particularly strong personality- he's simply more of a clinical observer of the changes that occur in the face of catastrophe. It's definitely more of a slow, thought-provoking read than what you're looking for, though. There's plenty of PKD that might work, Simon Morden's Petrovich books, A Canticle for Liebowitz, The Windup Girl, maybe even Snow Crash...
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Sep 6, 2014 18:05
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blue squares posted:I've been struck by an urge to grab a nice genre novel to read alongside some of my other books. One of my favorite books of all time is The Stand. What is another book that is similar to that (that isn't Swan Song)? Preferably no zombies. Thank you guys, this forum never steers me wrong. Dark Advent by Brian Hodge is good.
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Sep 6, 2014 18:28
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blue squares posted:I've been struck by an urge to grab a nice genre novel to read alongside some of my other books. One of my favorite books of all time is The Stand. What is another book that is similar to that (that isn't Swan Song)? Preferably no zombies. Thank you guys, this forum never steers me wrong. The Passage by Justin Cronin is pretty good and is probably the one recent book that's been compared the most to The Stand. It does have vampires, but they're not the lovely type.
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Sep 6, 2014 19:03
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savinhill posted:The Passage by Justin Cronin is pretty good and is probably the one recent book that's been compared the most to The Stand. It does have vampires, but they're not the lovely type. Maybe not, but the book sure is, although I guess it's a good call if you want to read something that's trying so hard to be The Stand.
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Sep 6, 2014 19:09
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Walking home now with Gone Away World. I grabbed all the books mentioned here but an employee swooped in and sold me on his recommendation
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Sep 6, 2014 19:34
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blue squares posted:Walking home now with Gone Away World. I grabbed all the books mentioned here but an employee swooped in and sold me on his recommendation
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Sep 6, 2014 19:38
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Crack posted:I'm looking for something noirish, set in 20's - 60's America, with a (preferably an alcoholic or drug/gambling addicted) protagonist who is a bad person. Definitely try The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain. Cain is generally good if hardboiled stories with unrepentant protagonists is your thing, but fair warning, his later output is kind of uneven. His first novel is really great, however, and it's a very fast-paced, breezy read.
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Sep 6, 2014 23:04
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funkybottoms posted:Maybe not, but the book sure is, although I guess it's a good call if you want to read something that's trying so hard to be The Stand. It may have some issues, or not be to everyone's tastes, but it's far from lovely, especially for someone looking for a page-turner genre book similar to The Stand.
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Sep 6, 2014 23:25
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Crack posted:I'm looking for something noirish, set in 20's - 60's America, with a (preferably an alcoholic or drug/gambling addicted) protagonist who is a bad person. Try Appointment in Samarra or BUtterfield 8 by John O'Hara
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Sep 7, 2014 19:24
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Hat Thoughts posted:Wanna read about Paul Robeson, what do The Martin Duberman biography is pretty well done.
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Sep 8, 2014 01:22
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I just started reading books after a really long of, well, not reading them. But anyway, any recommendations for somewhere to go from the Magicians series by Lev Grossman? I really liked that it was a mix of fantasy/magic with realism, and it reminded me a lot of the YA I used to read but for a more adult audience. However, I was always into all sorts of 'high' fantasy as well (though I'm not sure I want to start on anything GRRM-style) so if anyone has any kind of suggestions whatsoever, that would be great.
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Sep 9, 2014 01:25
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Crack posted:I'm looking for something noirish, set in 20's - 60's America, with a (preferably an alcoholic or drug/gambling addicted) protagonist who is a bad person. To add to the pile of recommendations you've already gotten: try Jim Thompson. His protagonists are almost always unredeemable shitstains who are teetering on the verge of a breakdown.
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Sep 9, 2014 14:31
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Any suggestions for books with the same sort of vibe as Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn or The Dinner by Herman Koch? Looking for unreliable narrators or books where the story isn't given away up-front, but meted out leaving you to piece things together...
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Sep 9, 2014 15:30
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Crack posted:I'm looking for something noirish, set in 20's - 60's America, with a (preferably an alcoholic or drug/gambling addicted) protagonist who is a bad person. I'm surprised no one has mentioned Jim Thopmson yet. I think his work is the darkest of the noirs, and I especially love The Grifters, which is about a hosed up family of con artists. The movie was also fantastic. tonytheshoes posted:Any suggestions for books with the same sort of vibe as Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn or The Dinner by Herman Koch? Looking for unreliable narrators or books where the story isn't given away up-front, but meted out leaving you to piece things together... Reconstructing Amelia is always touted as Gone Girl with a teen twist, I read it, it was enjoyable but not as good as Gone Girl - it definitely fits the bill for your slow reveal though so YMMV. The Farm by Tom Rob Smith is DEFINITELY something you're looking for - it's got both the unreliable narrator and the slow reveal. Again, not as good as Gone Girl but I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of it and I felt like the plot was pretty seamless and it had some good twists and turns. The big reveal at the end made sense but was still a shocker. I haven't read The Dinner yet but it's on my ereader, sounds like it's something I might have to move up my to read pile! I think you and I tend to read a lot of the same books.
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Sep 9, 2014 18:14
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Poutling posted:I'm surprised no one has mentioned Jim Thopmson yet. I think his work is the darkest of the noirs, and I especially love The Grifters, which is about a hosed up family of con artists. The movie was also fantastic. Thanks for the recommendations! I'll check them out. Jim Thompson is indeed great--I just finished The Killer Inside Me on Sunday, and it was so good, but man, it left me feeling icky.
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Sep 9, 2014 18:17
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tonytheshoes posted:Any suggestions for books with the same sort of vibe as Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn or The Dinner by Herman Koch? Looking for unreliable narrators or books where the story isn't given away up-front, but meted out leaving you to piece things together... A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. I know I have recommended it before but it really is a fantastic novel.
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Sep 10, 2014 05:29
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Bilirubin posted:A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. I know I have recommended it before but it really is a fantastic novel. Fun fact: that's actually the fourth time you have recommended that book since you started posting in this thread 6 months ago. I also think it doesn't really fit the request; it may have an unreliable narrator but it doesn't at all have the same vibe as either Gone Girl or The Dinner. tonytheshoes, Joe Hill's Horns might fit the bill.
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Sep 10, 2014 07:07
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elbow posted:Fun fact: that's actually the fourth time you have recommended that book since you started posting in this thread 6 months ago. I also think it doesn't really fit the request; it may have an unreliable narrator but it doesn't at all have the same vibe as either Gone Girl or The Dinner. I did read and enjoy Horns. Would Latro in the Mist by Gene Wolfe fit the bill? I read the Book of the New Sun stuff and it was more confusing than anything, but I still enjoyed it...
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Sep 10, 2014 15:16
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elbow posted:Fun fact: that's actually the fourth time you have recommended that book since you started posting in this thread 6 months ago. I also think it doesn't really fit the request; it may have an unreliable narrator but it doesn't at all have the same vibe as either Gone Girl or The Dinner. Well, that is embarrassing. I had no idea I was so over the top with this book. I'll stop. It came to mind because of the slow reveal tony described. Bilirubin fucked around with this message at 17:49 on Sep 10, 2014 |
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Sep 10, 2014 15:33
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tonytheshoes posted:I did read and enjoy Horns. Would Latro in the Mist by Gene Wolfe fit the bill? I read the Book of the New Sun stuff and it was more confusing than anything, but I still enjoyed it... I don't really think so. It doesn't really have the grand reveal pay off that you're looking for although it's still an amazing series and totally worth a read. I enjoyed the Soldier series more than New Sun for what it's worth.
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Sep 10, 2014 21:01
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Anyone have any recommendations for a good modern romance? Preferably something available on the Kindle store. Non-binary characters is a plus, though not sure how feasible it is to find a story that's decently written that explores that. VVV Fair enough! I'd like a LBGT story, if possible, set in an entirely modern world (or near future) that's generally fairly close to home. No celebrity stars or anything of the sort, just a story about people falling in love 
Galick fucked around with this message at 04:13 on Sep 11, 2014 |
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Sep 11, 2014 03:14
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Galick posted:Anyone have any recommendations for a good modern romance? Preferably something available on the Kindle store. Non-binary characters is a plus, though not sure how feasible it is to find a story that's decently written that explores that. Can you narrow down your criteria a bit? The romance genre is humongous and really specialized to specific kinks and fandoms - I notice motorcycle clubs like Sons of Anarchy, and for some inexplicable reason, MMA fighters, are really popular at the moment.
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Sep 11, 2014 04:12
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Are there any writers who express disillusionment with American suburban living along the lines of Cheever and Yates?
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Sep 11, 2014 06:00
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gatz posted:Are there any writers who express disillusionment with American suburban living along the lines of Cheever and Yates? John Updike's Rabbit novels certainly qualify. The quintessence of 50s/60s/70s suburban banality.
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Sep 11, 2014 18:49
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I tried searching the thread, but I couldn't find anything, (dumb bad search,) anyways I just finished "The Lord of The Rings" trilogy, I was wondering if there was anything similar that I might like. The Tolkien fantasy was great, and it never got really rapey like Game of Thrones. E: I can't really explain what I liked about the lord of the rings, but I really pitied Smeagol, and thought the gay subplot between Sam and Frodo was well done.
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Sep 12, 2014 05:15
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Turtlicious posted:I tried searching the thread, but I couldn't find anything, (dumb bad search,) anyways I just finished "The Lord of The Rings" trilogy, I was wondering if there was anything similar that I might like. The Tolkien fantasy was great, and it never got really rapey like Game of Thrones. Producing imitation Tolkien has been a fantasy industry for oh, 50 years now. Tad Williams (the "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn" trilogy) and David Eddings (the Belgariad series et al) do that sort of "adventuring party traveling through a big sprawling world on an epic quest" kind of thing. So does Terry Brooks, but I don't like him much myself -- The Sword of Shannara is a shameless ripoff of LOTR down to the plot details. If you like gay characters in fantasy, you might enjoy Samuel Delany's Neveryon books, although those are more sword-and-sorcery than Tolkien-style epic fantasy.
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Sep 12, 2014 22:42
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Turtlicious posted:I tried searching the thread, but I couldn't find anything, (dumb bad search,) anyways I just finished "The Lord of The Rings" trilogy, I was wondering if there was anything similar that I might like. The Tolkien fantasy was great, and it never got really rapey like Game of Thrones. I would actually suggest a Sci-Fi classic: Dune. Just like LOTR, the story is told from the perspective of a lot of different characters. Both are quite epic tales with a lot of depth. Dune however shows the story from the perspective of "the bad guys" as well.
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Sep 13, 2014 01:53
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(I was certain that post was a troll, I have to say.)
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Sep 13, 2014 02:34
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Subjunctive posted:(I was certain that post was a troll, I have to say.) which one?
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Sep 13, 2014 02:56
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