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If you read a lot of science fiction and fantasy, and you'd like to try something more literary, I don't think I've seen any of these recommended: Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino, a short novel about Marco Polo talking to Kubla Khan about the wonderful cities he's visited. Also Cosmicomics, little science fiction fairy tales. The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon, a thriller about a California housewife who becomes a friend's executor and gets drawn into a conspiracy involving secret postage networks, sex while watching TV, a rip-off of the Beatles, and a psycho analyst. It's not his best book but it's the best short taster of his work. Also Inherent Vice, about a very stoned PI in the late 60s investigating a conspiracy. Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges. There aren't mostly "stories", just descriptions of things that aren't real - an encyclopaedia entry about an imaginary world, a library containing every possible book, a man who can't forget anything, a wizard trying to create a child from his own thoughts... Full of wonderful things to think about. Short stories by Lu Xun, an early 20th century Chinese writer. He frequently writes about how stupid, cruel, and deluded people are, but also about kindness and friendship. The Siege of Krishnapur by J. G. Farrell, a novel set during the Indian Rebellion. The local Brits hole up in a fort against the Indian armies, and it becomes both an exciting story and a pisstake of colonialism. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. An extremely traumatised woman learns to care for herself, have fun, and stop letting her past control her. Very touching writing about normal working-class people and takes (for instance) getting a manicure seriously. A really impressive debut novel. derp posted:If you do try a literary work, and don't like it, then don't sweat it (even if it's a 'must read' classic!) just put it down and move on. It doesn't mean you aren't smart or aren't cultured or whatever nonsense you've heard. Not everyone likes all the same books. I'm sure you haven't liked every sci-fi book you've picked up, either. And if you don't like something, there's someone who agrees with you! Tolstoy notoriously thought Shakespeare was poo poo, Nabokov had very clear opinions about what was Good and what was Bad, and so on.
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Jun 5, 2020 03:56
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Lex Neville posted:I love Pynchon but based on what was discussed earlier I don't think I second the rec These aren't suggestions for a specific person, just books that I feel are good places to dip your toe into literature.
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Jun 5, 2020 11:21
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