NovelFilter: please help me identify a novel which begins with a suicide - there is a wealthy (they have a cook & a maid) family dinner, someone leaves to go to the restroom, finds the daughter in a pool of blood. I also remember that the father continues to chew on his food as he stares in shock at the body, an uneaten ice-cream cake, and possibly that the suicide results in the narrator marrying the daughter's fiance.
That's all I got - any ideas?
posted by forallmankind
on May 18, 2013 -
2 answers
Identify this book. Literary novel, probably a first novel, published between 1994 and 1997, written by a guy who had taught writing at Harvard. The only thing I remember in it is an obsessive character in the desert who has welded multiple trailers or mobile homes in a circle so he can obsessively walk in circles inside them.
[more inside]
posted by Unified Theory
on May 13, 2013 -
7 answers
I have in mind two (fiction) classics on the subject: An Enemy of the People (Ibsen) and The Winter of Our Discontent (Steinbeck). I would appreciate it if you could guide me to other valuable works on this issue.
posted by Basque13
on Apr 23, 2013 -
27 answers
I read a novel when I was in high school that was written I think back in the seventies or maybe the sixties. I have been trying for awhile now to remember the title and the author. I've done some searches, but I can't narrow down my search terms to where I can get search results that would be helpful. Please help me remember!
[more inside]
posted by Fukiyama
on Apr 18, 2013 -
2 answers
I have very little information. Maybe you read this too, though. Fiction with fantasy/paranormal elements, early or mid-90's, female author, gay romance/sex, ghosts, condom factory, divorce, maybe some Wicca?
[more inside]
posted by blnkfrnk
on Apr 9, 2013 -
0 answers
Somewhere between '80 and '82, I read this book that featured spiders... [arachnophobes: do not click!]
[more inside]
posted by batmonkey
on Mar 28, 2013 -
7 answers
[novel filter] I'm searching the recesses of my mind to locate a half-remembered passage from a fictional novel which provides a beautiful meditation on the fact that all humans are essentially the same; and not getting very far. What I can remember is that one of the characters is projecting themselves into the shoes of others (or one particular 'bad' person? I can't recall) - murderers, rapists, etc - and noting that there is little that separates him or her personally, or good people in general, from those we deem the evil. Any ideas?
[more inside]
posted by mrme
on Feb 23, 2013 -
7 answers
Is the dietary advice the doctor gives the captain to help his hemorrhoids in the novel
Captain Corelli's Mandolin good advice in the real world for this condition?
[more inside]
posted by bluefly
on Feb 20, 2013 -
5 answers
All I remember is that it was a "young adult" book, it took place in Pittsburgh (I think... I remember that there were three rivers that met together in the town), and that there was like a big funicular type thing featured prominently in one of the suspenseful parts. Possibly this was the Duquesne Incline. The protagonist was a teenage girl, possibly visiting relatives? She was chased by a guy on the cable car/ funicular thing. Any ideas?
posted by wurly
on Feb 1, 2013 -
4 answers
I've recently started listening to
Scriptnotes, a great podcast by John August and Craig Mazin about screenwriting. Is there a similar podcast about novel/short story writing, or indeed writing in general? Podcasts I already subscribe to and key things I like about Scriptnotes inside.
[more inside]
posted by Happy Dave
on Jan 18, 2013 -
4 answers
Help me fill in this vague recollection of a story I read? I read it probably as recently as last year. I don't remember if it's a short story or an incident in a novel.
[more inside]
posted by Infinity_8
on Jan 17, 2013 -
6 answers
What was this young adult (or children's) novel I read about a girl growing up in Appalachia or the Ozarks? It might have actually been two different novels.
[more inside]
posted by lunasol
on Jan 15, 2013 -
15 answers
I want to improve my parenting skills for my almost-2-year old. I don't have a lot of role models nearby, so I'd like to do some reading. I tend to put off reading non-fiction, even if it is well-written about a topic I am interested in. However, I will read novels even if they aren't very good and I don't really have time to read them.
[more inside]
posted by SandiBeech
on Jan 15, 2013 -
15 answers
I'm looking for books, stories, films, documentaries, articles about the birth of dystopic societies. Examples could be a prequel to the Hunger Games (how did this fictional world come to be?), an article about people's lives in a nation where democracy was overthrown, stories about how Jews and non-Jews reacted to the early days of Hitler's rise, explorations of the slow realization that an ostensibly democratic nation is now really run by a strongman or single powerful party.
[more inside]
posted by croutonsupafreak
on Jan 9, 2013 -
8 answers
Where can I find short plot summaries of books, especially prequels to genre novels?
[more inside]
posted by aspo
on Dec 19, 2012 -
5 answers
Name that YA book or story! Young boy/teen is in a cabin or hut in the Arctic. There is also a murderer. It may be the kind of thing where there are a few people in the cabin, and one of them is a murderer, and people are being killed one by one. Very sketchy details follow.
[more inside]
posted by Alaska Jack
on Dec 18, 2012 -
6 answers
I'm just finishing up
the third book in Ben Aaronovitch's "Rivers of London" series, and I've really enjoyed these books. What fantasy book(s) should I read next to suit my current mood?
[more inside]
posted by taz
on Dec 18, 2012 -
12 answers
What's that novel?
In high school I read a book about 2 children surviving the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. It was my first introduction to the Khmer Rouge,and I'm desperate to find out what it was called.
[more inside]
posted by robotot
on Dec 13, 2012 -
7 answers
What are the best non-Doyle Sherlock Holmes stories, collections, and novels?
posted by jsturgill
on Dec 7, 2012 -
20 answers
Help me find this dimly-remembered SF novel, if you please. Near-future dystopia, high unemployment, unemployed people are treated in humiliating ways, they adopt mysterious insects as pets, the insects give off calming pheromones. More poorly-remembered details inside, one of them NSFW.
[more inside]
posted by thehmsbeagle
on Dec 1, 2012 -
3 answers
I read a fiction trilogy in the 1990s. The first book was set in Britain (or England), the second in a Scandinavian country (Norway or Sweden), and the third in the USA. What was the trilogy?
[more inside]
posted by Wordshore
on Nov 16, 2012 -
4 answers
Looking for specific book recommendations that are
superb and by female authors/female authors of color.
[more inside]
posted by jsturgill
on Nov 8, 2012 -
53 answers
What are the best stories that feature young adults coming of age/coming to terms with life's imperfect realities? By "young adults" I mean "adults who are young," probably roughly 19-30, not "young people who are becoming adults." This maturing process can be central to the work or peripheral. One example: "The Great Gatsby." Short stories, novels, nonfiction, film, television and any other genre are all welcome.
posted by croutonsupafreak
on Oct 30, 2012 -
29 answers
Help me remember the title of this genre novel about a military nurse named Honor?
[more inside]
posted by phoenixy
on Oct 7, 2012 -
1 answer
I am interested in learning more about the idea of radical clothing as symbolic communication, and thinking about how that works today. Thus, I am looking for the most fantastic examples of communicative garments. For example, garments made from recycled materials, that might up, that are in unusual shapes, and so forth. I have found some of these already, but I don't really know what they mean--other than being novelties. Are there unusual garments that you think about a lot? What do you think they mean? Any leads would be most appreciated. If you would like to recommend books or movies about this sort of thing, that would be welcome too.
posted by mortaddams
on Sep 29, 2012 -
14 answers
Asking what I always ask here... name the sci-fi novel based on tiny shreds of info: Pretty sure it was from the 80's and was about twin assassins who shared the same exact thoughts. they could communicate with each other instantly telepathically. This made them excellent assassins.
[more inside]
posted by darkpony
on Sep 3, 2012 -
2 answers
Try as I might, I can only think of one fantasy novel that I've ever (*ever*) read that had a girl as the main character. Can you suggest some for my 8yo daughter?
[more inside]
posted by nonspecialist
on Sep 1, 2012 -
90 answers
"Name that book" - a novel set in Australia, deals with a young male protagonist with a somewhat crazy father and no mother. There are also South-Asian smugglers and lottery tickets involved?
[more inside]
posted by permiechickie
on Aug 10, 2012 -
4 answers
Looking for a thriller mass-market paperback novel that I read in the late 1990s that was about brilliant students at a medical school - murder, conspiracy, etc.
[more inside]
posted by cmp4Meta
on Jul 28, 2012 -
2 answers
Looking for a name of a novel, but can only remember one scene, where a guy is recruited for some sort of mission in a video arcade.
[more inside]
posted by fearfulsymmetry
on Jul 17, 2012 -
4 answers
South African novel? A Boer seduces a black girl, they have sex in his Mercedes Benz. The book deals with the seduction that comes before, and the problems afterwards. The white guy is NOT cast as a villain. My friend read this book in the 70s and is looking for it. Thanks!
posted by Tom-B
on Jul 17, 2012 -
10 answers
I'm looking for a fiction novel I read in the early 90's. I think it was called something like 'Wire World'. Set in London, present day, about two opposing groups who got around via secret zip-lines attached to the buildings. It was written by an ex-screenplay writer. I remember it being a fun read and would like to find it again.
No such luck with the Google, you're all I've got to turn to, askMeFi'ers!
posted by drinkmaildave
on Jul 12, 2012 -
2 answers
What on earth was this vampire novel I read in the 90's? I remember only a few details: the female protagonist was a half-vampire, formed by being bitten then given a blood transfusion in a hospital. This left her with most of the powers, but few of the weaknesses, of other vampires. After her transformation, I think she started hunting vampires. It might have been a trilogy. That's all I got.
[more inside]
posted by duien
on Jul 9, 2012 -
7 answers
Over 20 years ago I read a novel, but can remember neither the author nor the novel title. I think it was an English author, I think the word "Spring" was in the title, and I think it was set in the post-colonial time period in India.
I do remember it was a story about a young teenage English girl who met and fell in love with an Indian teenage boy, and they thought she might be pregnant, so they ran away to Varanasi/Benares together to get married in spite of the disapproval of their families.
About 15 years ago or so it was made into a TV movie and shown on either PBS or Masterpiece Theater.
I've googled for "novels set in Varanasi," "post-colonial novels set in Benares," etc and came up empty. I'm confident I would recognize the title if I saw it, and it is not listed
here,
here, or
here.
Do these (rather minuscule, sorry) details ring a bell for anyone?
Thank you!
posted by matrushka
on Jun 20, 2012 -
9 answers
I'm a writer - with a British English education. I've just finished a young adult novel that I'm polishing to go on submission. Should I be making sure everything is in US English?
[more inside]
posted by teststrip
on Jun 13, 2012 -
29 answers
Recommend mystery fiction, especially mystery fiction by authors whose works were adapted into
Alfred Hitchcock Presents episodes
[more inside]
posted by GlassHeart
on Jun 11, 2012 -
14 answers
I read an odd (and very stupid) novel around 1997. Please verify that this book exists and wasn't a product of my young addled mind.
[more inside]
posted by arha
on May 26, 2012 -
7 answers
