Gimme Fiction
March 15, 2010 3:43 AM Subscribe
Recommend me some fiction.
I'm a big non-fiction reader of books dealing with philosophy and politics. I've never had the desire to explore the world of fiction, but recently that has changed. And changed with a vengeance when my TV broke (putting an end to my weekend DVD habit). I'm also trying to spend less time surfing the web. And so I find myself in need of some compelling fiction--whatever genre, whatever era--that will sate my need for entertainment. I wouldn't mind if it had something of substance to say too. I also wouldn't mind some compelling non-fiction (like, for instance, Into the Wild). Currently, I'm reading Empire of Lies by Andrew Klavan. It is a lot of fun and an example of what I'm looking for, but I don't want to limit myself to just one genre.
I'm a big non-fiction reader of books dealing with philosophy and politics. I've never had the desire to explore the world of fiction, but recently that has changed. And changed with a vengeance when my TV broke (putting an end to my weekend DVD habit). I'm also trying to spend less time surfing the web. And so I find myself in need of some compelling fiction--whatever genre, whatever era--that will sate my need for entertainment. I wouldn't mind if it had something of substance to say too. I also wouldn't mind some compelling non-fiction (like, for instance, Into the Wild). Currently, I'm reading Empire of Lies by Andrew Klavan. It is a lot of fun and an example of what I'm looking for, but I don't want to limit myself to just one genre.
Tree of Smoke, Denis Johnson -- vaguely about the psychology of obedience, set in Vietnam during the war.
The other Krakauer book, Into Thin Air (he also has one on the Mormons, if my memory serves, but I found it a little dry) is good, too.
I went through a period where I read every memoir I could find written by French Foreign Legionnaires -- I think what kept me reading was how the majority of them were immersed in the culture and lifestyle of the legion where language and setting was concerned, but the stories themselves were essentially self-serving and fictionalized. Seems of a piece with Into the Wild, somehow.
posted by Valet at 4:04 AM on March 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
The other Krakauer book, Into Thin Air (he also has one on the Mormons, if my memory serves, but I found it a little dry) is good, too.
I went through a period where I read every memoir I could find written by French Foreign Legionnaires -- I think what kept me reading was how the majority of them were immersed in the culture and lifestyle of the legion where language and setting was concerned, but the stories themselves were essentially self-serving and fictionalized. Seems of a piece with Into the Wild, somehow.
posted by Valet at 4:04 AM on March 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
Definitely check out the huge list of fiction recommendation threads at the MeFi Wiki, particularly this one and this one.
posted by transporter accident amy at 4:10 AM on March 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by transporter accident amy at 4:10 AM on March 15, 2010 [2 favorites]
Also politics and philosophy, with a recent Nobel Prize to add cachet, you could go for Orhan Pamuk. I've read Snow and My Name is Red and enjoyed both (and seen him speak once as it happens).
posted by Abiezer at 4:50 AM on March 15, 2010
posted by Abiezer at 4:50 AM on March 15, 2010
I am in the last 15 pages of The 19th Wife which I have enjoyed immensely. It's a murder mystery that takes place in a small Mormon extremist town, juxtaposed with the (non-fiction) story of Brigham Young's wife, Ann Eliza, divorcing him. I now know and understand so much more about Mormons and their history!
posted by kimdog at 6:29 AM on March 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by kimdog at 6:29 AM on March 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
Use your DVD habit. Think about which movies you enjoyed, which ones you especially remember, then see if they were based on books. Almost all books are better than the movie re-telling, because they're so much longer and richer. Get those books from the library -- and remember that libraries are happy to request books from other libraries if they don't have something on the shelf. And if you like one book by an author, become a completist. Read other books she's written.
Ask your friends to each recommend one book to you, something they got really caught up in. With the caveat that you don't have to finish it if it doesn't grab you. Individual recommendations are so ... personal. For instance, I found Jon Krakauer's book about Mormons, Under the Banner of Heaven, fascinating and about as far from dry as you can get. But it's nonfiction, and you're looking for fiction.
So here's mine: any -- all -- of the books by Thomas Perry, especially the ones featuring Jane Whitefield. (I'm slightly jealous of someone getting to discover this writer for the first time.)
posted by kestralwing at 6:49 AM on March 15, 2010
Ask your friends to each recommend one book to you, something they got really caught up in. With the caveat that you don't have to finish it if it doesn't grab you. Individual recommendations are so ... personal. For instance, I found Jon Krakauer's book about Mormons, Under the Banner of Heaven, fascinating and about as far from dry as you can get. But it's nonfiction, and you're looking for fiction.
So here's mine: any -- all -- of the books by Thomas Perry, especially the ones featuring Jane Whitefield. (I'm slightly jealous of someone getting to discover this writer for the first time.)
posted by kestralwing at 6:49 AM on March 15, 2010
Fiction:
You might enjoy John le Carré for cold-war era political/espionage stories. Great stuff there. le Carré is the anti-Fleming. As bonus, Netflix has some of the BBC adaptations starring Alec Guiness as George Smiley.
Non-fiction:
One of the most engaging political books I've read in recent history (a few years back) was The Tiananmen Papers.
posted by jquinby at 6:58 AM on March 15, 2010
You might enjoy John le Carré for cold-war era political/espionage stories. Great stuff there. le Carré is the anti-Fleming. As bonus, Netflix has some of the BBC adaptations starring Alec Guiness as George Smiley.
Non-fiction:
One of the most engaging political books I've read in recent history (a few years back) was The Tiananmen Papers.
posted by jquinby at 6:58 AM on March 15, 2010
I personally like the Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian, of which the first book is "Master and Commander." They're about a captain in the British Navy during the Napoleonic wars and his surgeon/naturalist/intelligence agent friend.
The Recorded Books editions have an excellent narrator.
posted by cosmic.osmo at 8:28 AM on March 15, 2010
The Recorded Books editions have an excellent narrator.
posted by cosmic.osmo at 8:28 AM on March 15, 2010
Definately Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. It's a fairly long book, but it's worth every page.
In terms of generally exciting fiction, I've always found Dean Koontz to fill my want of action.
posted by fizzzzzzzzzzzy at 9:14 AM on March 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
In terms of generally exciting fiction, I've always found Dean Koontz to fill my want of action.
posted by fizzzzzzzzzzzy at 9:14 AM on March 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
I always recommend Infinite Jest. It's the G.N.O.A.T. (greatest novel of all time).
posted by Lutoslawski at 10:02 AM on March 15, 2010
posted by Lutoslawski at 10:02 AM on March 15, 2010
The most entertaining novel I've ever read was Lamb by Christopher Moore. It's subtitle is "the gospel according to Jesus' childhood friend Biff" or something close. Smart and funny. (I'm Catholic, FWIW.)
Also deeply engaging was "The Book Thief" which is, technically I guess, a young adult novel.
If you don't mind young adult stuff, also try out: The astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing; Looking for Alaska; and the Shadow Children Series. Each one has a totally different thing that makes them engaging.
posted by dpx.mfx at 10:11 AM on March 15, 2010
Also deeply engaging was "The Book Thief" which is, technically I guess, a young adult novel.
If you don't mind young adult stuff, also try out: The astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing; Looking for Alaska; and the Shadow Children Series. Each one has a totally different thing that makes them engaging.
posted by dpx.mfx at 10:11 AM on March 15, 2010
Riffing on the YA stuff, Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games series is riveting.
posted by cereselle at 1:39 PM on March 16, 2010
posted by cereselle at 1:39 PM on March 16, 2010
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posted by jedro at 3:48 AM on March 15, 2010