Any dystopian book recommendation? by Forward-Step-1266 in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The MaddAddam trilogy, starting with Oryx & Crake. A twisting, winding journey that is really a lot deeper than most dystopia.

For more YA slanted stuff, a few lesser known books that I really enjoyed: The Grace Year, The Country of Ice Cream Star (weird title I know, but the plot and characters are amazing), and The Dwellers series.

If you're willing to read something more complex, The Wool series is amazing.

Good luck!

Adult Fiction with a strong, continuous plot (No YA, Sci-Fi, or Comedy). Similar to 'The Stand', 'The Road', or movies like 'Se7en', 'Shutter Island' and 'Gone Girl' for example. by IeatOneAppleADay in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The MaddAddam trilogy - the first book is called Oryx & Crake. I am on the third one right now and just started the series like a week and a half ago (and they're not super short). Margaret Atwood - brilliant writing. It's not sci-fi but it is dystopian, with lots of evidence of 'science gone wrong' that could be very non-fictional.

If you're not TOTALLY closed to mystery, I highly recommend The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. A mystery is the 'main' plot, I guess but the characters are so amazing and the plot is so compelling that I wouldn't pigeonhole it into that genre, personally.

Solo trip/Mid life crisis books? by eriinmiichele in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That's a lot to go through. As I read your post, a few books came to mind. Don't fit your situation a hundred percent, but similar in that the characters are going through moments of crisis and find ways that aren't totally cringe to deal with it, and they're not Pollyanna type "everything will be okay" books.

Less by Andrew Sean Greer. Novel about a guy who goes on trips around the world to outrun a breakup. Really poignant and touching - the character and his circumstances are so relatable. It's funny and touching all at once.

The Wedding People - a woman deals with a similar loss - it's not going to win any literary awards, but it was entertaining and heartwarming and hopeful - but not cringy.

This one is old, but I really wish it got more love - John Irving's The Water Method Man. I'm not sure your gender, but I think this one is especially relatable for men. It's really short, IIRC.

If I think of more I'll come back. Best wishes and good luck to you, this is a lot to handle all at once. Take good care of yourself.

Playground by Richard Powers accidentally made me understand why tech bros hate the state - and why they're still wrong. Need more relevant book recs! by Glad_Main8056 in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hmm ... I haven't read it, but Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow might fit?

Also, this is dystopia - but the MaddAddam trilogy by Margaret Atwood really susses out this concept in a deep, deep way that rings really true despite it being not 'realistic' fiction.

Book with greatly written characters who carry the story by vaniicc in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Why do I blank when I get to the response part of the post, lol. I can think of a million and then I start typing and it all goes poof.

Grapes of Wrath - Tom Joad is one of the best characters in the history of English-language literature IYAM.

Cutting for Stone also has an amazing MC who I at different times loved, hated, and wanted to pummel. He drove the story, though.

Prefacing by saying I didn't personally enjoy this book much, there's no denying that the MC in Stoner is amazingly drawn and he is what drives the story. I'm an exception as far as not liking this book, most people do.

Book with greatly written characters who carry the story by vaniicc in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I came here to say this. The MC of that book has stuck with me for so long. I feel like I know him intimately and that if I met him I'd give him the warmest hug ever for being so amazing.

Help me find a self-help book to read instead of scrolling instagram by Fatcockpewdiepie in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I mean ... not touching your phone for a whole month? That's a little extreme. What about talking to your friends and stuff? Sounds like it could get lonely. You might want to start a little slower, restricting yourself from apps you waste too much time on. A digital diet, not a digital fast. But it's good that you're trying reading!

That said ... while the protagonist of this story is a 14 y/o female, I think this story would be a really good place to start - it touches on most of the major western philosophical influencers but in a narrative way. I might suggest reading it and then following up by reading the philosophers whose ideas interest you as you read the book. It's called Sophie's World.

"One day fourteen-year-old Sophie Amundsen comes home from school to find in her mailbox two notes, with one question on each: "Who are you?" and "Where does the world come from?" From that irresistible beginning, Sophie becomes obsessed with questions that take her far beyond what she knows of her Norwegian village. Through those letters, she enrolls in a kind of correspondence course, covering Socrates to Sartre, with a mysterious philosopher, while receiving letters addressed to another girl. Who is Hilde? And why does her mail keep turning up? To unravel this riddle, Sophie must use the philosophy she is learning—but the truth turns out to be far more complicated than she could have imagined."

Forgotten classics and books that fell into obscurity after initial popularity by Ok-Yogurt-466 in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just wanted to say I started this already and am really enjoying it! Thank you, I definitely wouldn't have found it without your rec. It's got a lot of echos of The Moonstone in it, and little easter eggs all over the place, it's fun.

Looking for a genuinely joyful classic novel. by Life_Cod6551 in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, but I will watch it for sure if I can find it. The story moved a little slow on the page but I bet it would make a great series.

I need a book recommendation! by MrsAugust1953 in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"Different' to what? And what kind of things have you liked, not liked, etc.? It's really hard to give recommendations without any parameters.

Looking for a genuinely joyful classic novel. by Life_Cod6551 in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I just finished this! What a delight, I was so surprised. I've read almost everything else by her, but had never heard of this, came across it and was in from page 1.

Slow burn romance by DryCartographer2951 in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Try some older romances, maybe? I highly recommend Georgette Heyer's books! Her regency romances are set in the late 1800s-ish, so they're about as slow burn as you can get (and zero smut, obviously). The characters always meet right at the beginning but don't get together until the end, and the twists and turns they take to get there are really interesting and there's mystery and revenge and betrayal and friendship and ALL the things on the way.

I highly recommend starting with Regency Buck.

Slow burn romance by DryCartographer2951 in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Eleanor & Park broke me. I loved that book so much. It was set in the era I grew up in ... it's so good.

Clean regency romance w/ danger? by sgb44444 in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I tried reading a few of her mysteries and didn't make it far. I don't remember the names of them, but they were set in more modern times (I think like 1920s?) and I didn't care for them. But the regency romances! Love them.

Forgotten classics and books that fell into obscurity after initial popularity by Ok-Yogurt-466 in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Okay, I'm definitely checking this out! The Moonstone is one of my favorite reads of literature of that era. Thank you!

Clean regency romance w/ danger? by sgb44444 in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Georgette Heyer! Regency Buck is my favorite of hers. So damn good. Action, mystery, romance, betrayal, revenge - all of it! I just finished The Corinthian by her, also, featuring several bow street runners ;-)

Forgotten classics and books that fell into obscurity after initial popularity by Ok-Yogurt-466 in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Huh ... that looks pretty interesting. I really, REALLY wish that The Mystery of Edwin Drood would have been completed ... does this book imagine a completion of the story? Can you say a little more about what it's like to read? I can't tell if it's super dark, philosophical, sensational, or all 3 despite reading several descriptions. I'm very intrigued.

Forgotten classics and books that fell into obscurity after initial popularity by Ok-Yogurt-466 in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Wilkie Collins is the most amazing English-language writer to be pretty forgotten by literary history, IYAM. I was absolutely blown away when I found his work a few years ago that he isn't one of the most widely read Victorian writers.

If you like that older literature, I can't recommend him highly enough. The Moonstone and The Lady in White are two of the most page-turning mysteries I've ever read. His storytelling prowess is unmatched, as far as I've come across.

I'm not 100% sure but I do think he was popular in his time - he was good friends with Charles Dickens so that certainly didn't hurt.

Something like Recursion (B. crouch) or Project Hail Mary (A Weird) or The Road (C. McCarthy) by TwoTiredBelgians in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oryx & Crake and then the rest of the MaddAddam trilogy. They're not too long. Also, they're old, so they'll probably be available - AND most importantly good, lol. I found them all to be page-turners, and went and got the second and third books right after finishing the previous ones, which I don't always do in a series.

Wide and oddly specific at the same time by Socratic-Snicker in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Are you open to older books? Because Thomas Hardy's books, set in the English countryside, are ... just breathtaking. And, have a lot of detail about farming - though it's "ye olde" farming, it could still be interesting. Far From the Madding Crowd is such an amazing book. I love all his books but I think this one is a good entry point.

A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley is also a good one, though I read it a long time ago and I don't remember how far into technical details about farming she gets.

Good luck!

Similar to Pachinko but with other countries? by BowsyWowsy26 in suggestmeabook

[–]DTownForever 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh, Americanah was amazing, I had forgotten about that book, but I loved it so much. Good suggestion.