I have pretty severe ADHD, so sometimes sitting down for hours to read can be tough. I used to read all the time as a kid, but as a man in his 30s living under the yoke of capitalism, I fell out of it. Then a couple years ago I picked up Breakfast of Champions on a whim and it just GRABBED me. Since then I’ve been reading much more, but I’ve hit a lull and it’s been several months since I’ve found a book that captured me like that, so I’m looking for that next one that does! Bonus points if it’s a book that really lends itself to critical analysis a la a book club.
To give you some ideas of my tastes:
First and foremost, I love books that focus on characters and big ideas. Books you can really chew on. The sort that would be hard to adapt to a movie. I guess I’d say I like books that excel at being books
I’m a big fan of wit and humor in literature, especially if it’s pointed. Vonnegut is easily my favorite author. I’ve read all of his novels, all of his published short stories, and a good chunk of his letters and essays
I love the writing style of Steinbeck, although sometimes the stories themselves are hit and miss for me. I read East of Eden last year and was ENRAPTURED. I love Of Mice and Men. I’ve read Grapes of Wrath twice now, though, and while I wouldn’t say I disliked it, I don’t know if I’ll read it a third time. I don’t recall liking The Pearl, but I haven’t read that one in close to twenty years. Maybe time and puberty will have helped it.
I like old sci-fi classics, but I want to caveat that by saying I mean sci-fi in the pretentious way, not the “space marines blasting aliens with plasma cannons” way. 😅 Books like 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and Brave New World that use high concepts to make a point about people today.
As for what I did not like so well:
I read The Bell Jar last year. It was fascinating given the context I discovered after reading it, but the book itself didn’t grab me.
I’ve read a few books by Hiruki Murikami now (Kafka on the Shore, Norwegian Wood, Men Without Women, Hard-Boiled Wonderland &TEOTW.) While I see the appeal, I think he is a bit too impressionistic for my tastes.
I don’t mind high fantasy on principle, but I haven’t found a classic fantasy series that has really grabbed me. I liked the Hobbit well enough, but after reading all of LOTR, I gotta say the trilogy works best as a series of films (please don’t hate me!). I tried Narnia and could not find myself interested in it. And as a kid, the magic was the least interesting aspect of Harry Potter for me.
Chuck Pahlaniuk is a modern author I expected to like, but just found Choke and Guts to be a little too edge-lordy for me. They felt like he was trying to be really offensive to generate shock, but once the shock wore off, there wasn’t much else there, so i didnt bother with any more after that.
I read Dracula, and I gotta say- I think it was not for me 😬 I really respect the craftsmanship of it, how it built tension and was super creepy, but the whole thing felt more like homework than recreation. I think if I didn’t live in the 21st century where everyone knows the broad strokes of the story, I would have enjoyed it more.
by TheTitanOfSirens1959
3 Comments
> I have pretty severe ADHD, so sometimes sitting down for hours to read can be tough
Have you tried listening to audiobooks while you work out, do chores or crafts?
>First and foremost, I love books that focus on characters and big ideas. Books you can really chew on. The sort that would be hard to adapt to a movie. I guess I’d say I like books that excel at being *books*
The Passion by Jeanette Winterson. All of her work is wonderful.
I’ve been recommending this author a lot, but I think you’d really like Octavia Butler. She’s so good at writing about the human condition. Specifically, I’d start with Parable of the Sower, but you might also like her Xenogenesis series. She’s easy to read and her characters and ideas are very interesting.