I love the styles of Kurt Vonnegut (my favorite), Chuck Palahniuk, Charles Bukowski, John Steinbeck, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Haruki Murakami, Franz Kafka, n JD Salinger, but there's very much a lack of perspectives in what I read and I feel it's starting to rot my brain. I would love any author/book suggestions but in particular want some that aren't white men. I don't need anything "pc" necessarily but the sexism/racism from these authors is exhausting…. (Kurt Vonnegut scares me)
by stuffedanimalzrcool
33 Comments
Ursula Le Guin, full stop.
But if you need more, Margaret Atwood.
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
*America Is Not the Heart* by Elaine Castillo feels like slowly slipping into a hot bath at home.
Susan Choi’s *American Woman* is a very interesting take on the Patty Hearst case.
And, three for one, Kao Kalia Yang’s family memoirs – I have read *The Latehomecomer*, which is just stunning, and *The Song Poet*; I am hoping to read *Where Rivers Part* soon.
Toni Morrison. Her writing is incredible
Oryx and crake Margaret Atwood.
The Tom ripley series by Patricia highsmith
Eve babitz, grace paley
NK Jemisin’s Broken Earth Trilogy might interest you.
You can’t go wrong with Barbara Kingsolver, I’d start with The Poisonwood Bible
Donna Tartt is great IMO
If you want something more classic, Agatha Christie has something for everyone.
Doris Lessing: *The Golden Notebook*, Joan Didion *The White Album*, Edith wharton: *The House of Mirth*
*Chilly scenes of winter*, Ann beattie
You might like Betty Smith
Linda Nagata, Elizabeth Bear, Malka Older – three of my favs
I recommend anything by Kristin Hannah, Chiamande Adiche Ngozi (sp), Barbara Kingsolver, or Jhumpa Lahiri.
Octavia Butler
Toni Morrison
Sally Rooney
These are more modern than the authors you listed but may be in line with the vibe of the authors you mentioned (more dark/satiric): severance by ling ma, my year of rest and relaxation by ottessa moshfegh, convenience store woman by sayaka murata.
Some other authors I just like are Carmen Maria machado, Toni Morrison, Becky chambers
Daphne du Maurier
911! 911! We have an emergency here! Please deliver Chimamanda Adichie, Yaa Gyasi, Kim Thúy, Maaza Mengiste or Mariana Enríquez, fast!
Tbh, once you just start reading books from around the world, it becomes a norm you wont question. 🤷🏻♀️ I’ve read that it’s the same with female authors. When you’re read them more, you realize how normal it is to read them and it’s funny you never paid much attention before.
Barbara Kingsolver, “Demon Copperhead”
Based on what you’ve listed, and not [just] my favorites: Yōko Ogawa (in particular *The Memory Police*), Ruth Ozeki, Toni Morrison, Elif Batuman, Dorothy Allison, *Severance* by Ling Ma (unrelated to the show)
Try Rachel Cusk. Beautiful writing from a women’s perspective, incredibly intelligent and erudite.
Isabelle Allende is a great place to land
Anything by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche. Purple Hibiscus and Dream Count are my faves.
Karin Slaughter, Freida McFadden, Ann Padgett
The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Isabel Allende- The House of Spirits
Silvia Moreno Garcia- Mexican Gothic
Carson McCullers- The Ballad of the Sad Café
Connie Willis- The Doomsday Book
Aliette De Bodard- The Citadel of Weeping Pearls and The Teamaster and the Detective
Something like palanhiuk is Mona Awad or Sayaka Murata.
isabel allende,
madeline miller,
kristin valdez quade,
eileen chang,
i think these authors write close to your tastes.
Jesmyn Ward
Isabel Allende
Patricia Highsmith. Just read tremors of forgery, it was amazing. I now have a massive girlcrush on her because she was so cool
In no particular order, try Connie Willis, Mira Grant, Octavia Butler, Shirley Jackson, Ursula K LeGuin, T Kingfisher. You might also like Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk, Vita Nostra by Marina & Sergey Dyachenko. For true crime, I liked I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara.
Angela Carter and Joan Didion
I dig your taste..
“H is for Hawk” by Helen Macdonald. I read it last year and am thinking of reading it again. A British young woman who raised hawks and bonds with a goshawk and also processes personal grief and learns about the history of folks who keep and train hawks in ancient and more modern times.
The Bogs of Surrendered Names– Sergei Itzam Coiot (yes, she’s a woman, just weird-ass name). Its on Amazon. Little publisher, not big name. Crazy ride, unexpected, but touching, you know?
Military Sci Fi by Tanya Huff.
Mysteries by Louise Penny
Steampunk novels by Cherie Priest