Not fiction - but Blue Highways by William Least Heat-Moon rocked me. Amazing story of his roadtrip across America talking to locals. Incredible philosophical perspectives packaged in his digestible, wandering tone.
I’ve been trying to find books that make me feel better about America when everything I read in the news/social media feels at odds and hopeless (he talks a decent amount about Native American history which gave me a different sense of existential frustration lol). Overall I’d say it gave me an appreciation for our country and the people in it that I’ve been missing. It helps put things in perspective a bit.
It checks a lot of the boxes. Has a prison of sorts, lots of food, and will absolutely have you thinking at the end of the book. Is fairly long though but don't let that stop you, every page is a treasure
I don’t know if this really falls under your preferences, but please read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern if you haven’t. It’s truly a magical experience
I'll recommend two older, shorter, coming-of-age stories that check some off some of the nouns you listed! These are both children's/middle grade stories, but I really enjoyed them when I was a kid, and I think you might find them to be quick, fun reads, even though they aren't the most philosophical in nature.
I actually love both of those books! Hatchet I read once or twice & really enjoyed. My Side of the Mountain, however, was sort of a foundational book for me growing up. I still remember almost everything about. The imagery of living in a hollowed-out tree and training a falcon still live in my mind. (I never did end up running away, though.) You're spot on, these books are great!!
Oh I actually was recommended this last year by two of my friends who are huge Sanderson fans! I did enjoy it! (And it was the shortest Sanderson I’d read which was also nice lol). Thanks for the recommendation!
1. The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. You may have already read it because I feel like it's up your ally and is a bit of a classic, but if not you should check it out.
2. Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. As far as nature-y books go, this is my absolute favorite. It's like a love letter to Appalachia but is also this beautiful story of belonging and family and love and death but in a very subtle and winding and beautiful way.
If on a winter's night a traveler by Italo Calvino -- I'd write a blurb here but it might give the story away. All I'll say is that it's fiction, has very beautiful writing, and seems like something you may like.
Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrew Edwards (yes, the actress!) -- children's story about a professor and a trio of siblings traveling to this fantastical land to meet the Whangdoodle. Big theme of the book is about preserving childlike creativity/imagination, but also has some commentary on the ethical responsibilities of animal cloning/playing God.
It doesn't meet all of these critera, but I'll take any opportunity I can get to recommend The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov. It's more famous as a play, but the original novel is also great.
It's a shorter novel from the early Soviet Union about the Russian civil war. It feels like it could have been much, much longer, but it's satisfying enough as it is. It deals with major historical events, but still feels very human.
Another, much lighter read that checks more of the boxes you've listed is Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson. It's not a very cerebral book, but it's a fun read.
thanks for both recommendations! love those books that just stick in your brain and you have to recommend to everybody :) and I haven’t read kidnapped but just saw it at my local bookstore !
I don’t see anything on your list that tickles the funny bone. So if you want to read a book that’s profound in both its wisdom and humour, I can’t recommend Reaper man by Terry Pratchett enough!
It follows Death in a bizarre fantasy world going through a bit of an identity crisis. He decides to ditch his 9-5 as the grim reaper and gets drunk instead.
At the end you’ll definitely have a few things to think about
oh that’s a great point I don’t read as much humor - but I do like it. I read some Terry Pratchett stories for the first time in January and enjoyed it! Just looked this one up and it seems actually wild and cool.
Question: In the discworld universe, does it matter if I just read this one book without reading the others? It looks like there’s quite a lot of them
Discworld has a chronological reader order, but it doesn’t really matter.
Partchett wrote primarily for a younger audience and he knew expecting them to read 50 books in the correct order would be been impossible.
Every book feels episodic and whatever happened to characters from previous books are treated as backstory. The world and characters are always introduced assuming it’s the first time the reader is encountering them.
I haven't read any of his books in order and I've never felt lost.
I think you'll really like A psalm for the wild built by Becky Chambers, a cozy book about a tea monk and a robot coming together in a futuristic world. There is a second book, which is as good as the first one, and they're both relly short!
Not fiction - but Blue Highways by William Least Heat-Moon rocked me. Amazing story of his roadtrip across America talking to locals. Incredible philosophical perspectives packaged in his digestible, wandering tone.
I’ve been trying to find books that make me feel better about America when everything I read in the news/social media feels at odds and hopeless (he talks a decent amount about Native American history which gave me a different sense of existential frustration lol). Overall I’d say it gave me an appreciation for our country and the people in it that I’ve been missing. It helps put things in perspective a bit.
that sounds really awesome actually! thanks for the rec!
A Gentleman in Moscow - Amor Towles
It checks a lot of the boxes. Has a prison of sorts, lots of food, and will absolutely have you thinking at the end of the book. Is fairly long though but don't let that stop you, every page is a treasure
when the book is really that good sometimes being long is a great thing! Like you said, every page a treasure
I don’t know if this really falls under your preferences, but please read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern if you haven’t. It’s truly a magical experience
the cover looks cool & the description is fascinating! thanks for the recommendation!
I'll recommend two older, shorter, coming-of-age stories that check some off some of the nouns you listed! These are both children's/middle grade stories, but I really enjoyed them when I was a kid, and I think you might find them to be quick, fun reads, even though they aren't the most philosophical in nature.
1. My Side of the Mountain by Jean George
2. Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
I actually love both of those books! Hatchet I read once or twice & really enjoyed. My Side of the Mountain, however, was sort of a foundational book for me growing up. I still remember almost everything about. The imagery of living in a hollowed-out tree and training a falcon still live in my mind. (I never did end up running away, though.) You're spot on, these books are great!!
The Emperor’s Soul. It’s a fantasy novella that has a jailbreaks vibe. Super quick read with some great characters. I think you’d enjoy it.
Oh I actually was recommended this last year by two of my friends who are huge Sanderson fans! I did enjoy it! (And it was the shortest Sanderson I’d read which was also nice lol). Thanks for the recommendation!
The Stranger by Camus ticks 1-4.
This has been on my radar for awhile mostly because I’ve heard it’s short & interesting! Thanks for the rec!
Ok ok I have two :-)
1. The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. You may have already read it because I feel like it's up your ally and is a bit of a classic, but if not you should check it out.
2. Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. As far as nature-y books go, this is my absolute favorite. It's like a love letter to Appalachia but is also this beautiful story of belonging and family and love and death but in a very subtle and winding and beautiful way.
Haven’t read either, I appreciate the recommendations! That first one especially has a great title
Chess Story by Stefan Zweig or Homo Faber by Max Frisch are both great and had me thinking about the story long after I finished them
sounds fascinating - thanks for both recommendations!
If on a winter's night a traveler by Italo Calvino -- I'd write a blurb here but it might give the story away. All I'll say is that it's fiction, has very beautiful writing, and seems like something you may like.
Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrew Edwards (yes, the actress!) -- children's story about a professor and a trio of siblings traveling to this fantastical land to meet the Whangdoodle. Big theme of the book is about preserving childlike creativity/imagination, but also has some commentary on the ethical responsibilities of animal cloning/playing God.
beautiful writing sounds good to me! Thanks for the recommendations!
It doesn't meet all of these critera, but I'll take any opportunity I can get to recommend The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov. It's more famous as a play, but the original novel is also great.
It's a shorter novel from the early Soviet Union about the Russian civil war. It feels like it could have been much, much longer, but it's satisfying enough as it is. It deals with major historical events, but still feels very human.
Another, much lighter read that checks more of the boxes you've listed is Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson. It's not a very cerebral book, but it's a fun read.
thanks for both recommendations! love those books that just stick in your brain and you have to recommend to everybody :) and I haven’t read kidnapped but just saw it at my local bookstore !
City of Thieves by David Benioff ticks many of your boxes! I have more recommendations but don't want to dilute this one for now.
totally feel the ‘not wanting to dilute a recommendation’ feeling. well put. thanks for the rec! I’ll look it up!
you'll love sleep by haruki murakami
thanks for the recommendation! Looks short which is great!
I don’t see anything on your list that tickles the funny bone. So if you want to read a book that’s profound in both its wisdom and humour, I can’t recommend Reaper man by Terry Pratchett enough!
It follows Death in a bizarre fantasy world going through a bit of an identity crisis. He decides to ditch his 9-5 as the grim reaper and gets drunk instead.
At the end you’ll definitely have a few things to think about
oh that’s a great point I don’t read as much humor - but I do like it. I read some Terry Pratchett stories for the first time in January and enjoyed it! Just looked this one up and it seems actually wild and cool.
Question: In the discworld universe, does it matter if I just read this one book without reading the others? It looks like there’s quite a lot of them
Discworld has a chronological reader order, but it doesn’t really matter.
Partchett wrote primarily for a younger audience and he knew expecting them to read 50 books in the correct order would be been impossible.
Every book feels episodic and whatever happened to characters from previous books are treated as backstory. The world and characters are always introduced assuming it’s the first time the reader is encountering them.
I haven't read any of his books in order and I've never felt lost.
"The Diamond as Big as the Ritz" by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a novella that checks most of your boxes.
This sounds fabulous, thanks for the recommendation Wil!
I think you'll really like A psalm for the wild built by Becky Chambers, a cozy book about a tea monk and a robot coming together in a futuristic world. There is a second book, which is as good as the first one, and they're both relly short!
wait that sounds fantastic I’ll have to look it up
If you are interested in a crime committed by moonlight, read The Tenant by Freida McFadden.
But if you don't want to commit to a novel right now, i cannot recommed enough The word of the Speechless by Julio Ramón Ribeyro
thanks for the recommendations! And I do like reading about moonlight crime so thank you!