Help me feed my craving.

[TheRedNewt]

I love books focused on some far-fetched plotline or wonderful setting as much as the next guy, but I need a break. I thought it would be easy to find an alternative: a character focused book with a believable story. However, I was mistaken. I spent yesterday looking through books on Amazon without finding anything that really sounded like something I would like. So, here I am.

To get an idea for my tastes, I like Neal Stephenson, Foucault's Pendulum, Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, and David Foster Wallace, but I do want something that is different than these, probably closest to Kav and Clay for the character driven part.

Also, I would prefer the book be set in a somewhat contemporary setting simply because I have been reading a good bit of historical fiction and science fiction of late.

Thanks!

 

[Peder]

I love books focused on some far-fetched plotline or wonderful setting as much as the next guy, but I need a break. I thought it would be easy to find an alternative: a character focused book with a believable story. However, I was mistaken. I spent yesterday looking through books on Amazon without finding anything that really sounded like something I would like. So, here I am.

To get an idea for my tastes, I like Neal Stephenson, Foucault's Pendulum, Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, and David Foster Wallace, but I do want something that is different than these, probably closest to Kav and Clay for the character driven part.

Also, I would prefer the book be set in a somewhat contemporary setting simply because I have been reading a good bit of historical fiction and science fiction of late.

Thanks!

Well, RedNewt, I see you already have Stephenson, but I am unfamiliar with the others. But for character-focused and believable, I am hoping it is "I Know This Much is True" by Wally Lamb which I have waiting. I've read the first chapter or two and so far it holds up and gives promise of filling the bill. There's a short thread here on B&R also.
Second, you might give Pnin a shot. It has the most warm fuzzy character-y character in all Nabokov's books as far as I can tell -- in Timofey Pnin -- and a really quite believable plot line.
And finally, I just finished A Wedding in Winter by Anita Shreve which was very enjoyable and natural.
Happy hunting, and better reading,

PS in Edit: More likely that's a Wedding in December, but you'll see it if you look.
Peder

 

[beer good]

If you like "Kavalier and Klay", I think it's a fair assumption that you will love Jonathan Lethem's "Fortress Of Solitude".

 

[direstraits]

I recommend this chap called David Mitchell, of whom I read the wonderful Cloud Atlas. It's a story made up of interrelated palindrome of stories (you'll understand what I mean when you read it), part history, part science fiction (small part), and wholly wonderful. His other works include Ghostwritten, Number9dream and a new one with a title I can't remember. Apparently the first two were damn good too.

ds

 

[funes]

Newt,
I took it that you were looking for something not in the nature of Stephenson, et al. If that is so, you might find these books worth a try:
A Fan's Notes - Fred Exley
Ask the Dust - John Fante
The Knockout Artist - Harry Crews
The Mezzanine - Nicholson Baker
The Field of Vision - Wright Morris
The Moviegoer - Walker Percy
A Short History of a Small Place - T.R. Pearson
They all have a gritty, small-scale realism, each in their own way, (if I remember correctly) that might give you the break you are looking for.

Also, though you asked about contemporary settings, you shouldn't ignore Joseph Conrad. In my opinion, Conrad was the master of showing the essence of his characters without being sappy or ham-handed.

 

[TheRedNewt]

Thanks for all of the great recommendations. I've definitely got a few more things to add to my reading list.

Newt,
I took it that you were looking for something not in the nature of Stephenson, et al. If that is so, you might find these books worth a try:
A Fan's Notes - Fred Exley
Ask the Dust - John Fante
The Knockout Artist - Harry Crews
The Mezzanine - Nicholson Baker
The Field of Vision - Wright Morris
The Moviegoer - Walker Percy
A Short History of a Small Place - T.R. Pearson
They all have a gritty, small-scale realism, each in their own way, (if I remember correctly) that might give you the break you are looking for.

Also, though you asked about contemporary settings, you shouldn't ignore Joseph Conrad. In my opinion, Conrad was the master of showing the essence of his characters without being sappy or ham-handed.

Yeah, I'm really just looking for a change from what I normally read, and I really feel like reading a character driven book. As far as the contemporary setting goes, I would prefer it because I really don't read much set in the past 50 or so years, but as long as the setting is not over emphasized, I'll be content. While authors who can piant a vivid picture of settings are great, so many times it overshadows the plot and characters.

 

[grit]

i would agree with beer good: go with the Fortress of Solitude. Unless of course you don't care for books about race in Brooklyn in the 1970s.

i just finished it and really enjoyed the time/place emphasis.

 

[TheRedNewt]

Yeah, I picked up Fortress of Solitude for now, and I'll definitely be picking up more of these recommendations in the near future.

Thanks, guys!