I first read The Catcher in the Rye in seventh grade, and since then...

I first read The Catcher in the Rye in seventh grade, and since then, I haven't found anything as fulfilling or enjoyable. What books do you recommend? I read a fair amount but haven't found anything quite like it.

What have you read?

The Bell Jar is the closest thing I've read to Catcher, but I didn't love it. Otherwise, apart from Catcher, I really enjoyed Stoner and Jonathan Franzen's work. I think the trend is sad, realistic novels with painfully relatable insights into the human condition.

Perhaps you'll like the Virgin Suicides then. It's a little dry though.

Reading Catcher right now OP. I know it's considered a pleb book but I'm 19, and I want to be able to relate to it while I still can before I get old and dismiss it. Had to put it down though as I have to study for my permit test next week.

Don Quixote
sometimes it drags but when it hits, hits hard
you will not regret it

>We the Animals
>Vernon God Little
>Special Topics in Calamity Physics
>Old School
>Project X (I would say this one has the same type of voice Holden did)

> I think the trend is sad, realistic novels with painfully relatable insights into the human condition.

Honestly OP this

Not sure about as I haven't read any of those.

Is it a pleb book? Anyway, I think that's wise. In seventh grade, a lot of it went over my head, but when I re-read it in high school and then in college, it really hit me. Though, I imagine, as you say, it will be hard to relate to in middle age

It's a Veeky Forums starter kit book and they look down on most of the books on there (with an exception of Lolita). Sadly my school was very poor so they never made us read anything. Really wish I got the chance to read it when I was younger and still in school. I really did relate to him back then. Much more than I do now anyways.

bump

try Rituals by Cees Nootboom

and

Vox by Nicholson Baker

It's a great book.

Might seem kind of a stupid suggestion as i assume you have already done so, but just in case, you have read Salinger's other works right?

I consider Catcher one of his worst (although it's still good), but his other stuff is better.

It's a great book and stop listening to people who say it's shit. The book has been selling ~250k copies a year for a LONG time and few works of literary merit manage to do that.

I would also suggest his other work. A Perfect Day for Bananafish is probably my favorite short story. I have yet to read Raise High the Roofbeams, Carpenters but I've heard it isn't bad.

SOME on Veeky Forums like to call everything shit that has been widely read. That's only a vocal minority. Ignore it and you'll find some good constructive direction for some good literature.

>>Vernon God Little
fuck that book

Please read Oblomov. It's exactly the type of book you're looking for.

It's recommended here a lot, but hardly anyone has read it. Of all the 100s of people from here I have on goodreads I think there are only 4 ratings including mine.

So I've been doing some shilling the past couple days. Specifically for the Miriam Schwartz translation.

Have you read American Psycho?

>nobody mentions the rape scene
My how Veeky Forums has changed

Explain

I've been meaning to read it for a while. Can you rec a translation?

He recommended the Miriam Schwartz translation in his post duder

I have no excuse