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I've just finished reading 'A Farewell to Arms' by Hemingway and I must admit that I really enjoyed it. There start was a little bit dry and 'rough', but as I progressed through the book, I got so much better. Imagining that Hemingway was an old guy at a bar with a bottle of spirits telling you a story also made it a much more pleasant experience.
Right now, I'm looking for a book that is depressing in nature. I would like to read a book that is more 'modern' and not a classic. Perhaps a book that talks about the current state of the world in a sad manner or one that is of a crushing story that is able to describe - vividly - about a gloomy disheartening story. Maybe even one that has made its readers commit suicide or turn insane from depression.
I guess many of you are wondering why would I want to read such a thing. I don't have a specific reason actually, I would just like to learn how to express feelings better with words. I want to learn more about feelings, and also improve my essays as well.
One thing that I should say is that I do not like science fiction that much. When a book portrays a scene that is set a few thousand years in the future, it's a major turn-off for me. I have not read a book about some autobiography of a personal story before, but I have read some articles similar to that effect in the Readers Digest magazine before and I frankly say that whenever I read them, I think to myself, "Who gives a shit?". The way the story is told is sub-par, and even though the content is there but it's just painful for me to read. However, I do realise that just focusing on the language and not the content when I want to incorporate what I have learned from reading into my essays might produce purple prose-y work. Ergo, I would like a book that has both content and excellent expressions.
I have done a bit of research and these are the books that I think would be a good read:
- The Catcher in the Rye by Salinger
- A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
- The Road by Cormac McCarthy
- 1984 by Orwell
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WibmcsEGLKo
+ Show Spoiler +Sorry Warble, for wasting your time
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doubleupgradeobbies!
Australia1187 Posts
Well for a book similar to A Farewell to Arms, I'd suggest Catch 22, although I guess that is also a classic, but 1984 is definitely also a good read.
In the same vein a few books of similar 'depressing' feel would be:
Animal Farm
A Brave New World
To Kill A Mockingbird
Unfortunately they are all considered classics in their own right, I really can't think of a more modern book to match them, maybe they just don't make them like they used to :D
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All of those books are very good and excellent social commentary of their times as well. Catcher in the Rye I remember having to read several times.
In addition to what doubleupgradeobbies said, if you're interested in slightly older modern literature (pre-WWII), John Steinbeck is worth reading. In particular, his books set in the Great Depression (Of Mice and Men and Grapes of Wrath) is a powerful commentary on the Great Depression and the nature of man, their dreams, and powerlessness (social, economical and intellectual).
For something much more modern, The Kite Runner is the only thing that comes to mind right now. But is an interesting read into modern Afghanistan. Also, Tomorrow, When the War Began.
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I was actually going to rec The Road. If it doesn't depress you with its subject matter, it'll certainly make you want to commit suicide through sheer boredom. The language of the last few paragraphs of the book is quite beautiful though and has stuck with me over the years, surprisingly ...
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I loved Catch-22 and 1984. Brave New World is in the same vein as 1984 and all 3 benefit from multiple readings. You can't go wrong with any of them - though Catch-22 is significantly longer than the other two.
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On March 25 2012 13:25 Azera wrote:
Right now, I'm looking for a book that is depressing in nature. I would like to read a book that is more 'modern' and not a classic. Perhaps a book that talks about the current state of the world in a sad manner or one that is of a crushing story that is able to describe - vividly - about a gloomy disheartening story. Maybe even one that has made its readers commit suicide or turn insane from depression.
You basically just described Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, one of my all-time favorite books. It's long, convoluted, depressing, uplifting, and an overall fantastic display of a unique and enthralling writing style. If you've got the balls to slog through the thousand or so pages, I'm confident you'll enjoy it.
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Catcher and 1984 won't really make you feel depressed (at least they didn't make me). You should definitely read both though.
If you want action mixed with psychological analysis of people that will depress the shit out of you:
Armor by John Steakley
If you want a personal story, don't want politics heavy, and don't care about being seen with a girl's book:
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
(Seriously - its a really good and well-written book that will depress you to no end)
If you want a secret book that I guarantee will depress you, pm me.
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I strongly recommend "eeeee eee eeee" by Tao Lin. I'd describe it as a story about suburban depression. Just as a warning though, it's not science fiction but it has some pretty out there dream/daydream sequences.
I'd also say go read anything by Haruki Murakami, just go to a bookstore, find the section that has his books and read the first few pages of a few and pick whichever one catches your interest the most. That stuff can really make you feel as if your chest has gone hollow, and has some great descriptions and lines.
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On March 25 2012 13:34 sniffums wrote:
Disgrace by Coetzee
Why?
To the rest of you guys, thanks for the suggestions, will be hitting the library soon.
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The Rainmaker by John Grisham.
He's got a sort of weird writing style imo, but this book fucking blew my mind. Made me sad, pissed off, happy--the works. Definately check it out. 
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Seeing your tendency toward post-apocalyptic antiutopian titles, what about "Player Piano" and "Sirens of Titan" by Kurt Vonnegut and "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick.
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Catch 22 is one of my favourite books. I guess you could describe it (at least apropos perverted logic, authority) as a Post-Modern Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, though far darker and more thought provoking. Highly recommended.
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i believe Haruki Murakami's IQ84 is based on Orwell's 1984 (if slightly)
in general, i would recommend any book by that author as i'm a huge fan of his language and the way his words seem to connect with me constantly...
there are more than a couple translations available for most of the books he's written as he is a very accomplished and is a popular author in Japan, i do not like the e-books i've found of his books.
currently, i'm enjoying After Dark, and Norwegian Wood, and i love it!
i hear that After Dark is a very good murakami book to start on.
i hope your reading experience is a nice one!
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if you have 1984 on your list just do that asaply
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Actually, on that note, Kafka on the Shore by Murakami might appeal to you; it details the emotional and intellectual journey of a 15 year old boy after he runs away from home and school. I wouldn't describe it as ultimately "depressing", but you may be able to draw some parallels with your own experience of being that age.
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night
on the beach
all quiet on the western front
the kite runner/a thousand splendid suns
Oryx and Crake
Alas Babylon (haven't read this myself)
more later
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For some reason I thought of Oryx and Crake. It's a great novel albeit science fiction. It's dystopian and sort of depressing in its depiction of exploitation.
Also the short story "Concentration city" by J.G. Ballard instills some depressive rumination about the extent of industry and the escape from society.
At least that's what I took from them
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Catcher in the Rye is the best book ever.
But Norwegian Wood by Murakami is a somewhat similar coming of age story that I feel is more 'depressing' than CitR. So I'd go with that instead. But definitely read Catcher in the Rye at some point.
1984 is good but it feels like its supposed to be depressing. Norwegian Wood has a more subtle depressing feel to it. 1984 throws it in your face.
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I'm going to go with one of my favorite authors here, both books are very different.
To Reign In Hell, by Steven Brust
Agyar, by Steven Brust
Brust is a fantastic author, in part because of his ability to employ wildly different styles of writing.
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1984 is a depressed story, but it didn't depress me... anyone else feel that way? I guess I looked past the depressing parts and focused more on the political side, and somehow that didn't depress me :/
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doubleupgradeobbies!
Australia1187 Posts
On March 25 2012 15:25 iGrok wrote:
1984 is a depressed story, but it didn't depress me... anyone else feel that way? I guess I looked past the depressing parts and focused more on the political side, and somehow that didn't depress me :/
It depressed me expressly because I focused more on the political side ><
If I could read it just as a fictional story it wouldn't have touched me, but it's very relevance to reality is kinda depressing, cos that's what governments are really like...
Maybe I'm just strange in this, but when I read the trilogy following Rendezvous With Rama (which i'm told was not very popular, the trilogy that is) I was also pretty depressed despite what I think was supposed to be a uplifting overall theme. Because the fiction parts of it I felt a certain distance from, but reading on how society totally falls apart and emphasises the worst in humankind seemed not only totally realistic, but pretty much inevitable if we were actually put into such a situation.
Maybe I just have an exceedingly low opinion of humanity, and reading about the negative aspects both resonates with me strongly and depresses me ><
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You should read Dune or Neuromancer.
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On March 25 2012 15:31 Sinensis wrote:
You should read Dune or Neuromancer.
Two excellent books, and very well written as well, but neither are that depressing.
On March 25 2012 15:31 doubleupgradeobbies! wrote:Show nested quote +On March 25 2012 15:25 iGrok wrote:
1984 is a depressed story, but it didn't depress me... anyone else feel that way? I guess I looked past the depressing parts and focused more on the political side, and somehow that didn't depress me :/ It depressed me expressly because I focused more on the political side >< If I could read it just as a fictional story it wouldn't have touched me, but it's very relevance to reality is kinda depressing, cos that's what governments are really like... Maybe I'm just strange in this, but when I read the trilogy following Rendezvous With Rama (which i'm told was not very popular, the trilogy that is) I was also pretty depressed despite what I think was supposed to be a uplifting overall theme. Because the fiction parts of it I felt a certain distance from, but reading on how society totally falls apart and emphasises the worst in humankind seemed not only totally realistic, but pretty much inevitable if we were actually put into such a situation. Maybe I just have an exceedingly low opinion of humanity, and reading about the negative aspects both resonates with me strongly and depresses me ><
Honestly Brave New World is a much more accurate description of modern American life. Is Australia closer to 1984? From what I've read, it would appear so, but having only been once (when I was 8) can't say from experience.
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1984
Animal Farm
Steppenwolf
Fuck catcher in the rye, fuck that book, it's fucking stupid, boring, and WAY overhyped. Don't waist your time with that garbage.
Also read ALL of Kurt Vonnegut, that man was a genius.
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doubleupgradeobbies!
Australia1187 Posts
On March 25 2012 15:36 iGrok wrote:Two excellent books, and very well written as well, but neither are that depressing. Show nested quote +On March 25 2012 15:31 doubleupgradeobbies! wrote:On March 25 2012 15:25 iGrok wrote:
1984 is a depressed story, but it didn't depress me... anyone else feel that way? I guess I looked past the depressing parts and focused more on the political side, and somehow that didn't depress me :/ It depressed me expressly because I focused more on the political side >< If I could read it just as a fictional story it wouldn't have touched me, but it's very relevance to reality is kinda depressing, cos that's what governments are really like... Maybe I'm just strange in this, but when I read the trilogy following Rendezvous With Rama (which i'm told was not very popular, the trilogy that is) I was also pretty depressed despite what I think was supposed to be a uplifting overall theme. Because the fiction parts of it I felt a certain distance from, but reading on how society totally falls apart and emphasises the worst in humankind seemed not only totally realistic, but pretty much inevitable if we were actually put into such a situation. Maybe I just have an exceedingly low opinion of humanity, and reading about the negative aspects both resonates with me strongly and depresses me >< Honestly Brave New World is a much more accurate description of modern American life. Is Australia closer to 1984? From what I've read, it would appear so, but having only been once (when I was 8) can't say from experience.
Actually Australia has been good so far on these things. I generally agree with how much power is given the the government, and while there have been a few fairly incompetent or uncharismatic leaderships, they generally don't actually seem to be malevolent. So in general I find that life in Australia has almost been an exception to the rule of how I think humanity tends to act.
I guess it might just be that on the geopolitical stage, Australia doesn't really have much power or say in things, but we manage to have a fairly good quality of life due to natural abundance/low population.
Maybe the age old adage holds true, power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Since we don't have much power, it works out for us :D
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Edit: Oh shit, just saw that you don't like classics. So consider my post null and void, most of it are classics unfortunately, my bad. Sorry.
I love these threads. I totally stole all those book ideas :D As someone already recommended "All quiet on the western front" is good (all of Remarque's stuff is pretty depressing), Steppenwolf (Hesse is my absolute favorite but always gives depressing events a positive look at the end) is great. One of the big dystopias that is still missing here is "We" by Yevgeny Zamyatin. Have you ever read Kafka, that might definitely be up your alley. Maybe start with "In the Penal Colony" or "The Judgment" or "The Trial", hell, read all of his works! One book that made me feel really bad but is not necessarily depressing is "Flowers for Algernon" by DAniel Keyes. Another good one might be Bertolt Brecht, he was famous for his social commentary in his plays like "Mother Courage and her Children", "The good person of Szechwan", "The three-penny Opera" or "Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny". You've also probably heard of Edgar Allan Poe. That's all I can think of right now.
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I've come to think Catcher in the Rye is a young man's book. There's a lot of stuff in there that I think is especially relevant to the mental state that comes with being 20-30, or at least that's what I got from it when I read it.
I think most of the stuff I'd recommend for you has already been spoken for here, but I'd encourage you to read Infinite Jest. That book is so awesome once you get past the funky style.
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Definitely catcher in the rye man. the book completely changed my life and how i view the world. I absolutely fell in love with holden caulfield and i think there's a bit of holden in everyone in the world. I especially love the narrative in holden's point of view. I would recommend this book to really anyone in the world
and the book will leave u depressed at the phoniness in society and the loss of innocence.
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Has no one mentioned 'Things Fall Apart' by Chinua Achebe?
C'mon, guys.....it's a classic.
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Hunger by Knut Hamsun seems to be the kind of book you're looking for. Bleak, depressing, altogether a bummer.
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'Depressing in nature'?
EVIL by Ash Ketchum.. hard to read, lots of emotions, depressing as hell. Very well written and complimented by Stephen King.
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The Road is an absolute masterpiece imho.
L'Etranger de Camus. Yeah it's a classic I guess, but it also is a masterpiece.
Cioran comes to mind too, even though it's philosophy, it'(s hard to be more depressing (someone might jump at me for this but anyway).
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if you want something a little more modern but still depressing etc i'd recommend http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomised its really good and very well written. it also talk about the world in the depressing manner you seem to want. it talks about sex in quite a frank manner though which depending on your sensibilities may be a positive or a negative but it is worth bearing in mind.
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Disgrace is masterfully written. John Coetzee walks the tightrope of the finest literature.
I wouldn't point you towards The Road, as it is ultimately plaster bound to fall off the walls. Instead, read Suttree and Blood Meridian, McCarthy's two masterpieces.
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As long as you're inclined to read Orwell, I recommend Down and Out in Paris and London, which is about a writer living in poverty in Paris and homeless in London. It is a work of fiction, but apparently is somewhat autobiographical, and should be more directly 'depressing' than his other offerings.
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I wouldn't like to recommend a book but a video game, only because this was the first thing that came into my mind after reading the OP.
The Path http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_path_video_game
Probably the creepiest and most depressing game I've ever played.
It's about modern-ish stereotypes presented through the story of Little Red Riding Hood.
On another note:
Brave new world is indeed a good book.
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American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis is fairly dark and depressing. I think that it hits all the benchmarks that you wrote about in the OP.
A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick is a fun read.
While Dick is known primarily as a science fiction writer, A Scanner Darkly is not at all science fiction. If you're into the psychology of drug addiction and how addiction affects the human mind and body, then check A Scanner Darkly out.
Both novels could be considered modern.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://www.imgur.com/K5Dcs.jpg)
