books that will help us grapple with existence (according a redditor)

First, if you think you might kill yourself, read The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus.
If you’re coming to grips with someone’s past affections for someone else (or someone called you a West Briton) read “The Dead“, a short story by James Joyce.
If you hate your shitty office job and staring at your cube walls make you crazy, read Then We Came To The End by Joshua Ferris.
If you think you’re the worst fuck-up in the world read Jernigan by David Gates or alternately, “Where I’m Calling From“, a short story by Raymond Carver. That will fix that.
If you’re fucking a lot but still feel empty read Because They Wanted To by Mary Gaitskill.
If you feel you have committed an unforgivable crime, read Atonement by Ian McEwan.

You might need one of these books to flush your system by relating to one of the characters, then to start feeling better, move to one of the books in the next paragraph.

If you are wanting to try to find the courage to try something new, read The Commitments by Roddy Doyle.
If you are trying to get over a bad relationship, read The Shipping News by Annie Proulx. But not anything else by Annie Proulx, ok?
If you’ve been in war read “The Things They Carried“, a short story by Tim O’Brien or “The Pugilist at Rest“, a short story by Thom Jones.
If you’re trying to get over family issues in your childhood, read Waterland by Graham Swift.
If you’re losing your faith in all of humanity, read The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, but don’t stop until you’ve read the last page, you hear?
If you’re worried over a friendship that had a falling out, read “This Is What It Means To Say Phoenix, Arizona“, a short story by Sherman Alexie.
If you think the problem is you, read A Wizard of EarthSea by Ursula Le Guin.
If your significant other left you, read The Riders by Tim Winton.
If its the death of a friend, read “In the Cemetery Where Al Jolsen Is Buried“, a short story by Amy Hempel.
If none of these work, then read The Once and Future King by T.H. White, where everyone looks completely human in all their dimensions but you love them anyway. 

Source: http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/t81vq/books_that_will_help_me_grapple_with_existence/c4kdac6

 

Iklan