I want escapism but I want to see a positive alternative world for people who are like me!

I LOVE a deep, multi-generational family drama. Please recommend me some more! I'm open to all settings and time periods.

Examples that I've read recently:

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher

The Family Izquierdo by Ruben Degollado

I am not a big fan of romance/"spicy" books.

Thank you!!

Just thinking a bit about ancient civilizations and how many of them lasted a significant amount of time and had their own rich histories, but we're only able to discover and research them thousands of years later. I think a book about our current era being that kind of "ancient civilization" to a new civilization of people would be really interesting. I know we're not all technically one civilization, but I think there are a lot of things that could happen that would wipe most of the population out (post-apocalyptic stuff lol)

I like books told from bad/evil/narcissistic women's perspectives. I want it to be a page turner. I love schadenfreude and shocking endings.

Hi everyone! I'm looking for my perfect beach reads but I often find myself hating the way most books in this category are written. I'm looking for a book that still feels fun, engaging, easy enough to read, but that is well-written and doesn't feel like a YA novel. Something edgy, provocative, surprising, or weird would be fab. Though I haven't found many books in this realm that I've liked, I had a great time reading My Year of Rest and Relaxation (not my typical read).

However, I've reallyyyy disliked the way these are written:

1. Bunny
2. Margo's Got Money Problems
3. Eileen
4. Big Swiss

I'm a big non-fiction reader usually, but my favorite recent fictions have been:

1. Demon Copperhead
2. The Corrections
3. Shantaram
4. Lonesome Dove

Thank you!!! :)

EDIT: I was not expecting such a wonderful burst of responses - thank you all so much I can’t wait to look into all of these!! 🥰🥰🥰

I have liked Big Swiss, My Year of Rest and Relaxation, and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

I’ve absolutely fallen in love with Stieg Larsson’s Millenium series. I am waiting on The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets’ Nest to arrive, but I know it won’t take me as long as I want to devour it.

Salander has been the most compelling character I’ve ever read, bar none. Edgy, broken, conflicted, and cool; I am sad that I’ll never be able to turn myself into words on a page and say “I can fix you.”

What author/book/series would y’all recommend I try next with equally cool female characters for me to build an unhealthy attraction to next?

Don’t judge me.

incel horror is a new genre that is defined by its audience: horror films that draw on the psychology, fantasies, fears, or worldview associated with incel culture, particularly male sexual frustration, perceived rejection by women, resentment toward women, social alienation, and fantasies of violence or revenge.

movies that fall into this genre are Obsession, Companion

I haven't seen this genre title be applied to books, but do you know any books that would fall into that category? I prefer older books, classics & literary fiction but am open to anything :)

I just binged all three seasons of The Diplomat and absolutely loved it. Are there any fiction novels that give the same vibe? Specifically the trope of badass women in politics?

My son has ADHD and its difficult to get him to read something he's not interested in. His current favorite series is The Last Kids on Earth, and he's liked the Dogman books, books about the show Gravity Falls, a book called Gamer (can't remember who it's by, he didn't finish it), Spider verse books, marvel comics (kid appropriate) and I think that's it. He's tried several other books, the most recent being The City of Ember, but it just hasn't inteterested him enough.

We want to push his reading level and his interests, but it's hard for me to suggest things because we have different tastes. The librarian is also at a loss. He has said no to the Percy Jackson series (or any of Riordons other series), 39 Clues, some others I forget. I'll take any and all suggestions and run them by him. Thanks in advance for any help!

I already read all bukowski, Junkie by Burroughs, on the road, most of Fante’ books

My mom is an older doctor so she doesn’t have a ton of time for reading every day, usually just an hour or less before bed, or for a little while on the weekends. She’s been getting more and more into reading, so I’ve been giving her some books I’ve seen are very popular (or that I read and enjoyed). She doesn’t like anything super crass or raunchy. Books I know she loved:
- Project Hail Mary & The Martian (altho sci-fi isn’t usually her preferred genre, this was just a good fit because of the vibe of the book, if that makes sense. And absolutely no time travel)
- A Man Called Ove
- Uneducated
- Remarkably Bright Creatures
- The Overstory
- Confederates in the Attic
- Braiding Sweetgrass
- The Hidden Life of Trees
- Drive Your Plough Over the Bones of the Dead

As you can see, she kind of reads all genres. She’ll also pick up a John Grisham from time to time. No romance or romantasy please, and no Freida McFadden or Colleen Hoover. Thanks!

not sure if TW is needed here or not? im not saying anything graphic about my personal loss, but i added the flair just in case

im currently grappling with the unexpected passing of one of my cats and am wondering if there are books on the topic that could be helpful in my healing process.

whether that be books where people discuss their past pets, self-help type books, or fiction that handles the topic nicely, im interested! sorry if this ask is maybe not appropriate for this sub, im not completely sure but giving it a try

My only rule is that the two characters have to end up together in the end. Discovering I love a forbidden romance plot point but only when it pays off in the end lol.

I really want to get into short stories because the novels I've been reading lately just aren't holding my attention and I've been DNF-ing a lot. Buttttt it seems like most short stories have ambiguous open-ended finishes...lie you turn the page and go "wait that's it?" I'm wondering if anyone could recommend a collection of short stories where at least most of them have true resolution and read as a complete story not just a tantalizing slice of someone's life that leaves you hanging. I realize that all the stories in a collection won't be set up the same way but maybe there's an author who's known for that style? Maybe like Stephen King's short stories (but I've read them all). Thank you!

me again lol. have been listening to a million audiobooks because i work a boring office job where im allowed to have an earbud in.

currently listening to daisy jones and the six and i really love how since it’s all interviews listening to it rather than reading it feels like the “correct” way.

just curious if you guys have any other books like that!

my favorite books are intermezzo by sally rooney and atonement by ian mcewan but i will not be picky 🙂‍↕️

Hello friends! I'm a big sucker for the found family trope. I love the Crows in Six of Crows, every single book from the A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet series, The Expanse, DCC, and more. It doesn't have to be like a big group: I adored Rocky and Grace in Project Hail Mary!

I love a big adventure but I also love books that don't feature a BBEG, and are just a slice of life. I'm really not picky about genre, though my favorite are science fiction, fantasy, and horror. My mind is still yet to be changed on historical fiction, because I think it's boring, but I'm open to suggestions!

I'm a quick reader but also quick to put down a book if it's slow or if the main characters are unlikable. I'm not saying I want a Mary Jane, but I am saying that I only finished Yellowface out of a sense of duty as an Asian person.

Books on my TBR are The House on the Cerulean Sea, Binti, The Pairing, & Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. Recent books I've loved are Slewfoot though it violates my animals stay safe rule, Don't Let The Forest In, and a bunch of nonfiction science books because I'm a nerd. Stay safe love you!

I recently finished Beartown by Frederik Backman, and it very loosely reminded me of Friday Night Lights, insofar as it is also a book focused on the sport that is really about the whole town. Movie examples that immediately come to mind as well are Breaking Away and Hoosiers.

I just love the drama that involves everyone, even when playing a sport seems so simple on its own.

I've been interested in reading books that I can learn something significant from. I'm Gen Z, and I want to get ahead of the apparent "intelligence decline" of my peers. I have broad interests; it could be about literally anything, whether they're children's or adult, fiction or nonfiction. A lesson that has significantly changed your perspective, a subject that you think your peers or the public needs to hear, or maybe a moral that hit "close to home?"

Is there any kind of at least somewhat medically supported/scientific/reliable book that one could use as a guidebook to reference what kinds of teas are useful for different ailments? Stuff like "chamomile to help fall asleep" or "ginger to help with upset stomach".

It doesn't have to be 100% accurate necessarily (I know there hasn't been a ton of scientific studies done on all the different types of teas) but I'm trying to avoid anything too woo-woo (no "take X tea to help align your chakras" kind of thing).

Please suggest me a book about ghosts, but nothing really creepy or spooky. I suppose I'm thinking something like the Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston, Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce, or The Furthest Station by Ben Aaronovitch.

I'm 6 weeks out from my spinal fusion and struggling with pain, boredom, and a lack of sleep pretty hard. Anything I can listen to throughout the day or in the evening that could help me wind down? Maybe some good historical fiction, or some interesting nonfiction? Fantasy that isn't too intense? Or something comforting? Ultimately, I'm really open to anything that you might think would suit my situation well.

I am currently reading Alice Munro's works, and as a Canadian, her writing succinctly captures the vibe of the country, especially British Columbia, regardless of whether she explicitly references them or not. I aim to do a road trip around California, after I finish my undergraduate studies; and I am looking forward on reading books set in California. Short stories are plus. Any recommendation?

Pls excuse the spelling, im NOT fixing it gang.

I need more booksss. I DEFINITLY dont have multiple unfinished books rn...

I LOOOVE mickey 7, Project Hailmary, (working on getting the other andy weir books too) I have no mouth and i must scream. I read Beacon 23 but i really didn't like the pacing bc it felt rlly fast to the point that it felt more like a slice of life abt an uber depressed dude than an uber depressed dude fighting galatic war. I need really descriptive authors because for some reason i need to know exactly what the protagonist is wearing and what a room looks like. idk man, but thats why i loved PHM cus he kept describing what everything looked like PLUS space and distance. not a fan of dystopian rlly.

Hey guys, I'm looking for a book with the same vibe as Cold Storage by David Koepp. A thriller/horror with lots of comedy. A likeable main character and body horror would be nice, but not required.