I just finished East of Eden and before that Lonesome Dove. Have no idea what I want to or should read next. It feels like it’s impossible for me to hit on a 3rd incredible book in a row even based on choosing a classic or one from a best of all time list. Would love something like East of Eden that reads like a philosophy or even another epic like Lonesome Dove. Really enjoyed how much each of those books dove into establishing the characters and human nature. So please give me something that will keep this reading streak of mine alive!
by lsimpson18
8 Comments
Have you read Stoner? Or Anna Karenina?
*Don’t* read other Larry MacMurtry. The sequels and prequels are too sad, and the other books aren’t as good.
Maybe try *Shogun*. Or *Game of Thrones*.
War and Peace is epic
Agree with Shogun…or The Count of Monte Cristo.
If you want something “same but different,” Cannery Row (also Steinbeck) has a very different feel than East of Eden while still offering a window into human nature via well-established, recognizable characters. I think it has just as much wisdom to offer despite being much shorter and using simpler language.
*If Beale Street Could Talk* by James Baldwin
*The Grapes of Wrath* by John Steinbeck
*The Left Hand of Darkness* by Ursula K LeGuin
I would do the Count of Monte Cristo to make it a solid three in a row.
Then I would give your brain a reward and read Project Hail Mary, a wonderful science fiction book.
If you like deep characters and exploring people’s psychology / why they treat each other the way they do, I recommend Jonathan Franzen’s novels. Particularly:
– The Corrections
– Freedom
– Crossroads