Lolita is my favorite book of all time simply for the way it uses language and the literary medium. What books can I read to continue down that path?
I’m not specifically looking for books that are provocative or in similar themes to Lolita, although that would be fine. I am focused most on the use of language.
by that-dude-chris
7 Comments
Have you tried more books by Nabokov? Maybe Pnin or Pale Fire?
Other Nabokov. Pale Fire is maybe the best for what you’re looking for.
Saul Bellow may be the closest thing to Nabokov’s style in English. Herzog is probably his classic.
A few other recommendations:
William Golding: Pincher Martin, The Spire, Darkness Visible
Anthony Burgess: A Clockwork Orange, Earthly Powers, Napoleon Symphony
Martin Amis: Time’s Arrow, The Information, London Fields
Handmaid’s Tale has a unique style.
I have loved books by Chabon and Ichiguru. I think the narrative style rather than the writing style is what made me love them, though they are excellent writers in general.
That’s a tough one. Nabokov is a giant for a reason.
Someone mentioned Clockwork Orange. I’ll second that. Amazing writing.
Here are some random books with great prose:
Partick Suskind – Perfume
Henry Miller – Sexus/Plexus/Nexus. Or maybe Tropic Of Cancer
Charles Bukowski – Post Office
William Burroughs – Naked Lunch is the most obvious, but Queer is getting ready to be a Daniel Craig movie.
Joesph Conrad – Heart Of Darkness
Just about anything from Cormac MeCarthy
Not quite like Nabokov but I would recommend The Floating Opera by John Barth, The Dead Father by Donald Barthelme, and The crying of lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon.
They all have modern and post modern themes and play with the form of the novel.
Speak Memory, Nabokov’s memoir, also does this! He’s really just fantastic!
Look Homeward, Angel by Thomas Wolfe.