This week saw the release of Leigh Stein’s debut novel The Fallback Plan, a hilarious take on the post-college, self-absorbed, 20-something in existential crisis. We were pleased to see it, because in general, it seems like the 20s are a little bit of a dead area in fiction — there are hundreds of books about making it as a teenager (or even as a child prodigy) and hundreds more about grown-up issues and disaffected men in their 30s and 40s, but fewer about the post-college, pre-life choices period that many young Americans seem to be wallowing in these days. However, to give all you angsty 20-somethings in existential crisis mode something to read while you’re waiting out the weird years, we’ve created an absolutely required reading list, for bathtubs and bar stools alike. That’s right: you have homework, a little direction. Don’t you feel better? And hey, maybe you should read them while listening to these. Click through to fill your home-made bookshelves with the tomes on our required reading list for your quarter life crisis, and then try to buck up a little. It’s not so bad.
The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, Michael Chabon
In Chabon’s very first novel, which he began while he himself was just a 21-year old student at the University of Pittsburgh, is the story of Art Bechstein’s last-ditch attempt at a free summer before his mob boss of a father forces him to go into some respectable profession. Meeting an increasingly attractive gay man, a smart-as-a-whip biker, and a flimsy young woman, Art watches as his world both collapses and springs up around him.
Comments (13)
Hmm, this list is a bunch of disillusioned 20 something year old men, could use some female perspective.
Ditto what Jen said – only one lady author made this list?
My sentiments exactly Jen and elizs. This is a really lacking list if you are speaking to MY quarter life crisis.
Right on to the other commenters. This list is only for the quarter life crisis of the mopey white boy. Probably better that way, since I’d guess most smart young women read these books in high school.
Well said, hr!
This list is great, and not meant to be exhaustive in any way. It would be great if women could receive recommendations of books by men with grace instead of insecurity.
My first reaction was the same as everyone else’s: where are the stories about or by women on here? I can’t believe The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Banks isn’t on this list…
The list makes it seem like maybe women don’t have existential crises. Perhaps we’re too worried about finding a husband…?
Sorry, that should have been Melissa Bank. And an apostrophe in the title somewhere or other…
What about Naive.Super by Erlend Loe? He hit the nail on the head.
Hmmm…. Thought these could get our juices flowing for The Book Klub! (or be some material to draw from in the future)
@Cyn: Or maybe we’re just too level-headed? I’ve never read the Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing, but it’s on my list! Great suggestion.
@hr et al: As a woman, these happen to be some of the books that inspired and helped me through many of my own crises — generally, the sex of the author or the protagonist doesn’t much influence my enjoyment.
How about you all go read the 10,000,000,000,000 other books geared towards females. Walk into any bookstore and about 80% of the books are written by women and geared towards women. Men have far less serious literature to choose from other than stupid crime novels.
And btw, these books are part of a genre, bildungsroman, which deals with MALES overcoming existential problems.
So quit complaining, women have way more options to choose from when it comes to serious literature.
I read the Bell Jar the last time I fell victim to depression and re-evaluation of my life. I empathized with Slyvia but honestly I’ve come to the conclusion that literature and everything else is just another coin into the wishing well and that we’re subject to certain unavoidable pain and frustrations in life. All in all, I just like reading, digging my face, in more ways than one, into another book.
Post a new comment