Reading suggestions based on theme

[Leo The Lion]

Hello! I'm looking for some reading suggestions, but with a specific theme.
I've always been a man moved by tragedy, and consumed by grief.
Always one for tragedies involving love and death.
But, I am looking for novels, plays, and short stories that focus on questioning the meaning of life and/or death and what comes afterwards. Anything with an underlying existential dilemma would be excellent also.
I've had trouble with finding any of the above themes, with the exception of a few excellent novels, which I could only pace my way through but for so long.


The Sorrows Of Young Werther and The Catcher In The Rye are two among my favorite.

Hope to have a pile to dig into.

Thank you for your patience, as I am new to this.


Leo

[johann cruyff]

You'd probably like some of Hesse's works. Namely, Steppenwolf and Siddhartha.

Also, Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilych is great.

[Leo The Lion]

Thank you! These seem to be wonderful suggestions; I did a bit of reading about all three, and while i've heard of both authors, it's hard to find these themes when you don't know where to look. So, I would never have known had you not brought this to my attention. If anything else comes to mind, please, let me know.

Once again, thanks very much.

[stlukesguild]

Yes, Hesse came immediately to mind. I would suggest The Glass Bead Game as well... his greatest work. Add to that Thomas Mann's Death in Venice and if you are more ambitious, his novel Doctor Faustus. Of course Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Kafka have a pervading air of darkness or tragedy running through them. Tolstoy's Kreutzer Sonata would also be a good selection, along with Theophile Gautier's Clarimonde (sometimes titled The Vampire or Love in Death).

[Jozanny]

Hello! I'm looking for some reading suggestions, but with a specific theme.
I've always been a man moved by tragedy, and consumed by grief.
Always one for tragedies involving love and death.
But, I am looking for novels, plays, and short stories that focus on questioning the meaning of life and/or death and what comes afterwards. Anything with an underlying existential dilemma would be excellent also.


Don Quixote?
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Nickel Mountain, John Gardner

[kelby_lake]

Maybe The Great Gatsby? There's a quote in there somewhere about death, and if you like tragedies, this is a good one. Poor Gatsby, still wrapped up in the past. :(

[wessexgirl]

[QUOTE=Leo The Lion;605555
I've always been a man moved by tragedy, and consumed by grief.
Always one for tragedies involving love and death.
But, I am looking for novels, plays, and short stories that focus on questioning the meaning of life and/or death and what comes afterwards. Anything with an underlying existential dilemma would be excellent also.
I've had trouble with finding any of the above themes, with the exception of a few excellent novels, which I could only pace my way through but for so long.


Just thinking of love and death, what about Thomas Hardy, particularly Jude the Obscure. That will have you weeping buckets. I'm also going to try Eugene Onegin by Pushkin. I've seen the film, and it seems to have a real air of doom, sadness and ennui about it. I think the book is actually an epic poem, so you may have to decide on a reputable translation. I believe that there's a new prose one available now.

Perhaps you could also put the Shakesperean greats Hamlet, Macbeth and King Lear in the same category too. They are certainly tragedies, with philosophical ideas and insights in there, and questions about the meaning of life. Just think of Macbeth's speech of "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow...", Hamlet's pontifications about suicide, "But that the dread of something after death, the undiscovered country, from whose bourn no traveller returns....", and Lear's despair at the end of the play, "Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life. And thou no breath at all". You can't go wrong with Shakespeare if you're looking for depth and profundity, he's your man.

[wessexgirl]

[QUOTE=Leo The Lion;605555
I've always been a man moved by tragedy, and consumed by grief.
Always one for tragedies involving love and death.
But, I am looking for novels, plays, and short stories that focus on questioning the meaning of life and/or death and what comes afterwards. Anything with an underlying existential dilemma would be excellent also.
I've had trouble with finding any of the above themes, with the exception of a few excellent novels, which I could only pace my way through but for so long.


Just thinking of love and death, what about Thomas Hardy, particularly
Jude the Obscure. That will have you weeping buckets. I'm also going to tryEugene Onegin by Pushkin. I've seen the film, and it seems to have a real air of doom, sadness and ennui about it. I think the book is actually an epic poem, so you may have to decide on a reputable translation. I believe that there's a new prose one available now.

Perhaps you could also put the Shakesperean greats Hamlet,Macbeth and King Lear in the same category too. They are certainly tragedies, with philosophical ideas and insights in there, and questions about the meaning of life. Just think of Macbeth's speech of "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow...", Hamlet's pontifications about suicide, "But that the dread of something after death, the undiscovered country, from whose bourn no traveller returns....", and Lear's despair at the end of the play, "Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life. And thou no breath at all". You can't go wrong with Shakespeare if you're looking for depth and profundity, he's your man.

[Leo The Lion]

I am so thrilled to find myself stumbling over my feet rushing to enjoy the contents of these. You have provided me with a solitary mound of literature, which couldn't possibly leave me lonely, considering the juicy richness of each page that I will inhabit.

Thanks! I'll let you know how I like them.

[DeadAsDreams]

Well, The Room by Jean-Paul Sartre came to mind. It doesnt raise questions of life after death, but it does provide some insight and raise questions about the nature of love. It also has an existentialist theme. I found it very moving, and while its probably not exactly what you are looking for, based on your description of your tastes I believe you will enjoy it all the same.

[Etienne]

Plenzdorf - The New Sorrows (it's been translated Sufferings (sic) in some versions) of Young W, which despite it's rather insipid title, is supposed to be very good, and I've been meaning to get it for a while but it's quite hard to find, although it's on amazon.

[Leo The Lion]

That sounds rather interesting. The New sorrows of young w. (anything to do with werther, and i'm a catch).

[kelby_lake]

Well, The Room by Jean-Paul Sartre came to mind. It doesnt raise questions of life after death, but it does provide some insight and raise questions about the nature of love. It also has an existentialist theme. I found it very moving, and while its probably not exactly what you are looking for, based on your description of your tastes I believe you will enjoy it all the same.

I haven't heard of that one- what's it about?

[Erichtho]

Plenzdorf - The New Sorrows (it's been translated Sufferings (sic) in some versions) of Young W, which despite it's rather insipid title, is supposed to be very good, and I've been meaning to get it for a while but it's quite hard to find, although it's on amazon.

I thought this book was as insipid as the title suggests, the only inventive thing is that the story is told from the dead protagonist's point of view, and it's not before the end that you find out how he died. I cannot recommend it.

An afterthought: The Werther is a book I disliked, and the Catcher I count amongst the worst books I have ever read, so if I didn't like Plenzdorf's Werther it might be just the right book for you.

If you want to read other coming-of-age novels (that I find to be much better than the Catcher) I can recommend Musil's Törleß, Moritz' Anton Reiser, Stifter's Indian Summer, and the already mentioned Hesse (especially his Glass Bead Game).

[Leo The Lion]

Once again, thanks for the suggestions. They all seem to be good readings. I'm sure i'll have my hands full for awhile.. if anything else comes to mind..tragic love..etc.. let me know.

[DeadAsDreams]

I haven't heard of that one- what's it about?

Its about a woman whose husband goes insane. Her parents pressure her to put him away but instead she basically becomes willfully insane so she can continue to love and understand him.

[aabbcc]

Selimović, Death and the Dervish.
Rilke, The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge (I am currently reading that one).

[Melmoth]

Maybe The Great Gatsby? There's a quote in there somewhere about death, and if you like tragedies, this is a good one. Poor Gatsby, still wrapped up in the past. :(

Kelby, I found this novel dealt with a rather shallow subject... I didin't disliked it, though.

My suggestions, Leo:


Of course, Shakespeare's Tragedies.
Jean Paul Sartre's The Wall is a good one.

And why not... some -18th c.- Graveyard Poetry??? :idea:

Robert Blair's The Grave
Edward Young's Night Thoughts
Thomas Gray's An Elegy Written in a Country Church Yard

[DecemberSun]

Albert Camus.
I'd recommend either The Fall or The Stranger

[kelby_lake]

Kelby, I found this novel dealt with a rather shallow subject... I didin't disliked it, though.


I think a lot of people didn't like the book because it was about the American Dream/20's hedonism. But if you take it purely as a love story- that's one hell of a love story. And Gatsby, flawed though he was, never gave up.
Simply, you ought to read The Metamorphosis though :)

[DecemberSun]

I think a lot of people didn't like the book because it was about the American Dream/20's hedonism. But if you take it purely as a love story- that's one hell of a love story. And Gatsby, flawed though he was, never gave up.
Simply, you ought to read The Metamorphosis though :)

I loved The Great Gatsby as well. It's a very enchanting love story.

[Melmoth]

I think a lot of people didn't like the book because it was about the American Dream/20's hedonism. But if you take it purely as a love story- that's one hell of a love story. And Gatsby, flawed though he was, never gave up.
Simply, you ought to read The Metamorphosis though :)

Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I liked the book and I appreciate the hedonist atmosphere decribed in it. However, I think it's really hard to find something such as transcendentalism in it....

[FalseReality]

Aren't most of our concerns with sex and death?

Albert Camus for sure. Chock full of Existentialism. Might want to try The Stranger

[storywriter101]

I would definitely suggest Twilight. I am not sure if you would have read it already since it is becoming quite popular, but if not, it is an awesome read. I would highly recommend it. It is love and suspense where a girl is in love with a vampire.

[Leo The Lion]

These have all been wonderful suggestions. Even Albert Camus, who I find a bit dry.

[Suzie_Q]

After reading your post, Hermann Hesse aso immediately came to my mind. My favorite book, and I think you will also like it very much, is Narziss and Goldmund. Great book about two friends in the Middle Ages and the life choices they make.

[tscherff]

the dead
from james joyce dubliners

a new version of the christmas story