Sinful poverty

[Badahiploopapak]

That's what I like reading about: Poor people. Drug addicts, criminals, goofs, clever deceivers, manipulators, victims, evil doers and saviors. Anyone know a book or two what sounds like that? And I like books set in the early 20th century southern (north) America.

[kiki1982]

Well, it's not set in America or antyhing, but I think sinful poverty... then you need mabe to read Dickens and Les Misérables big time. It's all in there.

[FROADS]

Bukowski has a number of books. Factotum fits the description best.

[ladderandbucket]

You Can't Win by Jack Black

Suttree by Cormac Mccarthy

[cafolini]

Well, it's not set in America or antyhing, but I think sinful poverty... then you need mabe to read Dickens and Les Misérables big time. It's all in there.

Dickens is one of the greatest English writers by far. David Copperfield is most likely one of the greatest biographies ever written. Even Dostoievski admitted openly that Dickens woke him up. Who cares about Milton and Dante? Who cares about Virgil when confronted with Dickens? Perhaps Bocaccio had something worth saying. But Petrarch? Cardinalia, arcekissing Petrarch? Who cares about those Monkey Grammarians trying to stop human evolution from plunging into freedom and democracy? Even Blake had something worth saying when compared to those paralysed figurettes.

[Seasider]

I would suggest " Last Exit to Brooklyn" by Hubert Selby Junior.Set in 50s New York. It has violence, corruption, crime, sex, gay and straight. It has become a cult classic. Deeply unsettling but well written and very memorable.

[ennison]

Try Genesis. It is all about deception and trickery. Judges is about even worse.

[Lykren]

Lots of Raymond Carver stories are about alcoholism and other troubles, especially in the lower classes. Try starting with 'Popular Mechanics'; it's extremely short.