Please recommend a novel

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I'd like to start reading again. My Dad gave me V. S. Naipaul's A House for Mr Biswas last Christmas. I'm still slowly plugging away at it but not with that much enthusiasm. I guess I'm looking for something relatively recent that's easy to follow without taking a course on it (not that the Naipaul isn't), that's under 300 pages (under 200 is even better), with sympathetic characters and a linear narrative plot (where, you know, stuff happens) that's not extremely heavy reading but that's not totally fluffy. (Middlebrow?) Any suggestions are hugely welcome. Stuff that can be easily found in a university library or, failing that, public library is ideal.

― Sundar (sundar), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 22:53 (nineteen years ago)

http://ilx.wh3rd.net/newanswers.php?board=54

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 22:55 (nineteen years ago)

http://g-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/bc/1d/89ea92c008a0e3f4adbf9010._AA240_.L.jpg

― antexit (antexit), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 22:56 (nineteen years ago)

pizza the hut is NOT a sympathetic character.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 23:00 (nineteen years ago)

not that plot driven but my old fave is The Moviegoer by Walker Percy

― ryan (ryan), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 23:03 (nineteen years ago)

Not very linear, but easy enough to follow: Pale Fire.

― The Jazz Guide to Penguins on Compact Disc (Rock Hardy), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 23:08 (nineteen years ago)

The Moviegoer isn't recent, but I would strongly second it. A great book and certain to be in the library. Ol' Walker never gets any props.

Thinking of plot and recent, I am coming up with Baudolino by Eco from a couple of years ago. Should fit the bill.

― pleased to mitya (mitya), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 23:11 (nineteen years ago)

Me Talk Pretty One Day. Super smart. Way easy to get into. LOL f-u-n-n-y. Works well with ADD. Excellent writing.

― Fluffy Bear (Fluffy Bear Hearts Rainbows), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 23:12 (nineteen years ago)

the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime. it takes like one day to read and is pretty funny and the narrator is pretty sympathetic.

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 23:14 (nineteen years ago)

Second for Curious Incident.... I was blown away unexpectedly by Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chavelier (I thought it would be dull). And I just finished How I Paid For College: A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship and Musical Theater by Mark Acito and loved it - laugh out loud funny. That one's probably a bit lower brow, but if you've ever worked on a play... it's perfect.

― Sara Robinson-Coolidge (Sara R-C), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 23:48 (nineteen years ago)

Someday I have to re-read The Moviegoer, because I didn't find it worthy of the love shown by ILX.

Michael Chabon's The Wonder Boys is a good read, I'm pretty sure it's under 300. Very funny, sympathetic characters but never maudlin.

Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby if you've never read it. Not so much on the uplifting/sympathetic front, but it's the odd canon classic that is completely enjoyable to read.

― milo z (mlp), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 23:49 (nineteen years ago)

Flannery O'Connor: Wise Blood

DO IT!

― killy (baby lenin pin), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 23:51 (nineteen years ago)

David Benioff's 25th Hour manages to make a heroin dealer sympathetic, fits all the other criteria quite well.

― milo z (mlp), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 23:51 (nineteen years ago)

Clearly any Hitchhiker's Guide book.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 23:51 (nineteen years ago)

Good Omens (Gaiman/Pratchett) is better and more fun than anything either has done separately.

― milo z (mlp), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 23:54 (nineteen years ago)

pale fire, the moviegoer, gatsby, curious incident, sedaris - all good. also: pnin (nabakov), a confederacy of dunces (toole), the neon bible (toole), lucky jim (amis).

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 7 June 2006 23:55 (nineteen years ago)

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