/lit/ - Literature

Viktor Vasnetsov.

Are there any novels out there with a major theme of humanity being forced to fit itself into nature? As opposed to just overcoming it as most man vs. nature themes end up.

The first example I could think of for this would be a world where the rain kills anyone exposed to it, prompting the creation of domed cities and whatnot.

>>3541880
The Greek/Roman, the Norse, the Egyptian, and the Babylonian pantheons should make a comeback.

>>3484120
“Yes.”
“But she does.”
“Maybe,” said Paiolo.
“No, she definitely does.”
Paiolo locked his jaw. “It doesn’t matter. Her Bequeathal is for all kin to observe.”
“Her what?” asked Din.
“Bequeathal.”
“Sounds dumb.”
“It is dumb,” said Yala, the firstborn. “Grandma Wulga hates you, anyway.”
Paiolo turned and smacked both of them across their mouths. “You shut your mouths. This is family. Do you understand?”
They didn’t understand.
After a while, Yala asked, “Is she going to give us words of wisdom?”
“Maybe,” said Paiolo. “She’s very old.”
“Is she going to give us a word that can change men into worms?”
“No,” said Paiolo.
“Is she going to make us rich?”
“Maybe.”
“You’re a liar,” said Yala.
“I bet she smells bad,” said Din.
“She smells like old people,” said Yala.
“She does smell like old people,” Paiolo consented.
Paiolo and his sons hitched themselves to a caravan that traveled by foot. The men on its flanks carried spears and wore holy characters painted on their skin. This was custom on the Plain. Devils lived in the tall grass and it was stupid to go unguarded against them. Paiolo was no spearman. He walked with his arms awkwardly down at his sides.
There was only one wagon among the caravan. It was hooded and made from tortoise shells. Paiolo’s sons sat in its bed with damp cloths over their heads, listening to the jangle of its ivory windchimes bumping and clattering together.
ays and weeks and miles of white dust and dead grass and scarce a shadow under the sun. Shade trees were seldom. Men took turns sitting under the shade, drinking from their waterskins. Sometimes they’d get into fights over inconsequential things--weather or women or hunting sport.
“Tell me again about the woman with your daughter,” said a man. “The one with the big ass.”
The other ground his teeth. “Why?”

I am prone to mood swings and I have trouble describing it. Anyone else here constantly have mood swings? How do you describe them?

Dear /lit/,

I am a graduate student in history and would like to have some suggestions, if you are so kind. I am looking for a book or two to read in the limited time I have between semesters. Can anyone recommend good books with solid stories that are far removed from any semblance of a history text? I still need to read many of the 'all-time greats' but am curious to know /lit/'s opinion. Thank you.

tl;dr: Asking nicely for good, non-fantasy books that are great for an escape type of read?

ITT Epic poems or collections that can serve as epic poems for discussion:

The Black Riders and Other Lines (Crane)
Ancestors (Brathwaite)
Eureka (Poe)
The Iliad and Odyssey (Homer)
The Epic of Gilgamesh (unknown)
The Mahabarata (unknown)
Beowulf (unknown)
Eunoia (Bok)
The Bible (Nameless mortals used as abject, quivering meathands for recording the word of God)

That's only off the top of my head, I'm sure there are others worthy of our discourse.