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/lit/ - Literature

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6529863 No.6529863 [Reply] [Original]

What is the best American book from the 1950's cultural era? Please note that "the '50s" as a cultural era can stretch from about 1949 to 1962/3, the same way that "the 90's" lasted until 9/11, and "the 70's" didn't really begin until 1972. Anyways, I'm looking for some books that really represent those times and place, sort of like pic related did on TV.

>> No.6529866

Babbitt

>> No.6529871

>>6529863
Naked Lunch?

>> No.6529903

>>6529866
1922... althought I'm sure you have a point/
>>6529871
That's a good one but I'm trying to find something outside of the beats.

>> No.6529908

>>6529863
Sterling is awesome

>> No.6529909

revolutionary road by richard yates

>> No.6529915

>>6529908
you fuckin with me nigger?
>>6529909
this looks perfect, thank you

>> No.6529928
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6529928

>>6529863

>> No.6529930

>9/11 ended the 90s

lololololol

>> No.6529936

Invisible Man, The Recognitions, everything by Flannery O'Connor, Lolita, Pale Fire

>> No.6529951

foundation trilogy is my personal favorite from that era. also the chronicles of narnia came out then, and they're the best of children's lit imo.

>> No.6529955

>>6529936
Also a number of things by J. D. Salinger, Carson McCullers, Saul Bellow, Eudora Welty, Norman Mailer

>> No.6529957

>>6529903
It's about the 20s but they are similar to the 50s... Post-war American decadence. It's a really great satire. I'm a little over half way through myself.

>> No.6529971

Lolita. Hands down.

>> No.6529984

The Trial, Its from the same cultural era

>> No.6529991

>>6529863
L O L I T A
O
L
I
T
A

>> No.6529995

>>6529955
>>6529936
Oh and John Cheever's stories (maybe what you're REALLY looking for)

>> No.6530016

If you're interested in poets from that time as well, some important ones are Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Penn Warren, John Berryman, Theodore Roethke and Robert Lowell.

>> No.6530023

>>6529955
>>6529955
>Saul Bellow

Haven't read any, but my local bookstore has several of his works and I've been thinking about picking up one or two. Which would you most recommend?

The ones I remember seeing are Herzog, Henderson the Rain King and The Bellarosa Connection. I know there were more but can't remember which.

>> No.6530029

>>6530016
Oh and Frank O'Hara

>> No.6530045

>>6530023
The novel Seize the Day seems like exactly what OP is looking for, honestly. It's also short, so it's a good way to see if you like him or not, and want to read more.

>> No.6530052

>>6530023
>>6530045
What about The Adventures of Augie March? Is it good?

>> No.6530053

>>6529995
I love "The Swimmer"

>> No.6531499

Breakfast at Tiffany's

>> No.6531508

>>6529863
Death of a salemen

>> No.6533172

>>6529863
>"the '50s" as a cultural era can stretch....
"The long eighteenth century"
Are there any cultural eras based on the actual time that it lasted for?

>> No.6533181

>>6530016
>roethke
Kek

>> No.6533182

>>6533172
>CULTURAL eras
>actual time
They are all based on how long they lasted for. Just the names aren't.

>> No.6533186

>>6530023
Henderson the Rain King is extremely good

>>6529863
the answer to 'best' is Pnin/Lolita

but the 'most 50s' book is probably The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit

>> No.6533217

>>6530016
+Charles Olson, Robert Creeley, Ed Dorn, Robert Duncan, Louis Zukofsky, William Carlos Williams, Jonathan Williams, Kenneth Koch

>> No.6534210

>>6533217
Thanks. I guess Ezra Pound and Wallace Stevens were active during that time as well.

>> No.6534216

And Kenneth Rexroth