/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.19634334]

Since 2021 is winding to a close, let's post our favorite book that we read this year

[Anonymous No.19634346]

ivy is my waifu

[Anonymous No.19634751]

Call me a pleb but I absolutely loved Franny&Zooey

[Anonymous No.19634755]

>>19634751
Not a pleb. That's a fantastic book and Salinger is one of the greatest American fiction writers of all time.

[Anonymous No.19634769]

Unfortunately I read so little this year but this was my absolute favourite. Beckett has such a unique style.

[Anonymous No.19634799]

>>19634334
Here since 2010, this is the best recommendation I've received.

[Anonymous No.19634830]

>>19634751
I love Salinger and this book but the precocious characters got on my nerves eventually

[Anonymous No.19634853]

>>19634755
He's really great imo. I've read Nine Stories and also enjoyed that very much. Have read Catcher in the Rye in German a long time ago and I'll read it in English soon (and also Raise high the....)

[Anonymous No.19634855]

It’s hard to pick just one as my favorite changes depending on my mood. I used to hate Kafka but I finally got him this year and now he is a favorite. I’ve also discovered Henry Miller who I feel is a kindred spirit, and he has helped me greatly spiritually in the hellhole that is modern USA. These 3 books stand above others that I’ve read this year not including rereads:

>The Trial by Kafka
>Kafka Complete Short Stories
>Tropic Of Cancer by Henry Miller
>The Colossus Of Maroussi by Henry Miller

[Anonymous No.19634891]

>>19634334
i love mishima

[Anonymous No.19635050]

>>19634334
I feel like if I reread it, I'll like it so much more

[Anonymous No.19635100]

>>19634334
Jack Burden is literally me.

[Anonymous No.19635124]

Sir Thomas - loved this book.

[Anonymous No.19635125]

>>19635050
I read it this year too, the presentation was interesting but the fairytale prose style felt a little tryhard. Too much obscurity for its own sake.

[Anonymous No.19635133]

I'm a atheist.

[Anonymous No.19635813]

>>19634855
The Trial is certainly the best of Kafka's three novels, of all his uncompleted works that's the one I would want finished the most

[Monique la Cynique No.19635852]

Sancho is the best

[Anonymous No.19636065]

The leopard for sure

[Anonymous No.19636296]

>>19634334
Only book I've read this year that even felt... different or "unique" I guess. It was refreshing little work of fiction.

[Anonymous No.19637079]

>>19634334

[Anonymous No.19637112]

This book got me back into reading in July. Read five more books since.

[Anonymous No.19637135]

>>19634334
I read this in January for the first time and completely forgot I did (not that I read it, but that it was this year). It was wonderful even though it wasn't super riveting or anything. It was very beautiful, and I was so happy to see that someone else sees life in a similar romantic way.

>>19636296
This was enjoyable, I think refreshing is definitely a good word for it.

[Anonymous No.19637604]

>>19637079
wonderful book

[Anonymous No.19637628]

>>19634334

[Anonymous No.19637633]

I've not been very lucky with books this year, so pic related. I assume we're talking about fiction/literary works.

>>19634891
The Sea of Fertility has some of the best books I've ever read, but Confessions of a Mask was terrible, what are you talking about?

[Anonymous No.19637638]

>>19634334
Always been a big Norm fan and finally got around to reading this in February. His death was such a shock man, rip to the king

[Anonymous No.19637657]

>>19634751
I read F&Z this year too. Has anybody discussed the influence of Salinger on DFW? Has DFW discussed it? All of DFWs characters - but of course the Incandenzas the most - are so reminiscent of the Glass family.

[Anonymous No.19637703]

>>19634334
Read it in the first week of January, and still nothing else this year topped it. Amazing book.

[Anonymous No.19637735]

>>19637628
Is it really that good? I've been thinking about picking it up.

[Anonymous No.19637767]

I don't read much at all, but I recently got into audio books. And I kept seeing posts about Blood Meridian on /tv/... so I got the audio book, and it absolutely blew me away. The writing is the best I've ever read. The language... Maybe it's autism (I've been tested, and they said I didn't have it), but I listened to it three times in as many months.

[Anonymous No.19637779]

Peak comfy

[Anonymous No.19637786]

favorites this year were demons, growth of the soil and east of eden probably
i was also pleasantly surprised by dorian grey. not gonna finish Anna kerinina until into next year unfortunately

[Anonymous No.19637804]

Read this late in the year so it's fresh in my memory but I'd still say it was my favourite.
Honourable mentions to Maggie Cassidy, Platform, and Slowly Down the Ganges.
I must acknowledge Emma, Stoner, and Journey to the End of the Night which are all 'classics' that I enjoyed but didn't really stick with me past the final page.

[Anonymous No.19637813]

>>19637767
>I've been tested, and they said I didn't have it
Based cormacfag

[Anonymous No.19638549]

I still have a bit of Brothers Karamazov left but either that or Journey to the End of the Night.

[Anonymous No.19638563]

>>19637767
Based. The aural nature of BM is CM paying respects to Homer for The Iliad, which was originally an oral epic.

[Anonymous No.19638568]

>>19634334

[Anonymous No.19638615]

Underland

[Anonymous No.19638631]

>>19634334
This. It's stuck with me the most.

[Anonymous No.19638693]

>>19634334
Also, reread Catch-22 which is my favourite book, but don't think that counts.