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/lit/ - Literature

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File: 5 KB, 200x282, Perksofbeingwallflower1.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
3732130 No.3732130 [Reply] [Original]

Sup /lit/. I'm running in to a bit of a dilemma; I'm a senior in high school (18 so not underage) and I've been reading as long as I can remember. I have a very active social life with my close group of friends, and have always found it relatively easy to befriend people, if not to relate to them. My younger brother, for whom I care very deeply, is unlike my in nearly every way: although we share a love of books, his taste has been confined to fantasy (Inheritance, LOTR, ASOIAF, etc.) He also has an obsession with vidya, and is one of the shyest and most introverted people I've ever met. It won't be long before I leave for college, and I want to make a stronger connection with him. My plan has been to give him a book; the trouble is that I don't want to give him something he won't read, but at the same time will speak to him. I picked up a copy of TPOBAW today (pic related) because I haven't read it and thought it might speak to him in ways I don't know how to. So my query is this: is this book of sufficient quality to appeal to my younger brother?

TLDR; is The Perks of Being a Wallflower a good gift for an intelligent 16-year-old introvert?

>> No.3732139

I think you would be better off giving him a book you yourself have read and enjoyed. I think that this would have the potential for a more meaningful connection rather than a book you think he would relate to based on conjecture only.

(also, I'm biased because I found PoBaW rather underwhelming. Actually I think it kind of sucks)


What are some books you like?

>> No.3732147

My brother was into similar pulp shit and vidya, I gave him Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. He seemed to get a lot out of it, I think I gave him the Stranger and On the Road after just because those were the books that got me interested in reading and other culture as a kid. But he was a senior at the time, and I'd exposed him to a lot of modernist stuff in film by then though he never took his own interest. Zen is a little dense but I mean, I read through it at 14 and I might not have fully understood the concepts, it still got me thinking and interested.

also this >>3732139

>> No.3732152

>>3732147
And hell don't give him some ya crap, if he's intelligent, give him something you want to give him and ask him to read through it as a favor to you.

>> No.3732156
File: 968 KB, 1024x576, vlcsnap-2013-05-06-20h54m38s43.png [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
3732156

>>3732152
actually disregard everything I said get him The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick

>> No.3732163

>>3732139
Dosty, Camus, Vonnegutt, and McCarthy are my mainstays right now. I was thinking about asking him to read Crime and Punishment, but I get the feeling that it won't grab his attention enough to motivate him to finish it.

>>3732152
He's more of a science guy, but he's extraordinarily shy, which is why I thought a book with a protagonist approximately his age with a similar disposition (as I understand it) would be appropriate. I really just want him to reach outside the bubble he's placed himself in, and I thought this book might help.

>> No.3732164

>>3732130
You want to connect with your brother by giving him a book? How the fuck is that supposed to work?

>omg bro you have enlightened me so much and you are the coolest person ever

Give me a break.

Maybe you should sit down with him and drink a bottle of whiskey some night when your parents aren't home.

>> No.3732166

>>3732156
Actually that's not bad, but he's not really into sci-fi so much (ironic because he's so into science,) it's more of the swords and sorcery genre

>> No.3732170

>>3732163
Crime and Punishment is not a bad rec. It's very engaging.

I just don't think Perks is going to do him any good. If anything it will just make him feel like he's missing out on a romanticized view of what a teenager's high school experience is meant to be. That book is so contrived...

>> No.3732172

>>3732164
>implying you have any concept of our relationship
>implying I haven't already tried this

My brother doesn't curse, drink, smoke, or chase girls. He knows how much literature means to me and how my sharing that with him lets him in on a part of me even my friends lack access to. I think giving him a book is a perfect way to show him what he means to me.

>> No.3732174

>>3732164
>>3732164
>>3732170

crime and punishment is the way to go

>> No.3732178

>>3732170
Like I said, I haven't read it, but I intend to before I would give it to him. From your post, it almost sounds like he would be better off not reading it?

>> No.3732183

>>3732174
>>3732170
The problem with C&P is that he's going to eventually read it in class when he becomes a senior, which could result in him putting it off until then, but I suppose that wouldn't be so bad; when he's ready, he's ready.

>> No.3732186

>>3732183

anna karenina??

>> No.3732189

>>3732178
Well, from what I remember, the shy kid in the book ends up with a large group of very close friends because a bunch of seniors feel bad for him and invite him to hang out with them.

cue parties/drugs/angst/alcohol/girlfriends/driving around at night pretending you're profound/tearful college goodbyes

It's unrealistic, and I fell like if I were in your brother's position it would just make me feel shittier. As if it is part of "normal" teenage life to experience ALL of those "Sunday morning special episode" issues.

>> No.3732194

>>3732189
yeah, get him osamu dazai's no longer human

>> No.3732199

>>3732186
Sadly, I haven't found time to read it myself. I imagine that this would make my gifting of it rather pretentious. It's a pity, because I've heard so many great things about it, including that it's fairly accessible.

>>3732189
Hmm. That does sound contrived. I'll read the book regardless; perhaps it would inspire him to seek out those thrills, even if they don't exist in real life.

>> No.3732207

>>3732172
Well, giving him something to read is no substitute for talking to him. And yes, by how you have described him, he has yet to "come of age".

Anything you can do to guide him along that path will only help him. I know I missed out on a lot due to my reluctance for sex and alcohol. Friends I could have had, good times missed.

>> No.3732211

Book is great, /lit/ clearly has no heart.

Perks isn't top-tier literature, or even really "literature" at all, but it has a poignant charm to it. It's a quick, accessible read (you could probably polish it off in an afternoon yourself), and the book can resonate with a wide range of people in a wide range of ways, which if you ask me, is the purpose of literature. I think it sounds like a perfect gift for your brother.

Do not give him Crime and Punishment, guaranteed he will not read it. Not sure if /lit// is trolling with that, or if they're really that far removed from reality.

>> No.3732213

>>3732211
Have you read C&P?

>> No.3732219

>>3732207
I agree; this is a measure which I'm reserving for the end of summer as a sort of memento, if you will. My intent is for him to read this after I've gone. Between now and then, I'm going to talk to him more, and see if I can get him out of his shell. As I said before, I agree with you, and if I sound standoffish it's because it's two in the morning and I'm also writing a paper.

>> No.3732222

>>3732211
This was along the lines that I was originally thinking, mostly because I don't think he's really ready for something like C&P. Thanks for your input.

>> No.3732225

>>3732211

C&P is an accecible masterpiece, i would give him that

also Anna Karenina is a good choice, another accecible masterpiece

>> No.3732227

>>3732211

have you read c&p??

>> No.3732281

YOU SHOULD TG WITH HIM DUDE

THAT'LL GET HIM LAID SINCE WOMEN ARE INTERESTED IN TG AND NOT V

>> No.3732335

>TLDR; is The Perks of Being a Wallflower a good gift for an intelligent 16-year-old introvert?

No because you'll be reinforcing that his life-choice is the correct one whilst it isn't.

>> No.3732389

Yes, also /lit/ isn't the place to come to talk about books for regular people. /lit/ is where obsessive book nerds come to circle jerk over dead authors.

>TL;DR Yes, it's a great book, and the movie was decent.

Don't listen to these weirdos trying to get you to give your friend a book that will make her look at you like you're wearing a fedora.

>> No.3732394

>>3732389
>perks of a wallflower
>book about being an enormous faggot
>for regular people

lol

>> No.3732407

He's a lost cause.

By him a WoW membership and break all contact with him

>> No.3732413

How come nobody mentioned Catcher in the Rye yet? I got it for Christmas once when I was an awkward teenager and I loved it.

>> No.3732469

>>3732130
Get him the complete chronicles of conan. It won't help in the slightest but they're great.
Does Wodehouse make people more socialable?

>> No.3732539

Get him to read The Great Gatsby

If he doesn't like it, he's not ready yet

>> No.3732602

>>3732130
OP, bby pls no. I thought I had a brother for a moment because that describes me pretty well. Personally, Perks seems like a shit book that I want to stay far away from. If he likes Sword&Sorcery, awesome because I do as well. Don't give him C&P. he won't like it. It won't appeal to him. Give him something he'll like. Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. It's 4 books that have fantasy and later Sci-fi elements. He'll like it, trust me. Catcher is good too, even if he puts it down. He'll pick it up eventually. Hope you read this, OP.

>> No.3732607

>>3732602
The point of the thread is OP wants to improve his brother's tastes.
If he wanted him to read Gene Wolfe then he'd just leave him to his own devices

>> No.3732612

I'd recommend something from H.G. Wells

>> No.3734181

Hey OP. You're a cool guy, and I empathise with you both for different reasons. Is your brother happy being as solitary as he is? If yes, then I advise against trying to 'burst his bubble'. speaking as someone enjoying a very similar social position to him.

As for a gift, I advise you give him a book of sentimental value which is also good. Intelligent teenagers loathe the YA genre [observe the hatred for it around /lit/], so Wallflower's probably a bad choice IMO.

>> No.3734197

Get him Jakob von Gunten by Robert Walser. Crime and Punishment wasn't a bad suggestion either. It's actually the book that got me into literature.

>> No.3734203

I know /lit/ doesn't like Stephen Fry's writing, but I'd recommend Moab Is My Washpot by him.

>> No.3734228

>>3732413
>>3732539

Those two are the best recs yet

>> No.3735247

>>3734181
Thanks man. I would say that he is fairly happy as he is, yes. This is why I've been hesitant to force him out of his comfort zone.

>>3734228
I agree. Both of those are great ideas, particularly Catcher. He knows that I love Gatsby, but as he will be reading it next year I kind of doubt that he'd be interested in reading it advance.

>> No.3735279
File: 39 KB, 329x500, Shantaram.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
3735279

>>3732130
If you give him Shantaram, you could possibly change his life. Just saying.

It's accessible, beautiful, and deals with simple, fundamental themes. Give it to him.

>> No.3735284

>>3735279
Also, it's entertaining as fuck.

>> No.3735291

This is a life changer. Consider it, OP.

http://books.google.com.mx/books/about/Battles_in_the_Desert_and_Other_Stories.html?id=X18R54kFt7wC&redir_esc=y

>> No.3735298

>my brother and I aren't close so i'll buy him the gayest fucking book ever written and maybe we'll be cool

good luck OP thats a great plan

>> No.3735304

>>3735279
good book

>> No.3735311

your brother seems like a faggot. you should pick on him and bully him a lot

>> No.3735325

>>3732130

Its okay, its the Catcher in the Rye of this generation. Pretending to be profound while being competely average.

>> No.3735681

>>3732335
go back to /pol/ normalfag

Btw, there is no "correct" life-choice you fucking idiot.

>> No.3735734

my brother is 21, and I'm 19. Until a year ago we weren't that close to each other. We barely spoke throughout high school. However, after I graduated I started smoking weed. One day my brother walked in on me rolling up a joint, and he said, "Oh, you smoke too?", and our friendship was renewed.

>> No.3735735

>>3732130
>Reading anything that advocates reading Atlas Shrugged

>> No.3735739 [DELETED] 

>>3735279

if you like reading books that are basically prose versions of Michael Bay movies, sure

>>3735279

retard

>> No.3735787

>>3735681
>btw, there is no "correct" life-choice you fucking idiot.
This is what they tell you, yeah. Dont worry you'll learn the hard way, and probably and up in some occupy movement crying your heart out.

Because you're probably going to college and you are all about living free and exploring yourself currently. Well life isn't as free as you might think. We have to make tons of choices in our lives that will determine where and how we end up as people.

Perk of Wall-Flower actively endorses choosing the outcast way of life, being the nihilist, not going to school, not being social. You can read yourself and still make it. You are smarter than everybody else. We are all unique!

But it wont. That book will just fill that boys head with stupid ideas. And no this is not about gay-acceptance. It's about the main character and his fucking views on life.

It's a dishonest book that singles out outcasts as intellectuals and heroes when they'll only be viewed as retards by their peers. They'll end up with shitty fucking job with no drive or ambition. It's a dangerous book.

And please do stop this fucking, just because I dont think a book is good that doesn't make me a fucking nazi.

>> No.3735799

>>3735787
Being an intellectual is fine, but feeling justified because "I'm special/smart/sensitive and no one understands me!" is the point where it becomes utter bullshit.

None of that shit matters unless you can get others to recognize it as such.

>> No.3736098

>>3732130
Obvious case for The Trial.

>> No.3736237
File: 21 KB, 180x280, image.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
3736237

>>3732130
Ochani successive

>> No.3736251

>>3735787
20 year old contrarian detected.

>> No.3736267

Why not try reading some fantasy yourself and then bonding with him over that, instead of trying to force your tastes onto him? There is even some quite literary fantasy out there which you could convince him to read as a route into more 'serious' stuff.

But anyway, just because he's quiet and has different priorities to you, it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with him. You seem to be passing judgement on his lifestyle which I don't think is the way to connect with him.

>> No.3737236

>>3736267
It seems like my intention has been misconstrued; I have no desire to change his tastes to match my own, as I understand that we are very different individuals, but I want to help him understand that there is perhaps more to life than what he is currently experiencing. We read ASOIAF together and have bonded over books before, but I don't feel like he's ever been overly interested in books based in the real world. I want to give him something he can relate to as a gateway to the realization that there is a life outside his fantasy books and RPGs. If he doesn't like that world I'll still love him and won't force him into it, but at least he'll know it's out there.

>> No.3739151

Get him into WoT I mostly hate fantasy but have read that series twice over. Its immensely deep, and has a deep description of politics and events on a massive scale during an apocalyptic catastrophe. Quite the read.

>> No.3739174

>>3737236
The Iliad and The Odyssey, it's actually fantasy but amazing.