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/lit/ - Literature

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4322912 No.4322912[DELETED]  [Reply] [Original]

My 14 year-old son has recently told me how he wants to get into literature but doesn't really know what to read. He hasn't been an avid reader for years after he decided that the genre fiction he was interested in was boring.

I myself am not too well-versed in any kind of literature but I gave him a copy of The Sun Also Rises which he said he enjoyed and found interesting but wasn't a huge fan of Hemingway's style. He's thoroughly enjoying Catch-22.
What is some other good literature that I can give him? I know Catcher in the Rye is next, but after that I'm kind of lost. Should I give him Camus, Kafka, Pynchon (I've heard you guys like these authors but I haven't read them myself). What about Dostoevsky, Hesse, Steinbeck, or Vonnegut? These are just people I've heard around here, I haven't actually read any of them so I don't know how he would deal with them. He's expressed interest in philosophy as well, so what about something like Nietzche?

Thanks, I'm pretty lost.

>> No.4322918

Give him easy to understand stuff. Most of the books I read when I was 14 I ended up having to re-read later to get everything out of them.

>> No.4322920
File: 3 KB, 125x98, 1359454085404.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
4322920

>wasn't a huge fan of Hemingway's style

>> No.4322921

>>4322912

>14

Give him Holes.

>> No.4322923

If he likes Catch-22 he might want to try some Kurt Vonnegut.

I read Catcher in the Rye and Lord of the Flies around that age, he might like them.

>> No.4322926

You want to give your 14 year old son Nietzche? What the fuck, OP.

Did he ever read the Harry Potter books?

>> No.4322927

Camus and Kafka should be fine. He might not fully understand them but they're 'cool' and philosophical.

The others (from the ones I've read) are a bit advanced, especially Nietzsche. There's no way he'll understand that.

Also, Catcher in the Rye

>pleb phony autist etc!

Shut up. It's a good book and especially good for teenagers. And it's a must-read even just for its fame.

>> No.4322930

>>4322912

Give that little shit Ender's Game.

Do it mom.

>> No.4322933

Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy

(more adults need to read those books)

>> No.4322940

>>4322930
>>4322912

Don't be some uptight ass and give him advanced shit.

Just give him teen fiction.

Ender's Game is good and any of the early Stephen King books.

Have him read IT. I read that at 14/15 couldn't sleep for weeks.

>> No.4322953
File: 25 KB, 401x600, stephen-king-it.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
4322953

>>4322912

Every 14 year old boy should read this book. I did. Might have caused some trauma, but is a good read.

>> No.4322955

1. GO TO LIBRARY
2. GO TO YA SECTION
3. SHOOT YOURSELF FOR BEING A DUMB HUMAN

>> No.4322968

>>4322940
He read some of King's short stories and said he didn't like them. Not because they were scary, just not satisfying or something.

>>4322921
>>4322940
He wants to push himself though. He's a very determined type of person and huge on self-improvement.
>>4322918
He's really very intelligent, and I'm not just saying that like every parent does.

>> No.4322971

>>4322912
The Third Policeman; A Confederate General From Big Sur; Dorian Gray (in case he's gay or does drugs); A Clockwork Orange; Island; Notes From The Underground; The Pearl; One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest; The Honorary Consul; Breakfast of Champions. Maybe give him Kafka.

>> No.4322975

>>4322912

Speaking of child hood favorites I'm just going to list some good ones. Fuck you op for not having him read any of these.

>Holes

(Fuck you it was good)

>A Wrinkle In Time

(good fantasy fiction)

>Ender's Game

(good entry level science fiction)

>The Shining
>Pet Semetary
>IT

(Because Stephen King is a good entry level author)

>Anne Rice vampire chronicles because fuck Twilight

>Harry Potter

>Some Michael Crichtion books more specific Eaters of the Dead or Congo

Or try Tom Clancy or John Grishm shit.

>>4322968

Than give him poetry books or books on subjects.

>> No.4322980

>>4322971

>A Clockwork Orange

Sure give him a book where 10 year old girls get raped.

Good job anon.

>> No.4322983

>>4322980
I really wanted to say M/F but he might have a sister.

>> No.4322987

>>4322975
>>4322955
He likes reading fiction but he just doesn't like YA. He wants something that will make him smarter and open his eyes but still be enjoyable to read. Not all kids read YA
>>4322792

>> No.4322989

Lolita should be good

>> No.4322990

>>4322912

Is he a try hard hipster kid? If so just have him search crap on his own.

Give him Tao Lin seriously.

I would give him some Hunter S Thompson books.

The Rum Diary and Fear and Loathing to be exact.

>> No.4322996

>>4322987

Well fuck your kid. He sounds like an ass.

>> No.4323005

>>4322996
>>4322990
He's not a try hard or anything. He dislikes those reserved intellectual types who try to be really smart. Just wants some good books to read.

>> No.4323001

>>4322987

If he's a little smart shit I would give him books that would cause a bit of trauma in him.

A Clockwork Orange would be good. Maybe Fear and Loathing too.

>> No.4323008

>>4322980
Not going to lie I read it in 6th grade and fapped gloriously. Getting my 12 year old brother Portnoy's Complaint for Christmas, maybe give that a shot?

>> No.4323010

>>4322987
FUCK UR KID HIS COMPREHENSION IS NOT DEVELOPED ENOUGH TO GET ANY REAL SHIT OUT OF THE BOOKS

ACTUALLY HE MIGHT SINCE I WAITED TILL 16 TO BE A PRETENTIOUS FAGGOT

MAKE HIM PLAY SPORTS INSTEAD

>> No.4323011

>>4323005

Give him A Clockwork Orange and or Fear and Loathing if he hasn't read those.

Those should be good for 14 year olds.

Currently reading ACO the slang is a bit hard but he may enjoy it. He may start calling you a devotchka though and telling you to suck on his boishy great yarbles.

>> No.4323017

>>4323010

This.

He should just read teen fiction. Other wise he will turn into some pretentious hipster faggot like everyone on this board.

OP give him Infinite Jest.

Or any books by Tao Lin.

I would laugh my ass off if you gave him Tao Lin.

>> No.4323021

Oh yeah op. Give him some Haruki Murakami and introduce him into foreign authors.

I just read Sputnick Sweetheart and After Dark.

They may be good for a 14 year old. Unless you don't want him reading books about lesbians.

>> No.4323022

>>4323011
Come get one in the yarbles! If thou hast any yarbles! Ya eunuch jelly thou!

>> No.4323025

I don't think it's a good idea to give him stuff like Dostoevsky just yet, because even though you can technically read stuff like that at any age, you really have to be a bit older and experienced in order to "get it." Stuff like Catch-22 and Vonnegut should be okay for him, it seems. Still, it's good that you're talking to him about this kind of stuff, it's a lot better than just tossing him towards a bookshelf and hoping for the best. Oh, and also, tell him to really look at the background of the author, and for older books, the era it was written, as that shit really makes a difference.

>> No.4323026
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4323026

>>4322912

Give him American Psycho and Less Than Zero.

If those books don't fuck him up I don't know what will.

>> No.4323031

>>4323026

OP please disregard everything I've said and give your kid Less Than Zero.

After that have him read American Psycho.

You will be a good parent for doing so.

>> No.4323032

>>4323010
He's recently won gold at a state swimming event. Geez he's not some tryhard nerdy type.
I got his reading tested when he was 6 and he was reading at a 12-year old level. I'm not bragging, just don't dismiss him as incapable.

>> No.4323035

>>4323032

Shut up and give him these books.

>>4323026
>>4323017
>>4323021

>> No.4323038

>>4322912

Give him something from Orwell or Bradbury.

>> No.4323040
File: 460 KB, 664x1024, Taipei Tao Lin.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
4323040

>>4323032

Give your little shit this. I'm starting to hate your kid.

>> No.4323042

>>4323032
SWIMMERS GET PUSSY
FINE UR SON SOUNDS OKAY BUT IF HES SO FUCKING SMART THEN HE CAN FIND HIS OWN GODDAMN BOOKS
I WOULDNT BE READING SHIT MY MOM GAVE ME ANYWAY

>> No.4323044
File: 135 KB, 584x351, calloway-arc-coverddd.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
4323044

give him pic related or
anything Tao Lin

>> No.4323045

>>4323042

OP should just have her kid browse /lit/ and #bookz.

>>4323044

I've been suggestion Tao Lin but no one responds.

>> No.4323047

>>4323038
As a serious answer, this. Fahrenheit 451 would be good

>> No.4323048

OP why not have your shit kid browse /lit/?

I mean why the fuck not? He's so intelligent like you say.

He may become a pretentious hipster though.

>> No.4323052
File: 102 KB, 531x399, hitler-mein_kamp.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
4323052

>>4322912

Give your kid this op.

>> No.4323055

>>4323044
You can download it here: http://www35.zippyshare.com/v/79337714/file.html
for your little ??

>> No.4323057

>>4322968
Your son seems precocious for his age. When I was fourteen, I used to devour any books that I could get my hands on. I loved Shakespeare as much I enjoyed Stephen King.

Why don't you take him to a public library and have him choose for himself?

>> No.4323059

>>4323045
80% sure he does browse 4chan and 90% sure I'm a bad parent for it. Oh well, internet age kids.

>>4323042
He thinks I'm one of those literary types because I was always getting him to read books. Plus, he wants adult books so he came to an adult.

>>4323045
Is Tao Lin legitimately good for him? I mean, someone said they would laugh if I gave it to him.

So far I've got on my list: Camus, Catcher in Rye, Clockwork Orange, Vonnegut

>> No.4323061

>>4322912

Still awaiting answers from OP.

Give him Tao Lin op.

DO IT.

>> No.4323064

Catcher in the Rye. 14 is the best age to read that.

>> No.4323066

>>4322912
Don't listen to most of the posts in this thread, OP. Unless your fourteen-year-old son knows German, don't give him anything by Kafka. Ignore Camus and Pynchon for now, and leave Dostoevsky, Hesse, Steinbeck, and Vonnegut for later. If your son is interested in philosophy, acquire introductory literature about the Presocratics for him.

>> No.4323068

>>4323059

Tao Lin is a joke. One of the worst writer's of this age.

Give him Shoplifting From American Apparel because fuck it.

He may have fun with that who knows?

Also try Haruki Murakami After Dark, Sputnick Sweetheart.

Also The Dog Stars may be good but it's depressing as fuck.

Don't give him Clockwork just fucking don't.

You can give him some Hunter S Thompson though.

>> No.4323069

>>4322920
It's rather terse for a kid to read.

Also, give him George Orwell and PG Wodehouse.

>> No.4323070

>>4323066
So translations are a no? Really? Like, you can't read Kafka until you learn a whole new language?

>> No.4323072

>>4323059
The reason everybody is suggesting Tao Lin is because /lit/ hates him

>> No.4323076

>>4323068

And fuck it give him Less Than Zero because it will be a wake up call for him.

Also currently reading The Beach may be good for him too.

And Mysterious Skin or Perks of Being a Wallflower because of homo-erotic child rape.

>> No.4323080

>>4323070
You may read Kafka in English, but I guarantee you it is not even remotely as enjoyable as it is in German. What Kafka does with German language in his literature cannot be accurately reproduced in English, nor will it have the same affect; German also has very particular words one cannot find in English.

>> No.4323082

Ok, I'll give him After Dark and Sputnik Sweetheart by Murakami and then maybe Kafka on the Shore and 1Q84 if he likes it (i've heard them mentioned here)?
As well as The Dog Stars and I'll take Clockwork off my list.

>> No.4323083

>>4323076

I'm trying too suggest non traditional fiction for your stupid kid.

Some shit with adult themes in it.

Mysterious Skin, Perks of A Wallflower, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Less Than Zero, American Psycho, Inherent Vice, The Beach list goes on.

Maybe also High Fidelity by Nick Hornby.

>> No.4323084

>>4323066
He's not 8, of course kafka and camus would be fine for him. i read the stranger at 16 and i'm not particularly intelligent

>> No.4323085

>>4323021
>introduce him into foreign authors
>Murakami
>not Vallejo
>not Garcia Marquez
>not Coelholel
>not Borges
OP, if you want him to read something challenging but not impossible give him some author of the Latin-american boom.

>> No.4323086

>>4323082

Sputnick is about lesbian romance though and it has some disturbing shit in it.

If he likes surrealism he will like them.

After Dark is a good one. But there are some nasty scenes in it.

>> No.4323087

>>4322926
Might work as a reverse psychology pre-emptive strike against edginess.

He'll probably pick up Seuren Kjerkegurd to rebel and become a good Catholic.

>> No.4323089

>>4323082

He may get a boner reading the 10 year old girl rape part. Other than that Clockwork shouldn't damage him.

>> No.4323092

>>4323055
Aww yiss. I'm ready for that sweet autistic, decadent tripe.

>> No.4323094

>>4323082
nah don't give him 1Q84 it's like 1000 pages long and really repetitive

>> No.4323095

>>4323086

Are you OK with your kid reading books about rape and having sexual themes op?

If so these are good, if not skip them.

>> No.4323097

>>4323083
List so far:
Catcher in Rye, Vonnegut, Camus, Murakami, Less than Zero, the Dog Stars.

>> No.4323100

>>4323097
You fucking take Catcher in the Rye off

>> No.4323102

>>4323097

Give him We need to talk about Kevin and Mysteris Skin.

Perks maybe good for him too?

Also Less Than Zero has a rape scene in it. So if you are a cool parent I would suggest it. But I really wouldn't.

>> No.4323103

Sade's Philosophy in the Bedroom. It's really quite educative.

>> No.4323104

>>4323095
Yeah I'm alright with that. Kids grow up faster these days.
>>4323089
I'm not too worried about him getting 'damaged'. I don't think he's that vulnerable.

>> No.4323105

Hogg

>> No.4323108

>>4323104
The rape scene in less than zero is a 12 year old drugged up sex slave rape scene btw

>> No.4323110

>>4323104

Here is my too read list.

Pick anything from here.

http://pastebin.com/vvfUecN8

>> No.4323114

>>4323102
He'll probably dismiss Perks, Mysterious Skin and Kevin but I'll give it a go.

>> No.4323118

GIVER HIM KAFKA!
My art teachere gave me kafka when I was 12 and I loved it, or lave hated, now it's all love.

>> No.4323119

>>4322912
Give him Kim by Rudyard Kipling
As a 18 year old I had to read the first paragraph about three times.

>> No.4323120

>>4323114

Give him House of Leaves.

Don't ask me why just do it.

>> No.4323124

>>4323110
Thanks! Jack Kerouac and Cormac Mcarthy added.

>> No.4323125

>>4323114

really though go through this list and pick whatever. all of these are on my too read list and I'm in my 20's.

He may find these interesting.

http://pastebin.com/vvfUecN8

>> No.4323130

>>4323124

Here's another list of books I have on my too read list.

Have a go at any of them.

http://pastebin.com/YXcLi41S

>> No.4323135

Give him Fahrenheit 451 or Lovecraft

>> No.4323142

Thanks for all the recommendations guys:
Catcher in the Rye
Camus
Vonnegut
Murakami
Less than Zero
The Dog Stars
Jack Kerouac
Cormac Mcarthy
Farenheit 451

Unsure of:
House of Leaves
Kafka
Clockwork Orange

>> No.4323143

>>4322953
>>4322940

Yep. Read it when I was 13. Enjoyed the shit out of it.

>> No.4323148

>>4323142

House of Leaves is just avant garde horror.

No idea how to explain that book really.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Leaves

>> No.4323156

read the sticky and fuck off

>> No.4323157

>>4323142

Honestly Less Than Zero is more fucked up than Clockwork.

If you have LTZ on your list instead of Clockwork don't know what to tell ya.

>> No.4323165

>>4323157
Ok i'll put clockwork on

>>4323156
I looked for chart or something on there that would help but without reading every book I don't know which ones

>> No.4323161

>>4323156

>the sticky

>ever good

Better luck browsing goodreads and grabbing shit from #bookz.

>> No.4323169

>>4323165

Also just browse goodreads that's what I do and that's how I found out about most of those books I listed.

Also if you know how 2 irc #bookz is a good place if he has an e reader.

>> No.4323171

>>4322912

Give him Vonnegut. Specifically Cat's Cradle. If that proves too strange or boring or something then give him Mother Night. It's more straightforward and has a nice moving plot. Giving him something like Dostoevsky could be a hit or miss depending on the translation. If you do give him the D, give him Crime and Punishment. Don't give him Nietzsche because you have to read so much more to understand what Nietzsche is casually referencing to. If you want philosophy give him the Republic, it's generally a good place to start. Kafka's okay but once again a poor translation could fuck him. Pynchon can be fairly dense but The Crying of Lot 49 is short and enjoyable. If you give him Hesse, make it Siddhartha and give him the Joachim Neugroschel translation. That's really all I've got.

>> No.4323175

Are you guys sure that Dostoevsky wouldn't be good for him?

>> No.4323180

>>4323171

>people recommending him philosophy and classics

Just fucking read current contemporary fiction god damn.

>> No.4323184

>>4323171
Thanks so much. Any tips on the translations for Dostoevsky and Kafka? I heard that Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky make good ones for D.

>> No.4323185
File: 418 KB, 747x1417, 1385411246115.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
4323185

>>4323180

Honestly this chart is not a bad idea.

>> No.4323186

>>4323180
No. Fucking stop. He said he wants to read literature. I'm not saying contemporary fiction isn't literature, but it's certainly not the first thing that comes to mind when someone asks what to read in terms of literature. OP said the kid's intelligent, I'm not going to water down my suggestions just because of an age bias.

>> No.4323192

>>4323186

Don't be some tool. Contemporary fiction is good as any.

It doesn't have to be 1700 classic novels and philosophy from back in 1440 for the kid too sound intelligent.

Fuck off nerd.

>> No.4323194

>>4323184
Yeah Pevear and Volokhonsky might be the most approachable. I think I read David Magarshack's translation of Crime and Punishment which was also nothing too fucked up in terms of weird language or whatever. Kafka I'm not too sure on but I think Willa and Edwin Muir are listed as the translators of all of the copies of his books that I have.

>> No.4323195

>>4323192
1700? Nigga, classic means Ovid and before as far as patricians go.

>> No.4323196

>>4323195

Oh sorry I meant 1200 A.D.

>> No.4323199

>>4323192
You're just going to go into another thread and rage about all of the plebs who read contemporary genre fiction like Cloud Atlas and Life of Pi.

>> No.4323201

>>4323199

Nothing wrong with those.

Are you some tool who bashes people for liking Harry Potter?

>> No.4323202
File: 719 KB, 300x170, 1357509901747.gif [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
4323202

>>4323008
>Getting my 12 year old brother Portnoy's Complaint for Christmas
Please explain your reasoning, I can't even begin to understand why someone would do this.

>> No.4323203

>>4323195
Shut the fuck up dumbshit

>> No.4323206

>>4323203
Quality /lit/ debate here folks

>> No.4323207

God damn the pretentious twats on this board.

It's worse than /tv/ and /mu/ combined.

>> No.4323214
File: 78 KB, 500x500, ec2.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
4323214

>>4323207

I wonder what OP's kid's taste in film and music are?

>> No.4323215

>>4323201
No. What exactly brought you to such a conclusion? OP asked for literature, I took it to mean what the average citizen describes as literature because he provided examples that fit my assumption, and answered as such.

This isn't getting this thread anywhere.

>> No.4323218

OP is clearly a fourteen year old who is looking for books to read but is afraid of being called names

>> No.4323224

>>4323215

literature doesn't just mean dated poetry and philosophy written by people over centuries ago.

most people assume when you speak of literature you mean Twilight or Hunger Games.

Stop hanging around college student hipsters.

>> No.4323225

>>4323100
If you can find a novel a with more realistic depiction of an adolescent male's speech and thought processes, we can replace Catcher with that. I look forward to not hearing from you.

>> No.4323227

>>4323225

A Clockwork Orange

>> No.4323229

>>4323225
If he takes catcher to heart, he will become a huge faggot who avoids the real world

>> No.4323232

>>4322912

OP are you the mom or dad?

Also

>what kind of parent browses 4chan?

>> No.4323235
File: 12 KB, 200x200, allout.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
4323235

>>4323224
>most people assume when you speak of literature you mean Twilight or Hunger Games.

>> No.4323238

>>4323235

>implying I'm wrong

>be at party
>discuss books

>oh I like Twilight and Hunger Games

I bet you don't even go to parties. Do you nerd?

>> No.4323239

>>4323229
Book that create empathetic links are so rarely found no matter how wrong the link is. The feels I had when I came across Catcher will stick even though now it seems laughable.

>> No.4323241

>>4323224
>most people assume when you speak of literature you mean Twilight or Hunger Games


I've never encountered anyone who thought any such thing. And you could say the exact opposite regarding people instantly thinking of literature as 'classics'. You're just going to devolve into being unnecessarily belligerent to get your little point across and once again contribute nothing to the thread. You got your little neckbeard rage posts in, I'm satisfied with what I recommended OP, and I'm not going to sit here arguing about this just to see you mill over to another thread and yell about all the plebs reading shit.

>>4323238
And see, this is exactly what I just described above. Leave your parents' basement for once and talk with someone among the living.

>> No.4323243

>>4323229
lol you did not understand that book at all

>> No.4323244

>>4323238
This is a fucking awful post, you should feel bad

>> No.4323247

>>4323244

You should feel bad for thinking I'm wrong.

>>4323241

Stay mad pleb baby.

>> No.4323248

>>4323247
even if you were right, it would still be a terrible post. i mean, i'm sure it's an accurate report of your personal experiences. it's also a shitty post.

>> No.4323265

>>4323248

>implying I would ever feel bad for a comment I posted on 4chan

>4chan
>intelligent conversation

>> No.4323281

>>4323247
This is the most pathetic trolling I've seen this week.

>> No.4323283

>>4323281

This is the most pathetic counter trolling I've seen this week.

>> No.4323285

Whatever you give him to read, read it yourself first. Good for discussion, censorship and getting your own lazy ass innabooks as well.

>> No.4323302

>>4323285
>censoring what your kids read
Cue 'dem psychological problems, son.

>> No.4323312

>>4323059
Give him The Centaur by John Updike

Read it at 15 and it blew me away.

>> No.4323316

>>4323066
Steinbeck and Vonnegut are easy as shit and thematically accessible

>> No.4323332

>>4323202
Twelve years olds jerk off, that's about the most explicit thing in that book.

I fucking loved Philip Roth when I was a teenager

>> No.4323350

>>4323244

nice [dubs]

>> No.4325179

>>4323232
>not realising OP is the 14 year old boy

>> No.4325201

>>4322912
Give him steppenwolf and siddharta by Hesse and Sophie's world if he hadn't read it already.

I wish I'd read those before my early 20's.