Coming off a literary high - please help

Yes, I was smitten by Girlfriend in a Coma... (although even that got a bit silly at the end...)

High school shooting... now I know this is veering way off, but have you ever seen Gus Van Sant's 'Elephant'? Superb.

DC has deffo got worse as a writer, rather than better. I didn't mind 'All families' but thought J-Pod was crap and wasn't v taken by the highschool shooting one either (which I'd expected to love). Really liked his first couple though and still live in hope that one day he will write The Perfect Novel.

And agree with you re. nonsensical meandering. It's all just a bit too obviously existential. I'm sure it's all meant to mean something significant, but it's a bit like kicking leaves, and frankly I just didn't get it. Which might say more about me than it does about him.

Remus - now Douglas Coupland used to be a perennial favourite here UNTIL I read 'All Families Are Psychotic', at which point I went right off him. Instantly. What a load of ole shite that book was.

Marukami = nonsensical meandering, I think. Haven't read the running one but dp liked it. Have read, 'After Dark' and the one about sheep and The Wind Up Bird or something. Quite liked After Dark but thought the other two were just stupid.

I don't think anybody on here has mentioned Douglas Coupland. Might be worth a look?

I've read a few Murakami books and although I loved 'What I Talk About... Running' I do find a lot of his work a bit melancholic for my liking. Great for these other recommendations; will investigate later :)

Oh and Midnight's Children by Rushdie.

Ah, someone got in first with the Jonathan Strange suggestion I see (and I somehow published my post before and after correcting my spelling!?).
Anyway, I assume you've read The Magus? It would be RIGHT up your alley!

Also, second (third?) Murakami - I loved The Wind Up Bird Chronicles and can't wait to read more of his work.

I'll plough through this thread a bit later, but thought I'd mention Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke.

I'll plow through this thread a bit later, but thought I'd mention Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke.

I'm not offended, but I don't really understand what it matters. From looking at Amazon, both HDM and Curious Incident seem to be primarily aimed at the 12-16 age group when looking under Children's Fiction. I would agree with you that the general tone of HDM (particularly the first book) might be more suitable for a younger audience, but this does feel a bit like splitting hairs. If you don't like HDM, you don't like it. But I don't think you can write it off because it's a children's book and distance Curious Incident from being a children's book because that one you actually enjoyed.

Actually, thinking about it more, the GL book has a sub-theme about how mortal humans cope with losing the things we love, ie. to death, rather than down the back of the sofa.

Cote - The book is a non-fiction look at representations of the human self, considered as atemporal phenomenon, in works of literature and philosophy. It's not literary criticism, it's not philosophy: I would say that it's a kind of "musing" but that would make it sound woolly and rambling - which it isn't. "Meditation" is the best I can come up with, which I think puts it with its correct literary and philosophical antecedents.

It's a beautiful read: it unashamedly exerts an emotional pull as it leads the reader through concepts of the self in time: concentrating on memory, loss and collecting together and representing self (and others).

The author makes clear that it was written in the wake of her daughter's death, which possibly explains why it was undertaken in the form it appears. But it is, I think, unusually brilliant at catching the emotional dimension of what is often handed in a very dry way. I think of this book as one of the great unfound resources for would-be writers and poets, actually. It really is a little gem of a book.

As you say, I think by 'children's books' we are meaning different things. I mean 'non-adult' when I say that. A quick Google reveals that it appears to be aimed at an 11-14 age group. I don't regard that as an adult book, but to be honest how many children's books aimed at lower age groups can be classed as 'crossover fiction'? And please no-one mention Harry Potter...

Ooooh, I haven't read 'Once Upon A Time In The North' I simply have to read it asap. Thanks jajas

I'm not sure I think HDM is entirely a children's book. I get a lot out of it as an adult, but then again, I'm not in my 40s so I can't say whether I would get as much out of it then. I certainly think it's worth persisting with the other two though.

I think the Lee and Hester scene is in the last book? It's not in the first and I think the second doesn't cross into their world. Gawd, it breaks my heart it does.

Remus if I think of any I will shout up. I assume you've already read Pullman's other books? I loved The Tin Princess, but the others were a bit hit or miss for me really.