Looking for authors similar to Curtis Sittenfeld and Catherine Newman

[Moveyourbleedingarse]

I love reading Curtis Sittenfields work.
One of the authors that I regularly search for updates on.

I'm just reading 'show don't tell' and realised I love being in her world. I've read all her back catalogue.

Is there anything else that I might like? I also love Catherine Newman but struggling with her third novel. First two made me laugh and cry in equal measure.

Tried Elizabeth Strout but did nothing for me.

Can anyone recommend anything else please? Thank you!

Maggie Shipstead might work for you or have you read Kathryn Stockett's The Help? I love Curtis Sittenfeld too.

{mention:fru}@fru @fruitloopcowabunga

Thank you!

Haven't read either of those.

Have you read Where'd You Go Bernadette or Lessons in Chemistry? I'm sorry I can't remember the authors off the top of my head!

@CallingOnTheMegaphone didn't rate chemistry, not for me. But I'll look up the other one! Thank you!

I just read an amazing book called same as it ever was by Clare Lombardo (big Curtis sittenfeld fan here too!) I’d highly recommend it - it’s quite a thought provoking read.

I love Curtis Sittenfeld, especially The American Wife. I tried to find one in a similar vibe and remember enjoying The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller (I think there are other books called the same but it is this one you want).

I recently read Catherine Newman Sandwich was really looking forward to it, sounded just up my alley, but OMG I loathed everything about it and am now reluctant to try another by her.

Other recent books that gave me the same vibe as Curtis have been I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai, Daisy Jones and The Six (Taylor Jenkins Read - this is by far her best book, she has written some shockers!)

Anne Tyler is always an engaging read (although I can never remember what they are about after I finish one - apart from Digging to America).

Oh and Eleanor Catton if you want something dense and different.

Try Douglas Kennedy or Richard Russo for example Empire Falls. I think they are a similar style

ooh also, I kind of enjoyed Romantic Comedy but really, it was just too soppy for me. The Wedding People by Alison Espach has a similar vibe but more grit. You might possibly also like Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason.

Have you read Katherine Heiny? I absolutely love her books; she writes wry American fiction so brilliantly.

I’m a huge Catherine Newman fan, and devoured all her books. I also second some already mentioned;
Anne Tyler - please read Three days In June it’s fantastic!
Claire Lombardo - anything by her she’s great.
Katherine Heiny - Standard Deviation is one of my all time favourite reads!

I hadn’t heard of Curtis Sittenfield so thank you I will looking up her books.

Fannie Flagg?

Have a look at “Admission” and “The Latecomer” by Jean Hanff Korelitz. I’m a huge Curtis Sittenfeld fan and, for me, these two novels are very much in that vein. “Hello Beautiful” by Ann Neapolitana is also excellent.

Thank you all so much!

@goldtrap 'we all wish for impossible things' made me laugh and cry from one minute to the next.

@boundarysponge yes also read all Douglas Kennedy. Though 'woman in the fifth' and the one set in the desert were ridiculous!

I haven't read Katherine Heiny so will look her up.

I did read an Anne Tyler book years ago which was OK - I seem to remember a multi generational family thing, and so I hopefully downloaded 'three days in June' as an audio, but sent it back it was so 'meh'.

I started the Claire lombardo books, I just checked and I read the samples on Kindle. I'll look out for paper copies I think and have them for the school holidays. 😊

Heiney. Elizabeth.

Agree re standard deviation. I lolled

@VioletGoesVintage thank you! It's nice to hear there are so many Sittenfield fans.

@EvelynBeatrice i haven't heard of her, will look her up

Thanks this has given me a great starting list.

Am a huge CS fan too. Someone upthread recommended The Wedding People, heartily agree.

You may like Claire Chambers. As well as her recent 2 novels, she wrote about 5 earlier novels which I really enjoyed (Learning to Swim was one, it was a bit like Barbara Trapido).
I also love Curtis Suttenfield so am following this thread!

I found Newman disappointing

Also agree re chambers

omg. Also thingys got money worries
can't remember exact name

I did get a few chapters into the one about a journalist living with her mother.. Gave up, absolutely no investment with the characters.

I can't put my finger on why Sittenfeld gets me so much.

It's the middle class, slightly urban, university educated characters maybe.

Have you tried Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout? I don’t think the other books by her are my thing but I really loved that one.

Meg Wollitzer?

@Handeyethingyowl thank you! Adding to my list.

I love Fannie Flagg’s ‘Welcome to the world, baby girl’ but you may have heard of the one they made into a film ‘Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe’.

You might also like Laurie Graham eg ‘ The Future Homemakers of America’.