Reccomendations for a newb.

[a1is0n123456789]

My name is Alison and I am 15 years old. Being a teenager and all, I am just finding myself, and have found my love for literature. I am only a Freshman in highschool I was wondering if anyone would reccomend some books to read. I hate science fiction, and Fantasy. I perfer Social Commentary, and a balance between a good story and good writing. My favorite style of writing is somewhat colloqial but not as much as The Catcher In The Rye. If you can find me a book that fits this description, that would be awsome.


Thank You, Alison

 

[Stewart]

I hate science fiction, and Fantasy. I perfer Social Commentary, and a balance between a good story and good writing.

Off to a good start, I see.

We've a recent thread here listing books concerning social issues.

My favorite style of writing is somewhat colloqial but not as much as The Catcher In The Rye. If you can find me a book that fits this description, that would be awsome.

There's one book I can think of that's written in a vernacular and covers loads of social issues (childbirth, suicide, disability, spousal abuse, war, death) as well as some taboo subjects, most notably incest. It begins with a girl, named Chris Guthrie who is not much older than yourself, and follows her as she grows up to become a wife, then a mother, then a widow at an early age. It also documents the change in life during this time due to such things as the first War and industrialisation. It is set in north-east Scotland around 1914.

The book is called Sunset Song and is by Scottish author Lewis Grassic Gibbon. It was recently voted the greatest Scottish novel of all time. It has a certain colloquial quality and is written almost from the point of the community; the dialect may take a few pages to get into but, once settled in, you almost feel as if you live in the fictional village of Kinraddie.

I think the reviews on Amazon say it all, with the exception of the two negative reviews (one of them mostly reviews computer games; the other doesn't make sense):

This book is the greatest of its time and endures as a seminal piece of literature. A song should be sung and this song should be read aloud, not intoned inside the dim recesses of the mind. Chris faces no issue which is not relevant today, from incest and spousal abuse, to the horrors and tragedies of war, to the chave and ecstasies of life. It is appealing to all ages, but must be approached with a mind open to diversity and multicultural exchange if the magic is to work. My children have all loved this book, even the non-readers amongst them. While the pages breathe with the life of North-East of Scotland, the characters are found the world over.
Feast upon the words and you will be filled.

Sunset Song, by Lewis Grassic Gibbon is one of the most moving novels I have ever read in my life. Each character within Sunset Song has an important part to play in the day-to-day life of the central character 'Chris Guthrie' who endures many experiences, both good and bad as she goes through her adolescent life on to adulthood.

The rural community of Kinraddie where Sunset Song is set, introduces a diverse number of characters - from Chae Strachan, the romantic Socialist to Long Rob of the Mill, each character plays a vital role in Chris' development, and as you progress through the novel you will see the role of the community playing a larger part in Chris' life than ever before. Sunset Song is a brilliant read, and with each paragraph Grassic Gibbon writes, there is a new twist to the story which makes it a credit to Scotland, and is a piece of sheer excellence. If ever a book should be praised - then Sunset Song should be it - a life-changing novel that will amaze you.

How can I write a review to do this justice? For truly if ever there was a book written by the hand of God this is it. Writing so beautiful it'll make your heartstrings quiver. Yet I hear the detractor, the philistine, "It's verbose and boring". No, no, no! They simply do not have the ability to appreciate that which is fine, give it a chance. It may take you a while to get used to its rhythm and cadence, but please it is worth it.

The early stages perfectly set the scene for what is to follow, as we delve into the lives of the crofter folk, circa Scotland 1914. Religion and hard graft to the fore Gibbon gives you a tangible sense of place, the soil in your hands and the wind in your hair, so specific and accurate he is with words. And yet the story flows, never to my mind spending over long describing that which does not matter, never far from the narrative of the changing Chris Guthrie, who despite all others evolves a deepening sense of self, aware of lifes limitations but never completely bound by them, though her love of the land at times holds sway. It is this sense of self that is threatened with the outbreak of war, and truly, well into the book by now, the full force and effect of the books early stages comes into play. You've fallen in love with Kinraddie,the setting, its days and ways, its rich and varied characters, the land, the times, far removed from modern living, seeing as Chris does virtue in their lives, and...well, I'll not ruin it for you. Do not let my enthusiasm put you off. Do not let this limited review put you off. Please read this book. Its Scottishness does not detract from the glory of it, but adds, greatly, to the world of literature. Indeed may Gibbon be known world-wide for truly he is, in this book at least, in league with the greatest.

 

[abecedarian]

I would reccomend To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. It fits the bill for social commentary, good story and excellent writing.

For a nonfiction read, I would suggest Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee by Dee Brown. Of course, you may never read a history textbook with the same innocent trust..(be prepared to get angry).

 

[KristoCat]

Allison,

Welcome to the forums I have read quite a few books containing social commentary that I enjoyed. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay is an amazing book about South Africa during apartheid. The story is about a young white boy, named Peekay, who learns about the ugliness of racial hatred at boarding school (he was an outcast for being English instead of Boer). He takes those experiences to heart and sets out to try and change the horrors of apartheid. The characters and plot are gripping and the writing really makes the reader emotionally involved with both the characters and the social situation.

You might also try The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien. It's a great book about soldiers during the Vietnam war. O'Brien mixes short stories, social commentary, and personal experiences and produces a novel that uses the mechanism of the war to discuss Truth. Not only is it rich with ideas, but like The Power of One it is emotionally gripping.

Barbara Kingsolver is also a great writer to check out if you like social commentary. Her writing focuses on feminist and postcolonial issues, and one book that wraps it all together in a wonderful and accessible package is The Poisonwood Bible. It's about a family from Alabama who goes to the Congo because the father, an extremely headstrong Baptist minister, wants to be a missionary. Unfortunately, the family is there when the Congo achieves its independence and for the ensuing bloodbaths and social upheaval.

Well those are my top 3. One thing I'd like to throw in about science fiction and fantasy is that often those genres contain social commentary as well. Lovelock and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card spring to mind as good examples of these. But if you prefer books that are strongly rooted in reality you should probably skip those

 

[Stewart]

I have read quite a few books containing social commentary that I enjoyed. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay is an amazing book about South Africa during apartheid.

South Africa, now tthat reminds me. Try Disgrace by JM Coetzee.

 

[funes]

Alison,
You might also want to read very nearly anything by Joseph Conrad. Many of his books and stories have to do with the nature of imperial culture.
If you like something with a very distinctive voice, you might want to look for T.R. Pearson's Short History of a Small Place.

 

[KristoCat]

I second Stewart's recommendation eek: shocking, I know) for Disgrace. It has beautiful writing, a bit more of a literary style, and a more postmodern flavor to it (The Power of One is more popular-fiction-y). It also addresses racial issues in South Africa as well as issues of personal power and control over oneself, vs. society's control over you. Both novels are good, it just depends on your mood I guess.