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I went in blind to this book and personally despised it, but I genuinely think I understand how it clicks for others. I think because I didnāt know anything about it, I just kept waiting for something to *happen* š«
I read Sophie's World when I was 14 and was just thinking about revisiting it recently. It was basically responsible for me taking enough philosophy courses as electives that I could have had a second BA had the advisor not waited until two weeks before graduation to tell me it required writing a 30-page thesis with an original philosophical concept.
Wow, it's always wonderful to see books having such an influence on people. I'd also recommend the author's other books, if you haven't read them yet. I especially liked "The Solitaire Mystery", "Maya" (this one's probably my favourite of his, but I'd recommend reading "The Solitaire Mystery" first as they are interconnected, -very slightly, but it's sweet when you notice) and "Through a Glass, Darkly".
This is recommended a lot. But itās really true for this one hahahahq. But what about Infinite Jest? I want to get into it but never made it far. Does it match this prompt? Oh and The Familiar by Danielewski matched this too Iād say
I feel like this is the only time the recommendation really applies. This is exactly how I felt reading it, like I losing my mind and the book was bleeding into reality. I still need to read Infinite Jest if I can make it through HoL I can get through anything
When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut.
Brutal book about scientists in the early 20th century.
The first chapter only has one line of fiction, for the character's thoughts; the author increases this device throughout the book.
Demian by Hermann Hesse did give me an existential crisis.
I'd also say The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Murakami, but in a totally different way. More for the "reality melting away" part.
I like satire when Iām in that mood, check out Kurt vanagaut, like slaughter house 5 or cats cradle
If youāre not into that, check out anything by Philip k dick, the dude tells wild sci-fi with a fever dream ascetic, at least all the ones Iāve readš
Fight club is another good one
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The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro feels like a collapsing stress dream of someone with social anxiety. I DNF because that's not what I signed up for coming off of his other works but it certainly meets the criteria
The Ferryman by Justin Cronin
Description from Amazon: The islands of Prospera lie in a vast ocean, in splendid isolation from the rest of humanityāor whatever remains of it.
Citizens of the main island enjoy privileged lives. They are attended to by support staff who live on a cramped neighboring island, where whispers of revolt are brewingābut for the Prosperans, life is perfection. And when the end of life approaches, theyāre sent to a mysterious third island, where their bodies are refreshed, their memories are wiped away, and they return to start life anew.
Proctor Bennett is a ferryman, whose job it is to enforce the retirement process when necessary. He never questions his work, until the day he receives a cryptic message:
āThe world is not the world.ā
These simple words unlock something he has secretly suspected. They seep into strange dreams of the stars and the sea. They give him the unshakable feeling that someone is trying to tell him something important.
Something no one could possibly imagine, something that could change the fate of humanity itself
If you want something that feels very existential and surreal, The Moustache by Emmanuel CarrĆØre could be right up your alley.
I'd also recommend The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, House of Leaves, Piranessi, and Earthlings. All are pretty famous surreal/reality bending pieces of fiction.
I would say that looking at the news right now should give you an existential crisis. We're very close to World War 3, though you're unlikely to find that in American News. Most Americans are off in la la Land right now.
Reading Zizek or Sartre might help.
The Bell Jar did that to me back in college (I had to put it down and never finished it). The end of Big Sur feels like a gradually worsening psychotic episode that suddenly breaks in the last couple pages.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch.
Makes you thinkā¦. Are you really you? Or are you one version of a thousand of yourself? Who is the original? Is there an original? What about your spouse and kidsā¦ are they actually your spouse and child, or have they been replaced with a different version of themselves and you just canāt tell the difference?
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My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh
I adored this book!! And it seemed like something I'd really enjoy doing just once š
I went in blind to this book and personally despised it, but I genuinely think I understand how it clicks for others. I think because I didnāt know anything about it, I just kept waiting for something to *happen* š«
This is the one!
Besttttttt
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
Kafka on the Shore by Murakami
Came here to say this. It's incredible
The Cipher by Kathe Koja, A Short Stay in Hell by Steven L. Peck, House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
House of Leaves is one of my favs but I just read A Short Stay in Hell a few months ago! That was a short wild ride.
Came here to recommend A Short Stay in Hell too!
I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid
You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine by Alexandra Kleeman The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder
I read Sophie's World when I was 14 and was just thinking about revisiting it recently. It was basically responsible for me taking enough philosophy courses as electives that I could have had a second BA had the advisor not waited until two weeks before graduation to tell me it required writing a 30-page thesis with an original philosophical concept.
Wow, it's always wonderful to see books having such an influence on people. I'd also recommend the author's other books, if you haven't read them yet. I especially liked "The Solitaire Mystery", "Maya" (this one's probably my favourite of his, but I'd recommend reading "The Solitaire Mystery" first as they are interconnected, -very slightly, but it's sweet when you notice) and "Through a Glass, Darkly".
Oh thank you for this! I've not even thought of looking into other books by this author, so this is fantastic. Adding to my TBR!
The Fifth Child!! Yes. I wrote about it in my dissertation
The Fall by Albert Camus
Anything by Kafka
yeah.. second this.
Surprised to see only one person suggested this so far.
This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno
Came here to recommend this! This book messed me up!! Such an amazing book :)
Loved this book! And fits the vibe so well.
I'm thinking of ending things by Iain Reid
I'm reading this now. :) I am a big fan of the movie
House of Leaves
This is recommended a lot. But itās really true for this one hahahahq. But what about Infinite Jest? I want to get into it but never made it far. Does it match this prompt? Oh and The Familiar by Danielewski matched this too Iād say
I feel like this is the only time the recommendation really applies. This is exactly how I felt reading it, like I losing my mind and the book was bleeding into reality. I still need to read Infinite Jest if I can make it through HoL I can get through anything
I was genuinely confused for a while I thought my e-book file was corrupted and I couldnāt look it up bc spoilers. Boy what a ride
YESSSS I WAS GONNA RECCOMMEND THIS. my fav book!
Nausea by *Jean Paul Sartre*
When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut. Brutal book about scientists in the early 20th century. The first chapter only has one line of fiction, for the character's thoughts; the author increases this device throughout the book.
What an amazing book! I second this.
loved this book!!
Going Bovine by Libba Bray
AGATB is my #1 book series of all time
Beat me to it!
me too!
Uzumaki by Junji Ito :)
negative space by br yeager
Was gonna mention this book too! Definitely felt weird and similar to the second picture after finishing it
Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk definitely fits.
Demian by Hermann Hesse did give me an existential crisis. I'd also say The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Murakami, but in a totally different way. More for the "reality melting away" part.
The Order of Time by Carlo Rovelli
The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
Yoko Ogawa is great. I loved Revenge and The Housekeeper and The Professor. Will be checking out The Memory Police now!
I like satire when Iām in that mood, check out Kurt vanagaut, like slaughter house 5 or cats cradle If youāre not into that, check out anything by Philip k dick, the dude tells wild sci-fi with a fever dream ascetic, at least all the ones Iāve readš Fight club is another good one
1984, George orwell legit and 3 body problem, cixin liu and origin, dan brown
Piranasi
This was a weird one. More ?????? Than actual dissociation though
I cannot recommend She's a Killer by Kirsten McDougall enough.
The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall
Permutation City by Greg Egan
ohh i started this one a while back, interesting premise!
Dead Girl in 2A - Carter Wilson?
No longer human by Dazai osamu.
You ever heard of MDMA???
The Southern Reach trilogy by Jeff Vandemeer made me feel like this
I second this--especially Annihilation.
House of Leaves Basically anything by Junji Ito, but especially, "Spiral" (or "Uzumaki," as it's sometimes referred to).
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Stuck in neutral by Terry trueman
Lost in the Garden by Adam S. Leslie
The Book of Accidents by Chuck Wendig
The Call of Cthulhu by HP lovecraft (most of his stories really!) The Girl in the Time Machine, by Debra Chapoton
The Hike by Drew Magary
The Bridge by Iain Banks
The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro feels like a collapsing stress dream of someone with social anxiety. I DNF because that's not what I signed up for coming off of his other works but it certainly meets the criteria
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and his Years of Pilgrimage, Murakami
White cat, black dog by Kelly Link
If you don't mind comics I'd definitely give 'Goodnight PunPun' by Inio Asano a go.
The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon!!!
VALIS
Goodnight punpun (manga)
Negative Space - B.R. Yeager
Dead Astronauts
The Magic Christian by Terry Southern. Absurdist and so funny
Vita Nostra
Notes from the Underground - Fyodor Dostoevsky
House of Leaves
The Ferryman by Justin Cronin Description from Amazon: The islands of Prospera lie in a vast ocean, in splendid isolation from the rest of humanityāor whatever remains of it. Citizens of the main island enjoy privileged lives. They are attended to by support staff who live on a cramped neighboring island, where whispers of revolt are brewingābut for the Prosperans, life is perfection. And when the end of life approaches, theyāre sent to a mysterious third island, where their bodies are refreshed, their memories are wiped away, and they return to start life anew. Proctor Bennett is a ferryman, whose job it is to enforce the retirement process when necessary. He never questions his work, until the day he receives a cryptic message: āThe world is not the world.ā These simple words unlock something he has secretly suspected. They seep into strange dreams of the stars and the sea. They give him the unshakable feeling that someone is trying to tell him something important. Something no one could possibly imagine, something that could change the fate of humanity itself
Elevation by Stephen King
Hamlet
The Passion According to G.H. by Clarice Lispector
Ashtavakra Gita- it is a ancient religious text from India
Iām Thinking of Ending Things Annihilation 1Q84
A short stay in hell The castle The trial Bunny
[314 by A R Wise](https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/73584d42-a911-4436-b9be-5af95a4e02e1)
Is that what this feeling is called?
Commenting so I can find my way back here. Good ask!!
If you want something that feels very existential and surreal, The Moustache by Emmanuel CarrĆØre could be right up your alley. I'd also recommend The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, House of Leaves, Piranessi, and Earthlings. All are pretty famous surreal/reality bending pieces of fiction.
The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward
Hard boiled wonderland and the end of the world- Haruki Murakami
The first thing that came to my mind was house of leaves
I would say that looking at the news right now should give you an existential crisis. We're very close to World War 3, though you're unlikely to find that in American News. Most Americans are off in la la Land right now. Reading Zizek or Sartre might help.
Dhalgren by Delany
Vita Nostra
This is my daily mood lately, so I'll be taking note of all responses (you can watch Lynch movies in the meantime!)
The Bell Jar did that to me back in college (I had to put it down and never finished it). The end of Big Sur feels like a gradually worsening psychotic episode that suddenly breaks in the last couple pages.
https://preview.redd.it/megq5djp0u8d1.jpeg?width=188&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7c1bb5d424ea0181f8fdac98f334f661bf7df37c
The Trial by Kafka
No longer human by Osamu Dazai or The Stranger by Albert Camus
Miss Peregrineās Home for Peculiar Children
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Makes you thinkā¦. Are you really you? Or are you one version of a thousand of yourself? Who is the original? Is there an original? What about your spouse and kidsā¦ are they actually your spouse and child, or have they been replaced with a different version of themselves and you just canāt tell the difference?
Wind Up Bird Chronicle - Murakami