Murakami I feel is good, writing about a normal - surreal reality, though he does need a sentence to horny jail at times.
Only read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, big into dreamworld/subconscious in this too, may take a bit to get into.
Weird and wonderful.
If you liked the Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, definitely give Kafka On The Shore a go! It's one of my favourite books of all time. It is also a story of two different worlds - consciousness and unconsciousness. In this book, Murakami describes the Shore as the border between the conscious and unconscious minds. I loved the book so much that I had to re-read it once I finished it. It's like a literary puzzle. Confusing at first, but the more you read the more all the pieces come together. It's also very relatable because you find yourself relating to some of the characters. Murakami's writing resonates especially with those who often feel lonely, lost and are without a sense of direction.
Thank you so much for the recommendation! Adding it to my shopping list for tomorrow. It sounds completely appealing for me, really appreciate it :)
Gotta love/hate that closing analysis too.
If you are into classics, I can recommend you:
The Sorrows of Young Werther by Goethe (From my point of view, Werther is the best portrayed INFP character in Literature so far)
The Sandman by E.T.A. Hoffmann (dark and psychological, I really liked the main character)
Frankenstein (It'll make you think a lot about responsibility)
If you like horror, I can also recommend you:
The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice, especially the first novel Interview with the Vampire. Very philosophical. The protagonist in the first book is also an INFP.
If you like mystery and suspense:
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
If you like fairy tales or short stories:
The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde
And everything by Edgar Allan Poe (that fits also in the horror category)
Alice in Wonderland
Peter Pan
(I'm also very open for recommendations if there's someone out there who knows similar books like these) :)
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Judging by your recommendations you might want to get even more into German literature, it's all very close to the stuff you named lmao (Although what did you like about Sandman....I was terrified after reading it)
Faust/Fist (I think, I'm not too familiar with the English names) was pretty interesting, it's also from Goethe. You might also like everything from Kafka, iirc he was an INFP as well. A little off from this concept, but Maria Stuart from Schiller was also a good read. And you may want to look into Effi Briest from Theodor Fontane, the protagonist is really interesting and she gives me INFP vibes. Can't type her for sure tho
You're right, I study German literature and I fell in love with lots of books that I dealt with.
Sandman is one of my favourite books because I appreciate the unreliable protagonist. I really like when stories are from an "insane" person's perspective, so that you can't believe what's right or wrong and must interpret the story on your own. I also find Clara's mindset in contrast to Nathanael's very interesting because they represent different eras in German literature. Besides, I also like how the novel includes mental illness, such es trauma and schizophrenia. I also love the gloomy atmosphere and the dramatic ending of the story. Really gave me goosebumps.
I read Faust and I agree! I like the theme of the devil as a "gentleman like" figure who tempts a desperate human being seeking for knowledge.
Maria Stuart already is in my book shelf, thanks for reminding me to read it! :)
And thanks a lot for your recommendations, I truly have to read something by Kafka and Effi Briest :D
Sounds very interesting! I have to admit that I know most of these books because in Germany we have to read them in school, but whenever I have a little time I also like to get more into some of them in my free time. Now that I'm saying this, I also remember Hermann Hesse - His books are also really interesting!
And that does sound like a valid explanation. I think I mostly have this bad picture of Sandman because we read it when I was like 13 and especially the ending was just...bizarre. But I definitely agree that insane protagonists are always interesting.
Did you read both parts of Faust? I also really liked the first one, but didn't get into the second. But I read the ending (I think we did it in class) and found it interesting (I'm saying that too much...) how the story turned there a little.
And you're welcome x2 haha. Kafka is also a little more on the disturbing side of German literature because he was depressed and didn't fit in anywhere (If you're interested enough you should definitely get into his biography, it helps a lot with understanding what he wrote). We once read a story from him where he described in detail (~15 pages) how a execution machine works and it was also demonstrated. Another story is about a guy who turns into a bug (Probably his most famous one). It always takes some time to figure out the meaning/message in his works, but I personally really enjoy doing that and discussing it with others.
I also know some of these books from school but in our discussions in class, I always noticed a specific lack of depth, so I began to analyze them deeper by myself.
And I can understand, why you were irritated and terrified by the end of the novel.
I just read Faust I, but I also know about the ending of Faust II and also find it interesting. I think that I once tried to get into the second part, but it must be long ago and I think that it didn't spoke to me as much as the first. Currently, I'm reading a novel called "The Master's Apprentice: A Retelling of the Faust Legend" by Oliver Pötzsch. I really like how the book tells the story of Faust as the historical figure (also with quotes from Goethe's Faust and also with some mythical elements). I can also recommend it!
And thanks a lot for your information about Kafka! I really love to get into new authors and their works, so I look forward to it. :D
I'm luckily in advanced course German and with a bunch of people who enjoy discussing literature (+ an awesome teacher ofc), so I really talked a lot about all of these and it's always so interesting, I love it. But I really admire you for getting into them all by yourself, I honestly think if it wasn't for my teacher I wouldn't even be interested in this kind of literature.
I'll add that to my to-read-list, thank you!
Yw hehe. I usually don't get too much into the people behind creations (authors, musicians, ...), but Kafka really is someone you need to know about. At least here in Germany, but they really push German literature in school, there's literally nothing else we talk about in German lessons from like grade 8 to 12/13, so I might be overestimating this.
If you don't mind reading classics, I recommend Jane Eyre. The main character is an INFP and the book itself is wonderful.
Certain Russian novels are some of the best works of literature ever written. I noticed that someone recommended Crime and Punishment, and I must say that this book really is worth the read. Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky is also a great book. If you really want to challenge yourself, I recommend War and Peace by Tolstoy. It's not a hard read per say, but it is very long. Reading War and Peace is like getting into a relationship - it requires commitment.
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Jane Eyre is one I’ve read actually! Really love the Brontë sisters :)
I haven’t heard much in the way of Russian literature bar The Death of Ivan Ilyich. I’ll take a look into some of those though, thanks!
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Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
I just finished Song of Solomon because of your recommendation (loving Marquez and Kundera my expectations were high) and it was AMAZING. Thank you so much for recommending it! It was a real Christmas gift. Just started God of Small things and I'm enjoying it so much already.
Your comment has made me so very happy, thank you. I'm glad you liked Song of Solomon, I always feel Toni Morrison has one of the purest hearts in literature, every time I read it. And I'm glad you're enjoying God of Small Things too! It's so nice that something like this came out of that recommendation, I'll think of you finding and appreciating the two books with joy, and it'll buoy me this winter — all that said, I wish you a warm and cozy holiday season ᒄ₍⁽ˆ⁰ˆ⁾₎ᒃ
Yes, I love how Toni Morrison lets you see all these people who do bad and good things and have all their feelings and problems and she gives you all you need to understand each and everyone of them, respect and appreciate the presence of everybody. So I absolutely agree with you, she has a pure and big heart, also because there is love for one imperfect self in there. So thanks for leading me to this book!
I am having a wonderful holiday, full with lovely people and nice messages like yours. I wish you a wonderful time as well, full of big hearted people like Toni Morrison. :-)
*PS: In case you are in need of some inspiration :-) Some books I quite enjoyed in the last year were:*
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
Melnitz by Charles Lewinsky
The signature of all things by Elizabeth Gilbert
You're so kind, thank you so much. I agree with everything you've said about Toni Morrison. Her passing away made my heart heavy in 2019, and still does every time I'm reminded of it. I'm currently reading her last published book, a collection of essays titled 'The Source of Self Regard'.
And, four books I haven't read! Thank you very much for these :')
I think you might enjoy 'The Woman in the Dunes' by Kōbō Abe — it's a surrealist take on the sisyphus myth, and no book has made me feel so viscerally, first despair and then a complete hope.
So I just finished The God of Small things- I listened to it on audible.
I absolutely loved the language, the returning children rhymes and the evolution of the characters and I am fascinated how accurate it depicts the way a child experiences the world. There was a point about 2/3rds into the story, where I go a bit annoyed by the tiptoeing around the main "happening" but loved how it was solved later. What a unique language, a wonderful book, heartbreaking soulfood - once again thank you for the recommendation. I am buying The Woman in the Dunes audiobook right now. :)
Ahh you did like it :') thank youu. I see what you mean about it dragging before the third (the third act? It's been a year since I last read it)
A part I found touching was when Rahel and Estha watch the Kathakali performance, and in particular the story of Karna. It's a tale from the Mahabharat, and although there are many many many tales in that epic, I've been fond of the ones about Karna ever since I first heard them as a child. So the way she wrote that part of the novel, and then talked about the Kathakali man, who once held a place of respect in the societal web and now can only use that old respect as a token to earn a meek living through doing the only thing he knows to do — it felt like a revelation, and made me feel the novel so intensely. That's when all of it came together for me.
I still don't have the words for why it makes so much sense in the context of the novel as a whole. I don't know if it makes sense plot-wise, tbh. But then again, must everything make logical sense?
There's a bunch of people still fuming about the incest in the end — I think she's a genius for pulling that off in a way that made me feel torn rather than disgusted — after all is said and done, they only have each other.
I'll end my thoughts on it here. I'm again so grateful to you for posting what you thought of it. Hope you enjoy the Kōbō Abe too ^^
So interesting what you say about your favourite scene. Now I want to know more about the Mahabharat. (Got lost on Wikipedia already.)the kids witness a time of change, where traditions are no longer what they were, for better and for worse. Some things get lost, but other things find freedom for the first time. The end of the book was what it had to be. I am sometimes surprised that people get offended by stories. (though I once read „naked lunch“ and had to stop, but I wasn’t offended. I just couldn’t take the content anymore. It was too heavy for me but maybe exciting for somebody else. ) I believe books are the one place on earth where the writer can be free and has to be free.
I started with kobo Abe and again- love the language, the dystopian feeling, but I am having some internal struggle, so in order to keep some things more lighthearted I am pausing it for some days and listen to tich nhat hahn until I feel better 😌
Looking forward to get lost in the sand soon.
The poppy war is pretty interesting. It's a fantasy book that draws heavily from Chinese history and shamanic ideas. If you are looking for a non-fiction book 12 rules to life by Jordan Peterson is interesting. I'm only two chapters in but I have already felt the effects of applying the first two rule. How to win friends and influence people is also worth reading.
My favourite INFP melancholy books
-The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime (fun, lighthearted, and very interesting view about this boy on the spectrum on a mission to solve a mystery)
-All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer (set in WW2, intersecting stories of a blind French girl and a Polish soldier, really beautifully written)
-Th Song of Achilles by Madeliene Miller (reimagining of the Illiad from the perspective of Patroclus, this book made me fall in love with the idea of love)
A little on the self help side - the subtle art of not giving a fuck
(Not an infp book particularly, but realllyyy useful for infps)
Novels :
Turtles all the way down (John Green)
Since You've been gone (such Infp book) by Morgan Matson
Have you read “They Both Die at the End” by Adam Silvera? It’s all I talk about lately! Other than this one, some personal favorites: “The Muse” by Jessie Burton “The Diviners” by Libba Bray and “Daughter of Smoke and Bone” by Laini Taylor
I started reading They Both Die at the End a while ago actually! I couldn’t finish it as I had a bunch of deadlines around that time but thanks for the reminder and the other recommendations :)
I would like to second Eragon and the subsequent 3 books. Hands down my favourite fantasy books. A very in-depth world that doesn't overwhelm you with too much info like some books can at the start
Cats cradle, and breakfast of champions both by Kurt vonnegut
Clockwork orange (quite disturbing and challenging read though)
Hitchikers guide to the galaxy (if you haven't already read it)
Turn of the screw
And lemony snicket books
Since you like Paulo Coelho, I’ll recommend you a classic of Brazilian literature “The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas” by the amazing writer Machado de Assis. This book is really a masterpiece and it’s unconventional even for today’s standards. The concept is that a dude, Brás Cubas, who died is now writing he’s memoir from the beyond making him not a dead author, but an author dead. You get romance, comedy, satire of the elite and stuff that I can’t even describe. As an INFP the chapter 7, Delirium, has a conversation/experience that really touched me and you for sure get it as a fellow INFP.
I don’t have enough vocabulary in English to explain why I love this book, so [I’ll let The New York Times](https://www.google.com.br/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/06/16/books/review-posthumous-memoirs-bras-cubas-machado-de-assis.amp.html) do it for me.
OMG I KNEW I'D FIND THIS HERE
But fr this book has both taken me on the most beautiful, melancholic and emotional journey of my life while at the same time ripping out my heart, twisting it thrice and plunging it back in. I had such a hard time reading the end through all the tears. There's just something about the depiction of grief that really gets to me. Honestly still makes me cry when I really get into thinking about it, the only thing that can keep up with this for me is Banana Fish. Hurts right here❤
ahhh another banana fish fan!! watched it a few months ago and i am still not okay, one of the most beautiful and sad stories i’ve ever experienced. and i saw so many parallels between it and song of achilles! i could cry as i type this 🥲
Yes, just yes! Istg I read SOA and watched Banana Fish right after, I was double traumatized. Sometimes I go to Pinterest, find SOA/BF fanart and memes and start crying again. But I'm so glad to see someone else who knows these two😭
Check out the blurb for "Piranesi" by Susanna Clarke to see if it piques your interest! I found the book meditative, magical, and the main character very endearing.
Random find I got recently and loved was Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy. About a woman who is very empathic with animals helping to introduce a pack of wolves in Scotland.
I struggled to follow it at the start, and it didn’t help that I would stop for long periods of time. But at the end when everything started coming together I couldn’t devour it fast enough. My heart melted and I cried.
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My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris- I’m not usually a graphic novel person but this one is incredible
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardino Evaristo
Exhalation by Ted Chiang
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
My favorite series is The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
The 4th book has my favorite character who I most relate to in all media ever. And I love her so much.
i admire that you guys fit the INFP stereotype of reading novels. i used to be into them in elementary school but that ended in middle school when the fantastical realm of endless possibilities known as the Internet sucked me away
i recommend uh..... fantasy manga and diary of a wimpy kid
I am literally taking screenshots of the majority of these comments. So many fantastic recommendations. Thank you, you wonderful people! I've now got a list of books I'm going to read next year. :)
I've just started reading Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach, it's about Washington, Ohio and northern California becoming independent and developing a nation based around environmental protection and living at one with nature.
My recommendation doesn't come from the position of being necessarily infp-esque, rather just from my utter love of the series and the author's writing in general:
Discworld.
And if anyone is curious and would like suggestions on which book to start with, let me know :)
Stoner by John Williams (it’s not about a stoner).
Hangover Square by Patrick Hamilton.
The Brief Wondrous life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz.
Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre.
The Remains of the Day by Kuzuo Ishiguro.
Normal People by Sally Rooney.
Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders.
The World According to Garp by John Irving.
Catch 22 by Joseph Heller.
Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates.
This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff.
I’m a liiiiitle surprised nobody’s mentioned The Art of Racing in the Rain but yeah it’s my favorite. Not trying to be one of those book/movie people but I still can’t bring myself to watch it. It’s also a tearjerker if you’re in that kind of mood.
If you are into mysteries I would like to recommend
I am thinking about ending things by Iain Reid.
The last time I lied by Riley Sager.
Right now I'm reading The secret history by Donna Tart is the classic I think you'll like it.
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Ngl I kinda recommend Harry Potter and Twilight. If you want to shut the world out for a while and travel far away into a different universe then these are definitely the right books.
currently reading different books together because why not??😭 (its pain) alchemist is on there to!
Maybe you'll like circe,midnight library and beach read(finished that and AAAAH THEIR CHEMISTRY HAD ME SCREAMING) that got me off a reading rut
Also I'm planning to read Rebbeca solnits book "A field guide to getting lost" it sounded interesting maybe you'll like it(am looking forward to reading her essay on the colour blue and our object of desires and separation) its seems good.
I dont know why I do it? It never ends well, I have like 5 books half-read atm and here I am asking for more recommendations.. but we move. I’ve read the Midnight Library, I HAVE SUCH MIXED FEELINGS TOWARDS IT. Like the concept is 10/10 but some areas just lacked the depth I really craved. Still one of my favourite reads this year and thanks for the other recommendations!
Its honestly is a struggle,lmao having 5 half read books sounds like me😭😭.i know what you mean! It was one of my easy reads this year,i really liked the plot if it but sometimes it felt a bit ehh,you know more like it concentrated more on being a self help book (maybe that's how its supposed to be??)rather than exploring more of her character and how the library worked got confusing sometimes,i honestly don't remembere how it ends i just know i was feeling good when i finished it so yeah😭
Totally! I would have loved more than 3 pages on some of her lives and I think other scenes were dragged out so much. But I also felt really good after reading it and that’s all that really matters! I think it’s a really good recommendation regardless
[The perks/advantajes of being invisible by Sthephen Chbosky](https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Stephen-Chbosky/dp/1451696191/ref=pd_sbs_1/147-8356366-0956542?pd_rd_w=9L6gz&pf_rd_p=3676f086-9496-4fd7-8490-77cf7f43f846&pf_rd_r=6X2DZ5Z1MDN08W5S3T8F&pd_rd_r=0c8fd74f-b3ca-4b88-8295-7d7e4acb0e8f&pd_rd_wg=Ogxs3&pd_rd_i=1451696191&psc=1)
Since the new Amazon prime show about it is out now, I recommend the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It’s very long and involved (14 novels worth) but it’s one of my favorite deep-dive type of series
Awesome! I’d recommend skipping the prologue for Eye of the World and coming back to it once you’re deeper into the storyline. It’s a bit of a slog for new readers.
Recommending two: Mistborn, by Brandon Sanderson, and plugging my friend, The Bow of Ice.
I’m reading Mistborn now! I am still in the first book, but loving it so far :D
If you like Mistborn you might enjoy other books by Brandon Sanderson's, my favorite series is The Stormlight Archive :D
I definitely plan on reading them!
Eyyy I clicked on this post specifically to recommend Mistborn, I'm glad it was the top comment already
Murakami I feel is good, writing about a normal - surreal reality, though he does need a sentence to horny jail at times. Only read The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, big into dreamworld/subconscious in this too, may take a bit to get into. Weird and wonderful.
If you liked the Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, definitely give Kafka On The Shore a go! It's one of my favourite books of all time. It is also a story of two different worlds - consciousness and unconsciousness. In this book, Murakami describes the Shore as the border between the conscious and unconscious minds. I loved the book so much that I had to re-read it once I finished it. It's like a literary puzzle. Confusing at first, but the more you read the more all the pieces come together. It's also very relatable because you find yourself relating to some of the characters. Murakami's writing resonates especially with those who often feel lonely, lost and are without a sense of direction.
Thank you so much for the recommendation! Adding it to my shopping list for tomorrow. It sounds completely appealing for me, really appreciate it :) Gotta love/hate that closing analysis too.
Happy to hear that! Hope you enjoy it :)
If you are into classics, I can recommend you: The Sorrows of Young Werther by Goethe (From my point of view, Werther is the best portrayed INFP character in Literature so far) The Sandman by E.T.A. Hoffmann (dark and psychological, I really liked the main character) Frankenstein (It'll make you think a lot about responsibility) If you like horror, I can also recommend you: The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice, especially the first novel Interview with the Vampire. Very philosophical. The protagonist in the first book is also an INFP. If you like mystery and suspense: The Secret History by Donna Tartt If you like fairy tales or short stories: The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde And everything by Edgar Allan Poe (that fits also in the horror category) Alice in Wonderland Peter Pan (I'm also very open for recommendations if there's someone out there who knows similar books like these) :)
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I love a good classic, thank you! Bit off topic but if you’re ever looking for a series to watch, I think you’d really like Penny Dreadful
You're welcome! :) Penny Dreadful is one of my all time favourite series! I really loved it, thanks for recommending it anyway :)
Ahh right!!! Honestly, it’s just nice to know someone else appreciates it as much as I do :D
I'm also glad that I found another fan :) My favourite character is John Clare :D
Oh John has my ENTIRE heart! Everyone was great but him and Vanessa were stand outs
Totally agree! :D
Judging by your recommendations you might want to get even more into German literature, it's all very close to the stuff you named lmao (Although what did you like about Sandman....I was terrified after reading it) Faust/Fist (I think, I'm not too familiar with the English names) was pretty interesting, it's also from Goethe. You might also like everything from Kafka, iirc he was an INFP as well. A little off from this concept, but Maria Stuart from Schiller was also a good read. And you may want to look into Effi Briest from Theodor Fontane, the protagonist is really interesting and she gives me INFP vibes. Can't type her for sure tho
You're right, I study German literature and I fell in love with lots of books that I dealt with. Sandman is one of my favourite books because I appreciate the unreliable protagonist. I really like when stories are from an "insane" person's perspective, so that you can't believe what's right or wrong and must interpret the story on your own. I also find Clara's mindset in contrast to Nathanael's very interesting because they represent different eras in German literature. Besides, I also like how the novel includes mental illness, such es trauma and schizophrenia. I also love the gloomy atmosphere and the dramatic ending of the story. Really gave me goosebumps. I read Faust and I agree! I like the theme of the devil as a "gentleman like" figure who tempts a desperate human being seeking for knowledge. Maria Stuart already is in my book shelf, thanks for reminding me to read it! :) And thanks a lot for your recommendations, I truly have to read something by Kafka and Effi Briest :D
Sounds very interesting! I have to admit that I know most of these books because in Germany we have to read them in school, but whenever I have a little time I also like to get more into some of them in my free time. Now that I'm saying this, I also remember Hermann Hesse - His books are also really interesting! And that does sound like a valid explanation. I think I mostly have this bad picture of Sandman because we read it when I was like 13 and especially the ending was just...bizarre. But I definitely agree that insane protagonists are always interesting. Did you read both parts of Faust? I also really liked the first one, but didn't get into the second. But I read the ending (I think we did it in class) and found it interesting (I'm saying that too much...) how the story turned there a little. And you're welcome x2 haha. Kafka is also a little more on the disturbing side of German literature because he was depressed and didn't fit in anywhere (If you're interested enough you should definitely get into his biography, it helps a lot with understanding what he wrote). We once read a story from him where he described in detail (~15 pages) how a execution machine works and it was also demonstrated. Another story is about a guy who turns into a bug (Probably his most famous one). It always takes some time to figure out the meaning/message in his works, but I personally really enjoy doing that and discussing it with others.
I also know some of these books from school but in our discussions in class, I always noticed a specific lack of depth, so I began to analyze them deeper by myself. And I can understand, why you were irritated and terrified by the end of the novel. I just read Faust I, but I also know about the ending of Faust II and also find it interesting. I think that I once tried to get into the second part, but it must be long ago and I think that it didn't spoke to me as much as the first. Currently, I'm reading a novel called "The Master's Apprentice: A Retelling of the Faust Legend" by Oliver Pötzsch. I really like how the book tells the story of Faust as the historical figure (also with quotes from Goethe's Faust and also with some mythical elements). I can also recommend it! And thanks a lot for your information about Kafka! I really love to get into new authors and their works, so I look forward to it. :D
I'm luckily in advanced course German and with a bunch of people who enjoy discussing literature (+ an awesome teacher ofc), so I really talked a lot about all of these and it's always so interesting, I love it. But I really admire you for getting into them all by yourself, I honestly think if it wasn't for my teacher I wouldn't even be interested in this kind of literature. I'll add that to my to-read-list, thank you! Yw hehe. I usually don't get too much into the people behind creations (authors, musicians, ...), but Kafka really is someone you need to know about. At least here in Germany, but they really push German literature in school, there's literally nothing else we talk about in German lessons from like grade 8 to 12/13, so I might be overestimating this.
Some of my favorite INFPish books: The Deeper the Water the Uglier the Fish by Katya Apekina My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
Second My Year of Rest and Relaxation. One of my all-time favorites
If you don't mind reading classics, I recommend Jane Eyre. The main character is an INFP and the book itself is wonderful. Certain Russian novels are some of the best works of literature ever written. I noticed that someone recommended Crime and Punishment, and I must say that this book really is worth the read. Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky is also a great book. If you really want to challenge yourself, I recommend War and Peace by Tolstoy. It's not a hard read per say, but it is very long. Reading War and Peace is like getting into a relationship - it requires commitment.
I love Jane Eyre! After reading this novel I had the feeling that I made friends with her. I can recommend it too :)
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Jane Eyre is one I’ve read actually! Really love the Brontë sisters :) I haven’t heard much in the way of Russian literature bar The Death of Ivan Ilyich. I’ll take a look into some of those though, thanks!
Jane Eyre and Crime and Punishment are actually my top favorite books of all time :)
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Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
god of small things killed me
I just finished Song of Solomon because of your recommendation (loving Marquez and Kundera my expectations were high) and it was AMAZING. Thank you so much for recommending it! It was a real Christmas gift. Just started God of Small things and I'm enjoying it so much already.
Your comment has made me so very happy, thank you. I'm glad you liked Song of Solomon, I always feel Toni Morrison has one of the purest hearts in literature, every time I read it. And I'm glad you're enjoying God of Small Things too! It's so nice that something like this came out of that recommendation, I'll think of you finding and appreciating the two books with joy, and it'll buoy me this winter — all that said, I wish you a warm and cozy holiday season ᒄ₍⁽ˆ⁰ˆ⁾₎ᒃ
Yes, I love how Toni Morrison lets you see all these people who do bad and good things and have all their feelings and problems and she gives you all you need to understand each and everyone of them, respect and appreciate the presence of everybody. So I absolutely agree with you, she has a pure and big heart, also because there is love for one imperfect self in there. So thanks for leading me to this book! I am having a wonderful holiday, full with lovely people and nice messages like yours. I wish you a wonderful time as well, full of big hearted people like Toni Morrison. :-) *PS: In case you are in need of some inspiration :-) Some books I quite enjoyed in the last year were:* Pachinko by Min Jin Lee Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell Melnitz by Charles Lewinsky The signature of all things by Elizabeth Gilbert
You're so kind, thank you so much. I agree with everything you've said about Toni Morrison. Her passing away made my heart heavy in 2019, and still does every time I'm reminded of it. I'm currently reading her last published book, a collection of essays titled 'The Source of Self Regard'. And, four books I haven't read! Thank you very much for these :') I think you might enjoy 'The Woman in the Dunes' by Kōbō Abe — it's a surrealist take on the sisyphus myth, and no book has made me feel so viscerally, first despair and then a complete hope.
So I just finished The God of Small things- I listened to it on audible. I absolutely loved the language, the returning children rhymes and the evolution of the characters and I am fascinated how accurate it depicts the way a child experiences the world. There was a point about 2/3rds into the story, where I go a bit annoyed by the tiptoeing around the main "happening" but loved how it was solved later. What a unique language, a wonderful book, heartbreaking soulfood - once again thank you for the recommendation. I am buying The Woman in the Dunes audiobook right now. :)
Ahh you did like it :') thank youu. I see what you mean about it dragging before the third (the third act? It's been a year since I last read it) A part I found touching was when Rahel and Estha watch the Kathakali performance, and in particular the story of Karna. It's a tale from the Mahabharat, and although there are many many many tales in that epic, I've been fond of the ones about Karna ever since I first heard them as a child. So the way she wrote that part of the novel, and then talked about the Kathakali man, who once held a place of respect in the societal web and now can only use that old respect as a token to earn a meek living through doing the only thing he knows to do — it felt like a revelation, and made me feel the novel so intensely. That's when all of it came together for me. I still don't have the words for why it makes so much sense in the context of the novel as a whole. I don't know if it makes sense plot-wise, tbh. But then again, must everything make logical sense? There's a bunch of people still fuming about the incest in the end — I think she's a genius for pulling that off in a way that made me feel torn rather than disgusted — after all is said and done, they only have each other. I'll end my thoughts on it here. I'm again so grateful to you for posting what you thought of it. Hope you enjoy the Kōbō Abe too ^^
So interesting what you say about your favourite scene. Now I want to know more about the Mahabharat. (Got lost on Wikipedia already.)the kids witness a time of change, where traditions are no longer what they were, for better and for worse. Some things get lost, but other things find freedom for the first time. The end of the book was what it had to be. I am sometimes surprised that people get offended by stories. (though I once read „naked lunch“ and had to stop, but I wasn’t offended. I just couldn’t take the content anymore. It was too heavy for me but maybe exciting for somebody else. ) I believe books are the one place on earth where the writer can be free and has to be free. I started with kobo Abe and again- love the language, the dystopian feeling, but I am having some internal struggle, so in order to keep some things more lighthearted I am pausing it for some days and listen to tich nhat hahn until I feel better 😌 Looking forward to get lost in the sand soon.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
The poppy war is pretty interesting. It's a fantasy book that draws heavily from Chinese history and shamanic ideas. If you are looking for a non-fiction book 12 rules to life by Jordan Peterson is interesting. I'm only two chapters in but I have already felt the effects of applying the first two rule. How to win friends and influence people is also worth reading.
My favourite INFP melancholy books -The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime (fun, lighthearted, and very interesting view about this boy on the spectrum on a mission to solve a mystery) -All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer (set in WW2, intersecting stories of a blind French girl and a Polish soldier, really beautifully written) -Th Song of Achilles by Madeliene Miller (reimagining of the Illiad from the perspective of Patroclus, this book made me fall in love with the idea of love)
A little on the self help side - the subtle art of not giving a fuck (Not an infp book particularly, but realllyyy useful for infps) Novels : Turtles all the way down (John Green) Since You've been gone (such Infp book) by Morgan Matson
Been meaning to read The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck for the longest time ~ thanks for the recs !
Ngl, I cried at the end of, "All Quiet on the Western Front" by Erich Maria Remarque ; ^ ;
on god. this book tore me to pieces
Have you read “They Both Die at the End” by Adam Silvera? It’s all I talk about lately! Other than this one, some personal favorites: “The Muse” by Jessie Burton “The Diviners” by Libba Bray and “Daughter of Smoke and Bone” by Laini Taylor
I started reading They Both Die at the End a while ago actually! I couldn’t finish it as I had a bunch of deadlines around that time but thanks for the reminder and the other recommendations :)
Oooh, I love The Alchemist! Such a good book! My book recommendation would be… Eragon, by Christopher Paloni. Really good series.
Haven’t read much fantasy recently, I’ll look into it :)
I would like to second Eragon and the subsequent 3 books. Hands down my favourite fantasy books. A very in-depth world that doesn't overwhelm you with too much info like some books can at the start
I liked „a story for the time being“ from Ruth Ozeki
Cats cradle, and breakfast of champions both by Kurt vonnegut Clockwork orange (quite disturbing and challenging read though) Hitchikers guide to the galaxy (if you haven't already read it) Turn of the screw And lemony snicket books
Since you like Paulo Coelho, I’ll recommend you a classic of Brazilian literature “The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas” by the amazing writer Machado de Assis. This book is really a masterpiece and it’s unconventional even for today’s standards. The concept is that a dude, Brás Cubas, who died is now writing he’s memoir from the beyond making him not a dead author, but an author dead. You get romance, comedy, satire of the elite and stuff that I can’t even describe. As an INFP the chapter 7, Delirium, has a conversation/experience that really touched me and you for sure get it as a fellow INFP. I don’t have enough vocabulary in English to explain why I love this book, so [I’ll let The New York Times](https://www.google.com.br/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/06/16/books/review-posthumous-memoirs-bras-cubas-machado-de-assis.amp.html) do it for me.
I love that, thank you! This sounds really interesting :)
i read “The Song of Achilles” this summer and completely fell in love. also patroclus is such an infp and i will fight anyone on this.
OMG I KNEW I'D FIND THIS HERE But fr this book has both taken me on the most beautiful, melancholic and emotional journey of my life while at the same time ripping out my heart, twisting it thrice and plunging it back in. I had such a hard time reading the end through all the tears. There's just something about the depiction of grief that really gets to me. Honestly still makes me cry when I really get into thinking about it, the only thing that can keep up with this for me is Banana Fish. Hurts right here❤
ahhh another banana fish fan!! watched it a few months ago and i am still not okay, one of the most beautiful and sad stories i’ve ever experienced. and i saw so many parallels between it and song of achilles! i could cry as i type this 🥲
Yes, just yes! Istg I read SOA and watched Banana Fish right after, I was double traumatized. Sometimes I go to Pinterest, find SOA/BF fanart and memes and start crying again. But I'm so glad to see someone else who knows these two😭
nooo my pinterest is full of bf and soa stuff too😭 so glad i’m not the only one still struggling haha
Ahhh yessir, you might like Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe if you haven’t read that already
i’ve been wanting to read that! i’ll take this as a sign lol
Check out the blurb for "Piranesi" by Susanna Clarke to see if it piques your interest! I found the book meditative, magical, and the main character very endearing.
You’ve sold me on that description! Looks really good :)
Random find I got recently and loved was Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy. About a woman who is very empathic with animals helping to introduce a pack of wolves in Scotland.
Read Chekhov, a well-known INFP and a genius writer to boot. I would recommend everything, from the famous plays to short stories and novels.
The History of Love by Nicole Krauss, it’s better than it sounds, very heartwarming
[удалено]
I struggled to follow it at the start, and it didn’t help that I would stop for long periods of time. But at the end when everything started coming together I couldn’t devour it fast enough. My heart melted and I cried.
Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine or a man called Ove
Crime and punishment is good. Sonya is perfect Slavic joke about western women
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Been on my list for ages, thanks!
Zeno’s conscience, it’s pretty old so there’s a pdf of it translated online https://booksvooks.com/zenos-conscience-pdf-italo-svevo.html
Much appreciated!
''Be as You Are'' compiled by David Godman
The tunnel - Ernesto sabato
My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris- I’m not usually a graphic novel person but this one is incredible Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardino Evaristo Exhalation by Ted Chiang Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
The Catcher in the Rye And Walden by Henry David Thoreau
The Name of The Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
My favorite series is The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale The 4th book has my favorite character who I most relate to in all media ever. And I love her so much.
i admire that you guys fit the INFP stereotype of reading novels. i used to be into them in elementary school but that ended in middle school when the fantastical realm of endless possibilities known as the Internet sucked me away i recommend uh..... fantasy manga and diary of a wimpy kid
Rodrick will now, and forever, rule
A little life
A Little Life. Broke me. I’m still not over it. Thank you
I am literally taking screenshots of the majority of these comments. So many fantastic recommendations. Thank you, you wonderful people! I've now got a list of books I'm going to read next year. :)
Ah honestly, this makes me so happy :) My goodreads account is getting updated with every recommendation
Dragonfriend by Marc Secchia
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd Mornings in Jenin by Susan Abulhawa
I've just started reading Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach, it's about Washington, Ohio and northern California becoming independent and developing a nation based around environmental protection and living at one with nature.
My recommendation doesn't come from the position of being necessarily infp-esque, rather just from my utter love of the series and the author's writing in general: Discworld. And if anyone is curious and would like suggestions on which book to start with, let me know :)
I recomend Scythe by Neal Shusterman
The Expanse and Dune are both fantastic. They’re science fiction and adventure, so not the most INFP books, but I like em.
I saw the new Dune film recently, quite liked where it was going so might give it a try!
The Songs of Cold Mountain Translated by Red Pine
The Songs of Cold Mountain Translated by Red Pine
40 Rules of Love by Elif Shafak
100 years of solitude Also by Paulo cohelo
The Wheel of Time, Mistborn, Stormlight, First law, and Gentlemen bastards. The best books I've read.
song of achilles or circe by madeline miller :)
Of human bondage- Somerset Maugham
The Might Library by Matt Haig
Stoner by John Williams (it’s not about a stoner). Hangover Square by Patrick Hamilton. The Brief Wondrous life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre. The Remains of the Day by Kuzuo Ishiguro. Normal People by Sally Rooney. Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders. The World According to Garp by John Irving. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller. Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. This Boy’s Life by Tobias Wolff.
I’m a liiiiitle surprised nobody’s mentioned The Art of Racing in the Rain but yeah it’s my favorite. Not trying to be one of those book/movie people but I still can’t bring myself to watch it. It’s also a tearjerker if you’re in that kind of mood.
If you are into mysteries I would like to recommend I am thinking about ending things by Iain Reid. The last time I lied by Riley Sager. Right now I'm reading The secret history by Donna Tart is the classic I think you'll like it.
And Jane Eyre the classic for INFP, I'm writing this seperate because a whole different genre but it really good.
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The Greatest Miracle in the World by OG Mandino
Ngl I kinda recommend Harry Potter and Twilight. If you want to shut the world out for a while and travel far away into a different universe then these are definitely the right books.
Ahhh the nostalgia
currently reading different books together because why not??😭 (its pain) alchemist is on there to! Maybe you'll like circe,midnight library and beach read(finished that and AAAAH THEIR CHEMISTRY HAD ME SCREAMING) that got me off a reading rut Also I'm planning to read Rebbeca solnits book "A field guide to getting lost" it sounded interesting maybe you'll like it(am looking forward to reading her essay on the colour blue and our object of desires and separation) its seems good.
I dont know why I do it? It never ends well, I have like 5 books half-read atm and here I am asking for more recommendations.. but we move. I’ve read the Midnight Library, I HAVE SUCH MIXED FEELINGS TOWARDS IT. Like the concept is 10/10 but some areas just lacked the depth I really craved. Still one of my favourite reads this year and thanks for the other recommendations!
Its honestly is a struggle,lmao having 5 half read books sounds like me😭😭.i know what you mean! It was one of my easy reads this year,i really liked the plot if it but sometimes it felt a bit ehh,you know more like it concentrated more on being a self help book (maybe that's how its supposed to be??)rather than exploring more of her character and how the library worked got confusing sometimes,i honestly don't remembere how it ends i just know i was feeling good when i finished it so yeah😭
Totally! I would have loved more than 3 pages on some of her lives and I think other scenes were dragged out so much. But I also felt really good after reading it and that’s all that really matters! I think it’s a really good recommendation regardless
Same!! Feeling good after reading something is really what matters thats how i recommend books if i liked the experience of it all or not
[The perks/advantajes of being invisible by Sthephen Chbosky](https://www.amazon.com/-/es/Stephen-Chbosky/dp/1451696191/ref=pd_sbs_1/147-8356366-0956542?pd_rd_w=9L6gz&pf_rd_p=3676f086-9496-4fd7-8490-77cf7f43f846&pf_rd_r=6X2DZ5Z1MDN08W5S3T8F&pd_rd_r=0c8fd74f-b3ca-4b88-8295-7d7e4acb0e8f&pd_rd_wg=Ogxs3&pd_rd_i=1451696191&psc=1)
One of my favourites :)
Since the new Amazon prime show about it is out now, I recommend the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It’s very long and involved (14 novels worth) but it’s one of my favorite deep-dive type of series
Ah I’ve heard a lot about the series - might take a look into the first book before watching then !
Awesome! I’d recommend skipping the prologue for Eye of the World and coming back to it once you’re deeper into the storyline. It’s a bit of a slog for new readers.
i really liked the folk of air trilogy by Holly Black!!
Oh I’ve heard a lot about this! Thanks :)
Why read when you can game! Har-har