Books like Slouching Towards Bethlehem
12 books with a reading profile close to Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion. Deep and contemplative; a moderate read.
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1
The Promise
by Damon Galgut
Also deep and contemplative · narrative, literary
The narrative follows the Swart family, white farmers living near Pretoria, across four funerals spanning four decades of South African history.
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2
The Overstory
Also deep and contemplative · narrative, literary
The novel follows nine strangers across multiple decades, beginning with distinct short stories that eventually intertwine in the Pacific Northwest.
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3
A Visit from the Goon Squad
Also deep · narrative, literary
The narrative centers on Bennie Salazar, a middle-aged record executive, and his assistant Sasha, tracing their lives across several decades.
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4
10 Minutes 38 Seconds in This Strange World
by Elif Shafak
Also deep and contemplative · narrative, literary
Tequila Leila, a sex worker in Istanbul, has been murdered and dumped in a trash bin.
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5
There There
by Tommy Orange
Also deep · narrative, literary
Tommy Orange follows twelve characters from Native communities as they converge at the Big Oakland Powwow in California.
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6
North Woods
by Daniel Mason
Also deep · narrative, literary
A single yellow house in the Massachusetts forest anchors this narrative, which spans four centuries through a series of interlocking stories.
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7
The Nix
by Nathan Hill
Also deep · narrative, literary
Samuel Andresen-Anderson, a disappointed English professor who is addicted to an online video game, sees his mother Faye on the news after decades of absence: she has been arrested for throwing gravel at a right-wing pr…
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8
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
by Junot Díaz
Also deep · narrative, literary
Oscar de León is an overweight Dominican nerd living in New Jersey who obsesses over science fiction, fantasy novels, and falling in love.
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9
ONE DAY, EVERYONE WILL HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AGAINST THIS
Also deep and contemplative · analytical, narrative
Omar El Akkad’s collection of essays examines the cognitive dissonance inherent in Western humanitarian responses to global atrocities.
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10
Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion
Also deep · analytical, narrative
Jia Tolentino examines the psychological distortion caused by living within systems that prioritize marketability and digital performance.
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11
Cloud Cuckoo Land
Also deep and contemplative · narrative, literary
The novel traces the survival of a fictional ancient Greek manuscript through the experiences of five characters separated by centuries.
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12
Jesus’ Son
Also deep and contemplative · narrative, literary
Eleven linked stories follow a drifting narrator through the drug-addled margins of the American Midwest and Pacific Northwest in the 1970s.
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