Miss. Parkin

Wow, thank you, some great tips there which I will use as soon as I finish Great Apes. Never been one to have two books on the go, feels like I'm cheating on the book. I've always loved American literature. First one was To Kill A Mocking Bird whilst at secondary school. It wasn't on my class reading list, but I fell for it straight away. I tried Catcher In The Rye but never managed to finish it. Next exposure was The Great Gatsby and A Streetcar Named Desire. I became fascinated with the social commentaries of the times. The decadence of Gatsby and the sudden expanse of wealthy America, but then the comparison of Blanche's demise as America made way for the immigrants. View The Bridge is fantastic for that too. Since that I've become stuck! Found Margaret Attwood and love her work, but it never quenched my thirst as her work doesn't focus on a specific era. In essence I want to read as much as I can, it's just been the opportunity. And yes, I would love to read about the Beat Generation as much as their work. So thank you for putting me on the right path. I will definitely let you know how I get on.

Hi! Your post is a spooky coincidence, and The Naked Lunch is the very reason I decided to look for a book forum. I'm new to the whole Beat Generation of writers, but was inspired to read On The Road after a discussion with a friend about The Great Gatsby. That whole era of American history interests me, especially the social aspect. I was fascinated by the lifestyles of the Beat Generation, but after spending a long time in literary wilderness, I didn't think there was anybody to discuss the books or subject matter with, or that they were no longer relevant? Anyway, I watched the film of the Naked Lunch last night, and it made me want to read it, to be able to explore the writing more. I agree that it will possibly be hard going, but I'm willing to give it a go. Any recommendations of The Beat Generation would be greatly appreciated. When I first picked On The Road I struggled I'm afraid. My current read is Great Apes by Will Self. Similar themes I suppose?