Marct30 Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 (edited) I'm sick of all these female authors in the young adult section writing stories about fantasy relationships, and no I don't want to read that psychotic 50 shades of whatever. I want to read something rugged, badass, and witty. And yes, I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell is a classic, but I need something else. It doesn't have to be all drugs, and alcohol but it should straddle the line somewhat.... Anyone know of anything good in that area? Something really cool? Edited August 24, 2014 by Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Well, you certainly know how to make an impact with your first post don't you? I would recommend that you take a look at Hunter S Thompson. He certainly writes about drugs and alcohol and surreal adventures on both. The only other name that springs to mind is Maddox. I have not read any of his work, so can't say what he is like, but he seems to fit your criteria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0091906814/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1408881279&sr=1-1&keywords=how+to+win+friends+and+influence+people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marct30 Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share Posted August 24, 2014 Karsa, just... no. That's probably the absolute opposite of what I am looking for, haha, but thank you. And I appreciate the suggestion Chrissy, I truly do, but reading up on his writing personality, it seems most of Thompson's characters are basically insane. And I don't think a story about a couple of drug addicts will be worthy of my admiration or time. Maddox's Alphabet of Manliness is pretty good and I am looking forward to reading it but it doesn't have a protagonist or storyline etiquette.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Reading your initial post, I think it would be difficult for one to find anything that is worth your admiration... ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marct30 Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share Posted August 24, 2014 ... Thanks Frankie? Just to be clear, I'm not asking anyone to find anything for me, just asking for recommendations. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 If you don't mind short stories, I would recommend Once You Break A Knuckle by D. W. Wilson - definitely rugged and very masculine in style and tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander the Great Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 (edited) Have you tried A Clockwork Orange? The Misfortunates by Dimitri Verhulst? This link might also help you further: Fiction for Men as Suggested by Art of Manliness Readers Edited August 24, 2014 by Alexander the Great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Are you looking for fiction specifically? How about..... Blood Meridien, by Cormac McCarthy Call of the Wild, by Jack London A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway The Professional, by W.C. Heinz Flavorwire describes these and a few others as 'mighty manly books'. I didn't suggest all of them; I get the impression that Sherlock Holmes is not what you're looking for. And I wouldn't wish Moby Dick on anyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marct30 Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share Posted August 24, 2014 Haha, good ol' Moby... I've turned over the same results on goolge, but there were many good suggestions on this thread that are new to me, Thanks for the help good people! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggle not Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 First of all....drugs and alcohol doesn't make it "manly". In addition to what Ruth recommended (Blood Meridien), try almost anything by Cormac McCarthy......especially The Road, No Country For Old Men, and All The Pretty Horses (1st book in the trilogy). This is probably some of the best reading you will find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooshie Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 When I was younger I remember reading some books by Sven Hassel. They were set in World War II and were fairly brutal depictions of men in very much a man's world; I don't remember whether they were witty, but they must have been fairly good reading for me to have bought more than one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marct30 Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share Posted August 24, 2014 I didn't say drugs and alcohol made "it" manly, Muggle, but I do appreciate your suggestions. Cormac McCarthy sounds like an author I might be into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 (edited) How about James Ellroy? Haven't read a lot of his, but Black Dahlia and LA Confidential were excellent.Raymond Chandler is a favourite: you can't get much wittier in my view. Pretty much any of his classics would do, Farewell My Lovely, The Big Sleep etc.. On those lines, Dashiell Hammett may also appeal (his classic being, of course, The Maltese Falcon)I'd second Ruth's suggestions of Ernest Hemingway and Jack London (haven't read Cormac McCarthy).I don't know about their edginess, but for good old 'ripping yarns', you can't beat Robert Louis Stevenson (Kidnapped), John Buchan, H Rider Haggard (King Solomon's Mines), or Alexander Dumas (Three Musketeers).Looking at the 'Art of Manliness' list, one near the top of the list that is near the top of mine too is Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon. If you like that, then his Baroque sequence may also appeal (no, it's not fantasy, more a sideways look at history). Loads of other good stuff on that list, but whether they satisfy that edginess again, I'm not sure.Hope that helps. Edited August 26, 2014 by willoyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 (edited) I second Hunter S Thompson- especially Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas- that's a whole lotta sex, drugs and rock n roll there. How about James Ellroy? Haven't read a lot of his, but Black Dahlia and LA Confidential were excellent. Learn something new everyday... *goes to kindle store* Edited August 26, 2014 by Anna Begins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 How about James Ellroy? Haven't read a lot of his, but Black Dahlia and LA Confidential were excellent. Yes! And I'll add American Tabloid and The Cold Six Thousand to those, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 Chuck Palahniuk or Irvine Welsh would be worth checking out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raven Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 First of all....drugs and alcohol doesn't make it "manly". Hell, yeah! This is the 21st Century; women can get stoned and trashed too! Take a look at Charles Bukowski. I've read a couple of his books this year (Post Office and Factotum), they might meet your criteria - not sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted August 31, 2014 Share Posted August 31, 2014 Jack Vance. And The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer . He was a 16 year old boy when he joined up and was sent to the Russian front. It is an incredible book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtrpath27 Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 (edited) Lexicon by Max Barry. Gritty is definitely how I'd describe it. Eta: My husband really likes the Jack Reacher books. Very manly. Edited September 23, 2014 by dtrpath27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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