Have you read Doris Lessing? I've read two of her novels, The Golden Notebook (1962) and The Good Terrorist (1985), both of which seriously engage with leftist/Marxist politics as a way of life. The Golden Notebook is kind of a proto-Rooney in that the main character is a writer, paralyzed about the political relevance of her novels, and unable to square her psychology with her political commitments (but she's in the Party, albeit somewhat ambivalently). Both books are now somewhat dated, and I have some artistic issues with The Golden Notebook in particular, but based on your reading I think you would find both interesting and rewarding.
the cover of Earthlings is such a trap… I read translated Japanese fiction a lot when I feel "burnt out" and I was recommending this to somebody and then had to be like… DON'T READ EARTHLINGS. DO NOT TRUST THE COVER.
Murata has a new book coming out this year so that may be the point at which I develop / publish my general theory of Murataism. But I don't think her thing is about social conformity exactly, though it's hard to pin it down in a "this is what it IS" way. Her short story collection is kind of helpful because you see her work through her whole deal in a compressed form (including a story that seems like sort of a dry run for Earthlings but which is about 200% less disturbing lol).
actually the combination of topics in your reading makes me sort of want to read Becca on Earthlings now! but it is a book I refuse to recommend to basically anybody lol. I think the people who have read it because of me are people who followed the exact same thought process as you.
Yeah, admittedly I only started really reading and thinking about fiction seriously so I'm still testing out my palette and seeing what I like, so I sorta took your mention of it as a chance to try something new. I still think the book felt a bit confused and didn't quite know what it was going for, but I'm intrigued enough to want to read more Murata to see if it gives me a better grasp of what she's after.
I really admire the style of these reviews!
Have you read Doris Lessing? I've read two of her novels, The Golden Notebook (1962) and The Good Terrorist (1985), both of which seriously engage with leftist/Marxist politics as a way of life. The Golden Notebook is kind of a proto-Rooney in that the main character is a writer, paralyzed about the political relevance of her novels, and unable to square her psychology with her political commitments (but she's in the Party, albeit somewhat ambivalently). Both books are now somewhat dated, and I have some artistic issues with The Golden Notebook in particular, but based on your reading I think you would find both interesting and rewarding.
I have her on my 'to-read' but this has me thinking I need to move her a little farther up the pile, ty for the rec.
the cover of Earthlings is such a trap… I read translated Japanese fiction a lot when I feel "burnt out" and I was recommending this to somebody and then had to be like… DON'T READ EARTHLINGS. DO NOT TRUST THE COVER.
Murata has a new book coming out this year so that may be the point at which I develop / publish my general theory of Murataism. But I don't think her thing is about social conformity exactly, though it's hard to pin it down in a "this is what it IS" way. Her short story collection is kind of helpful because you see her work through her whole deal in a compressed form (including a story that seems like sort of a dry run for Earthlings but which is about 200% less disturbing lol).
actually the combination of topics in your reading makes me sort of want to read Becca on Earthlings now! but it is a book I refuse to recommend to basically anybody lol. I think the people who have read it because of me are people who followed the exact same thought process as you.
Yeah, admittedly I only started really reading and thinking about fiction seriously so I'm still testing out my palette and seeing what I like, so I sorta took your mention of it as a chance to try something new. I still think the book felt a bit confused and didn't quite know what it was going for, but I'm intrigued enough to want to read more Murata to see if it gives me a better grasp of what she's after.
Enjoyed reading this a great deal. I like Norman Rush’s 1986 short-story collection, Whites, much more than Mating.