Empire of the Sun

Ballard, J.G. Empire of the Sun, New York: Simon and Schuster, c1984

Based on J.G. Ballard’s real life accounts Empire of the Sun follows Jim Graham a British boy who lives in Shanghai with his parents.

His life gets chaotic after the Pearl Harbor attacks as he gets separated for his parents and put in Japanese concentration camp and must endure much turmoil to get back to his parents.

Bleak and haunting in the novels tone as Jim must encounter war and the worst in the men at such a young age.

A highly emotional coming of age tale that can be enjoyed from people in their adolescence and older.

Ham on Rye

Bukowski, Charles. Ham on Rye, New York: Ecco, c1982.

Ham on Rye tells the origin story of Henry Chinaski Charles Bukowski’s alter ego anti hero protagonist who is the main character in most of his novels.

It follows Chinaski through his childhood in the depression with his strict very cruel father to his adolescence where he was alienated by his disfiguring pimples and ill-temper right through to the start of his adulthood and the start of his alcoholism.

Like many pieces of literature Charles Bukowski produces Ham on Rye is hilarious and cynical in its outlook on life and early twentieth century Los Angles but it also has this sense of tragedy, regret and nostalgia.

An intriguing novel that might answer some questions why Henry Chinaski and Charles Bukowski are the way they are.

Blood and Guts in High School

Acker,Kathy. Blood and Guts in High School, New York: Grove Press, c1978.

Told through diary entries Blood and Guts in High School recounts the story of Janey Smith as she describes the recent events in her life such as becoming a prostitute after her father who was also her lover rejects her for another women.

Considered experimental fiction because of its narrative style using conversation, description, conjecture, and moments snatched from history and literature to convey the emotions and story.

The novel is in your face with a very punk feminist feel which gets in enhanced by the writing style and the subversive topics covered in the book.

While the book has a liberating teenage protaganist it also graphic and should not be read by younger audiences.

Crash

Ballard, J. G. Crash, New York: Picador, c1973.

Told as a first person account from the protagonist James Ballard’s point of view who after an atrocious car accident he becomes sexually aroused and attracted to automotive crashes and discovers like-minded individuals such as the mysterious Vaughan who together explore their compulsion and their fantasies.

Violent, haunting and still relevant today as it analyses themes such as the demise of human relations in a world of technological dependence.

This novel should be considered an underground classic and an important transgressive novel.

Post Office

Bukowski, Charles. Post Office, Los Angeles: Black Sparrow Press, 1971.

Post Office is infamous barfly Charles Bukowski’s semi-autobiographical account of his time working as a mail courier.

In is his first novel Bukowski introduces us to his alter ego anti-hero protagonist Henry Chinaski as he takes the reader through his gambling, drinking and womanizing which he uses to counteract the numbness and boredom he feels working at the post office.

Told over the course of over a decade Post Office is filled with cynicism and despair but while Chinaski’s opinion on the world and its inhabitants is never optimistic it is usually very funny.

Post Office is a mixture black comedy, social analysis and tragedy and a great introduction to Charles Bukowski .

Hell's Angels

Thompson, Hunter S. Hell’s Angels. New York: Modern Library, c1967.

Based on Hunter S Thompson’s experiences Hell’s Angels follows Thompson as he recounts his time living with California’s infamous biker gang of the 1960s the Angels as they travel through California. Thompson learns about the bikers and how they live.

Vibrant and perceptive Hell’s Angel creates a realistic portrait of counter culture and anarchy in biker lifestyle.

Written with a candid style and with a violent menacing tone Hell’s Angels is a cult classic.

Clockwork Orange

Burgess, Anthony.A Clockwork Orange, New York: Norton, c1967

This bleak dystopian science fiction novel which was famously adapted into an Academy Award nominated film follows Alex and friends through their sociopathic ultraviolent escapades.

Written as a first person narrative the novel highly uses a futuristic slang called “nadsat” while adding more intrigue but additionally making it a little harder to comprehend.

Thought provoking with its questions of morality and free will Clockwork Orange has long been considered a classic and is even named in the Modern Library’s 100 best novels.

An interesting science fiction staple, a must read for people over 18 interested in transgressive fiction.

Last Exit to Brooklyn

Selby Jr. Hubert. Last Exit to Brooklyn. Groove Press, c1964

Considered the first book to really portray America’s lower class and displays the violence and anger pertaining to being part of America’s forgotten people.

Told in six parts the novel tells stories about different individuals and their life in a New York slum. Controversial upon its released Last Exit to Brooklyn was banned in Italy and part of a obscenity trial in the United Kingdom due to its realistic portrait of drug use, street violence, gang rape, homosexuality, transvestism and domestic violence in modern day society.

Written with that real stream of conciseness style of writing that was influenced by and influenced a abundance of writers and a high use of natural slang make it easy to read give more truth to the depiction. Time has not hurt this novel as it has become a transgressive fiction fan must have.

Naked Lunch

Burroughs, William S. Naked Lunch, Paris : Olympia Press, 1959.

William S Burroughs third and arguably his best novel follows the character William Lee though a series of surrealist adventures which heroin, dark humor and the odd Dr. Benaway all feature.

Originally very difficult from Burroughs to get published because of its controversial subject matter Naked Lunch has since become considered a great piece of American literature even Time Magazine named it in their 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005 .

The book uses Burroughs famous cutaway technique which while it may makes the book sometimes confusing it never gets boring.

Darkly funny and very provocative and very good read.

Lolita

Lolita 1955 Nabokov, Vladimir . Lolita, New York: Knopf, c1955

Originally published in 1955 in Paris Lolita tells a disturbing tale of a literary professor who has a destructive obsessive attraction to his 12 year old step daughter Dolores who he has nick named Lolita.

Controversial upon its release and still controversial today for its subject matter which concerns pedophilia and obsession and for its use of a first person perspective which creates sympathetic protagonist.

Besides the novels dark subject matter Vladimir Nabokov has written stylistically complex and witty piece of fiction which has had continuous critical acclaim since it was first published.

Lolita is included on Time's list of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005.

Intended for mature audiences.