I've been a life long dystopian fan and you still gave me a couple to add to my list! I'd highly recommend Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez. One of the best horror books I've ever read (or best ever in general). She's from Argentina and I found it teleported me there while reading. Very unique and intriguing one.
I know it's not what your actual request for recommendations was, but picking up on what you thought "I How Have Never Known Men" might be, you could consider Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin. It's sci-fi where one of the important societies has a unique gender dynamic. Given your recommendation of The Dispossessed, you may already have read it?
On the note of spooky books - Fernanda Melchor, Mariana Enriquez, Olga Tokarchuk, Claudia Piñeiro. You can check their work but I believe all their works would fit the kind of vibe you are looking for. I am currently reading Robayo's The Delivery and it would also fit the bill.
Awesome video! So many people fail to uncover the hidden masterpieces in the literary world due to an "addiction" to reading "well-known" books that enable signalling. Reading something that somebody or many more people have heard of than something else can be rewarding- if you are reading for other people, and not for yourself. It is perhaps inevitable that the literary cannon of nations are read almost individually (rightfully so in some cases- huge Russian lit fan here), but this can come at the cost of not discovering hidden gems, if you like. I have a few recommendations that I hope you may find of interest: The House of Ulloa - Bazan My Name is Red - Pamuk The Ratcatcher - Dyk The Torrent - Ibanez Spain, Turkey, Czechia, and back to Spain, respectively. Enjoy.
I'm not sure that this will fit your request perfectly, but if you haven't read Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova, I would love to see what you think of it. Such a beautiful, disturbing, horrifyingly emotionally-realistic story about how far parents might go to bring back their child that has died.
I think you would enjoy perfume by Patrick Süskind, it was a book that was recommended to me that was definitely "books I liked more than the men that recommended them, idk if its necessarily cosy but more so thriller for october vibes.
Thanks for this excellent video. I'm also a dystopian fiction fan. You might want to try A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller Jr. if you haven't read it already. I, too, am an Ursula Le Guin lover. Speaking of gender politics and the nature of friendship, her 1969 novel The Left Hand of Darkness is a beautiful and thought provoking masterpiece IMO. Keep up the good work!
Yes, the comment could come across as creepy to a stranger, especially in the context of social media. Here’s why: Unsolicited compliments: Complimenting someone's beauty, especially if you don't know them, can feel invasive. It might make the person feel uncomfortable because they haven't invited personal comments. Self-awareness of being creepy: Acknowledging that the comment might be perceived as creepy doesn't make it less so. In fact, it can heighten the discomfort because it suggests you're aware the message could be inappropriate but are sending it anyway. Overpersonalization: Phrases like "something you reflect with in me" or "that I lack" can feel overly intimate or self-focused, especially for someone who doesn’t know you. It might seem like you’re projecting your own feelings or insecurities onto them. Authenticity and aura: While it’s meant to be a positive observation, talking about someone's "aura" or authenticity without context can feel too intense, particularly for a first interaction. It’s always better to keep messages to strangers respectful and neutral. If you feel compelled to comment, a simple and polite compliment like "I enjoy your content!" or "Great video!" would come across as more appropriate and friendly.
Probably not exactly what you asked, maybe because I am completely unable to figure out what "cozy" means...... how about a dutch writer: Thomas Olde Heuvelt. His books are all translated into english. One of his books is called November. And voila, autumny...... check him out! Also a little dissapointed that This Perfect Day by Ira Levin wasn't mentioned in the Dystopia list..... I realise you can't read everything ofcourse, so i mention it here
I read so many of these but I never called myself a dystopian fan. Ha! I need to check out Koestler. I haven’t heard of Darkness at Noon. Thank you for the video! I am very fond of Meg Elison’s The Road to Nowhere series, if you want a focus on women’s experience in a dystopian setting. The first one-The Book of the Unnamed Midwife-can be read as a standalone, if you don’t want to commit to a whole series. Thrust by Lidia Yuknavitch, The Wall by Marlen Haushofer (in the vein of I Who Have Never…, but closer to your Jane Eyre kind of cold vibe request), Tower by Bae Myung-hoon (interconnected stories), The Doloriad by Missouri Williams (rather grotesque yet haunting, I don’t hear it mentioned very often), The Last Children of Tokyo by Yōko Tawada (a dystopic Japan, quiet and poignant). And if you want graphic novels, I recommend Simon Stålenhag’s work.
You have probably already read it, but Wuthering Heights is kinda mandatory after Jane Eyre. Perfect fall book. My fall/winter re read will probably be Norwegian Wood by Murakami. Also, thank you for getting me into Toni Morrison, great author.
As an older guy who will not succumb to owning a smartphone and all the so called "social media" platforms, which from what I pick up from those who seem pretty addicted to the whole deal, the "Newspeak" that concerns me in terms of lack of critical thinking lives right there. Brave New World has been been replaced by Smart New Phone. What would you expect from an aging hippie? :) - Peace, Gus from the UK. PS, have just eaten an Apple . . . and feel so much better lol.
Maybe "La Sombra del Viento" (The Shadow of the Wind) by Carlos Ruíz Zafón. Not spooky but with some gothic vibe in Barcelona 1940s. It has as many haters as lovers, though. In Spanish, Gustavo Adolfo Bequer has some good short gothic stories too but not sure if they ever were translated to English. I would also add "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro which also counts as distopian book. Although he's more British than Japanese.
ok, not scary in the traditional sense, but I recommend Time Shelter by Bulgarian author Georgi Gospodinov. It won the Man Booker prize in 2021. Kind of a surreal depiction of our collective fascination with nostalgia.
That was an interesting video. You gave some great recommendations, and I will check out the ones I have not read. Thanks. Your explanations and thoughts are expressed very well. Very smart indeed. Well done.
Listening to this I realised how many dystopian books I have read - I must be a fan! Most of mine seem to be post-apocalyptic and began with The Chrysalids by John Wyndham when I was in school and peaked with Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban. I am even currently reading one - Fiskadoro by Denis Johnson, set in the Florida Keys. I would probably count Fahrenheit 451 in your political dystopian category. You mentioned the lengths we might go with plastic surgery (and I totally agree with you) but I can’t think of a book directly addressing that but Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun has something going on in the background which improves the educational chances of one’s children, but carries a risk of killing them (there’s a BBL death in the UK news at the moment). If you like movies there’s an old one you might love with a strong 1984 feel but with so much more going on, including a plastic surgery subplot and a rogue plumber played by Robert DeNiro - Brazil by Terry Gilliam. Have you seen it? And I can’t think of much for your request at the end apart from Mariana Enriquez - maybe start with her short story collection The Dangers of Smoking in Bed and see how you go. P.S. I love Civilwarland too!
I've been a life long dystopian fan and you still gave me a couple to add to my list!
I'd highly recommend Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez. One of the best horror books I've ever read (or best ever in general). She's from Argentina and I found it teleported me there while reading. Very unique and intriguing one.
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess is one of the great dystopian works of fiction of the 20th Century. I'm surprised you've not read it.
I know it's not what your actual request for recommendations was, but picking up on what you thought "I How Have Never Known Men" might be, you could consider Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin. It's sci-fi where one of the important societies has a unique gender dynamic. Given your recommendation of The Dispossessed, you may already have read it?
On the note of spooky books - Fernanda Melchor, Mariana Enriquez, Olga Tokarchuk, Claudia Piñeiro. You can check their work but I believe all their works would fit the kind of vibe you are looking for. I am currently reading Robayo's The Delivery and it would also fit the bill.
Awesome video! So many people fail to uncover the hidden masterpieces in the literary world due to an "addiction" to reading "well-known" books that enable signalling. Reading something that somebody or many more people have heard of than something else can be rewarding- if you are reading for other people, and not for yourself. It is perhaps inevitable that the literary cannon of nations are read almost individually (rightfully so in some cases- huge Russian lit fan here), but this can come at the cost of not discovering hidden gems, if you like.
I have a few recommendations that I hope you may find of interest:
The House of Ulloa - Bazan
My Name is Red - Pamuk
The Ratcatcher - Dyk
The Torrent - Ibanez
Spain, Turkey, Czechia, and back to Spain, respectively. Enjoy.
I'm not sure that this will fit your request perfectly, but if you haven't read Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova, I would love to see what you think of it. Such a beautiful, disturbing, horrifyingly emotionally-realistic story about how far parents might go to bring back their child that has died.
I think you would enjoy perfume by Patrick Süskind, it was a book that was recommended to me that was definitely "books I liked more than the men that recommended them, idk if its necessarily cosy but more so thriller for october vibes.
Second to that! I read it in high school and it's one of the books that marked my reading journey.
Best wishes with what you are reading. I hope you get some great stories.
highly recommend "blindness" and "death with interruptions" (my favorite book of all time) by josé saramago :)
Yesssss my favourite author!!
Thanks for this excellent video. I'm also a dystopian fiction fan. You might want to try A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller Jr. if you haven't read it already. I, too, am an Ursula Le Guin lover. Speaking of gender politics and the nature of friendship, her 1969 novel The Left Hand of Darkness is a beautiful and thought provoking masterpiece IMO. Keep up the good work!
Yes, the comment could come across as creepy to a stranger, especially in the context of social media. Here’s why:
Unsolicited compliments: Complimenting someone's beauty, especially if you don't know them, can feel invasive. It might make the person feel uncomfortable because they haven't invited personal comments.
Self-awareness of being creepy: Acknowledging that the comment might be perceived as creepy doesn't make it less so. In fact, it can heighten the discomfort because it suggests you're aware the message could be inappropriate but are sending it anyway.
Overpersonalization: Phrases like "something you reflect with in me" or "that I lack" can feel overly intimate or self-focused, especially for someone who doesn’t know you. It might seem like you’re projecting your own feelings or insecurities onto them.
Authenticity and aura: While it’s meant to be a positive observation, talking about someone's "aura" or authenticity without context can feel too intense, particularly for a first interaction.
It’s always better to keep messages to strangers respectful and neutral. If you feel compelled to comment, a simple and polite compliment like "I enjoy your content!" or "Great video!" would come across as more appropriate and friendly.
Probably not exactly what you asked, maybe because I am completely unable to figure out what "cozy" means...... how about a dutch writer:
Thomas Olde Heuvelt. His books are all translated into english. One of his books is called November. And voila, autumny...... check him out!
Also a little dissapointed that This Perfect Day by Ira Levin wasn't mentioned in the Dystopia list..... I realise you can't read everything ofcourse, so i mention it here
I read so many of these but I never called myself a dystopian fan. Ha! I need to check out Koestler. I haven’t heard of Darkness at Noon. Thank you for the video!
I am very fond of Meg Elison’s The Road to Nowhere series, if you want a focus on women’s experience in a dystopian setting. The first one-The Book of the Unnamed Midwife-can be read as a standalone, if you don’t want to commit to a whole series. Thrust by Lidia Yuknavitch, The Wall by Marlen Haushofer (in the vein of I Who Have Never…, but closer to your Jane Eyre kind of cold vibe request), Tower by Bae Myung-hoon (interconnected stories), The Doloriad by Missouri Williams (rather grotesque yet haunting, I don’t hear it mentioned very often), The Last Children of Tokyo by Yōko Tawada (a dystopic Japan, quiet and poignant). And if you want graphic novels, I recommend Simon Stålenhag’s work.
You have probably already read it, but Wuthering Heights is kinda mandatory after Jane Eyre. Perfect fall book. My fall/winter re read will probably be Norwegian Wood by Murakami. Also, thank you for getting me into Toni Morrison, great author.
As an older guy who will not succumb to owning a smartphone and all the so called "social media" platforms, which from what I pick up from those who seem pretty addicted to the whole deal, the "Newspeak" that concerns me in terms of lack of critical thinking lives right there. Brave New World has been been replaced by Smart New Phone. What would you expect from an aging hippie? :) - Peace, Gus from the UK.
PS, have just eaten an Apple . . . and feel so much better lol.
Maybe "La Sombra del Viento" (The Shadow of the Wind) by Carlos Ruíz Zafón. Not spooky but with some gothic vibe in Barcelona 1940s. It has as many haters as lovers, though. In Spanish, Gustavo Adolfo Bequer has some good short gothic stories too but not sure if they ever were translated to English.
I would also add "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro which also counts as distopian book. Although he's more British than Japanese.
Dystopia and no Kafka?
As far recommendations from other cultures: Fires on the Plain by Shohei Ooka,
ok, not scary in the traditional sense, but I recommend Time Shelter by Bulgarian author Georgi Gospodinov. It won the Man Booker prize in 2021. Kind of a surreal depiction of our collective fascination with nostalgia.
That was an interesting video. You gave some great recommendations, and I will check out the ones I have not read. Thanks. Your explanations and thoughts are expressed very well. Very smart indeed. Well done.
would 'Paradise Lost' by John Milton count as dystopian?
Living in a dystopia makes this genre less enjoyable.
Death in Spring by Mercè Rodoreda!
Listening to this I realised how many dystopian books I have read - I must be a fan! Most of mine seem to be post-apocalyptic and began with The Chrysalids by John Wyndham when I was in school and peaked with Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban. I am even currently reading one - Fiskadoro by Denis Johnson, set in the Florida Keys. I would probably count Fahrenheit 451 in your political dystopian category. You mentioned the lengths we might go with plastic surgery (and I totally agree with you) but I can’t think of a book directly addressing that but Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun has something going on in the background which improves the educational chances of one’s children, but carries a risk of killing them (there’s a BBL death in the UK news at the moment).
If you like movies there’s an old one you might love with a strong 1984 feel but with so much more going on, including a plastic surgery subplot and a rogue plumber played by Robert DeNiro - Brazil by Terry Gilliam. Have you seen it?
And I can’t think of much for your request at the end apart from Mariana Enriquez - maybe start with her short story collection The Dangers of Smoking in Bed and see how you go. P.S. I love Civilwarland too!
Yes, Klara and the Sun would be a great recommendation.
Book of the unnamed midwife
You are very pretty 🌹
It's so calming to hear your voice
You sound like AI or something
'History of the dystopian genre'? bollocks.
What the hell are ya talkin about?