books i found yrs 19 to 25
Discover the unforgettable books that shaped my formative years from 19 to 25, featuring literary icons like Rainer Maria Rilke, John Kennedy Toole, and Louis-Ferdinand Céline. This curated list spans poetry, existential fiction, and raw human emotion—from Rilke’s haunting verses to the dark satire of *A Confederacy of Dunces* and the gritty streets of *Ask the Dust*. Perfect for readers seeking coming-of-age inspiration, cult classics, and thought-provoking literature that defined a generation.
Book
Journey to the End of the Night
by Louis-Ferdinand Céline
A nihilistic petit-bougeois named Bardamu opens his medical practice in the slums of suburban Paris.
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A Confederacy of Dunces
by John Kennedy Toole
Set in New Orleans, the protagonist is nearly arrested for being a suspicious character and encounters many unfortunate events.
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The Selected Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke
by Rainer Maria Rilke
"This miracle of a book, perhaps the most beautiful group of poetic translations this century has ever produced," (Chicago Tribune) should stand as the definitive English language version.
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Ask the Dust
by John Fante
Ask the Dust is a virtuoso performance by an influential master of the twentieth-century American novel. It is the story of Arturo Bandini, a young writer in 1930s Los Angeles who falls hard for the elusive, mocking, unstable Camilla Lopez, a Mexican waitress. Struggling to survive, he perseveres until, at last, his first novel is published. But the bright light of success is extinguished when Camilla has a nervous breakdown and disappears . . . and Bandini forever rejects the writer's life he fought so hard to attain.
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The Setting Sun
by 太宰治
Novel of present day Japan. Reaction of an upper-class family to the war and the resultant cultural impact.
