Reddit reviews A Visit from the Goon Squad

I'd say it was Victoria at ID who I work with suggested it, and she has her finger on the pulse of contemporary digital stuff.

The last book I read - I only just recently read A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD - oh my god I LOVED this book. I found that there are moments in the story in this book that are so profound, that I was moved to tears. I love being moved to tears in literature, and this book had me from page 1 and I think that this writer is so talented.

I'd say probably Meryl Streep. I met her last year at the BAFTAS. I was pretending not to be very nervous, tried to play it really cool, and wanted to sit next to her and just talk to her about her work and the craft of acting for hours and I'm sure I said really embarrassing things instead.

I know I must be missing some, but these are all that I can think of at the moment.

Fiction:

Collected Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges

The Stranger by Albert Camus

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon

White Noise by Don Delilo

A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot

Everything that Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon

Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men by DFW

Infinite Jest by DFW

Of these, you can't go wrong with Infinite Jest and the Collected Fictions of Borges. His Dark Materials is an easy and classic read, probably the lightest fare on this list.

Non-Fiction:

The Music of the Primes by Marcus du Sautoy

Chaos by James Gleick

How to be Gay by David Halperin

Barrel Fever by David Sedaris

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris

Secret Historian by Justin Spring

Of these, Secret Historian was definitely the most interesting, though How to be Gay was a good intro to queer theory.

A Visit From the Goon Squad (Pulitzer recipient 2011) by Jennifer Egan. It includes, among other inventions, a series of PowerPoint-like slides made by a precocious girl as a thought journal.

Olive Kittridge -Strout

A Visit from the Goon Squad -Egan

The Imperfectionists -Rachman

Let the Great World Spin -McCann

Recently finished: A visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan -- read it all in about two sittings, this book is amazing!

On now: The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach -- really enjoying it thus far, and it is not what I expected.

Next up: Against the Day by Thomas Pynchon -- Pynchon is my favourite author and I've been saving this one for a while because of how long it is.

Jennifer Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad?

Just a few: Mr. Peanut, John Dies at the End, The Magicians, Horns, Running Dog, The Name of the Wind, A Visit from the Goon Squad.

I'm sure your friend has access to all the recovery literature he can handle, and more. I wouldn't even go there, if you are considering it.

I might go for some light entertainment.

Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods is about hiking the Appalachian Trail, it's an easy read and it's hilariously funny.

Cheryl Strayed's Wild is about hiking the PCT and is also a fun read.

For novels, I have to recommend A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan, and Middlesex by Jeffery Eugendes. They are both big huge sprawling books that are also super enjoyable and easy to read. (So they are not a new Moby Dick.) I've never read them, but I hear the Lord of the Rings books are completely absorbing too. They would take up a huge chunk of his time.

You might also send some comfort clothes. Some warm socks or slippers or sweatpants or a hoodie, something like that. (I'm a huge fan of LL Bean's sweats, they are super comfy and well made.) Also maybe an iTunes gift card if he's got an iphone or ipod.

Out of curiosity, what's the scifi book you're sending? I'm a big scifi fan too.