I just got assigned to teach a course for English majors in the novel since World War II–I’ve got a list of books I’ve taught before in similar courses, probably too many books to teach in a single course, but I’m still looking to expand my reading list, which consists of novels I happen to like, novels I identify with, etc.
In particular I’m looking for some novels not written by white guys (like Mailer, Roth, Heller, all of whom I’ve got to include some stuff by because I love their work), novels written in the last few decades (I made up my syllabus in the early 1980s, and have just tweaked it since), and most important of all, novels that are FUN for students to read and for me to teach, novels that excite you, thrill you, amaze you. (They’ve also got to be by Americans, as the course is “The American Novel Since WWII”).
If anyone has a favorite to help me enter the 21st century, I’d like to know. I’ve got almost a year to hand out the syllabus, so I will be reading a lot of books over the next six months and I’d be grateful for any input from all of you.