Invisible Man

Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, regarded as an essential classic. Another alienated young man (is this a pattern, guys?) but this time a black American writing before the Civil Rights movement.

This book changed lives and could be said to have changed American literature. It's also apparently still resonant now and regarded as essential reading by many. American Amazon reviews give you a feel for its impact ("A heartbreaking work of staggering genius" - but also a few heartfelt gripes by school student forced to read it).

We're meeting to talk it over on 13 January at Craig's.

The Mighty Walzer

Ping-pong, sex, alienation and coming of age. Howard Jacobson's Mighty Walzer is somewhat autobiographical, given both Howard and Oliver Walzer grew up Jewish in 1950s Manchester and played ping-pong for Cambridge.

Moving and funny when it's implausible tall stories recollected from youth in Manchester, strangely perfunctory when it moves to adulthood.

We discussed it at Peter's

The Brief and Wondrous Life Of Oscar Wao

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz, a story of a nerd obsessive boy growing up in New York as part of the diaspora of the Dominican Republic.

Sex, comic books, alienation, comedy and police brutality. Can't miss.