If you enjoy reading books by John Waters then you might also like the following authors:
Readers who appreciate John Waters’ sharp wit, satirical takes, and dark humor may find Bret Easton Ellis worth exploring. Ellis is known for dissecting contemporary American culture through provocative storytelling and morally ambiguous characters.
His book “American Psycho” is a satirical portrayal of 1980s Wall Street excess. It follows Patrick Bateman, a wealthy, materialistic investment banker who leads a disturbing double life.
Behind Bateman’s polished exterior lies a mind consumed by obsession, narcissism, and brutal impulses. Ellis uses stark satire to expose the shallow consumerism and moral emptiness beneath society’s glamorous surface.
Books by Charles Bukowski offer gritty, raw storytelling filled with dark humor and gritty honesty. Readers who appreciate John Waters’ irreverent style and outsider characters may connect with Bukowski’s novel “Post Office.”
This story follows Bukowski’s alter ego, Henry Chinaski, through his mundane yet absurd days at the post office, encountering eccentric coworkers and bizarre customers.
Through Chinaski’s cynical eyes, the novel portrays life’s grim reality mixed with humor, alcohol-fueled escapades, and bluntly truthful observations.
Bukowski’s straightforward style and his knack for making ordinary misery both funny and oddly human make “Post Office” a distinctly entertaining read.
Readers who enjoy John Waters’ outrageous humor and boundary-pushing stories will appreciate Chuck Palahniuk’s novels. Palahniuk is famous for his dark satire, sharp wit, and intense characters that boldly challenge social norms.
His book “Choke” follows Victor Mancini, a medical school dropout who fakes choking incidents at restaurants in order to con money from those who save him. Victor’s bizarre scam helps fund his mother’s expensive hospital bills.
The story humorously explores addiction, dysfunction, and modern life’s absurdity. Palahniuk delivers shocking scenarios and taboo-breaking humor that will surely resonate with John Waters fans.
Books by Hubert Selby Jr. capture raw, unfiltered glimpses into gritty urban life and social decay. Fans of John Waters might like the provocative intensity in Selby’s novel “Last Exit to Brooklyn.”
The book explores the lives of characters on society’s margins in 1950s Brooklyn. Through vivid prose, Selby portrays a world filled with struggling working-class people, gang violence, drug abuse, and emotional turmoil.
The stories reveal human desperation and vulnerability with shocking honesty. Selby’s narrative exposes society’s harsh realities without apology or glamorization, a style readers drawn to Waters’ dark humor and blunt storytelling will likely appreciate.
If you enjoy John Waters’ sharp wit, dark humor, and fearless exploration of society’s outsiders, then Irvine Welsh might catch your attention. His novel “Trainspotting” dives into the gritty and chaotic world of Edinburgh’s underground heroin culture in the late 1980s.
Welsh pulls no punches, showing life through the eyes of Renton, Sick Boy, Begbie and Spud—a group of friends driven by addiction, mischief and their own unpredictable urges. Their stories are sometimes hilarious, often disturbing, but always brutally honest.
Welsh’s ability to mix tragedy with dark humor creates a read that sticks with you.
Jean Genet was a provocative French writer known for challenging society’s norms through his rebellious and daring literature. If you enjoy John Waters’ sharp humor and taste for the outrageous, you’ll find plenty to appreciate in Genet’s novel “Our Lady of the Flowers.”
Genet explores the dark yet fascinating lives of outcasts in the Parisian underworld. The story follows Divine, a transvestite prostitute, and her relationship with a sensational young criminal known as Darling.
Genet portrays their world vividly—full of passion, crime, and defiance. The novel pulls you deeply into a universe typically hidden from polite society, similar to Waters’ fascination with society’s misfits and outsiders.
Readers who appreciate the unconventional style and dark humor of John Waters may also enjoy William S. Burroughs. Burroughs is famous for his provocative narratives and experimental storytelling. His book “Naked Lunch” is a perfect example.
It follows the surreal, twisted experiences of William Lee, a junkie who drifts through bizarre situations and encounters strange characters in a web of hallucinations and satire. Each chapter presents a distorted view of addiction, society, and morality.
The story packs a raw intensity and a sense of anarchic fun that fans of edgy literature will likely find appealing.
Kathy Acker was an American novelist known for her punk-style, experimental writing that challenged traditional storytelling. Her novel “Blood and Guts in High School” is a raw, unconventional ride through the chaotic life of a rebellious teen named Janey Smith.
Janey runs away from home, experiences harsh realities and surreal adventures, and confronts social norms head-on. The book uses fragmented texts, diary entries, explicit drawings, and bold language to create a provocative narrative.
Fans of John Waters’ irreverent and boundary-pushing humor may find Acker’s fearless approach to taboo subjects refreshingly familiar.
Readers who appreciate John Waters’ irreverent humor and bold content may find a kindred spirit in the novels of Poppy Z. Brite. Brite’s work, especially “Exquisite Corpse,” combines vivid characters, dark humor, and provocative storytelling.
Set largely in New Orleans, the novel follows two serial killers whose paths cross in an unsettling yet captivating tale of murder, obsession, and twisted romance. Like Waters, Brite doesn’t shy away from controversial themes.
Instead, the author invites readers into the shadows with wit and fearless honesty. “Exquisite Corpse” offers an intense reading experience that echoes Waters’ love for the bizarre, subversive, and unapologetic.
If you enjoy John Waters’ edgy humor and quirky characters, you might also appreciate Boris Vian, a French author celebrated for his sharp wit and unconventional storytelling.
His book “Foam of the Daze” (also known as “Froth on the Daydream”) mixes surreal scenes with playful language and imaginative bizarre scenarios.
The novel follows Colin, a wealthy young man, whose carefree life takes a dramatic turn when Chloe, the woman he loves, falls ill due to a peculiar disease.
Vian crafts a poignant love story full of absurd twists and dark humor, making the story uniquely lively yet sublimely strange.
Christopher Moore writes outrageous, humorous fiction packed with quirky characters and bizarre twists. If you enjoy John Waters’ offbeat humor and unique storytelling, Moore’s style will feel familiar.
A great place to start is “Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal,” a playful retelling about the missing years in the life of Jesus, narrated by his irreverent best friend, Biff.
Their journey explores relationships, miracles, humor, and the humanity of Jesus in unconventional, hilarious ways. Moore mixes whimsy, absurdity, and thought-provoking ideas into a story unlike anything you’ve read before.
David Foster Wallace authored books known for sharp wit, dark humor, and a deep dive into American pop culture. His novel “Infinite Jest” is a satirical take on obsession, entertainment, addiction, and the absurdity of contemporary life.
Set in a near-future North America, the story revolves around a film called “Infinite Jest,” a film so entertaining that viewers lose all interest in anything else.
Surrounded by quirky, dysfunctional, and distinctly unforgettable characters, Wallace creates a narrative that is both hilarious and brutally honest.
Fans of John Waters, who appreciate offbeat humor, eccentric characters, and sharp social commentary will instantly connect with Wallace’s unique view of modern society.
If you enjoy the provocative and subversive style of John Waters, Dennis Cooper might catch your interest. Cooper is an American author known for his dark and raw portrayal of youth and outsider culture.
His novel “Closer” explores the disturbing yet fascinating life of a teenager named George, whose obsession with sex, violence, and love draws readers into uncomfortable emotional territory. Through sharp prose and unsettling scenarios, Cooper challenges conventional norms.
Fans of Waters who appreciate boundary-pushing storytelling may find Cooper’s fearless literary approach worth exploring.
Readers who enjoy the bold humor and offbeat style of John Waters might find Hunter S. Thompson equally entertaining. Thompson is famous for writing about wild counterculture adventures with sharp satire and dark humor in a style he called “gonzo journalism.”
A great place to start is his book “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.” In this iconic story, Thompson’s alter ego, Raoul Duke, embarks on a chaotic journey through Las Vegas with his eccentric lawyer, Dr. Gonzo.
They set out on a reporting assignment about a motorcycle race but quickly lose themselves in a nonstop haze of drugs, odd encounters, and bizarre escapades. The story offers a hilarious and surreal glimpse into America’s society and excesses during the early 1970s.
Thompson’s fearless, vivid writing and twisted comedy will appeal to anyone drawn to Waters’ unconventional narratives and irreverent characters.
If you enjoy John Waters’ humor and satirical take on the absurdity of modern life, then Kurt Vonnegut might catch your interest. Vonnegut writes dark, humorous stories about life’s odd moments and absurdities, often with sharp wit and stark observations.
One book to explore first is “Slaughterhouse-Five,” a novel that combines science fiction, satire, and historical fiction. The story follows Billy Pilgrim, a soldier who becomes “unstuck in time.”
Billy experiences moments from his life out of order, including his time as a prisoner during the bombing of Dresden and an alien abduction by the Tralfamadorians—a strange alien species that sees time differently than humans.
The novel offers a mix of humorous insight and profound reflections on humanity, free will, and war.