If you enjoy reading books by Joshua Ferris then you might also like the following authors:
Jonathan Franzen writes novels that vividly showcase family dynamics, social tensions, and the American experience. His style balances sharp, intelligent observation with deep emotional resonance and dark humor.
In The Corrections, Franzen explores the complex interconnections in a Midwestern family struggling to adjust to life's unexpected turns and confronting their personal disappointments.
George Saunders blends satire, absurdity, and compassion in stories that reflect the absurd realities of modern life. His work is marked by playful yet spot-on observations about humanity's peculiar habits and anxieties.
If you enjoy imaginative storytelling paired with deep empathy, try Tenth of December, a short story collection that humorously and touchingly illustrates relatable yet eccentric characters.
Ben Lerner is known for his introspective, thoughtful novels that reflect on life, ambition, and identity, often combining fiction with autobiographical elements.
His style is reflective and often humorous, capturing both mundane daily life and the inner complexities of modern identity and creativity. A good starting point is 10:04, a witty, self-aware novel that questions the boundaries between imagination, reality, and art.
Gary Shteyngart writes novels full of sharp wit, cultural satire, and humorously bleak depictions of contemporary society. His narratives blend comedy with moments of vulnerability, often capturing immigrant experiences and absurd modern dilemmas.
Super Sad True Love Story is a fantastic entry point, a funny yet deeply unsettling satire that imagines a near-future America consumed by technology and superficiality.
Tom Perrotta writes honest and perceptive stories about ordinary suburban life, highlighting how everyday people respond when faced with extraordinary circumstances. His engaging, accessible style is matched by keen insights on family, marriage, and community dynamics.
Readers seeking a thoughtful take on loss and upheaval should check out The Leftovers, in which he explores a community's struggle after a mysterious event causes a significant portion of the population to disappear.
If you appreciate Joshua Ferris for his sharp wit and insightful reflections on modern life, you might enjoy Dave Eggers. He writes thoughtful and often humorous stories about contemporary society, technology, and the quirks and anxieties of ordinary people.
In The Circle, Eggers cleverly critiques social media, privacy, and corporate culture, making you laugh while also causing you to reconsider our interconnected world.
If you're drawn to Joshua Ferris's blend of human drama and darkly comic storytelling, Adam Johnson could interest you. Johnson explores complex characters contending with unusual and extreme situations, especially in his novel The Orphan Master's Son.
Here's a captivating narrative set in North Korea that navigates identity, propaganda, and personal survival, offering both emotional depth and subtle humor.
Fans of Joshua Ferris's sharp satire and comedic style might connect with Sam Lipsyte's humorous yet thoughtful approach to modern anxieties. Lipsyte often portrays characters dealing with life's absurdities and failures, seen vividly in The Ask.
His novel hilariously unpacks disappointment, career struggles, and middle-aged disillusionment through honest, sometimes uncomfortable humor.
Readers appreciating Joshua Ferris's unconventional insights into identity and modern life may find Nell Zink appealing. Her inventive novels examine cultural, personal, and social complexities with irreverent humor.
In Mislaid, Zink offers a witty, provocative exploration of family dynamics, race, gender roles, and identity, packed with quirky details, absurd situations, and sharp social commentary.
If Joshua Ferris's dark humor and pointed satire resonate with you, Ottessa Moshfegh might offer a similarly edgy, unfiltered look at human behaviors. Moshfegh writes candidly about difficult and flawed characters, capturing their loneliness, discontent, and absurdity.
In My Year of Rest and Relaxation, she provides a caustically funny yet deeply thoughtful story about isolation, privilege, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world.
Teddy Wayne creates sharply observed stories full of humor and satire, often exploring the struggles and absurdities of contemporary American life. His characters wrestle with ambition, loneliness, and the pressures of success.
Wayne's novel The Love Song of Jonny Valentine sharply critiques fame and celebrity culture through the eyes of an eleven-year-old pop sensation, blending comedy, insight, and emotional depth.
Douglas Coupland writes witty and thoughtful fiction about modern life, pop culture, and generational differences. His work often captures the aimlessness, humor, and existential questions people face in a rapidly changing world.
In his novel Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, Coupland examines the restless desires and confusion of young adults seeking meaning beyond consumerism and clichés.
Max Barry specializes in darkly humorous novels that call out corporate absurdity and modern-day bureaucracy. His stories frequently explore issues such as capitalism, media manipulation, and individual identity within institutional systems.
Barry's satirical novel Company hilariously skewers office ethics and corporate politics, examining the absurdity of work culture through sharp wit and playful storytelling.
Kevin Wilson tells playful yet heartfelt stories about quirky and flawed characters who navigate strange situations while being surprisingly relatable and human. He blends humor, empathy, and emotional authenticity, exploring themes of family, obsession, and identity.
His compelling novel Nothing to See Here portrays a young woman tasked with caring for children who spontaneously catch fire, creating a humorous yet touching exploration of unconventional family bonds.
Patrick deWitt writes stylish, wry novels filled with oddball characters, dark humor, and compelling plots. His stories move fluidly between genres, exploring human nature and friendship with wit, originality, and warmth.
The novel The Sisters Brothers combines dark comedy, historical fiction, and a Western setting, telling the story of two assassin brothers navigating morality, violence, and sibling ties with rich humor and charm.