If you enjoy reading books by Percival Everett then you might also like the following authors:
Colson Whitehead is an author known for tackling big themes with sharp wit and creative storytelling. Readers who enjoy Percival Everett’s layered narratives and sharp satirical eye may find Whitehead’s novels rewarding.
His book “The Underground Railroad” is a powerful story about Cora, a young enslaved woman who escapes a cruel plantation in Georgia. She embarks on a journey north via a literal underground railroad—a network of hidden tunnels and trains beneath the ground.
Through vivid writing, Whitehead explores courage, humanity, and the harsh realities of American history.
If you enjoy Percival Everett’s sharp wit and bold storytelling, David Foster Wallace might interest you too. Wallace is known for his ambitious and often humorous exploration of complex ideas in American life.
His novel “Infinite Jest” is praised for its experimental style and keen satire.
The book weaves together various storylines, from a mysterious film so entertaining it captivates viewers entirely, to life unfolding inside a tennis academy and the residents of a halfway house for recovering addicts.
Wallace touches on entertainment obsession, addiction, and feelings of isolation and loneliness in a uniquely human way. It’s dense and challenging, but filled with humor and substance.
Don DeLillo is an American author known for novels that explore the absurdity and contradictions of contemporary life. Readers who appreciate Percival Everett’s sharp yet dry humor, or his playful challenges of societal norms, may find similar enjoyment in DeLillo’s work.
One to start with is “White Noise,” a satire centered on Jack Gladney, a professor who specializes in Hitler studies. Gladney confronts an unexpected “airborne toxic event” that disrupts his comfortable suburban life.
Through surprising comedy and sharp insights, DeLillo examines consumerism, media obsession, and the fear of mortality that seeps through ordinary moments.
The narrative’s witty perspective and gentle absurdities echo Everett’s style, offering thoughtful yet light-footed critique of modern society.
Readers who enjoy Percival Everett’s sharp and satirical storytelling will also like George Saunders. Saunders writes smart fiction with dark humor and precise social commentary. A great starting point is his book “CivilWarLand in Bad Decline.”
This short story collection presents a set of bizarre and unsettling situations set in theme parks and dystopian attractions, where ordinary people navigate absurd and bleak scenarios.
Saunders uses weirdness and sharp insight to examine the struggles and contradictions of modern American life, blending the eerie with the profoundly human.
Thomas Pynchon is an American novelist known for his complex plots, unconventional characters, and sharp sense of satire. Readers who appreciate Percival Everett’s playful approach to storytelling and his exploration of identity may enjoy Pynchon’s novel “The Crying of Lot 49.”
It follows Oedipa Maas, a curious woman who unexpectedly becomes the executor of an old boyfriend’s estate. As she investigates the strange details around his legacy, she uncovers signs of a hidden underground communication system called the Tristero.
The book weaves together mystery, conspiracy, and humor in a compact narrative filled with unusual twists and clever commentary. Readers will find themselves engaged by Pynchon’s blend of absurdity and thoughtful critique.
If you enjoy Percival Everett’s sharp, insightful explorations of identity and complex characters, Zadie Smith’s novels may resonate with you as well. Smith often captures diverse voices and cultural tensions with brilliant clarity.
Her novel “White Teeth” is a great place to start. The book follows the intertwined lives of two families in multicultural London over several decades.
Smith examines race, immigration, and generational conflict through humor and a vibrant cast of flawed yet relatable characters. The story unfolds unpredictably, blending comic moments with thought-provoking scenes that keep you invested until the last page.
If you enjoy Percival Everett’s sharp wit, originality, and thoughtful storytelling, you may appreciate Jonathan Lethem’s distinctive voice as well. Lethem often blends humor, mystery, and emotional depth in his novels.
His book “Motherless Brooklyn” follows Lionel Essrog, a detective with Tourette’s syndrome. Lionel investigates the murder of his mentor, Frank Minna.
Set against the gritty, colorful backdrop of Brooklyn, this novel offers an engaging and unusual spin on classic detective fiction. Lethem’s smart dialogue and quirky cast keep readers fully invested in Lionel’s journey.
Junot Díaz is a Dominican-American writer known for his witty style and deep reflection on cultural identity and immigrant experiences.
Readers who enjoy Percival Everett’s sharp humor and thoughtful storytelling will appreciate Díaz’s novel, “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.” This book follows Oscar, a shy Dominican-American who dreams of becoming a great science fiction author.
Oscar wrestles with family curses, history, and the challenges of growing up between two cultures. Díaz beautifully combines humor, heartbreak, and Dominican history, offering a fresh perspective on identity and the search for belonging.
Mark Z. Danielewski is an American novelist known for experimenting with narrative form and challenging traditional storytelling. His novel “House of Leaves” combines mystery, horror, and unconventional structures into a fascinating tale.
The book is layered with footnotes and multiple narrators, centered on a peculiar manuscript discovered by a tattoo parlor employee, Johnny Truant.
This manuscript describes the unsettling documentary of a family’s strange experience: their house impossibly expands from the inside.
Readers who enjoy Percival Everett’s inventive and thought-provoking writing style might appreciate Danielewski’s imaginative approach in “House of Leaves.” It blends intriguing characters, a compelling mystery, and visual experiences into a unique literary journey.
Books by Chuck Palahniuk often explore dark humor, satirical scenarios, and sharp commentary on modern life. His novel “Fight Club” follows an unnamed narrator who is disillusioned by his mundane corporate life and chronic insomnia.
After meeting an enigmatic character named Tyler Durden, together they create an underground fighting ring aiming to break away from society’s empty values.
With raw energy and unexpected twists, Palahniuk pushes the boundaries of identity and reality in ways that readers familiar with Percival Everett’s clever satirical approach might appreciate.
Books by Kathy Acker offer a bold mix of experimental storytelling, dark humor, and sharp critique of society’s norms. Readers who enjoy Percival Everett’s challenging take on literature might find Kathy Acker’s work equally thought-provoking.
Her novel “Blood and Guts in High School” follows Janey Smith, a young girl caught in a turbulent journey across Mexico and New York. Through a powerful blend of drawings, poetry, and fragmented prose, Acker confronts tough themes like identity, sexuality, and violence.
Her unapologetic style creates a disturbing but fascinating portrait of rebellion and survival.
Richard Powers is an American novelist known for intelligent narratives that explore complex ideas about science, nature, and human emotion.
His novel “The Overstory” weaves together the lives of several distinct characters whose personal stories are deeply connected to trees and forests.
The book shifts between human perspectives and the viewpoint of trees, building a narrative that reveals the hidden ties humans share with nature.
“The Overstory” combines careful storytelling with big-picture themes about environmental awareness and activism, similar to the way Percival Everett crafts layered narratives that challenge readers’ assumptions.
Its exploration of humanity’s connection to nature through remarkable characters provides a fresh perspective readers often seek after enjoying Everett’s thoughtful style.
If you enjoy Percival Everett’s sharp storytelling, Roberto Bolaño might impress you too. Bolaño was a Chilean writer known for his bold narrative style. In his novel “2666,” Bolaño creates a layered tale full of mystery and intrigue.
The book follows several characters whose lives intersect around a series of unsolved crimes in a fictional Mexican border town. The novel mixes dark humor, vivid settings, and thoughtful insights into human nature.
Bolaño keeps readers guessing with his twists and revelations, much in the way Everett does. “2666” is ambitious and complex, yet completely engaging.
Salman Rushdie is known for blending imaginative storytelling with sharp insights into culture, identity, and society, a combination readers of Percival Everett may appreciate.
In “Midnight’s Children,” Rushdie brings us the story of Saleem Sinai, born at the stroke of midnight as India gains independence. Saleem discovers he’s mysteriously connected to hundreds of other children born at that moment, each possessing unique powers.
Through Saleem’s eyes, we experience India’s history, struggles, and ambitions mirrored in his own life. Rushdie blends the magical with the everyday, crafting a narrative that’s playful yet full of depth and meaning.
Anyone who enjoys Everett’s surprising narratives and thoughtful commentary may find Rushdie’s approach engaging and rewarding.
Samuel R. Delany is an author who blends intellectual depth and imaginative storytelling. Readers who appreciate Percival Everett’s playful yet thoughtful approach to narrative might enjoy Delany’s “Babel-17”. This book is a science-fiction adventure centered around language.
Set during a future war, it follows Rydra Wong, a talented poet and linguist hired to decode a mysterious enemy language called Babel-17. The novel explores how language shapes perception, culture, and reality itself.
Through thrilling space journeys and encounters with fascinating characters, Delany offers readers an engaging story that also challenges them intellectually.