Fans pick 100 books like Henderson the Rain King

By Saul Bellow,

Here are 100 books that Henderson the Rain King fans have personally recommended if you like Henderson the Rain King. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Stranger

M.P. Newman Author Of A Damn Tree

From my list on heroes weathering the adversities of existence.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been passionate about absurdist literature since my early youth when we read Kafka’s Metamorphosis in school. Later in life, friends recommended Irving, Vonnegut, Bellow, and Boyle to me. I discovered Murakami, Mendoza, and Niven. Films like Common Wealth or The Last Circus by Spanish filmmaker Alex De La Iglesia, which are equally entertaining and thought-provoking, gave me the spark to start writing myself. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have!

M.P.'s book list on heroes weathering the adversities of existence

M.P. Newman Why did M.P. love this book?

Again, it was a book I read when I was lost, lacking motivation, and in dear need of guidance.

The hero’s journey made me understand the unimportance of my own personal struggles in the greater scheme of things and let me proceed with ease and nonchalance, though slowly and cautiously, like an old blind man tapping the floor in front of him with his white walking stick.

By Albert Camus,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked The Stranger as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

With the intrigue of a psychological thriller, The Stranger—Camus's masterpiece—gives us the story of an ordinary man unwittingly drawn into a senseless murder on an Algerian beach. With an Introduction by Peter Dunwoodie; translated by Matthew Ward.

Behind the subterfuge, Camus explores what he termed "the nakedness of man faced with the absurd" and describes the condition of reckless alienation and spiritual exhaustion that characterized so much of twentieth-century life. 

“The Stranger is a strikingly modern text and Matthew Ward’s translation will enable readers to appreciate why Camus’s stoical anti-hero and ­devious narrator remains one of the key expressions of…


Book cover of Catch-22

Matthew Evangelista Author Of Allied Air Attacks and Civilian Harm in Italy, 1940-1945: Bombing among Friends

From my list on allied liberation of Italy during World War II.

Why am I passionate about this?

I fell in love with Italy the first time I visited as a graduate student. Later, as a professor spending extended periods there with my family, I began investigating Italy’s experience of World War II. I was inspired by the diary of Iris Origo, an Anglo-American who lived in rural Tuscany. She reported of civilians bombed by Allied aircraft and strafed by machine guns from the air—even after Italy had surrendered. In my quest to understand the relations between the Allies and Italian civilians, I came upon a trove of great wartime novels, many recently back in print, and I am eager to share my enthusiasm for them.

Matthew's book list on allied liberation of Italy during World War II

Matthew Evangelista Why did Matthew love this book?

I encountered this book backward. As a teenager growing up at the end of the US war in Vietnam, I read the Mad magazine spoof of the movie version long before I saw the movie itself, and then I read the novel. I focused on the antiwar theme and the concern of the bomber crew to get home without getting shot down.

The novel was based on Heller’s wartime experience, but I hardly realized it was about bombing Italy until I discovered the papers one of his crewmates had donated to Cornell University. I learned how many of the episodes were based on real incidents, including the only time the novel focuses on Italian civilians—when the crew objects to destroying an Italian Alpine village of no military significance. 

By Joseph Heller,

Why should I read it?

18 authors picked Catch-22 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Explosive, subversive, wild and funny, 50 years on the novel's strength is undiminished. Reading Joseph Heller's classic satire is nothing less than a rite of passage.

Set in the closing months of World War II, this is the story of a bombardier named Yossarian who is frantic and furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. His real problem is not the enemy - it is his own army which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. If Yossarian makes any attempts to excuse himself from the…


Book cover of The World According to Garp

M.P. Newman Author Of A Damn Tree

From my list on heroes weathering the adversities of existence.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been passionate about absurdist literature since my early youth when we read Kafka’s Metamorphosis in school. Later in life, friends recommended Irving, Vonnegut, Bellow, and Boyle to me. I discovered Murakami, Mendoza, and Niven. Films like Common Wealth or The Last Circus by Spanish filmmaker Alex De La Iglesia, which are equally entertaining and thought-provoking, gave me the spark to start writing myself. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have!

M.P.'s book list on heroes weathering the adversities of existence

M.P. Newman Why did M.P. love this book?

I read the book when things were going well for me, and I laughed at all the absurdities happening to the hero who never gave up.

Despite everything, he persevered and hung on. It taught me to appreciate my loved ones and spend more time with them, enjoying every moment, savoring it like that tiny white mint on the tip of my tongue, letting it slowly dissolve.

By John Irving,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked The World According to Garp as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A masterpiece from one of the great contemporary American writers.

'A wonderful novel, full of energy and art, at once funny and heartbreaking...terrific' WASHINGTON POST

Anniversary edition with a new afterword from the author.

A worldwide bestseller since its publication, Irving's classic is filled with stories inside stories about the life and times of T. S. Garp, struggling writer and illegitimate son of Jenny Fields - an unlikely feminist heroine ahead of her time.

Beautifully written, THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARP is a powerfully compelling and compassionate coming-of-age novel that established John Irving as one of the most imaginative writers…


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Book cover of God on a Budget: and other stories in dialogue

God on a Budget By J.M. Unrue,

Nine Stories Told Completely in Dialogue is a unique collection of narratives, each unfolding entirely through conversations between its characters. The book opens with "God on a Budget," a tale of a man's surreal nighttime visitation that offers a blend of the mundane and the mystical. In "Doctor in the…

Book cover of Martin Eden

F. Scott Service Author Of Playing Soldier

From my list on emotional conflict and post-war survival.

Why am I passionate about this?

Living through the Iraq War compelled me to honestly challenge who I was, what I had believed in, and reshape who I am. One aspect to emerge from that is the belief that there is no good war. War is the worst of all endeavors, born from fundamentally weak minds that are blind to imagination and vision. But while I have had a passion for writing about war and speaking out against it, I feel it’s important for people to look beyond my work as just another veteran writing just another war book. In both of my books, the war is a character more than anything else. 

F.'s book list on emotional conflict and post-war survival

F. Scott Service Why did F. love this book?

While admittedly not a “war” book, Jack London’s masterful novel illustrates notions associated with war and society in an artful way. And he does it within two characters… a truth seeker and a believer in the establishment. From the rich and powerful to the impoverished with no voice, he clearly understood what is behind the masks we don in society. Fantastic read.

By Jack London,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Martin Eden as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The semiautobiographical Martin Eden is the most vital and original character Jack London ever created. Set in San Francisco, this is the story of Martin Eden, an impoverished seaman who pursues, obsessively and aggressively, dreams of education and literary fame. London, dissatisfied with the rewards of his own success, intended Martin Eden as an attack on individualism and a criticism of ambition; however, much of its status as a classic has been conferred by admirers of its ambitious protagonist. Andrew Sinclair's wide-ranging introduction discusses the conflict between London's support of socialism and his powerful self-will. Sinclair also explores the parallels…


Book cover of The Ginger Man

Adam Kuper Author Of The Museum of Other People: From Colonial Acquisitions to Cosmopolitan Exhibitions

From my list on books that helped me to grow up.

Why am I passionate about this?

I grew up in white South Africa, a racist, philistine, authoritarian, and puritanical society. The first four books I have chosen appeared in the 1950s, and I read them in my teens. Catch-22 was published in the ‘60s, but all five heroes–or anti-heroes–of these novels were of the same generation, about ten years my senior, so they were perfectly placed to be role models. They were rebels and mavericks, and except for Yossarian, they were all would-be writers. I recognised a kinship with them and took them as my guides into adulthood. And so I left for Paris and became a writer and an anthropologist. No regrets.

Adam's book list on books that helped me to grow up

Adam Kuper Why did Adam love this book?

Sebastian Dangerfield, a scruffy Yank studying at Trinity College Dublin under the GI Bill, loses his wife, finds a lover, and talks to himself–“In my heart where no one else can hear me.”

The book was banned for decades after publication in the 1950s, not so much for indecency (though there is that) as for sheer insolence. The Irish writer Sean O’Reilly asks: “Is there, even after all this time, something risky, illicit perhaps, about Sebastian Dangerfield whispering in your ear while your heart is bursting with laughter?"

Another 1950s anti-hero in the same gang as Holden Caulfield and Jake Donaghue. Another bad example for my guidance.

By J.P. Donleavy,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Ginger Man as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*Accompanied by unseen photographs from the Donleavy archive
*Includes a poignant memoir of Gainor Crist, the man who inspired Sebastian Dangerfield, by his daughter, Mariana
*The Lilliput Press will publish Donleavy's 27th book, the novel 'A Letter Marked Personal' in the spring of 2019.

Showcasing for the first time 220 of renowned author J.P. Donleavy's most intimate letters, this scrupulously edited collection throws an extraordinary light on the composition, publication and afterlife of The Ginger Man --- the genesis of a masterpiece that went on to sell 60 million copies around the world.
Spanning the late 1940s to the early…


Book cover of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

Ryan McIlvain Author Of Elders

From my list on those in search of faith.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a novelist, essayist, and journalist who’s written extensively about the problems and consolations of faith, about belonging in and out of faith, and about the tribes of what I think of as the In Between. When you’re in between, you’re neither in it nor out of it, whatever “it” might be for you. You bear an “infinity of traces,” as the writer Antonio Gramsci called these formative influences. My first novel looks at these influences directly, while my second one looks at them indirectly. I’m late in the game with a third novel now—a detective story that investigates a murder along with these same themes. 

Ryan's book list on those in search of faith

Ryan McIlvain Why did Ryan love this book?

Indispensable. And the scandal of this autobiographical novel hasn’t worn off in a hundred-plus years. Stephen Dedalus is our young man, the self-appointed artist-priest. We see turn-of-the-century Ireland through his eyes and Irish Catholicism, too, each with its special richness and oppressiveness. Ultimately, it’s Stephen’s desire to escape "these nets" that drives his story. He’ll find God in his own way or, failing that, replace him with Art. 

By James Joyce,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A masterpiece of modern fiction, James Joyce's semiautobiographical first novel follows Stephen Dedalus, a sensitive and creative youth who rebels against his family, his education, and his country by committing himself to the artist's life.

"I will not serve," vows Dedalus, "that in which I no longer believe...and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can." Likening himself to God, Dedalus notes that the artist "remains within or behind or beyond or above his handiwork, invisible, refined out of existence, indifferent, paring his fingernails." Joyce's rendering of the impressions of…


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Book cover of Caesar’s Soldier

Caesar’s Soldier By Alex Gough,

Who was the man who would become Caesar's lieutenant, Brutus' rival, Cleopatra's lover, and Octavian's enemy? 

When his stepfather is executed for his involvement in the Catilinarian conspiracy, Mark Antony and his family are disgraced. His adolescence is marked by scandal and mischief, his love affairs are fleeting, and yet,…

Book cover of The Second Coming

M.P. Newman Author Of A Damn Tree

From my list on heroes weathering the adversities of existence.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been passionate about absurdist literature since my early youth when we read Kafka’s Metamorphosis in school. Later in life, friends recommended Irving, Vonnegut, Bellow, and Boyle to me. I discovered Murakami, Mendoza, and Niven. Films like Common Wealth or The Last Circus by Spanish filmmaker Alex De La Iglesia, which are equally entertaining and thought-provoking, gave me the spark to start writing myself. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have!

M.P.'s book list on heroes weathering the adversities of existence

M.P. Newman Why did M.P. love this book?

I loved the book because it made me laugh a lot and gave me a whole different take on religion. Pop stars had become a thing, and even though I didn’t enjoy them, the story of God’s son entering the contest amazed me.

I can’t recommend the book enough, as it reflects certain aspects of modern life that are truly absurd.

By John Niven,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Second Coming as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

God takes a look at the Earth around the time of the Renaissance and everything looks pretty good - so he takes a holiday. In Heaven-time this is just a week's fishing trip, but on Earth several hundred years go by. When God returns, he finds all hell has broken loose: world wars, holocausts, famine, capitalism and 'fucking Christians everywhere'. There's only one thing for it. They're sending the kid back.

JC, reborn, is a struggling musician in New York City, trying to teach the one true commandment: Be Nice! His best chance to win hearts and minds is to…


Book cover of No Word from Gurb

M.P. Newman Author Of A Damn Tree

From my list on heroes weathering the adversities of existence.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been passionate about absurdist literature since my early youth when we read Kafka’s Metamorphosis in school. Later in life, friends recommended Irving, Vonnegut, Bellow, and Boyle to me. I discovered Murakami, Mendoza, and Niven. Films like Common Wealth or The Last Circus by Spanish filmmaker Alex De La Iglesia, which are equally entertaining and thought-provoking, gave me the spark to start writing myself. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have!

M.P.'s book list on heroes weathering the adversities of existence

M.P. Newman Why did M.P. love this book?

I read the book when I moved to another country (Spain). I badly needed to distract myself and see the better side of life.

At the time I could definitely identify with a lost alien who had landed in a new environment, not understanding much of the country and its people. The absurdity of the story of said alien not knowing what to do intrigued me.

By Eduardo Mendoza, Nick Caistor (translator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked No Word from Gurb as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A shape-shifting extraterrestrial named Gurb has disappeared in Barcelona, having assumed the form of Madonna, whose image he glimpses on a street poster. His partner, desperate to get him back, goes about trying to find him in a more discreet guise, scrupulously writing his observations in a diary ...No stone is left unturned, no danger too much, in the search for his old pal Gurb in the topsy-turvy world of planet Earth. "No Word From Gurb" is a riotous satire highlighting the contradictions of Western society in a lively, intelligent and sweetly ironic way.


Book cover of Wizard of the Crow

Mara Kardas-Nelson Author Of We Are Not Able to Live in the Sky: The Seductive Promise of Microfinance

From my list on understand our unequal world.

Why am I passionate about this?

I write about inequality in international development, American communities, environmental movements, and workplaces. I’ve been doing this reporting for over a decade. I’ve also worked in global health, an experience that has given me a first-hand glimpse into the depths and texture of inequality we have manufactured in our current world, including within the organizations and movements that purportedly challenge such global inequality. As a reader, I’m equally passionate about immersive nonfiction and fiction. I’ll dive into anything that’s driven by a good story.

Mara's book list on understand our unequal world

Mara Kardas-Nelson Why did Mara love this book?

I should start by saying that Thiong'o has recently been accused, by his son, of beating his former wife, claims I take very seriously (and which has put my reading of Thiong'o’s female characters in a new light).

In this book, I found a sharp, cunning satire of despotic post-colonial governments working with and shaped by international funders and Western policymakers. Having worked in NGOs, I found Thiong'o’s characterization of “development” to be darkly funny and cringe-worthily accurate.

By Ngugi Wa Thiong'o,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Wizard of the Crow as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Informed by traditional African storytelling, discover Ngugi wa Thiong'o's masterpiece.

To honour the Ruler's birthday, the Free Republic of Aburiria set out to build a tower; a modern wonder of the world that will reach the gates of Heaven. But behind this pillar of unity a battle for control of the Aburirian people rages. Among the contenders: the eponymous Wizard, an avatar of folklore and wisdom; the corrupt Christian Ministry; and the nefarious Global Bank.


Book cover of Swamp Story

Marc Renson Author Of How Will I Know

From my list on beach reads that I enjoyed this summer.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love being by the water. Most of my vacations are spent at tropical destinations. There’s something pretty amazing about reading a book at the water’s edge, near a palm tree, with the breeze and the salty smell of the wonderful warm air as pelicans swoop across the surface. 

Marc's book list on beach reads that I enjoyed this summer

Marc Renson Why did Marc love this book?

I love being in the Everglades of South Florida. I love the crazy characters and their wild pursuits of making money. There are a lot of 70s musical references and nostalgia for the reader.

One could really believe this may be based on true events because, after all, it’s Florida. 

By Dave Barry,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked Swamp Story as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times bestselling author and actual Florida Man Dave Barry returns with a Florida caper full of oddballs and more twists and turns than a snake slithering away from a gator.

Jesse Braddock is trapped in a tiny cabin deep in the Everglades with her infant daughter and her ex-boyfriend, a wannabe reality TV star who turned out to be a lot prettier on the outside than on the inside. Broke and desperate for a way out, Jesse stumbles across a long-lost treasure, which could solve all her problems—if she can figure out how to keep it.…


Book cover of The Stranger
Book cover of Catch-22
Book cover of The World According to Garp

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