71 books like Partial List of People to Bleach

By Gary Lutz,

Here are 71 books that Partial List of People to Bleach fans have personally recommended if you like Partial List of People to Bleach. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Book cover of The Bloody Chamber: And Other Stories

Camilla Andrew Author Of When The Stars Alight

From my list on fantasy and cinematic experiences.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a child, I was a maladaptive daydreamer. I could often be found crafting elaborate fantasies in my head featuring fully-fledged worlds and characters that I would actively interact with and speak to as if they were real. I was a strange child, and I kept that strangeness with me when I went into fiction. Since then, I’ve always wanted to encapsulate the feeling of giving a movie-like experience in book form. I want the people who read my work to feel like they’re experiencing something real.

Camilla's book list on fantasy and cinematic experiences

Camilla Andrew Why did Camilla love this book?

While more of an anthology than a book, this still encapsulates the theme quite well. Perhaps more suited to a mini episodic format than a feature-length film, Carter still imbues many of her short stories with striking and unforgettable imagery.

I think of the titular story and its ancient castle by the sea or The Erl-King and its inescapable labyrinth of a forest and am left dumbfounded that I have not seen it rendered anywhere other than my own mind’s eye.

By Angela Carter,

Why should I read it?

12 authors picked The Bloody Chamber as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

With an introduction by Helen Simpson. From familiar fairy tales and legends - Red Riding Hood, Bluebeard, Puss in Boots, Beauty and the Beast, vampires and werewolves - Angela Carter has created an absorbing collection of dark, sensual, fantastic stories.


Book cover of Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead

Stacey Levine Author Of Frances Johnson

From my list on fiction that writes against narrative convention.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a novelist and admire writing that pushes against the conventions of mainstream fiction, that goes around and beyond the formulaic, commercial concept of plot. In the Western world, we’re especially stuck on what film director Raul Ruiz calls “conflict theory”—the masculinist idea that only conflict can create narrative. Of course conflict is part of life, but hello—there’s more. Conventional plot’s well-worn heroes, helpers, villians, saviours, and conflict-based climax, so closely tied to Hollywood USA, are predictable and unfulfilling. Many people seek something more innovative, like the literary versions of Philip Glass or Fernando Botero.

Stacey's book list on fiction that writes against narrative convention

Stacey Levine Why did Stacey love this book?

Just like life, this supple narrative about a village in Warwickshire, England is full of beauty, gruesomeness, and sudden death. Without manifest plot points as such, the narrative seems to float past the range of eccentric townspeople after a destructive flood and later an epidemic of poisonings. Comically, none of the characters seem to take that death seriously. Comyns’ tender gift for describing humans in intimate communion with nature will make you long for flowers, forests, and abounding nature-amid-towns which we no longer experience in today’s world. This writer is neither optimistic nor pessimistic about humanity--but observationally brilliant. In their wild, hilarious ranges of behaviors, her characters too are lovely specimens living at the marshy banks of an omnipresent river.

By Barbara Comyns,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Comyns’ novel is deranged in ways that shouldn’t be disclosed.” —Ben Marcus

This is the story of the Willoweed family and the English village in which they live. It begins mid-flood, ducks swimming in the drawing-room windows, “quacking their approval” as they sail around the room. “What about my rose beds?” demands Grandmother Willoweed. Her son shouts down her ear-trumpet that the garden is submerged, dead animals everywhere, she will be lucky to get a bunch. Then the miller drowns himself . . . then the butcher slits his throat . . . and a series of gruesome deaths plagues…


Book cover of Candy Story

Stacey Levine Author Of Frances Johnson

From my list on fiction that writes against narrative convention.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a novelist and admire writing that pushes against the conventions of mainstream fiction, that goes around and beyond the formulaic, commercial concept of plot. In the Western world, we’re especially stuck on what film director Raul Ruiz calls “conflict theory”—the masculinist idea that only conflict can create narrative. Of course conflict is part of life, but hello—there’s more. Conventional plot’s well-worn heroes, helpers, villians, saviours, and conflict-based climax, so closely tied to Hollywood USA, are predictable and unfulfilling. Many people seek something more innovative, like the literary versions of Philip Glass or Fernando Botero.

Stacey's book list on fiction that writes against narrative convention

Stacey Levine Why did Stacey love this book?

A mysterious, melancholy narrative translated from French is rendered in stripped-down sentences, following a novelist, Mia, after a death in the family. The subsequent plot of subterfuge and corporate crime is so full and busy with knotty, overly complex occurrences that it begins to seem a deliberate distortion and exaggeration of the convention of plot itself. Through the character of Mia, the gifted Redonnet reports tragic and powerful occurrences in flat, clear prose that packs emotion just under the surface of the affectless sentences. The word “Candy” recurs hauntingly through the novel: as a song title, as the name of a character in a show, and as the name that Mia’s lovers call her. This slight novel leaves searing traces of emotional impact long after you read it.

By Marie Redonnet, Alexandra Quinn (translator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Candy Story as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Candy Story recounts a turbulent year in the life of Mia, a young woman whose apparent calm is perpetually threatened by inner doubts and outer catastrophe. Her modest dreams of happiness are dashed by the deaths of her mother, old friends, and her lover. Mia is a talented writer, the author of an autobiographical novel. Now, assailed by calamity and misfortune, she struggles with writer's block, confounded-at least for the moment-by the senseless world around her. Candy Story is the fourth novel by Marie Redonnet. Translations of the first three-Hotel Splendid, Forever Valley, and Rose Mellie Rose-are also available from…


Book cover of Charlie P

Stacey Levine Author Of Frances Johnson

From my list on fiction that writes against narrative convention.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a novelist and admire writing that pushes against the conventions of mainstream fiction, that goes around and beyond the formulaic, commercial concept of plot. In the Western world, we’re especially stuck on what film director Raul Ruiz calls “conflict theory”—the masculinist idea that only conflict can create narrative. Of course conflict is part of life, but hello—there’s more. Conventional plot’s well-worn heroes, helpers, villians, saviours, and conflict-based climax, so closely tied to Hollywood USA, are predictable and unfulfilling. Many people seek something more innovative, like the literary versions of Philip Glass or Fernando Botero.

Stacey's book list on fiction that writes against narrative convention

Stacey Levine Why did Stacey love this book?

Constructed nonlinearly, this funny, playful, and complex novel concerns our culture’s pressure on men to “be” something; it’s also about the human sense of self in general. It has no conventional plot, though Kalich has created a perfectly workable structure: a kind of index that builds in intensity. Without giving particulars as to geography, age, family, or employment, the paragraph-length descriptions of Charlie P reveal him as hyperbolically great or defeated. Charlie P has accomplished both everything and nothing.

The character is an iconographic blank, perhaps an engineer or former bitcoin-seeker who, for all his striving, suffers an inability to engage with the world; perversely, he views that as “giving in.” It’s no understatement to say that readers of Charlie P, sometime in their lives, will have met a Charlie P.

By Richard Kalich,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Charlie P as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Charlie P is energetic, delightfully sardonic, dark without being oppressive, playful and very readable.”—Sven Birkerts

In Charlie P, New York author Richard Kalich offers us a singularly unique, comic, and outlandish everyman. Akin to other great American icons such as Sinclair Lewis’ Babbitt and Ring Lardner’s Al, Charlie P plumbs the relation between fantasy and reality to offer us a character both asocial and alienated and, at the same time, at the heart of the American dream.


Book cover of There's No Ham in Hamburgers: Facts and Folklore about Our Favorite Foods

Mary Boone Author Of Bugs for Breakfast: How Eating Insects Could Help Save the Planet

From my list on food facts.

Why am I passionate about this?

I baked my first loaf of bread when I was eight. It was shaped like a brick and weighed about the same. With my grandma’s help, I tweaked the recipe, learned the importance of precise measurements, practiced my kneading, and ultimately won a blue ribbon for my efforts at the 4-H county fair. In the years since, my passion for food has grown. I love to learn how various crops are grown and harvested, I nearly cried when I tasted cheese I made myself, and I’ve been known to arrange travel around specific culinary adventures. For me, learning about food is nearly as enjoyable as eating it!

Mary's book list on food facts

Mary Boone Why did Mary love this book?

I love food and I love history, which is why I adore the way this offbeat book explains the origin stories of some of our favorite foods. Yes, some of the tales are gross. Did you know Genghis Khan’s soldiers put raw meat scraps between their horse and saddle? The friction tenderized the meat and turned it into an early version of ground meat patties – seasoned, of course, with horse sweat! Readers who love knowing the facts behind their food will enjoy learning about the beginnings of peanut butter, french fries, hot dogs, and much more.  

By Kim Zachman, Peter Donnelly (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked There's No Ham in Hamburgers as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

Why is there no ham in hamburgers? How did we make ice cream before we could make ice? How did hot dogs get their name? From the origins of pizza (which got a big boost from Clarence Birdseye, of all people) to the Cornell professor who invented chicken fingers, There's No Ham in Hamburgers has all the ingredients for an entertaining and educational middle-grade read. Packed with informative sidebars, recipes, and experiments, along with fabulously funny illustrations by Peter Donnelly, this book is a reading recipe that kids will sink their teeth into!


Book cover of How to Count to One (And Don't Even Think about Bigger Numbers!)

Stephanie Calmenson Author Of Dinner at the Panda Palace

From my list on counting for young children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've written more than 100 books including the counting books Dinner at the Panda Palace (HarperCollins / PBS StoryTime) and Dozens of Dachshunds (Bloomsbury / Scholastic Book Clubs).  I also write easy readers such as Stomp! (Ready-to-Read / JLG) and early chapter books including the Our Principal series and, with Magic School Bus author Joanna Cole, The Adventures of Allie and Amy series. As a former early childhood teacher and children's book editor, I'm a big fan of counting books and look forward to writing – and reading – many more. 

Stephanie's book list on counting for young children

Stephanie Calmenson Why did Stephanie love this book?

At the start of this book, readers are asked to count one apple. Easy right? 

Next, one elephant. Again, easy. From there, it becomes tricky...and so much fun! 

There are two whales on a spread, but readers are still asked to count to one . One what? One sausage being blown out of a whale's spout. 

On we go, from soup to nuts. Well, there are no nuts, but there's a hot dog, and ducks and worms, a dinosaur, and more.  Throughout, readers are reminded to count to one. That's the rule. 

The one problem is that kids may be giggling too much to remember to stick to the rule.  It's a great concept, energetically told and brightly, humorously illustrated. 

This is one counting book you won't want to miss.

Book cover of Halal Hot Dogs

Aya Khalil Author Of The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story

From my list on empower Muslim children.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a freelance journalist and have written on many topics related to Arabs, Muslims and immigrants. I also teach an intercultural communication class at the University of Toledo and have taught Arab culture in the past. I have a master’s degree in Education with a focus on teaching English as a second language.

Aya's book list on empower Muslim children

Aya Khalil Why did Aya love this book?

I love Halal Hot Dogs written by Susannah Aziz and illustrated by Parwinder Singh because not only is it hilarious, but highlights the different food that Palestinians/Arabs eat. I love seeing humorous picture books with Muslim characters, and Susannah does an excellent job with Halal Hot Dogs! It is filled with so much character and love!

By Susannah Aziz, Parwinder Singh (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Halal Hot Dogs as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 4, 5, 6, and 7.

What is this book about?

"Musa's enthusiasm for halal hot dogs is infectious, and this portrait of a family and community that takes joy and pride in their identity and traditions is refreshing . . . . A joyful celebration of street food and Muslim American culture."--Kirkus Reviews

"An enjoyable tour of food, faith, and family."--School Library Journal

Musa has the perfect idea for his special Jummah treat, but things don't go according to plan. Will Musa be able to get a yummy Jummah treat for his family?

Every Friday after Jummah prayer at the masjid, Musa's family has a special Jummah treat. They take…


Book cover of 10 Little Hot Dogs

Stephanie Calmenson Author Of Dozens of Dachshunds: A Counting, Woofing, Wagging Book

From my list on picture books for dachshund lovers.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love dachshunds!  My dachshund Harry has appeared in several of my books including Dozens of Dachshunds; May I Pet Your Dog?; Oodles of Poodles and Doodles (yep, he's in that one, too); and the Ready, Set, Dogs! chapter book series written with Magic School Bus author Joanna Cole. I'm a former early childhood teacher and children's book editor and I've written over 100 books for children. 

Stephanie's book list on picture books for dachshund lovers

Stephanie Calmenson Why did Stephanie love this book?

In the spirit of the children's song "Ten Little Monkeys," this book has ten very cute dachshunds who, one by one, go on, then off a great big armchair.  

One little dachshund wants a friend to join him. Two little dachshunds have room for a third. Three little dachshunds want a bone to chew. Four want a ball for a game of catch. Five want a sock to tug. And so on till there are ten little dachshunds on the chair. 

Tired out, they fall asleep, then wake up and jump off one by one, leaving the first dachshund behind. When his nap is finished, he sits up and says, "Hey, you little hot dogs, wake up and play!"  

It's happy, silly dachshund fun with lots of lively barking, yipping, yapping, drooling, snoring, and more. 

By John Himmelman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked 10 Little Hot Dogs as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

One little hot dog sitting on a chair...

"I want a friend to sit with me!"

Two little hot dogs sitting on a chair...

One by one, more little hot dogs join the group until...there are ten little hot dogs on the chair. They play and play until...they all fall asleep. But then, one little hot dog wakes up, and one by one, guess what the other hot dogs do? This funny picture book featuring artwork in watercolor and black pencil shows young readers how to count up from one to ten and back down from ten to one.


Book cover of Skyscraper Dreams: The Great Real Estate Dynasties of New York

Jason M. Barr Author Of Cities in the Sky: The Quest to Build the World's Tallest Skyscrapers

From my list on real estate titans built New York skyline.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an economics professor, I’ve spent the past twenty years researching why cities build upward. Though I mostly look at cities through the lens of statistics and data, every building has a personal and dramatic story that exists behind the numbers. And no matter where you go in the world, great cities with their towering skyscrapers all owe a debt to New York—every city wants its own version of the Empire State Building to signal its economic might. New York is the world’s metropolis. As the (now cliché) song line goes, “If I can make there, I’ll make it anywhere,” is a true today as a century ago.

Jason's book list on real estate titans built New York skyline

Jason M. Barr Why did Jason love this book?

When I walk through the streets of Manhattan, I’m constantly awed by the variety and density of its buildings. I wonder how such a city could have ever been built. New cities today lack the soul and character. But when you look at why these buildings exist, you see that they are there for a more mundane purpose: as shelter. The Garment District, for example, was created to house massive sweatshops to clothe America. Gotham’s apartment towers enclose the beds on which residents sleep. 

Many of these structures were built by a group of family-run development companies. The founders of these enterprises invariably began as immigrants trying to hustle their way up the economic ladder. They started as teenagers working in the sweatshops or hawking newspapers and, bit by bit, erected their own real estate empires. Tom Schactman’s book tells how entrepreneurial spirit, along with New York’s rapid economic growth,…

By Tom Shachtman,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Skyscraper Dreams as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A portrait of Manhattan real estate and of the multimillionaires who are its masters, describing a world of high risks and huge rewards. Skyscrapers embody the romance of our times. The inspired gamblers who built the structures that transformed not only Manhattan but also the world took great risks. Some of the most colourful failed, while others founded family dynasties among the wealthiest in America, from the Astors and Rockefellers to the Roses and Trumps. From penniless Russian Jewish immigrants to society patricians, from penthouses to tenements, real estate and its manipulations - the buildings, the strategies, even the disasters…


Book cover of Burning for More

LoLo Paige Author Of Alaska Spark

From my list on the perilous world of firefighting.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a former wildland firefighter, so I am passionate about writing about it. I’ve included several personal experiences in my books, and I learned integrity and an outstanding work ethic with the firefighters who trained me in the wildland fire community. I met my husband on another fire crew, so I had to write these fire stories in the romance genre. I have friends who also met their spouses in the world of firefighting, and I loved their romances. While not all wildfire stories in real life may have happy endings, I choose to write these as romances because a happily-ever-after is required for the romance genre.

LoLo's book list on the perilous world of firefighting

LoLo Paige Why did LoLo love this book?

This author is a former NYC firefighter and a terrific writer. This book is well written, with plenty of action in the firefighting world in New York City and plenty of heat for the slow-burn romance.

The heartfelt emotion this author writes is so realistic that she had me laughing and crying along with her characters. Now and then, I like to read a steamy romance, and this one more than delivers on that score. I’ll read anything this author writes.

By Kaye Kennedy,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Burning for More as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

He's reckless. She's hiding behind a lie. They seem destined to be, but could easily crash and burn.

As one of New York's Bravest, Dylan Hogan is notorious for his recklessness, but ask him to put his heart on the line and he couldn't be more cautious. After narrowly escaping death, he meets Autumn outside her burning apartment and instantly feels a connection that intrigues and terrifies him. He feels alive for the first time in over a decade, but she seems as adamant about pushing him away as she is about holding him close.

Autumn Bianchi is still licking…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in New York City, presidential biography, and New York State?

New York City 1,086 books
New York State 525 books