Earlier this year I read Lavie Tidhar's 'A man lies dreaming', that was a bit of an experience. Only attempt it with a very open mind.

I just looked this one up wow - sounds provocative and interesting. The Amazon page says:

> [A Man Lies Dreaming] supposes that the National Socialists lost their bid for Germany in 1933, after which the country fell into the hands of Jewish Communists in an event known as the Fall. Now it's 1939 and an underworld of ex-Nazis has taken root in London, where they are essentially an oppressed minority.

It’s on my list now too. Thanks.

Just a heads up, that summary does not even begin to address the shocking weirdness of the book. I found it really interesting but, well, consider yourself warned...

For pure entertainment and nothing else, Lonesome Dove. It was the first Western I read. I did not think I’d like it because it’s a Western... just not my thing. I was very wrong. I went on to read the other books in the series, but you don’t need to. They each stand on their own.

Still not sure I’ll ever read another Western, but this book was a gem. I believe it has been made into films twice, although I did not watch them.

The English Patient was a great one by Ondaatje. I've been meaning to pick up Warlight since it came out.

The English Patient is the first book that ever had me enjoying the prose as much as the story itself. As I was reading it I realized that even though I know all the words Ondaatje is using, I could never assemble them is such an artful and beautiful way. That book took me a long time to get through because I would reread passages as I went.

You may also enjoy a lot of Hemingway's stuff, Wind, Sand, and Stars by de Saint-Exupéry, Out of Africa by Karen Blixen and West With the Night by Berly Markham -- all memoirs (except for Hemingway's non-memoirs) very similar in style and beauty.

If anyone else has recommendations along these lines of memoirist or novelists with excellent command of beautiful, but very simple English I'd love to hear.

Because of The English Patient book (not film), I read “The Histories” by Herodotus. It is his only possession, if you remember.

Speaking of Murakami I re-read Hard-boiled Wonderland this year which is a bit of tour de force at times but in my opinion still one of his best novels. Sci-fi in a weird way without a lot of technology and in a dream-like (nightmarish at times) narrative.

Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll put Wonderland on my list.

Try The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni. It's gothic fiction with a science twist. https://www.amzn.com/B07S6NM6TG

I can’t stand many of Murakami’s books, but Norwegian Wood and South of the Border, West of the Sun are really excellent.

The Goldfinch is on my list. I’m a big Murakami fan as well so I approve of your excellent taste.