Book Suggestions
 

I am looking for some book recommendations in a certain area. I'd like it to be fictional, and Im open to it being based on reality or of alternate realities. I want it to be entertaining, but really get into the choices we make in life and the philosophical and psychological reasons and processes for such decisions and the consequences of such. Following your dreams, pursuit of love, of power, and may other life issues can be involved.

Catcher in the Rye

See if this fits the bill for you.
Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson

Award-winning author Kim Stanley Robinson delivers a thoughtful and powerful examination of cultures and the people who shape them. How might human history be different if 14th-century Europe was utterly wiped out by plague, and Islamic and Buddhist societies emerged as the world's dominant religious and political forces? The Years of Rice and Salt considers this question through the stories of individuals who experience and influence various crucial periods in the seven centuries that follow. The credible alternate history that Robinson constructs becomes the framework for a tapestry of ideas about philosophy, science, theology, and politics.

At the heart of the story are fundamental questions: what is the purpose of life and death? Are we eternal? Do our choices matter? The particular achievement of this book is that it weaves these threads into a story that is both intellectually and emotionally engaging. This is a highly recommended, challenging, and ambitious work.

Catcher In The Rye
1984
Ishmael

I love these are good, but I'd definatley second Ishmael as it's a lesser known book that definately addresses what you've mentioned.

Confederacy of Dunces

I was going to say this, but Wade would disagree. And, really, I don't know that it meets your criteria, but it's a good book.

Also: A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, Ender's Game, Neverwhere (my fiance says American Gods would be more fitting, but I have not read it yet)... I could keep going, but I will stop for now (and it's time for me to head home :) ).

William R. Forstchen's The Lost Regiment Series.

Sounds like The Fountainhead or Atlas Shrugged to me.

Guns of the South.

That was what came to my mind first also.

Great recommendation, this is just a fantastic book. It's deep and there's a lot to it, I had to read it again back to back, but wow, good stuff.

Green Eggs and Ham.

Ugh..

Absolutely hated this book... in fact, it's still sitting around somewhere about 2/3's of the way finished...

ditto
.

I love Philip Roth and I think both American Pastoral and The Plot Against America fit your description. American Pastoral is one of the best books I've ever read.

"""""""""""""". The Fountainhead in particular.

Tyrannosaur Canyon. Don't know if it fits your needs, but I really enjoyed it.

I picked up "The Plot Against America" on a whim. I had no idea who Philip Roth was or what the book was, but the book jacket sounded interesting.

I flew the thing on my vacation to Lake Tahoe and couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed it and plan to try to pick up other Roth stuff, is it similar (alternate history)?

Not to the extent of Plot Against America. He has a whole series of books that focus on different decades of the twentieth century. I find his characters so compelling that I have a hard time watching them suffer through their lives.

Sounds interesting. What would you suggest should be the first Roth novel to try?

Depends on what you're after. The Plot Against America is alternate history, but it focuses on the lives of individuals instead of large political movements. Think of it as how does a change in history effect the lives of this family.

American Pastoral isn't alternate history, but uses the same idea of how the big changes in society effect an individual family. How do the changes of the sixties destroy what seemed to be the perfect American family.

Portnoy's Complaint is is most popular book. It is a single monologue delivered by Portnoy to his therapist. It deals with Portnoy's inability to enjoy his sexual adventures.

I'd say start with one of those three and if you like it, move on.

I ordered a few of the recommendations to start out with. Wonderful suggestions everyone, hopefully I will make my way through just about all of them eventually.

So what books did you ever order/read? I'm curious. Talking about "Field of Dreams" got me thinking about J.D. Salinger, which got me thinking about "The Catcher In The Rye." And a search of that lead me here.

So, months later... i'm curious.

That was a decent book, but the above is true; it's a very close up look at the world. If you are looking for more background alternate history, this book might disappoint you.

Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham is the first title that came to mind.

Ishmael, 1984 are the ones I read

I also bought The years of rice and salt, Neverwhere and Ender's game when I ordered those, but haven't read them yet. Once my new semester started I stopped doing my personal reading :(.

The Truth Machine might fit the bill, I'd recommend it as pretty provocative and in the right ballpark given your setup.

I'd support the recommendation for the Ayn Rand, probably The Fountainhead to start with.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck.

Replay by Ken Grimwood, perhaps?

The Alchemist or Veroncia Decides to Die, both by Pablo Coelho. Both are very easy to read (my guess is you'll be done in one or at the most two sittings), are very much based in your criteria, and, in the case of the former especially, beautiful stories.