Looking for good political fiction...

[dissent1977]

I find much of the current fiction books to be quite pointless, and I am looking for something that actually makes you think about the state of the world.

I generally stick to the classics because I have a hard time finding contemporary fiction that interests me, but if anyone has any suggestions I would love to here them.

[wli]

1. 1984

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue..... lot's there.... more than you could

deal with in a lifetime....

[rzemanfl]

3. Beat me to it. n/t

[dissent1977]

6. Alright, I asked for GOOD fiction

:rofl:

[jobycom]

4. The New York Times, the Washington Post, any Scott McClellan transcript

It's hard to avoid political fiction.

I don't read PF because I don't like fiction written for a single purpose. I enjoy a complex story more, because it has more of a feel of a message, and less of a feel of a sermon.

Even 1984 seemed like weak fiction to me, though still worth the read. Animal Farm, too, obviously, is good.

[imenja]

5. I recently read Icon by Frederick Forsyth

He mixes actual events with fiction. It was a decent political thriller, set in early 90s Russia.

[jburton]

7. "A Charge to Keep"

Bush, George W., 1999.

[deadparrot]

8. I'd suggest "The Handmaid's Tale," if you haven't read it already.

Very 1984-esque, if you like that sort of thing.

[NuttyFluffers]

9. Most of Vidal's historical fiction novels

I haven't read them all, but the ones I have are so good. Strongly recommend. It's like you are living, breathing with the historical figures. The descriptions are good, but the suggestions of inner motivations, the character fleshing, the intrigue suggested, fantastic.

[enough]

10. I agree.

[catbert836]

11. David Baldacci has some good ones

mostly political thrillers. I recommend you read "Split Second" and then "Absolute Power".

[pitohui]

12. ok i have some suggestions

politics is a very broad area

however if you are interested in the politics of the suburbs or of over-development, then i defy you to read "the martian time-slip" by philip k. dick or "the gold coast" by kim stanley robinson w.out shedding a tear

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

13. Richard North Patterson

I just finished his "Balance of Power", the third in the "Kerry Kilcannon" trilogy. Kilcannon is a Democratic President who, after a mass killing, decides to go after the gun companies. What follows has facets of a legal thriller, but in reality is a lengthy reflection on the gun debate encompassing all sides. Being a Brit interested in American politics, I really enjoyed this book and learnt a lot (Patterson includes plenty of statistics) but I can see why some more familiar with the gun debate might find it dull.

I haven't read the other two books, but from what I understand the first - "No Safe Place" is more of a conventional thriller as Kilcannon enters the Democratic primaries only to be stalked by a fanatical right-wing right-to-life terrorist. By the second book - "Protect and Defend" - Kilcannon is President and tries to appoint a woman to Supreme Court Justice whilst the country is engulfed in a debate about late-term abortion.

Also - John Le Carre's "Absolute Friends" is a great spy novel around the War on Terror.