With Shuddering Fall by Joyce Carol Oates

For those who don't know, Joyce Carol Oates is one of my favorite authors, easily one of the best to produce work in my lifetime. With Shuddering Fall is her first novel, taking place in the days before air conditioners were common place, in small towns surrounded by country.

It tells the story of a sheltered young girl, stupidly innocent, and hungry for a real experience. As it turns out, these real experiences in life can be pretty awful. And she finds herself a dangerous attachment to a racecar driving man whose talent leans heavily on detachment and dysfunction.

While this isn't my favorite of Oates's novels, it's overflowing with the darkness, juice, and drama her fans have come to expect. If you haven't read anything by her before, I think this is a fine place to start, seeing how it's easier to stomach than some of her other books.