In a recent article for The New Statesman, Jason Cowley expressed his concerns over the declining influence and relevance of the literary novel in today’s cultural landscape. Comparing the works shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2023 with those from 1997, when Cowley himself was a judge and Arundhati Roy won for The God of Small Things, he argued that literary novels in the past were more urgent, more attuned to contemporary society, and more likely to capture a wide audience.
Cowley’s observation about the current state of the literary novel holds some truth. With the rise of digital entertainment, particularly among younger men, literature seems to be slipping into the background. Cowley, noting his daily experiences in London, highlights how people—especially men—seem increasingly disengaged from the printed word, absorbed instead in their phones, video clips, and movies.
This shift is a reflection of a broader trend: as fewer young men engage with literary novels, publishers are less inclined to produce books aimed at that demographic. The vibrant debates about the latest Ian McEwan novel over a pint, once commonplace, now feel like a distant memory, almost unimaginable for today’s reader.
However, while the landscape may have changed, outstanding literary novels continue to be published that young men—indeed, men of all ages—should seek out. A great novel offers something that digital content can rarely match: an immersive experience in the minds and emotions of its characters. Through fiction, readers gain access to the complex inner lives of others, which can provide deeper insights than even those closest to them might offer. In some cases, the fictional characters may feel more real than the reader themselves.
Two recent novels stand out as must-reads for men—David Szalay’s Flesh and Charlie Porter’s Nova Scotia House. Both offer compelling narratives that address contemporary masculinity and the human condition in ways that are both poignant and thought-provoking.
Szalay’s Flesh has already garnered praise for its exploration of contemporary masculinity. The novel follows István, a Hungarian man who navigates a life filled with isolation, hardship, and disconnection. From his childhood in Hungary to his adulthood in London, István’s experiences with violence, imprisonment, and fleeting encounters with pleasure and wealth paint a powerful portrait of the human struggle for meaning and connection. Szalay’s minimalist prose style complements the novel’s themes, making Flesh both an intellectual and gripping read, full of sharp reflections on the myth of free will.
In contrast, Nova Scotia House by debut novelist Charlie Porter offers a unique and introspective look at love, loss, and identity. Written in a neo-modernist stream-of-consciousness style, the novel traces the narrator Johnny’s relationship with Jerry, a man he met in his youth during the 1990s. Set against the backdrop of the AIDS crisis, the book poignantly captures the fear, repression, and visceral suffering that gay men experienced, while also celebrating the joy, defiance, and camaraderie found within queer life. Through Johnny’s narrative, Porter weaves a rich tapestry of emotion, blending anger, hope, and romance in a way that underscores the novel’s lasting impact.
Both novels exemplify the power of literary fiction to transport readers to places they may never have experienced but desperately need to understand. Whether it’s Szalay’s exploration of contemporary masculinity or Porter’s deeply emotional portrayal of queer life and love, these novels demonstrate why literary fiction remains vital. For young men, in particular, these works offer a rare chance to engage with the complex, messy, and beautiful facets of human existence in ways that go beyond the surface-level distractions of modern digital life.
