The Netflix TV show— Beef addresses how cynicism and deep sadness largely affect the way we act with each other. It sheds light on the transactional nature of interpersonal relationships and how eventually everything fades. If you highly enjoyed Beef and are a fan of shows that deal with similar traits, here’s a list of ten books that you will highly enjoy!
The Hour Of The Star by Clarice Lispector (translated by Giovanni Pontiero)
Just like Beef provides us with an account of how no matter how hard we try misery finds a way to creep into our lives, this short read depicts Macabéa’s life falling apart every day despite her best efforts. Her boyfriend treats her as if she is a piece of disposable cardboard rather than a human woman with feelings. Her job is far from fulfilling. Her life is spiraling out of control of which she is unaware. Tragic and haunting, this book is a realistic portrait of urban loneliness and poverty.
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Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González
Beef’s tackling of generational trauma and how it is passed down from the parents to their kids is extraordinary. This book also covers similar themes through the stories of Olga and her brother Acevedo. Their lives are always under scrutiny and their mother’s judgment weighs them down. From hiding their sexuality to withdrawing from lovers, Acevedo and Olga are finding it hard to stay afloat. The pressure their mother inflicts on them doesn’t help their case either until they decide to bring about active changes to how they live.
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Wandering Souls by Cecile Pin
Anh, Thanh, and Minh are Vietnamese refugees who lost their parents and siblings owing to a tragic turn of events. Their lives in refugee camps and later in the UK are always a reminder of how much they have lost and how unfair the world has been to them. As they step into adulthood, they carry the burden of sacrifice and failed ambitions. The choices they make drive them apart. Their desperate attempts at keeping their lives together often fall apart yet they survive the whirlwind of destruction thrown their way.
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Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou
Ingrid Yang’s life is a mess. She is of Taiwanese descent and her life in America is far from ideal. Her immigrant parents’ expectations combined with her lack of enthusiasm for her PhD research drag her down even further. This is when she discovers a secret that has the potential for not just wrecking her life but also that of many students like her. Chou’s novel is not just a compelling read that is hard to put down but also outrageously funny. It leaves her readers pondering on important topics like everyday microaggressions and the toxicity of academia.
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Cleopatra And Frankenstein by Coco Mellors
As Beef delves deep into complicated marriages and how it impacts every other area of our lives, Cleopatra And Frankenstein also portrays how a couple’s impulsive marriage changed the trajectory of their lives. Cleo’s student visa is about to get over when she meets Frank. Their passion for each other quickly escalates and they jump headstrong into a marriage that will be unsuitable for both of them. Their respective mental health conditions exacerbate and before they know it they impart immense psychological damage to each other. Hilarious yet heartbreaking this novel will hook the readers right from the first chapter itself.
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No Land To Light On by Yara Zgheib
As Hadi and Sama await the birth of their son, they dream of a bigger and better life. They left their respective countries hoping to forge a life where their dreams are fulfilled but the state and its brutalities get in the way. Just like Beef, this novel also zooms in on the disadvantageous position of the immigrants. Hadi is getting deported and now he and his wife are just stuck in different countries yearning for a future where they can be together. This novel is a beautiful and poignant depiction of all the battles we fight for love.
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The Driver’s Seat by Muriel Spark
The Driver’s Seat is another one of Spark’s unique portrayals of humanity. Lise is on a flight. Starting from her interactions on the flight to everything that happens after she gets off, her entire life seems like a deep dive into the murky pool of human consciousness. Every page brings in an unexpected twist and Spark’s prose is remarkably witty. Just like Beef shows us what rage or loneliness can do to our minds and make monsters out of us, this novel also focuses on similar topics with incredible tact.
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Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag (translated by Srinath Perur)
If you enjoyed the dark sides of families that Beef showcases, this book is for you! An uncle’s business enterprise becomes successful changing the luck of the family overnight. They move houses and slowly get comfortable living the life of the rich. However, secrets unfold, conflicts take shape, and marriages fall apart shaking the foundation of the family beyond repair. Written with humor and warmth, this short novel keeps the readers on their toes.
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My Year Of Rest And Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
If you’re in the mood for a book where deep-seated sadness drives one to self-destruction as we witness in Beef, this is the read for you! Our narrator is rich, young, and pretty. Her inherited wealth keeps her financially stable and her beauty earns her a lot of social capital. Yet, she doesn’t know how to put her life back on track and be happy so she overdoses on medicines and hibernates. Equal parts dark and funny, Moshfegh’s writing is a force to be reckoned with!
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Dear Girls by Ali Wong
If you have enjoyed watching Beef, you should definitely pick up Ali Wong’s laughter riot of a book next! Wong’s letters to her daughters about dating, marriage, work-life balance, and motherhood, are rife with sharp insights. We get sneak peeks into Wong’s life off-stage. We learn about what it was like to grow up as what she puts as a wild child. All the bits and bobs that make adulthood a mix of thrill and dread, Wong’s book discusses it all!
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