The Man with the Golden Arm - Nelson Algren

All I have to say is 'Wow'. Often when I read things that were revolutionary in the past, I'm not so impressed with them in the present. But Frankie Machine and the punk, even Sophie to some extent, manage to transcend time barriers. The issues of loneliness, independence, feeling trapped by society, and clinging need are all universal. The women are very underdeveloped (take both Sophie - who's just an external manifestation of the ties of tradition, and Molly - who's a stepped on redeamer character if I've ever seen one), but each plays their role well. Frankie's murder/manslaughter of Louie is so needless, but at the same time the center of the novel. I don't necessarily like the message - "the only way out is through suicide or insanity" - but Algren does an amazing job of capturing the hopelessness of some people in poor circumstances. Definitely worth the read if you can get through the first 40 pages.