I've been lax in familiarizing myself with Michale Kupperman's and Harry Crews work. Where do I start?
Is Tree of Life about Episcopalians?! Do I have to watch it again?
Shades may have more ideas, but I have read Crews' "A Feast of Snakes" and "Scar Lover." Both were crazy-insane and had some brilliant writing in them, but I wouldn't expect characters you necessarily would root for. Also, I wasn't quite satisfied where "A Feast of Snakes" ended up, though it might deserve a re-read. I would recommend reading Crews, though, and would say, of those two, A Feast of Snakes is a better start. But again, Shades may be more of a Crews scholar.