Absurdist fiction?

ok i'm going to be pedantic for a second and tell you that you're probably meaning surrealism which is kind of used interchangeably with 'the bizarre' or 'lol XD randum' while absurdism is a philosophical belief that life is essentially meaningless, neither of which describes cats cradle because that book is primarily political so assuming that you mean surrealism and by the fact that you say that you aren't really well read then i would suggest you read murakami

>>8397524
OP here, I do not mean surrealism.

I thought life = meaningless was nihilism, while life = maybe meaningful but that meaning is unknowable to humans was absurdism. As far as I can tell Bokononism (the religion described in the novel) is based on absurdist beliefs. Of course, I'm not well read so I may be completely off base.

>>8397568
You're completely right OP

Probably too obvious but since you said you're only familiar with Cat's Cradle, maybe try Camus. I really liked The Stranger, The Fall, The Plague
Also, Vonnegut's writing deals with the absurd in a lot of his novels so you might like some of his other work

Keep in mind though, I just recently got back into /lit/ so there are probably much better suggestions out there

Absurdism isn't real. It's just a nonsense word Camus used to make himself feel smart (and specifically, smarter than Sartre).

Read The Crying of Lot 49.

>>8397955
many thanks anon, I'll check those out

Sirens of Titan by Vonnegut is also worth reading.

Catch 22 by Heller is better than Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse 5 as a WWII novel, though it's one of those love it or hate it things so ymmv. Going After Cacciato might also suit your purposes if you want a different war to be absurd.

I don't really like Camus, but you might, so >>8397955 is a good rec.

The Dice Man by Rheinhart is another religion of absurdity one you might like.

Ionesco and Beckett if you don't mind plays being mixed in.

Sombrero Fallout by Brautigan is a personal favourite. I might go read that again now just in case you don't.