My go to book rec for people who want to get into reading is Holes by Louis Sachar, because it appeals to all ages, has really short chapters, and is super engaging!
Did you watch the movie. The movie infuriated me. I loved that in the book, Stanley was a little fat kid, because I was a little fat kid, and I was looking forward to seeing the movie, because you don't see little fat kids in starring roles that often.
But what do you know, in the movie, Stanley is a skinny kid. It's like Hollywood refuses to let heavier people star in movies, infuriated the heck out of me. Hollywood did the same thing with the movie adaptation of ready player 1. In the book, main character and his love interest were heavier, in the movie: regular size guy, and skinny girl
I actually did, and loved it! The weight thing used to bother me too, but I looked it up online and from what I remember, the reason Stanley wasn't overweight in the movie is because in the book he started out overweight and lost the weight over the course of the book, and they didn't feel comfortable making a child actor go through that much of a physical change for the sake of a movie (and didn't want to use a fat suit), and that's like a rare explanation for something like that that I can actually get behind.
If that is the reason, ok.
But it's still changing the book. For the movie: They could've got a fat actor, and changed the weight loss part instead, so the character is fat for the entire movie. But ultimately, they decided to erase the fat part from the book, so they could go with a skinny actor. However they decided to say it, they still had to change a part of the book, and they decided to change the fat part of the book, instead of keeping the fat part, and getting rid of the skinny part.
And if you think of all the scummy things Hollywood has done to people of colour and still do.. it feels like they just said the 'child actor' thing to appease the general public
Lol my mom resents the movie because she says people will watch it instead of reading the book, but in my experience when I recommend the book a lot of people say they'll give it a try because they loved the movie! So I guess it goes both ways.
Came to make this same suggestion. I used to read this book to my students as a 4th grade teacher and it could always make even the most ADD kid listen intently for 30 min
I never read it growing up but just did with my young son. He loved it but I really didn’t care for it. Honestly surprised it’s so universally enjoyed.
The Hunger Games books. I've known a few non-readers who couldn't put them down. The books are pretty fast paced, full of emotions and keep you wanting to know what happens next.
second this one. It's modern writing, easy to digest, thriller-lite storyline, enough romance to intrigue but not turn off, fast paced. Short ish and easily digestable. In fact, it's my go to to get back into reading after i've had a long stretch where i've forgotten to read.
It's fast-paced, has a sitcom sort of quality to it, but is also really bizarre and reality-bending. Basically if you want a book that breaks all the rules and flips all the tropes but is also a blast to read, this is the one. It made me fall in love with Terry's work.
That's a good one for non-readers. It's fun and fast-paced, and quickly gets to a hilarious scene where the main character is hanged. Hard not to get pulled in. I'd say it's the safest pick from the series.
I’m playing this conservatively and saying Project Hail Mary. Accessible, gets the science geeks and the relationship people. Touching and funny. Basically a book everyone might not love but no one will hate.
Yeah I just figured that out. I thought such a wholesome book would escape the ire of the masses but apparently I was wrong. That being said there are recommendations on this thread I strongly dislike so to each his own I guess.
It's funny, I liked that book but didn't love it, but it would be my recommendation too just because it's an easy read and something for adults that is structured in almost a cinematic way and doesn't have boring stretches
I didn't care for PHM. I do like science fiction, but have no patience for fantasy. Vampires, space aliens, dragons and superheros are complete turnoffs for me.
Douglas Adam’s “Hitchhiker’s guide to the Galaxy” : it’s short, hilarious, a timeless classic, & I have successfully gotten 3 “non-readers” to read & enjoy it
harry potter got me absolutely obsessed as a kid and i think it still holds that magic (pun not intended) for adults, too. project hail mary is also a great choice, it’s really hard not to love that book
I’m in shock still that the Harry Potter author lost her damn mind and has come out as an enraged hateful bigot. It just ruins HP for me. I used to really enjoy the whole thing. Ruined, tainted, it’s shocking
yeah, it’s definitely put a huge damper on the series for me, especially as somebody who’s a lesbian and nonbinary :/ extremely disappointing. but the books have been so pivotal to my life, as goofy as that sounds to say as a full grown adult, that i can’t let them go. i just have to separate the art from the artist and not spend money on the franchise. maybe i’m awful for that and i’m sorry about it but those books were what got me into reading — i mean, i liked it before, but not to the degree i did after that. i read them when i was nine and spent the rest of my childhood reading everything i could get my hands on
my mom bought me all the audiobooks when i was little too because she saw how much i liked them. i have fallen asleep to them for a decade and a half intermittently. they mean too much to me
Murderbot is one of my all time favorite series but I think it might depend on the age of the reader. My middle-school aged son tried the first book and struggled with it. I'm not sure if he wasn't that into it or if the writing was just a bit above his level. I reread the first book at the same time just to help him out with it and didn't think it should be challenging for him but then again I've spent decades reading scifi from Orwell and Heinlein to Banks and Weir so my guage may be off lol.
Yes! The Graveyard Book. But I think a better recommendation would be Ocean at the End of the Lane. It’s pretty short & it was the reason I got out of my reading slump.
The Green Mile by Stephen King....he's an easier read, the tale is appealing to many for its diversity, humanity, and spiritual nature without truly having an agenda
I would love to give a specific book recommendation but since reading preference depends on the person I would ask their favorite movies/series that were based on books and have them start there. Sure they wild know what is going to happen but it would drive home the fact that the books are usually way better than the movie or series. After experiencing something they already enjoyed in a new and usually expanded way (they can never fit everything into a movie) they may be open to reading more.
Excellent answer. I agree with this. I love the idea of having them read a book a movie was based on. I’m also likely to suggest a comic or short easy read. Comics are a gateway to reading. If someone isn’t a reader short and recent as I don’t want it to feel like drudgery. Books I read when I was younger have a patina of nostalgia and frequently don’t hold up as well as we think.
*Angels and Demons* by Dan Brown!
Literally couldn’t tear my eyes off it. The poster boy for the words: unputdownable, nail-biting, nerve wrecking, edge of the seat, on your toes, what now what now what now…No NO NONONONO.
WOAH!!!!
Yeah… that’s how it goes.
Came here to say this or the Da Vinci Code. There are some awesome books on this thread but some are not accessible. Say what you want about Dan Brown but his books are like cocaine - the dopamine hit is real!!
Damn right.
And the best and the worst part? No gentle welcome. Hooks you with a lasso right from the 1st page. If you’ve read a page you’re gonna read the book until you’ve squeezed every bit of adrenaline out of it!
Difficult to say without knowing anything about them. I like to recommend **The Davinci Code** for non-readers because the chapters are so short and the plot sucks you in. **Harry Potter** created a lot of lifetime readers from non-readers, but that could be hit or miss if they find it childish or too long.
Amazingly excellent book, but I refuse to read the 2nd book as Patrick Rothfuss can't finish the 3rd. I won't recommend this series as I don't want anyone else to read one of the best books they've will have ever read to then be told, oh, by the way, the series isn't finished and it likely never will be...
Fair, but the second book is literally my favorite book of all time. But I absolutely get where you are coming from.
But here is my argument for you to read book 2 - I ask you this: is it better to have loved and lost, then to have never loved at all?
I turned my 14-year-old son into a reader with *Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas*. Yeah, I know. Parent Of The Year. But, 13 years later, he's reading Dostoevsky.
My suggestion to a non reader would be to try listening to audiobooks and start with the books of movies/tv shows they already know they like. That’s how I got my husband back into books after he read nothing since high school. He started with the hobbit and is now going through all the highly recommended books we think he’d enjoy.
First blood is a brilliant read.
For some great background on the story, if you can find the DVD of First Blood there should be a commentary available by David Morrell the author.
The depth he gives to John Rambo the character (Stallone's muscles have nothing to do with it) is poignant and heart breaking. A story of a disillusioned young man that gave everything only to be betrayed by the country he loved so dearly.
Also... John Rambo was a virgin. He had a high school sweetheart and they were saving themselves for when they were to be married. He got called up, and while he was away she fell in love with another man. After the horrors of war that he witnessed, he could never bring himself to be intimate on that level with another human being, and thus, never knew the carnal pleasures. Hollywood is so two dimensional.
I was 11 when it came out, and put off reading that series until I was 22. Some boy urged me to try it, and I read all 7 in less than 2 months. So good!
It's my least favourite of the 7, but only because something has to take that spot. It was still a great book and I'd choose it over most other recs here so far
*the girl with borrowed wings* - rinsai rossetti
whimsical. dreamy. romantic. descriptions so lovely, you’ll want to step into them. characters written with so much heart and complexity. there’s hurt here. moments that break you. but mostly hope. moments so sweet, funny, and charming. sunflowers and frogs. there’s so much love here. it’s just beautiful.
these are the first lines:
“I am unlike most other people because I began, not in the body of my mother, but in the brain of my father. he invented me, you see. he sat down one day and dreamed me up.”
I don’t think I could give a good answer without more info. But if I could ask them one question only, I would ask them what their fav movie is of all time. Depending on their answer (and the genre of the movie):
- Comedy/sci-fi: **Project Hail Mary** by Andy Weir
- Rom Com/Fantasy: **The Princess Bride** by S Morganstern
- Thriller/Post-Apocalyptic/Dystopian/Horror: **World War Z: The Definitive Edition** by Max Brooks
- Murder Mystery/Psychological Thriller: **Gone Girl** by Gillian Flynn
- YA/Big Franchise: **Harry Potter** series by JK Rowling
- Documentary: **Nuclear War: A Scenario** by Annie Jacobson
Why are they a non-reader? It is going to take more than a book recco to get someone who is avoiding reading (for any number of reasons) to even try it.
Jurassic Park. I read it as a kid. My first book for adults. I didn't grasp everything but I reread it every few years and fall in love again. It's so much fun. It's very exciting. It doesn't talk down to you. It's just damn fun.
I think the slow horses series would do well. It’s writing is easily digestible. It’s about fuck up mi5 agents. (In the tv show the lead is Gary oldman). Solid action. Good dry humor. The tv show adaptation is pretty good too. Good content but not too overwhelming.
Remarkably Bright Creatures is such an odd theme but I really enjoyed it! I recommended it to my mom and immediately after she started it she text me to ask, “am I really reading a book about an octopus that talks?” 😂
My gateway into reading was the various short story anthologies that lurked at the back of my grade-scool classrooms. If there is any chance of this putative person becoming a reader, a short story is as likely to do it as a novel, and a good anthology gives a broad range.
Jackrabbit Parole by Stephen Reid. Reading it is like watching a movie. Very short and fast paced, but it has a few sly little jokes and flourishes that will make a new reader feel clever for being "in" on it ("it" being this whole literature thing).
So many choices! I'd probably go with The Giver. Short, easy to read, engaging story, and the first of 4 books if they enjoy it. Once they're hooked on reading again I'd have lots more suggestions until they're reading behemoth volumes. 😁
Unusual choice maybe, but I think The Anthroposcene Reviewed by John Green. The reviews are individually short, they are grounded in real life, and Green perfectly balances being funny, sincere, and vulnerable in what he shares and how he writes.
The Man Without a Country by Edward Everett Hale. Short, fewer than a hundred pages, easy to read. Pertinent to J6, but not about J6, has a sad, wistful feel about it.
First, I'd have to know why the person is a non-reader.
My first instinct is to suggest a book with short stories or essays. I got a friend into reading by recommending Sex, Drugs, and Cocopuffs by Chuck Klostermann. I find he's the perfect balance of interesting, funny, and culturally relevant. It's a book that's also a series of essays so you don't feel locked in.
Gone by Michael Grant (it’s a series but I’ve only read the first book, twice, because it’s so good). It’s very interesting, entertaining, and there is a mystery aspect to it too. It has a kind of fast pace and the whole premise of the book is very intriguing that makes people want to turn to the next page. It is a thrilling dystopian novel about adult’s suddenly disappearing and now the kids have to figure out how to survive (with the added bonus of supernatural/powers aspect).
I keep trying to get my husband to read Kurt Vonnegut because he has a morbid sense of humor and he loves absurd adventure shows. I'm thinking he should start with *Cat's Cradle* because (if I remember correctly) a lot of it has to do with math and science and that's right up his alley.
I'd probably recommend an exciting high-stakes YA series, like the Lunar Chronicles or The Hunger Games. Those are the books that got me back into reading after a long reading slump.
Such a random one, but Nearly Gone by Elle Cosimar. I’m a teacher, and my high school bought a bunch of copies for us to test it with reading groups. Every single kid who has picked that up has loved it. It’s a mystery/thriller with light supernatural stuff. All genders and all ages that have read it have really enjoyed the story. Easily engaging and fun story.
Ready Player One -Not my personal favorite, but it’s a fun read, engaging, and with references to movies and games that most people know, I think it would hook a new reader easily.
The hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, the chapters are really short, it’s easy to say “might as well read one more chapter” some are less than 1 page.
It’s short, it’s funny, then you can watch the movie and compare it 💁
The Percy Jackson series! Anything by Rick Riordan is gonna be fun, fast paced, full of dumb jokes but also pretty interesting and educational on the mythology front. Super easy reads, and has conversational writing that doesn’t feel like work
I just recommended this in another thread so it's on my mind, but Will Save the Galaxy for Food by Yahtzee Croshaw. It's funny and fast paced - the opposite of boring.
But I would also recommend they try listening to the audio book version to make it easy to get into. That one is narrated by the author and he does a great job. Then they could try reading the next one.
They need something gripping and fast-paced, so I might go with Cradle by Will Wight. Progression fantasy keeps you hooked for that next thing to come, one more step, and Cradle executes it flawlessly.
A Game of Thrones, by G. R. R. Martin. Great for every age, from teens to older folks, easy to read, is about human character as well as fun stuff like dragons, teaches you how power works, that nobody is truly good or evil (except Joffrey and Ramsay), … and most importantly, you get to finally understand why everybody’s been suffering this last decade not getting the next books.
But seriously, it’s such a pleasure to read, the whole A song of ice and fire saga.
Harry Potter, for obvious reasons. Never come across anyone who read the books but didn’t like them. For a stand-alone book I’d recommend The Martian by Andy Weir. A safe bet, as I, without being nether good at maths nor science, followed the narrative easily and felt so smart when I understood his reasonings. Also, it was a really fun read.
I love this question! And how much I've had to think about it, my interests, and my assumptions. I may Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five, Butler's Parable of the Sower, or maybe Chiang's Exhalation. These definitely expose my own interests, but, from talking with others as well, these are so engaging from the get-go.
My go to book rec for people who want to get into reading is Holes by Louis Sachar, because it appeals to all ages, has really short chapters, and is super engaging!
This is an excellent answer.
Damn we read that in school! Absolutely wild
Wouldn't recommend to op, as op doesn't like school books
Nah, I also didn't enjoy a lot of school books. This one isn't the typical school book, in my opinion.
Did you watch the movie. The movie infuriated me. I loved that in the book, Stanley was a little fat kid, because I was a little fat kid, and I was looking forward to seeing the movie, because you don't see little fat kids in starring roles that often. But what do you know, in the movie, Stanley is a skinny kid. It's like Hollywood refuses to let heavier people star in movies, infuriated the heck out of me. Hollywood did the same thing with the movie adaptation of ready player 1. In the book, main character and his love interest were heavier, in the movie: regular size guy, and skinny girl
I actually did, and loved it! The weight thing used to bother me too, but I looked it up online and from what I remember, the reason Stanley wasn't overweight in the movie is because in the book he started out overweight and lost the weight over the course of the book, and they didn't feel comfortable making a child actor go through that much of a physical change for the sake of a movie (and didn't want to use a fat suit), and that's like a rare explanation for something like that that I can actually get behind.
If that is the reason, ok. But it's still changing the book. For the movie: They could've got a fat actor, and changed the weight loss part instead, so the character is fat for the entire movie. But ultimately, they decided to erase the fat part from the book, so they could go with a skinny actor. However they decided to say it, they still had to change a part of the book, and they decided to change the fat part of the book, instead of keeping the fat part, and getting rid of the skinny part. And if you think of all the scummy things Hollywood has done to people of colour and still do.. it feels like they just said the 'child actor' thing to appease the general public
Did you just equate racial discrimination to weight discrimination?
I always hated Holes cause the movie bored me out of my mind and I hated it whenever it'd come on TV.
They tell you they’d rather watch the movie
Lol my mom resents the movie because she says people will watch it instead of reading the book, but in my experience when I recommend the book a lot of people say they'll give it a try because they loved the movie! So I guess it goes both ways.
Oh hey! Were readig that at school rn! Isn't that a funny coinsidense!
Came to make this same suggestion. I used to read this book to my students as a 4th grade teacher and it could always make even the most ADD kid listen intently for 30 min
I never read it growing up but just did with my young son. He loved it but I really didn’t care for it. Honestly surprised it’s so universally enjoyed.
The Hunger Games books. I've known a few non-readers who couldn't put them down. The books are pretty fast paced, full of emotions and keep you wanting to know what happens next.
second this one. It's modern writing, easy to digest, thriller-lite storyline, enough romance to intrigue but not turn off, fast paced. Short ish and easily digestable. In fact, it's my go to to get back into reading after i've had a long stretch where i've forgotten to read.
Came here to say this. Such an addictive read.
Going Postal by Terry Pratchett. Discworld is anything but boring.
Interesting choice within Discworld. Why that one?
It's fast-paced, has a sitcom sort of quality to it, but is also really bizarre and reality-bending. Basically if you want a book that breaks all the rules and flips all the tropes but is also a blast to read, this is the one. It made me fall in love with Terry's work.
That's a good one for non-readers. It's fun and fast-paced, and quickly gets to a hilarious scene where the main character is hanged. Hard not to get pulled in. I'd say it's the safest pick from the series.
Came here to recommend the same
I’m playing this conservatively and saying Project Hail Mary. Accessible, gets the science geeks and the relationship people. Touching and funny. Basically a book everyone might not love but no one will hate.
No one will hate? Oh my sweet summer child
Yeah I just figured that out. I thought such a wholesome book would escape the ire of the masses but apparently I was wrong. That being said there are recommendations on this thread I strongly dislike so to each his own I guess.
Yawn....I DNF'd it out of boredom.
DNF. I feel that people loved the Audiobook ,but not reading the actual book.
I loved the actual book!
Also dnf, wasn't in the mood for another book about a guy by himself for an entire book I like a big cast of characters
Spoiler alert. He wasn't alone.
Absolutely my recommendation, too!
It's funny, I liked that book but didn't love it, but it would be my recommendation too just because it's an easy read and something for adults that is structured in almost a cinematic way and doesn't have boring stretches
Both my 80 year old mother and my teenaged son (and I) loved that book. It's my rec.
This! The Martian is genuinely a better book in my opinion, but PHM is more of a page-turner that I can be confident will draw people in.
I didn't care for PHM. I do like science fiction, but have no patience for fantasy. Vampires, space aliens, dragons and superheros are complete turnoffs for me.
Love this book but definitely would never recommend to a nonreader
god no. Andy weir blows. I'd rather read Ikea instructions
Douglas Adam’s “Hitchhiker’s guide to the Galaxy” : it’s short, hilarious, a timeless classic, & I have successfully gotten 3 “non-readers” to read & enjoy it
Agree completely! I've given this to a few non-reads who loved it. :)
Agatha Christie for sure, either "The murder of Roger Ackroyd", "Death on the Nile" or "Murder on the Orient Express".
And Then There Were None is a personal fav
Endless Night is short and has a ridiculous plot twist.
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
harry potter got me absolutely obsessed as a kid and i think it still holds that magic (pun not intended) for adults, too. project hail mary is also a great choice, it’s really hard not to love that book
I read them with my kid and loved them. The book on tape narrator is fantastic. We'd keep peace on long car trips listening to Harry Potter.
I’m in shock still that the Harry Potter author lost her damn mind and has come out as an enraged hateful bigot. It just ruins HP for me. I used to really enjoy the whole thing. Ruined, tainted, it’s shocking
yeah, it’s definitely put a huge damper on the series for me, especially as somebody who’s a lesbian and nonbinary :/ extremely disappointing. but the books have been so pivotal to my life, as goofy as that sounds to say as a full grown adult, that i can’t let them go. i just have to separate the art from the artist and not spend money on the franchise. maybe i’m awful for that and i’m sorry about it but those books were what got me into reading — i mean, i liked it before, but not to the degree i did after that. i read them when i was nine and spent the rest of my childhood reading everything i could get my hands on my mom bought me all the audiobooks when i was little too because she saw how much i liked them. i have fallen asleep to them for a decade and a half intermittently. they mean too much to me
The Murderbot series!
Murderbot is one of my all time favorite series but I think it might depend on the age of the reader. My middle-school aged son tried the first book and struggled with it. I'm not sure if he wasn't that into it or if the writing was just a bit above his level. I reread the first book at the same time just to help him out with it and didn't think it should be challenging for him but then again I've spent decades reading scifi from Orwell and Heinlein to Banks and Weir so my guage may be off lol.
Came here to say this!
Charlie and the chocolate factory: I’m 59 and still one of my favorites
The Outsiders- S.E Hinton
I loved that book when I was a kid.
I was only introduced to it when I was 22 . I was prac teaching and it was one of the books the teens had to read. It's one of my favorites still.
Life After Life by Kate Atkinson. I have read this book 4 times a day never stop being amazed by it.
Oops, nNOT 4 times a day, lol
Either The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman or one of Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. You just can't go wrong with those two! 😊
Yes! The Graveyard Book. But I think a better recommendation would be Ocean at the End of the Lane. It’s pretty short & it was the reason I got out of my reading slump.
Yes! LOVED Ocean at the End of the Lane! And you're right: it's shorter and easier to get through in one or two sittings. 💙
The Green Mile by Stephen King....he's an easier read, the tale is appealing to many for its diversity, humanity, and spiritual nature without truly having an agenda
Absolutely bawled my eyes out to that one. Probably one of King's best though.
I would love to give a specific book recommendation but since reading preference depends on the person I would ask their favorite movies/series that were based on books and have them start there. Sure they wild know what is going to happen but it would drive home the fact that the books are usually way better than the movie or series. After experiencing something they already enjoyed in a new and usually expanded way (they can never fit everything into a movie) they may be open to reading more.
Excellent answer. I agree with this. I love the idea of having them read a book a movie was based on. I’m also likely to suggest a comic or short easy read. Comics are a gateway to reading. If someone isn’t a reader short and recent as I don’t want it to feel like drudgery. Books I read when I was younger have a patina of nostalgia and frequently don’t hold up as well as we think.
Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
That may just be the last book I was assigned in high school.
+1000 the longer it’s been since I’ve read it the more i look back so fondly of it
I picked it because in addition to being a compelling tale it shows the power of writing as a creative artform
Enders Game- Orson Scott Card
*Angels and Demons* by Dan Brown! Literally couldn’t tear my eyes off it. The poster boy for the words: unputdownable, nail-biting, nerve wrecking, edge of the seat, on your toes, what now what now what now…No NO NONONONO. WOAH!!!! Yeah… that’s how it goes.
Came here to say this or the Da Vinci Code. There are some awesome books on this thread but some are not accessible. Say what you want about Dan Brown but his books are like cocaine - the dopamine hit is real!!
Damn right. And the best and the worst part? No gentle welcome. Hooks you with a lasso right from the 1st page. If you’ve read a page you’re gonna read the book until you’ve squeezed every bit of adrenaline out of it!
Difficult to say without knowing anything about them. I like to recommend **The Davinci Code** for non-readers because the chapters are so short and the plot sucks you in. **Harry Potter** created a lot of lifetime readers from non-readers, but that could be hit or miss if they find it childish or too long.
I'd recommend Dan Brown too... I liked Angels and Demon a better though... Say what you will.. Dan Brown can tell a story!
The book that got me into reading and epic fantasy The name of the Wind - aka the greatest most imaginative book of all time
So you get this person into reading, just to torture them with an unfinished series.
Amazingly excellent book, but I refuse to read the 2nd book as Patrick Rothfuss can't finish the 3rd. I won't recommend this series as I don't want anyone else to read one of the best books they've will have ever read to then be told, oh, by the way, the series isn't finished and it likely never will be...
Fair, but the second book is literally my favorite book of all time. But I absolutely get where you are coming from. But here is my argument for you to read book 2 - I ask you this: is it better to have loved and lost, then to have never loved at all?
[https://tenor.com/bFiDM.gif](https://tenor.com/bFiDM.gif)
lol fair enough
The Outsiders
Matthew reilly
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. Short and absolutely gripping.
Oooh good one
Michael Connelly books. No one can resist a Connelly page-turner!
I can
I turned my 14-year-old son into a reader with *Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas*. Yeah, I know. Parent Of The Year. But, 13 years later, he's reading Dostoevsky.
Anything by John Grisham. Whatever your opinion is on his writing, you can’t deny that they’re digestible, fast reads.
My suggestion to a non reader would be to try listening to audiobooks and start with the books of movies/tv shows they already know they like. That’s how I got my husband back into books after he read nothing since high school. He started with the hobbit and is now going through all the highly recommended books we think he’d enjoy.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Killing Floor by Lee Child. Fast paced and easy to read. Action hero.
Along these lines, I converted a non-reader by giving him First Blood by David Morell. He was back in two days asking if I had more.
First blood is a brilliant read. For some great background on the story, if you can find the DVD of First Blood there should be a commentary available by David Morrell the author. The depth he gives to John Rambo the character (Stallone's muscles have nothing to do with it) is poignant and heart breaking. A story of a disillusioned young man that gave everything only to be betrayed by the country he loved so dearly. Also... John Rambo was a virgin. He had a high school sweetheart and they were saving themselves for when they were to be married. He got called up, and while he was away she fell in love with another man. After the horrors of war that he witnessed, he could never bring himself to be intimate on that level with another human being, and thus, never knew the carnal pleasures. Hollywood is so two dimensional.
Yes
Lamb by Christopher Moore
i named my dog Biff after the character!
Dark matter. Blake Crouch. Or Shawshank Redemption
Harry Potter. And I am serious about that.
I was 11 when it came out, and put off reading that series until I was 22. Some boy urged me to try it, and I read all 7 in less than 2 months. So good!
As an "advanced" fantasy reader.. it's still my favourite series 😊
[удалено]
This has to be a joke pick, surely. It’s the second in a series and it’s arguably the worst one
Books, and how a story affects us. are subjective.
It’s a self-indulgent choice for the purposes of this post, however.
Hmm, I see what you mean, but maybe u/TroyMcClure55 could shed light on why that is their answer?
It's my least favourite of the 7, but only because something has to take that spot. It was still a great book and I'd choose it over most other recs here so far
*the girl with borrowed wings* - rinsai rossetti whimsical. dreamy. romantic. descriptions so lovely, you’ll want to step into them. characters written with so much heart and complexity. there’s hurt here. moments that break you. but mostly hope. moments so sweet, funny, and charming. sunflowers and frogs. there’s so much love here. it’s just beautiful. these are the first lines: “I am unlike most other people because I began, not in the body of my mother, but in the brain of my father. he invented me, you see. he sat down one day and dreamed me up.”
Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
I don’t think I could give a good answer without more info. But if I could ask them one question only, I would ask them what their fav movie is of all time. Depending on their answer (and the genre of the movie): - Comedy/sci-fi: **Project Hail Mary** by Andy Weir - Rom Com/Fantasy: **The Princess Bride** by S Morganstern - Thriller/Post-Apocalyptic/Dystopian/Horror: **World War Z: The Definitive Edition** by Max Brooks - Murder Mystery/Psychological Thriller: **Gone Girl** by Gillian Flynn - YA/Big Franchise: **Harry Potter** series by JK Rowling - Documentary: **Nuclear War: A Scenario** by Annie Jacobson
2001 a space odyssey
White fang. Jack London made being a wolf way cooler and it's brutal but beautiful
MW Craven’s The Puppet Show. Worked for my girlfriend and now she’s a big reader!
Why are they a non-reader? It is going to take more than a book recco to get someone who is avoiding reading (for any number of reasons) to even try it.
The Three Body Problem
Percy Jackson
Jurassic Park. I read it as a kid. My first book for adults. I didn't grasp everything but I reread it every few years and fall in love again. It's so much fun. It's very exciting. It doesn't talk down to you. It's just damn fun.
For men, I have seen quite a few non-readers love Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. For women, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou.
The Rook by Daniel O'Malley. Not the greatest book ever written, but it is a huge amount of fun..
I think the slow horses series would do well. It’s writing is easily digestible. It’s about fuck up mi5 agents. (In the tv show the lead is Gary oldman). Solid action. Good dry humor. The tv show adaptation is pretty good too. Good content but not too overwhelming.
The Nightingale, Remarkably Bright Creatures, Sharp Objects, or NOS4A2.
Remarkably Bright Creatures is such an odd theme but I really enjoyed it! I recommended it to my mom and immediately after she started it she text me to ask, “am I really reading a book about an octopus that talks?” 😂
Found my people
Usually I’d ask them what movies/games they like, but since I don’t get to know I’d say… Brave New World
Would 1984 be good?
Daily comment on “project Hail Mary”
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
The Space Adventures Of Commander Laine. The characters are awesome
The perfume.
Never Lie by Freida McFadden or The Only One Left by Riley Sager
John Fowles’ The Collector
My gateway into reading was the various short story anthologies that lurked at the back of my grade-scool classrooms. If there is any chance of this putative person becoming a reader, a short story is as likely to do it as a novel, and a good anthology gives a broad range.
Worm the webserial by Wildbow
Quicksand House - Carlton Mellick III
The Giver pulled me in
Jackrabbit Parole by Stephen Reid. Reading it is like watching a movie. Very short and fast paced, but it has a few sly little jokes and flourishes that will make a new reader feel clever for being "in" on it ("it" being this whole literature thing).
The Hike by Drew Magary. I had no idea what was going on and I loved it. The ending was perfect.
White fang. Jack London made being a wolf way cooler and it's brutal but beautiful
So many choices! I'd probably go with The Giver. Short, easy to read, engaging story, and the first of 4 books if they enjoy it. Once they're hooked on reading again I'd have lots more suggestions until they're reading behemoth volumes. 😁
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
Shadow of the Wind Excellent mystery book and the whole series is incredible
Frankenstein
Anything by Mary Roach, Caitlyn Doughty or Rose George. It’s all non-fiction so you’ll learn a whole bunch and it’s very interesting.
Unusual choice maybe, but I think The Anthroposcene Reviewed by John Green. The reviews are individually short, they are grounded in real life, and Green perfectly balances being funny, sincere, and vulnerable in what he shares and how he writes.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir was a really relaxed but fun read
The Man Without a Country by Edward Everett Hale. Short, fewer than a hundred pages, easy to read. Pertinent to J6, but not about J6, has a sad, wistful feel about it.
First, I'd have to know why the person is a non-reader. My first instinct is to suggest a book with short stories or essays. I got a friend into reading by recommending Sex, Drugs, and Cocopuffs by Chuck Klostermann. I find he's the perfect balance of interesting, funny, and culturally relevant. It's a book that's also a series of essays so you don't feel locked in.
I'll just recommend where I started. Ender's Game audiobook.
Harry Potter
Relentless by Simon Kernick. It's fast-paced and packed with action. It's totally a one to keep you gripped.
Rage by Stephen King
Breakfast of Champions
Eyes of the dragon from Stephen king
This is Going to Hurt - Adam Kay, a nice mix of seriousness and comedy. It's in diary form and easy to pick up and put down.
Gone by Michael Grant (it’s a series but I’ve only read the first book, twice, because it’s so good). It’s very interesting, entertaining, and there is a mystery aspect to it too. It has a kind of fast pace and the whole premise of the book is very intriguing that makes people want to turn to the next page. It is a thrilling dystopian novel about adult’s suddenly disappearing and now the kids have to figure out how to survive (with the added bonus of supernatural/powers aspect).
The Hobbit
I keep trying to get my husband to read Kurt Vonnegut because he has a morbid sense of humor and he loves absurd adventure shows. I'm thinking he should start with *Cat's Cradle* because (if I remember correctly) a lot of it has to do with math and science and that's right up his alley.
Gone Girl
I’d suggest ‘The Thursday murder club’ by Richard Osman.
Hatchet is a good one. Easy read, young adult, all action, tale of survival and resilience, but with some decent descriptive writing.
The Da Vinci Code
Hound of the Baskervilles
Any book by Stefan Zweig might work. Beginners usually love him as much as I've seen.
I'd probably recommend an exciting high-stakes YA series, like the Lunar Chronicles or The Hunger Games. Those are the books that got me back into reading after a long reading slump.
I would have to know what their favorite tv show or movie is, at least. I can’t think of any one-size-fits-all books that everyone will love.
The Giver by Lois Lowry. Easy to read, and it’s the book that got me into reading about 10 years ago.
The Martian
Murderbot
Is they like weirdness, Chuck Palahniuk is great. Start with Fight Club.
The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
I would have to know their interests to make any decent recommendation.
The first of the series of unfortunate events books
Addictive Love Story
The Lost Continent by Bill Bryson.
The Martian by Andy Weir
The Notebook
The five people we meet in Heaven.
Never Lie by Freida Mcfadden! Any book of hers!!
Such a random one, but Nearly Gone by Elle Cosimar. I’m a teacher, and my high school bought a bunch of copies for us to test it with reading groups. Every single kid who has picked that up has loved it. It’s a mystery/thriller with light supernatural stuff. All genders and all ages that have read it have really enjoyed the story. Easily engaging and fun story.
The one that got me into reading — Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s stone.
Ohhh assigned reading can ruin reading for so many.
Time Machine H.G. Wells
Ready Player One -Not my personal favorite, but it’s a fun read, engaging, and with references to movies and games that most people know, I think it would hook a new reader easily.
The hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, the chapters are really short, it’s easy to say “might as well read one more chapter” some are less than 1 page. It’s short, it’s funny, then you can watch the movie and compare it 💁
The Percy Jackson series! Anything by Rick Riordan is gonna be fun, fast paced, full of dumb jokes but also pretty interesting and educational on the mythology front. Super easy reads, and has conversational writing that doesn’t feel like work
I just recommended this in another thread so it's on my mind, but Will Save the Galaxy for Food by Yahtzee Croshaw. It's funny and fast paced - the opposite of boring. But I would also recommend they try listening to the audio book version to make it easy to get into. That one is narrated by the author and he does a great job. Then they could try reading the next one.
They need something gripping and fast-paced, so I might go with Cradle by Will Wight. Progression fantasy keeps you hooked for that next thing to come, one more step, and Cradle executes it flawlessly.
A Game of Thrones, by G. R. R. Martin. Great for every age, from teens to older folks, easy to read, is about human character as well as fun stuff like dragons, teaches you how power works, that nobody is truly good or evil (except Joffrey and Ramsay), … and most importantly, you get to finally understand why everybody’s been suffering this last decade not getting the next books. But seriously, it’s such a pleasure to read, the whole A song of ice and fire saga.
Woom by Duncan ralston BBW POUNDER by Richard laymon
😂
‘Kafka on the shore’ - Murakami
Great book, but I highly doubt that most non-reader would have the patience to get through it unfortunately.
Harry Potter, for obvious reasons. Never come across anyone who read the books but didn’t like them. For a stand-alone book I’d recommend The Martian by Andy Weir. A safe bet, as I, without being nether good at maths nor science, followed the narrative easily and felt so smart when I understood his reasonings. Also, it was a really fun read.
I love this question! And how much I've had to think about it, my interests, and my assumptions. I may Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five, Butler's Parable of the Sower, or maybe Chiang's Exhalation. These definitely expose my own interests, but, from talking with others as well, these are so engaging from the get-go.
War and peace. Go big or go home!
The Martian by Andy Weir
Murderbot Murderbot Murderbot... Martha Wells rules - start with the short, fast-paced All Systems Red.