I’m 37 years old and have never really gotten into reading. I’ve tried at a few different books and seem to always have trouble keeping interest. My wife has recently got back into readying and I love how in to books she gets. I really wish I could feel the same way.
She seems to think that maybe it’s the different books I’ve tried reading that make it harder for me. The last book she recommended to try was Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. I was really into it for a bit, then just lost interest.
I guess what I’m looking for is recommendations for easy to read books to start off with that can help my mindset for reading in general. I feel like fantasy worlds and characters are too hard to follow but don’t know if I’ll like fiction, true crime or history any more. I’m at a loss and really wish I could get into a story/book the same as my wife.
by kmacc05
5 Comments
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!
Well what do You like to do with your time? Are you a sports fan? Do you like sci-fi films? Do you love going on hikes?
Try to start from an interest/hobby of yours or same genre as the films you like. Maybe you’re a slow reader and need to try to up the speed – I know I am and I sometimes lose interest because it takes me a little longer ☺️
Maybe go for **Project Hail Mary** by Andy Weir. It’s sci-fi and very popular. It’s easy to read and it explains the science in the book in an ELI5 way. I strongly suggest you go for the audiobook version. The book is good on its own, but the narration makes it something else.
The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells is made of pretty short reads if you’re into sci-fi.
What are your other media likes? What movies, TV, podcasts do you like? Do you gravitate to a specific genre? Documentaries? Action? Adventure? Spy thrillers? Superheroes? Historical dramas? Comedy or satire?
I’d probably start with some young adult type works as a starting point. They’ll be easier to get into and are generally intentionally faster pace to cater to their audience.
For some specific recommendations, I see Project Hail Mary was already mentioned, I’d also recommend The Martian if you enjoyed the movie. I personally enjoyed it more than PHM. Brandon Sanderson is a popular author right now with options for YA science fiction (Skyward series), superheroes (Reckoners), fantasy (Mistborn), or contemporary mystery (Legion). Neil Gaiman has some amazing and accessible works (The Graveyard Book is one of my faves.) I’ve also got to put in a plug for Terry Pratchett. Good Omens might be a good starting point too.