I haven’t been able to finish a book in ages, and I used to be a devotee. I feel my attention span has been messed up and I need a reset. I’m about to take a week-long vacation and will be taking an internet break at the same time. Please can you recommend absorbing fiction and non-fiction to help make the transition to a reader again easier?
To help narrow it down a bit: I especially enjoyed historical fiction and popular science non-fiction. Contemporary romances and YA fiction are not my scene.
Having said that, I’d be interested in broadening my horizons so anything really that you’ve found absorbing or “un-putdownable” would be great. I’d prefer books under 400 pages so I don’t get bogged down in one book and lose heart– I feel being able to whizz through several books in the week off will help me hit my stride again.
Thanks for reading and TIA for your recommendations.
by SquirrelNupkin
5 Comments
Read Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, will get anyone out of a reading slump!
If you like science non-fiction, I recommend Hidden Valley Road about a family of schizophrenics, as well as Factfulness (facts about the world), Bad Blood (about Theranos), Empire of Pain (about the opioid epidemic), and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (about immortal cancerous cells that became the basis of modern medicine).
Historical fiction – I recommend All the Light we cannot see (WWII), Homegoing (African epic), A Fine Balance (Indian epic), Do not say we have nothing (China epic), Pachinko (Korean epic), Hamnet (about Shakespeare and his son), and The Book of Longings (about Jesus’ fictional wife).
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Project Hail Mary (book or audio) – that’s what started me reading again and every person I’ve suggested it to has loved it !!
The Freakanomics books are always interesting and a good read that gets you thinking.
Bad Pharma by Ben someone was interesting – it taught me how to track sources and evaluate research
Anything by AJ Jacobs (although I prefer the Year of Living Biblically). He’s hilarious, and he throws himself right into whatever his topic is.
And the Band Played On is a huge brick of a book, but it’s the most interesting and readable non-fiction book I’ve ever read. Absolutely crammed full of science. Not a good choice if you’re homophobic though
Project Hail Mary is fiction but 90% math and science
The Power of One by Bryce Courtney is great historical fiction. Almost all his books are great. April Fool’s Day is non-fiction about his son’s death from AIDS in the 80s. It’s sad but full of science
Happiness by Will Ferguson is satirical fiction about the self help book industry. It isn’t what you asked for, but might be what you need
I’ve been taken by surprise by “Born a Viking: Blót” by Riccardo Polacci.
My wife gifted it to me and I couldn’t put it down. I don’t have time to read much, but I managed to read through this one in like a week or even less.
I’m eager for the second book to drop…