Just started reading after about a five year stent of not reading anything at all. I started with a couple recommendations from some friends, but I have no clue where to go from here and would love some suggestions! I’m also open to audiobooks as I drive a lot for work and have a lot of time to just listen!
Here’s a list of the few books I’ve read in the past couple weeks and some of the things I liked and disliked about them to give you an idea for some suggestions. I also might read 7 habits of highly effective people next as it’s been recommended so often in my adult life.
General genre likes: nonfiction, self help, historical nonfiction
General genre Dislikes: fantasy/magic, romance, mystery (unless is well written enough to feel like nonfiction or is nonfiction)
-Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl
Liked: loved the psychology of it all and how I could apply the message of fining the why to my own life
Disliked: understatement of the year. Holocaust was depressing so at times it was hard to see the message thinking about the horrible living conditions the author had to go through.
-Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
Liked: message of resilience. Also loved how well the author told the first hand account of Louis’ life through in depth research. It really came across almost as a biography.
Disliked: some of the story dragged a bit. While some of it was important details, other times I felt like I was just reading filler. Pace could’ve been better in some longer historical retellings of long stretches of time. Also by no fault of the author or the book, I read two WWII books back to back and it was a little much on the heavy topics of war
- Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes
Liked: really good writing. Funny quips, good unique story, good character development
Disliked: I think I prefer nonfictional stories and the quirky aspects of the sometimes broke my veil of the book as clearly fiction just because of how silly it could be at times. Would read a second book in the series though
-AUDIOBOOK The Ram Dass Audio Collection
Liked: Great messages, fun to listen to lectures
Disliked: I’m not super spiritual, but can get behind messages that are rooted in spirituality to make you a better person. Also sometimes disliked that some anecdotes or lectures were repeated.
TLDR: haven’t read in a while, just read some historical nonfiction, a mystery novel, and listened to a self help audiobook. Looking for suggestions on what to read next.
EDIT: I attempted to do a New Year’s resolution of reading a book a week last year. When making that list I included some classics so I’m open to those as well.
by oddfuturewhiteguy