My friend asked me an interesting question the other day (or, another book poll)

[lolagranola]

I've got a friend who has so far pretty much missed the world of reading. She's actually fairly intelligent considering she hasn't read much, but has recently decided that she wants to start catching up on the world that she has missed. She's been asking everyone if they could recommend one book for her to read, what would it be. I suggested the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I loved the story, and was so totally into it while I was reading it.

I know that we've had a number of favourite book threads, but I like to think that this is a slight twist on them. If you were to suggest one book for someone who hasn't read much, what would it be and why?

I'll gather up the suggestions when this thread is done and give them to her as a list of potential books to read.

[Scarlett67]

A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving. It will whet her reading appetite. The characters are so richly presented that by the time I finished this book (the first time) I felt as if I knew them personally. Irving is a genius.

[hypergirl]

The Phantom Tollbooth. No matter how old you are there is something new you can get out of that book. I re-read it every year, and a new pun or comical thing hits me every time.

[Jekeira]

Watership Down by Richard Adams.

[Cyndar]

Oh my God, Jekeira, I was going to say the same thing.

[Goose]

The Catcher in The Rye

or

If you want her to *enjoy* reading, Dragonlance Choronicles would be better than LoTR. ;)

[Baker]

To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

I had this book in high school and just KNEW I was going to hate it. Suprised myself when I started to like it, then love it. I second the LOTR trilogy, but start with The Hobbit. It's somewhat lighter, where LOTR is darker overall.

[AuntiePam]

Hard to recommend just one! Can I recommend by genre? Starting with easy stuff?

Fantasy -- The Mists of Avalon by Anne McCaffrey

Thriller -- Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow (or anything by Ken Follett)

Western/Adventure -- Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

Historical/Romance -- something by Sharon Kay Penman, like The Sunne in Splendor

Horror -- The Stand by Stephen King

Americana -- My Antonia by Willa Cather

Science Fiction/Speculative Fiction, whatever they're calling it nowadays -- Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein

[jessicala]

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas. Complex, yet not hard to follow, lots of twists, fairly unpredictable ending (IMO), and really enjoyable on re-reading too. I also like his Count of Monte Cristo although I had a slightly harder time keeping up with who was who.

[Manda JO]

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card or The Princess Bride by Wiliam Goldman. I have had great sucess recomending thes two books to non-readers.

[Purd Werfect]

Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry.

[andygirl]

So many good ones have already been mentioned... you all have impeccable taste. ;)

Gaiman's Neverwhere is excellent, as is Stardust. They're both fantasy.

Candide is a favorite of mine. It's quick but deep. And how can you not love a book containing the line "what a misfortune to be without testicles?" Hee!

For sheer entertainment, the Harry Potter books are quite fun.

Or, if they have a short attention span, get them a copy of The World's Shortest Stories. They're under 55 words and some of them have more plot than your average NYT flash in the pan.

[Reboot42]

Tom Sawyer.
Huckleberry Finn.
The Three Musketeers.
Oliver Twist.
Great Expectations.
To Kill A Mockingbird.
Up the Down Staircase.
To Sir, with Love.
The Boy in the Model T.
Misses 'Arris Goes to Paris.
The Bridges at Toko Ri.
I'll Trade You an Elk.
The Egg and I.
Anything by Larry Niven.

[obfusciatrist]

I'm going to second the Prayer for Owen Meany recommendation (or perhaps The Hotel New Hampshire).

Unless your friend is at a low reading level I am going to have to recommend Lord of the Rings, it is pretty juvenile. I loved it as a kid, am bored by it as an adult. I have never met (though I am sure somebody will now pipe up) someone who first read LotR as an adult and thought it was great.

[bibliophage]

Of Mice and Men

[Typo Negative]

Catch-22.

[MadPoet]

I'm going to add a vote for Ender's Game and throw Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings into the pile.

[dylan_73]

The Collector, by John Fowles. Hmm...I have to read The Magus now :)

Oh, and just about anything by Iain (M) Banks.

[billyt123]

A Separate Peace, John Knowles

[Ukulele Ike]

Ray Bradbury's FAHRENHEIT 451.

Not because I think that it's such a fabulous novel, but because it'll make her feel guilty as hell for ignoring such an important part of her life. "So, you didn't think you had enough time to READ, huh? What if books were ILLEGAL?"

Some other books that might steer her toward her interests are Kenneth Rexroth's THE CLASSICS REVISITED and Henry Miller's THE BOOKS IN MY LIFE.

[dpr]

Originally posted by Manda JO
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card or The Princess Bride by Wiliam Goldman. I have had great sucess recomending thes two books to non-readers.

For someone who doesn't read much (as the OP says) these are the two perfect books. They're certainly the two that popped into my mind. Easy to read, engaging, intelligent and leave you wanting more.


And I also thought of the Count of Monte Cristo but it's a bit mroe advanced methinks.

[RealityChuck]

I think there are three or four modern novels that stand out far beyond the rest, but the one I'd choose for someone who hasn't done a lot of reading would be The Sot-Weed Factor by John Barth. It's as close to the Great American Novel as anyone has come -- funny, entertaining, and amazingly accurate historically (there really was an Ebeneezer Cooke and "The Sot-Weed Factor" does exist -- as does the secret of the sacred eggplant :) )

Catch-22 is a fine second choice.

[KSO]

The Great Gatsby and The Catcher In The Rye.

[andyman]

The only one I thought of that hasn't been posted yet is the Hitchhiker's series.

[ThreeLeggedBob]

Great fun, and quick:

Richard Brautigan's "Trout Fishing in America" and "A Confederate General from Big Sur".

Douglas Adams' "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

(Slightly) heavier:

Any Sherlock Holmes.

[ThreeLeggedBob]

andyman, you just said that, didn't you? Sorry.

[Suo Na]

All the above are good, but I wouldn't suggest Lord of the Rings, actually. I'm a fairly sophisticated reader, yet I've never been able to slog my way through Tolkien, except The Hobbit. I'm working my way up to a third try, soon, though.

Suggestions:
Alias Grace, by Margaret Atwood
Deja Dead, by Kathy Reichs
(This exercise is harder than I thought; I have almost a thousand books, yet can't come up with suggestions!)
Good Omens, by Pratchett and Gaiman
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
Non-fiction: Diane Ackerman's A Natural History of the Senses.

[Zoff]

The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. It's very easy to read, but is an exceptionally well-written book that might help ease her into reading.

[tulip baroo]

Chinua Achebe--Things Fall Apart

[writefetus]

The Alienist by Carr
or Worlds Fair by Doctorow

[Ike Witt]

Nobody has mentioned Atlas Shrugged. Oh, scratch that, you want her to enjoy reading.

[Goose]

I'll second Stranger in A Strange Land. Lord of The Flies would be good also.

[Green Bean]

I'll second hypergirl's recommendation of The Phantom Tollbooth. Probably my favorite book of all time, and the theme is perfect for someone who is just starting to explore.

I'll also suggest Now and Again by Jack Finney. It is a mystery/science fiction/historical/romance novel. Just a great read all around.

And the Harry Potters are wonderful. They are credited with getting so many people into reading. I think that this is because they put you into "can't put it down mode," and maybe that is the first time people have experienced that.

So-called "young adult" books are a terrific place to start. So many of them are fun to read and are definitely "classics." Recently I was feeling a bit uninterested in reading (a very new sensation) so I went and re-read a whole bunch of stuff from my childhood, and I read all the Roald Dahl books that I hadn't read yet. (Just loved Matilda) That did the trick, and I am back to my old bookworm ways.

Everyone else's suggestions are great. I notice, though, that they are mostly fiction suggestions. Perhaps your friend would also like to read non-fiction stuff, too. I don't read much fiction, myself.

p.s. IIRC, Mists of Avalon was written by Marion Zimmer Bradley, not Anne McCaffrey. Haven't read it yet, but it's supposed to be fascinating--it's "on my list."

p.p.s. The "Oprah books" are an interesting lot. They tend to be a bit depressing and/or difficult, so I would not recommend them for a "beginner," but if you are looking for a reading list of quality contemporary fiction, Oprah's put together a heckuva list.

p.p.s. I work in the biggest secondhand bookstore in New Jersey. If I can be of any further assistance, please email me.

[AuntiePam]

Originally posted by Green Bean
p.s. IIRC, Mists of Avalon was written by Marion Zimmer Bradley, not Anne McCaffrey. Haven't read it yet, but it's supposed to be fascinating--it's "on my list."
[/B]

D'oh!! Of course.

[Suo Na]

Originally posted by Green Bean
p.s. IIRC, Mists of Avalon was written by Marion Zimmer Bradley, not Anne McCaffrey. Haven't read it yet, but it's supposed to be fascinating--it's "on my list."


I read The Mists of Avalon in an Arthurian Legend class, and was disappointed. I suppose I might have liked it if I'd read it earlier, but I loved TH White's The Once and Future King, and unfortunately the two books are incompatable in both "facts" (I use the term loosely) and ideology.

Just felt the need to say that....

[Nacho4Sara]

I recommend A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. This book is my most favorite. I think many people write if off as a young girl's book, but I read it when I was 15 and it changed my life. It is an easy read, but there is so much beauty and meaning in it. It's never preachy or condescending, it's just a story about a girl growing up and the lessons she learns. She's born into poverty in Brooklyn at the turn of the century. I started reading it on a Sunday and stayed home from school Monday to read it. I have given away at least 8 or 9 copies - I wish it would be mandatory in middle school - the world would benefit from this book. Sadly, few people have read it, though it was hugely controversial and popular in the 1940's when it was first released.

Check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/006092988X/qid=974431777/sr=1-1/102-1878524-1691368

Also, "Where the Heart Is" by Billie Letts is pretty simple, but a good read with memorable characters and a beautiful climax.

"Memoirs of a Geisha" by Arthur Golden is incredible. Very detailed and realistic.

"The Little Prince" by Auguste Sainte-Exupery is kick-ass at any age.

And though it pains me terribly to write this, a lot of the books in Oprah's Book Club are excellent (I read most before she chose them!). She chooses them beacuse she thinks they will be good for people who do not read much, and some good pics are "I Know This Much Is True" by Wallie Lamb and "Song of Solomon" by Tonie Morrison.

[Enderw24]

Hmmm...I don't know what to suggest. I don't really read all that much. :)

[delphica]

I would vote for the previously mentioned Ender's Game, To Kill Mockingbird, and Harry Potter.

I love Dumas, but I'm not sure I would give The Three Musketeers or Count of Monte Cristo to someone just getting into reading. I think those are more of a reward for being a good reader.

Other thoughts:

(aimed at children/young adults, but also good for grown-ups) --
The Outsiders, S.E Hinton
The Dark is Rising, Susan Cooper

(for grown-ups)--
Time and Again, Jack Finney
All the King's Men, Robert Penn Warren
The Beet Queen, Louise Erdrich

What interests does your friend have? The kind of movies she likes might steer to you pick horror, or romance, or mystery. Is she someone who likes to travel, or has a particular interest in another country or culture? Is she interested in her own ethnic heritage (in which case, Leon Uris probably has a book with her name on it)? Animals? History? Science? Art?

[Little Nemo]

A few personal favorites that haven't already been suggested. Pick your own genre.

Crime: Kahawa by Donald Westlake
Fantasy: Devil's Tower by Mark Sumner
Historical: Aztec by Gary Jennings
Horror: The World on Blood by Jonathan Nasaw
Humor: Thank You for Smoking by Christopher Buckley
Science Fiction: Courtship Rite by Donald Kingsbury
Soap Opera: A Dangerous Fortune by Ken Follett
Spy Thriller: The Mahdi by A.J. Quinnell

If she doesn't enjoy at least one of these, maybe she should try another hobby.

[iampunha]

Anything by James Herriot

One of the Chronicles of Narnia

Alan Mendelsohn: the Boy from Mars

Danny Dunn, Invisible Boy

Biography of Ted Kaczinsky

Forrest Gump

[LateComer]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned Stephen King yet! Perhaps the greatest mass market writer in history. I would recommend Misery or It (It looks formidible, but is quite an easy read).

Ditto Ender's Game, Princess Bride, and the Wonderful Harry Potter books. I cannot think of anything bad to say about these. If they can't hook a reader, nothing can.

[tisiphone]

I've had pretty good success inducting people into the world of fine literature with Robert Asprin's "Myth Adventures" and "Phule's Company" series - witty, well-written, and not intimidating in either size or subject. Something like "The Mists Of Avalon" or most Stephen King can be an awfully big challenge to a newbie. Sorta like starting your downhill skiing hobby by skiing down Everest.

While all the books mentioned here (except Lord of the Flies,imho) are good ones, some of them are not what I'd give the raw apprentice reader. Novices, maybe, but not total newbies.

Start light, suck 'em in - then give 'em the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever. Or something like that.

Tisiphone

[DigitalMuse]

brave new world by aldous huxley
the stranger by albert camus
midnight by dean koontz
anything by franz kafka, especially the short stories
anything by edgar allan poe

[Cantrip]

Better yet, Huxley's The Doors of Perception. A "gateway" book, it will get her into reading psychedelic drugs and 60s rock music and music history.A trifecta!

I third The Phantom Tollbooth - great book, and a joy now as it was when I first read it.

Some of Poe's short stories are gripping: The Tell-Tale Heart, etc.

For mysteries, what about Ngaio Marsh's Roderick Allen series? (I can't remember any individual titles at the moment, though.)

Actually, Holes, by Louis Sacher, is a well-plotted book that won, I think, the Newberry Medal and is one of the books that Harry Potter junkies are turning to until they get their next fix. Geared toward younger readers, but I enjoyed it too (I'm 36).

No one has yet mentioned Dave Barry. While I realize most of his books are collections of columns, some of them are just totally roll-on-the-floor hysterical. I refer specifically to Dave Barry's Bad Song Book - Mrs. Cantrip thought I was having a coronary I was laughing and gasping so hard.

Also, the annotated Alice in Wonderland, with Martin Gardner's annotations. The book itself is wonderfully written, many of the scenes have crept into popular culture and expression, and Gardner's annotations really add depth.

Finally, I've always had a soft spot for A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.

[wolfman]

I suggest to everybody that they read Crime and Punishment. Doest....ummm..however you spell it, is my favorite example of an Author who writes with deep philosophical meaning, while maintaining a plot.

[orion007]

Originally posted by Nacho4Sara
"The Little Prince" by Auguste Sainte-Exupery is kick-ass at any age.


Yeah I second that one... it's awesome. Also good are:

-A Little Princess & The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

-Roald Dahl books

-the Harry Potter books

-Go Ask Alice (anonymous)(this one is depressing but still good)

and I don't know if these count, but I'll put it anyway:

-any of the Calvin and Hobbes books

[Ludo]

Originally posted by hypergirl
The Phantom Tollbooth

Thank you, thank you, thank you, ad infinitum...When you mentioned The Phantom Tollbooth, I fell into a flashback of my childhood. I had totally forgotten about that book until you said that. Thank you, thank you, thank you.....

[Feynn]

When Lola asked me I immediately thought of Donaldson's "The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever". Any fan of fantasy who hasn't read this series isn't much of a fan... really. I actually think it's time for me to read the series again.

I think that when we find out what kind of reading our friend wants we should have something for her in our library as there is a bit of everything there.

James Herriot would be an excellent choice.

We have every Agatha Christie ever written.

Maybe: David Eddings, Terry Brooks, Tolkien, Anne Rice, Jean Auel...

Isaac Asimov? Stephen Hawking?

Churchill?

Maybe Shirer's "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" would be good. (She is interested in WWII history).

How come no-one has suggested the Bible yet?

Have I mentioned that we don't have enough room for all our books?

[lolagranola]

It's been a little while, but I finally got more ink for the printer and printed this off for my friend. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who participated. I hope that my friend enjoys her book selections.

One PS for obfusciatrist: I first read The Lord of the Rings as an adult, and loved it.

[C3]

Can I still play?
I second Memoirs of a Geisha. I read this aloud to my husband on a trip to Australia and we both really enjoyed it.

My all-time favorite book is Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins. Funny, interesting, and to me, perspective-changing.

[NicePete]

Vonnegut, especially Slaughterhouse Five or Cat's Cradle

J.D. Salinger, but not Catcher. Franny and Zooey or Nine Stories are both better.

Can't go wrong with Donald Westlake. John LeCarre is good and I have to give my obligatory Lawrence Sanders plug.

There's also tons and tons of good Non-Fiction to read out there.

[lolagranola]

Sure you can still play. She won't be here to pick up the suggestions for a few days, and I can always print off the additions. :)

[Shirley Ujest]

How old is your friend? ( Did I miss that?)

My recommendations:

The Godfather by Mario Puzo. (fast paced, excellent character studies.) Best if read while eating spagetti.

Night by Elie Weisel. Depressing and surprisingly fast paced book of a 15 year old boys account of surviving several concentration camps. Absolutely brilliant.

Just about anything by Dave Barry or PJ O'Rourke.

And this is just not for sucking up ( and I can't beleive I am the first to put this down) but The Straight Dope Books by Cecil Adams. I cannot tell you how many times a week I reach for one of his brilliant tomes.

[Shirley Ujest]

Can't believe I forgot about the series of books that are just a genius of a concept:

The Great American Bathroom Book ( or GABB). Summarizes in two pages hundreds of books. I have two of the books, I think there are five in total to date.



It says here: "In just minutes, you can become conversant and knowlegeable on any of hundreds of subjects..." it's true. I am living proof! My old black haired pasty faced bitch of a boss was in college and reading some lofty high brow required reading titles. She was very conceited and would start a conversation with, ' I'm reading Beowulf ..have you ever read it?"( No of course, I haven't read Beowulf, you ignorant bitch. If I had would I be a travel agent?) and then proceed to give her valued opinion.

I had spied one or two of the books she was reading and I thought, maybe I should pick up a copy of whatever it is she is reading so I can try to forge a connection between us...(if you beleive that, I have a bridge to sell you) I thought, I just want to surprise her( read: jam it down her smug throat) with my ability to read lofty high brow lit. Then I tried to pick up some of the stuff and Christ, I don't have the patience or time to do it without the benefit of a class.

Enter: GABB. In the span of sitting on the toilet, I became well versed enough in whatever it was the EVIL BOSS was reading, that when she asked, " So, I'm reading Candide Have you ever read Candide" and I stopped her cold with, " As a matter of fact, I just finished it last night. As a part of my self assigned required reading, I decided to pick up the book because I'd hear alot about it, espcially on NPR...."

Not only did I blow her socks off, but that of my fellow co-workers too. Over the next year or so, I found out what she was reading and brushed up on it through GABB (along with other books) and gave brief accounts and fairly intelligent short discussions. ( The key to bullshitting, it saying to little.)

Finally, my best friend at work yanks me aside and goes, " What is going on. How do you know all that about these books. I know you like to read...but your doing something, aren't you?" (Basically, "if you are that smart to read those kind of books and give that kind of review, then WTF are you doing working here?")

I grinned and let her in on my secret.


I'll shut up now.

[Devorzhum]

How some books that are eye-opening and shed new light on the world around us, such as:

The Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan
Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond
The Lying Stones of Marakesh by Stephen Jay Gould
Wisdom of the Bones by Alan Walker & Pat Shipman
Return of the Straight Dope by Cecil Adams

These books are not overly-technical and have the power to open an interest in subjects that possibly one has not covered before.

Or failing that:

Anything by Lawrence Block (but especially the Scudder series)
On the Road by Kerouac
Libra by Don Dellilo
Night Train by Martin Amis
Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck
No Exit And Other Plays by Sartre

Also as previously mentioned:

The Belgariad series by David Eddings
LOTR by Tolkien
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

[lolagranola]

Shirley: Thanks. She's mid to late twenties (I know she's a couple of years younger than me). I have actually not heard of The Great American Bathroom Book.

I was talking this over with my sister last night, and she reminded me that what I need are some books that capture the imagination, without appearing too daunting. So I think that maybe my original suggestion of Lord of the Rings might not qualify, as it would make an excellent doorstop.

As delphica mentioned, maybe I should find out what kind of movies she likes.

Also, as Green Bean mentioned, young adult books might be a good place to start as well. Many of the books I read as a young adult are just as enjoyable now.

That makes me add to my own list of suggestions. The Anne of Green Gables series? One at a time, they don't look terribly daunting. I started reading them in grade 3, so the writing level shouldn't be difficult, and I still enjoy picking one up today.