I’m reaching out because I think I need to crowd-source this one! I’m a huge reader and lover of books, primarily classics. My husband, however, doesn’t read at all. Lately, he has been feeling left out when I talk about novels with friends and has wanted to test the waters with reading some fiction.
So, that said, what books would you recommend for someone who doesn’t currently read at all and hasn’t since high school? His interests are primarily in business and entrepreneurship, technology, and outer space.
Thanks in advance!
by Weresomiserable27
16 Comments
Project Hail Mary. About outer space. Making it into a movie. Tell him not to read the synopsis. Just crack it open and go. Recommended it to my mom and she loved it.
Project Hail Mary, currently reading it and it’s great so far
Douglas Adams is a good start.
If he likes certain tv shows or movies, books based on those, original novels preferably would be good.
Rocket and Groot Steal the Galaxy if he likes the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Sci-fi: Asimov’s ‘Foundation’ series.
A few ideas to start:
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy; Ready Player One; To Be Taught, If Fortunate
(Edit for grammar)
I’ll also add the red rising series. I do not like sci fi or outer space, but these books sucked me in.
The Martian
Is he fine with YA? They tend to be a simple, action filled books that might capture a non-readers attention better than other books:
Legend by Marie Lu (Dystopian, Sci-Fi, Technology, Post-Apocalyptic)
Enders Game by Orson Scott Card (Dystopian, Sci-Fi, Outer space, Technology, Apocalyptic)
And for some NA or adult books:
Red Rising by Pierce Brown (Dystopian, Sci-Fi, Technology, Outer Space, Battle Royale)
While I was writing this, no one mentioned this yet but now I see someone has! People tend to say the story starts really slow and only picks up after the first ~10 chapters of backstory and world-building. Trust me, it’s worth it and if he doesn’t like this book he probably will enjoy the other books in the series.
Project Hail Mary is already mentioned multiple times but I just want to say I agree with the choice. Very touching and comprehensive on complex topics! I think your husband should reach page 120 before deciding whether or not he wants to drop this book.
Political thrillers or science fiction thrillers might interest him.
Author ken follett
Author Michael Crichton (Andromeda Strain)
**Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells.** “In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid–a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as ‘Murderbot'”
The first books are short novellas and would be very satisfying to finish for someone that doesn’t read consistently. Later books become average novel length. The books are currently being developed for a tv series so that would be something to look forward to!
Edit to correct author name. Hands working faster than my brain this morning.
The Expanse series by James SA Corey.
These are also great as audio books if he wants to try that out.
*The Stars My Destination,* Alfred Bester.
It’s short enough to be an easy read to get him back into book reading. It’s old enough he won’t be dragged down by any modern tech hurdles when it comes to understanding. If he can watch an episode of Star Trek without storming out in confusion and disgust, he’ll be fine. It’s space/sci-fi, so it fits nicely on the menu. And it’s pretty damn good. Something of a sci-fi classic, in fact, so there should be people he’ll be able to talk about it with who won’t be too hard to find.
Failing that, I’d consider looking into the short stories of Arthur C. Clarke or Isaac Asimov. They’re plentiful, readable, easy to find, and very popular among vintage sci-fi connoisseurs.
Try Saturn Run. It is a space thriller. It’s written by a writer of detective novels (John Sanford) and a photographer (Ctein). It’s a page turner with a first contact theme. It would be a great book for a new reader.
My go to idea is short stories.
There are a lot of benefits to short stories.
Benefits
1. If he reads a story that he really wants to have a conversation with you- it won’t take very long for you to then turn around and read the same short story. It’s one story.
2. You can get collections of short stories that are all very different by famous authors. This allows someone to see what they like
3. The best writers write incredible short stories.
Some suggestions:
Octavia Butler: Bloodchild she is a science fiction author and some of her stories feel a bit horror.
Ray Bradbury wrote several “novels” that are really just barely connected series of short stories.
The Martian Chronicles
The Illustrated Man
Dandelion wine
When it comes to mixed authors
The Best American Short Stories _____ ( year)
Every year they put out a book that is a culmination of short stories. They have a guest that is a famous author. If you like that author’s work then You’re probably going to like the short story collection. The short stories aren’t by them, but they’re the final decider of what gets in the book.
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury might fit the bill. I read it so long ago but I remember that I like it! In short, humans F up Earth so badly that some of them go live on Mars. And of course they try to colonize the Martians. It definitely has some similarities with our history of colonialism here on Earth, but it’s interesting to see it framed differently.
Carrying the fire by Astronaut Michael Collins might be perfect for him.