Hi! Just a little background, my bf is 24 y/o. He’s currently in school for civil engineering but he expressed his frustrations over not understanding some of the English words during the exams(we’re not native English speakers). I suggested that he read books aside from the dictionary so he can improve his vocabulary.
I want to send him some fiction books to read over the summer break but during our 8 years of being together I’ve literally never seen him hold one lol. He likes all kinds of genre when it comes to movies- mainly action movies, rom-com, or thriller.
If anyone knows a book that’s interesting but not very complicated to read for someone with a very short attention span, please drop a comment below. No children’s book please lol. Thank you so much!
by Obvious-Beat6210
7 Comments
Ender’s Game. If anyone says that’s a children’s book we are fighting.
Awesome sci fi story and isn’t too difficult of a read.
I would start with YA books. They’re usually easy to read, and very well paced. I don’t have any to suggest, but I’m sure lots of people will.
My suggestions would be Project Hail Mary, Dark Matter, and Recursion. Kinda space themed, or alternate time lines. None dragged and we’re good reads.
Would he read a graphic novel? Both Watchmen and Sandman are excellent and I think would help him expand his vocabulary while still being fast-paced/attention-grabbing.
Have Space Suit, Will Travel by Robert A. Heinlein. This is a sci fi book for young adults that focuses on the main character solving engineering problems.
Books by Andy Weir also do a good job of explaining science, math, and engineering concepts in an entertaining way. I second the recommendation of Project Hail Mary.
I recommend *Nothing Like It in the World* by Stephen Ambrose. It is a narrative history of the planning and construction of the Pacific Railroad during the 1860s — one of the biggest civil engineering projects ever undertaken by the United States.
I also recommend George Orwell’s nonfiction books, e.g., 1. *Road to Wigan Pier*, 2. *Down and Out in Paris and London*, 3. *Homage to Catalonia* and 4. *Shooting an Elephant and Other Essays*.
Avoid Orwell’s fiction because they’re written metaphorically with hidden symbolism. They are not to be read and taken literally. Thus, these might be more difficult to understand for someone whose first language is not English.
Not to be rude but this is very much a recurring request on this sub. You could check out any of the posts below (and these are just the first ones I found by searching “doesn’t like to read”) and find more suggestions than you will posting it fresh.
https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/s/kysqO3z5yE
https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/s/vVz4VjckFt
https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/s/ahKCix9mJM
https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/s/t7sfeiWPCC
https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/s/GOm3Hc3s4L
https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/s/6F9OViWu18
Don’t be afraid to try comics and manga as they can often be easier for non-readers to get into. Same for audiobooks.
For romcom, try [Skip and Loafer](https://sevenseasentertainment.com/series/skip-and-loafer/), [Komi Can’t Communicate](https://www.viz.com/komi-cant-communicate), or [We Never Learn](https://www.viz.com/we-never-learn).
For action, try [The Punisher MAX](https://www.goodreads.com/series/280285-the-punisher-max-the-complete-collection), [Chainsaw Man](https://www.viz.com/chainsaw-man), or [One-Punch Man](https://www.viz.com/one-punch-man).
For thrillers, try [100 Bullets](https://www.dc.com/graphic-novels/100-bullets-1999/100-bullets-book-one), [Road to Perdition](https://www.dc.com/graphic-novels/road-to-perdition-1998/road-to-perdition), [Death Note](https://www.viz.com/death-note), and [Monster](https://www.viz.com/monster).