I am a 17 year old male teenager that has never read a book in his entire life.
This was because I disliked books a lot for many reasons and because its hard to me to start a book and then not stop reading.
I am a fan of History, Geography, Architecture and I also like Philosophy (Kant and Stuart Mill)
I am from Portugal but my father is Spanish and I can read in both languages.
Thank you.
by CRNXD38
39 Comments
carl sagan’s “the demon-haunted world.” it will inform everything you read and hear afterwards. it’s a user’s manual for the human mind. you’re at a great age to read it, and (at least for native readers) he’s very easy to understand.
The Old Man and the Sea. Earnest Hemingway. I wasn’t a reader in HS and was assigned this in Lit class. Hooked me on reading for life.
Read George Orwell (1984. and animal farm) cathcer in the rye (even tho i dont like mybe you would) I also recommend How to kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee. These are classics and not really hard to read so good luck 🙂
My go to recommendations for teenage males is the dystopian genre (though I am aware you didn’t list that as an interest, but there are some really good ones out there), The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner series or the Scythe series are all excellent, especially for reluctant readers. Or, dive into some of the classics that are now available as graphic novels!
Philosophy? Reverend Insanity. There’s also a lot of lore.
Sophie’s World
The alchemist by Paulo coelho could be good here. you might try graphic novels and manga as well
On the Road by Jack Kerouac meant a lot to me as a teenager
The stranger by Camus! It is super short, and written by a philosopher. Very quick read with high impact.
A River Runs Through It – Norman Maclean
Percy Jackson – I read it in my 30s and I dug it. Also in what world do people START reading with Camus and Hemingway?
Red Sky at Morning by Richard Bradford.
Camus
Fight Club by Chuck palahnuik. I read it around that age and loved it for all the wrong reasons.
El nombre del viento de Rothfuss, la traducción en español es increíble y es súper envolvente todo el rato engancha muchísimo pasadas las primeras 80-100 páginas.
Lo que pasa es que son tres libros y el tercero aún no ha salido ni tiene pinta de que vaya a salir pronto han pasado ya más de diez años desde el segundo. Aún así yo creo que puede merecerte la pena.
Ghostwritten by David Mitchell
>I am a fan of History, Geography, Architecture and I also like Philosophy (Kant and Stuart Mill)
How is this compatible with “never read a book”? Anyway, read “1984” by George Orwell, the best book for our new world.
Huckleberry Finn
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Set in Barcelona and one of my all time favorites. Also, by a Spanish author. I read the translation to English from Spanish. Enjoy
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett might be a good one for you. It’s historical fiction about the early cathedral building era in England, but also has a bit of sex and relationships and politics to keep it interesting.
Si te gusta la novela historica, los libros de Massimo Manfredi, la trilogía de Alejandro Magno, o una novela sobre Esparta.
El nombre de la Rosa de Umberto Eco
Papillion de Charriere
“On Liberty” by John Stuart Mill? If you like him, I think this is a good idea to read his work. It is a short read (it is more of a book length essay), but a tremendously influential and foundational work of liberalism.
Incarnations of Immortality series by Piers Anthony. But a philosophy in these. On a Pale Horse was the first.
Red Rising
How do you go through life without even wanting to read one book out of curiosity? I would die without knowing even one book … Not the first time I see such post.
The Martian – easy, short, entertaining.
And there were none by Agatha Christie
Peace and War – Leo Tolstoi
Hemingway’s The Old Man and The Sea
The Outsider by Albert Camus.
I am having trouble rectifying the ideas that you’ve never read a book but are a fan of history, geography, architecture and philosophy (in particular Kant and Mill). I am genuinely curious how you got into these subjects without reading? Have you watched a lot of videos? Attended lectures? I really just find that interesting as I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone in a similar situation before.
That said, when I was about your age, my mom bought me *The Demon Awakens* by R.A. Salvatore. It’s a fantasy novel with your standard fare of swords, magic, elves, wizards, and even a centaur character. I was not a reader at the time and she bought it on a whim hoping that I would start to pick up the habit. It worked! I loved that book and ended up devouring the entire series. If you’ve never read fantasy before, it might be a place to start.
For non-fiction more in line with what you’ve already expressed interest in, *Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind* by Yuval Noah Harari might work. I found it a little dense at times but it’s a fascinating overview of mankind’s journey from early hunter-gatherer civilizations to the present “modern man”.
“Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” by Yuval Noah Harari – This book offers a fascinating overview of the history of humankind, from the emergence of Homo sapiens to the present day. It covers a wide range of topics including anthropology, sociology, and history, and it’s written in an engaging and accessible style.
“Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies” by Jared Diamond – In this Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Diamond explores the broad patterns of human history and how geography, environment, and biology have shaped the destinies of different societies around the world.
“Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty” by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson – This book delves into the factors that contribute to the success or failure of nations, drawing on insights from economics, political science, and history. It offers a thought-provoking analysis of the forces that drive economic and political development.
“The Architecture of Happiness” by Alain de Botton – If you’re interested in architecture, this book might appeal to you. De Botton explores the relationship between architecture and human happiness, drawing on examples from around the world to illustrate how our built environment affects our well-being.
“Sophie’s World” by Jostein Gaarder (Original: “O Mundo de Sofia”) – This novel combines elements of philosophy with an engaging narrative. It follows a young girl named Sophie who receives mysterious letters introducing her to the history of philosophy. It’s a great introduction to philosophical ideas and thinkers, including Kant and Mill.
What kind of history are you into?
The Prophet by Kalil Gibran, Snow by Orhan Pamuk, Gaudi (can’t remember author) Running With Scissors (again, can’t remember).Middlesex, history, geogrphy, architecture, Detroit/race riots, hippies…
I’d give no self no problem a go if I was you it’s fairly short and it’s a relatively easy read. Great ideas in the book too!
The Lord of the Rings. Or even the Hobbit. These played a huge part in my own discovery of a love for reading.
Tbh I’d start with graphic novels. There’s so many great ones to choose from I can’t even begin to suggest. Go to your local library and browse the juvenile graphic and/or young adult graphic sections and grab one that catches your eye. These can be short or long with the benefit of amazing illustrations to pull you back into reading. Once you’ve got a good reading habit (I suggest starting with 20 minutes a day), move on to some of the ones suggested here. As someone who lost the motivation to read for fun after college (I know not your exact situation), long books were really intimidating to me. Start small and in a genre you like and go from there.
You can read Gustave Le Bon books, most of his books are great, his philosophy is good.
The hunger games series is quite good. Always recommend the hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy.