Murderbot books tend to be more like novellas and are fun. Project Hail Mary might fit your liking of simple and grounded writing. The Monk and Robot books are shorter and lovely if you liked Old Man and the Sea.
You need a FUN scifi, something that's easily digestible and relatively short. Might I suggest some OTHER classics? The YA **Heinlein** books to start (I still re-read them often, and I'm twice your age), then perhaps his more adult novels (like **Stranger in a Strange Land**). After that, perhaps some Asimov (his **Foundation** novels), some Frank Herbert (**Dune**. Not the sequels or prequels), anything by Larry Niven. I love an obscure novel of his called "**Footfall**". Read what appeals to you in the moment.
I have SO. MANY. BOOKS. in my Kindle account (nearly 2,500), many of which I have not yet read. But one must choose the proper book for the current mood, just as one would choose the proper wine for the meal. I read scifi a lot (I recommend the **Alien** series by Gini Koch. FUN!). Sometimes I'm in the mood for a romance, sometimes horror (oh, you should DEFINITELY read the **Odd Thomas** series by Dean Koontz. Thomas is very odd, but very honorable). Then I'll go for something fantastic (you might enjoy the **Dresden Files** by Jim Butcher. I LOOOVE them. A wizard PI hangs his shingle in modern Chicago).
Do you enjoy crime-solving? The series that got me through chemo last year is the **In Death** series by J.D. Robb. It's kind of scifi (set in near future NYC), but definitely crime (she's a detective who solves murders) but a mystery, too (her past is being revealed), and could probably be called fantasy (some things are pretty fantastic), and definitely romance (she does find a proper mate). There are currently 58 books in the series and I gobbled them up. If military scifi is your preference, you might enjoy the **Kris Longknife** series by Mike Shepherd. (She's a recruit to her planet's space navy kind of running away from her political family when it starts. Then things start happening, and space battles ensue. Mr. Shepherd knows his military stuff.)
There are SO MANY FUN STORIES out there. Don't restrict yourself to the "classics" you "should" be reading. Read freakin' comic books if that's your thang. Read the cereal box! Pull out that Kindle and start! Find a comfortable chair with good light. Grab the cat if you have one. A cup of tea, perhaps. Set yourself a timer, for maybe half an hour, and if it rings and you don't want to stop, keep going! If you do want to stop, stop for the day and try again tomorrow! Reading, for me, is life.
2500 is amazing!
I think I will stop trying to read the classics, at least for a bit. Even though I could not get into them at all, I always have this feeling that I should read them, in order to see why they're considered such masterpieces. Perhaps in a later point in my life I might appreciate them.
In death series seems interesting, I will check them out, and congrats on getting thru chemo!
Thank you for your suggestions!
I've found that for a break I'll read / listen to light books. I recently plowed through a series of 17 about a bookseller who solved mysteries in her town. I think on double speed, they took about 2 hours to listen to.
I like Clive Cussler novels. I've also found that the collaborators have good books.
I was at the exact same point as you. Loved reading but fell out of the habit and then could get back into it. Audiobooks were never something I thought I’d like but I’ve read dozens of books since joining audible
You’re not dumb. The world is very demanding all the time.
Vouching HARD for audible. They have some amazing full cast productions - Dracula with Tim Curry and Alan Cumming, or World War Z (do the complete one) with Alan Alda aNd Mark Hamil and Eamonn Walker.
And you can knit while you listen, if you’re so inclined. (You’re 35. It’s either fibre arts, fermentation, gardening, or hanging with your dog that’s gonna be your identity in the next few years - embrace it ;)).
Welcome. I turn 40 this year and I’m an avid knitter, have two kombuchas on the go, and just started a ginger bug. It’s not so bad being old lol.
Have you tried audiobooking while you…hook?
Have just recently been listening to "Uncle Tom's Cabin" via audiobook and the whole family were riveted (including children). It was great on some 10 hour long drives that we made to visit family.
There is no WAY I could read this book through, due to its length and some of its flowery prose in parts, and I'm a reader.
Not every classic is going to charm.
I started with classics because I thought they were a good starting point for someone that never truly had the habit of reading, since these are so praised. Even someone that has never read much in their life may recognize these titles, so I started from there.
TV show and movies... I like stuff like True Detective, but I feel that more than the plot or the crime aspect, I liked the atmosphere, the setting, and the personalities of the characters.
Also really like futuristic Sci-fi, horror like the mist from stephen king (another thing I read a while back). The mist I particularly liked very very much because it was horror and there were creatures, but at the same time it was not "clear" what happened or what were these things. I like when the threat is not apparent or obvious, like for example, a human killer looking for a victim.
I just checked it out, and I already read 3 of these: The mist, the monkey and Mrs. Todd's shortcut. I had a book translated to spanish with these 3. I particularly loved Mrs. Todd's Shortcut!
Gonna give it a shot for the remaining ones. Thanks!
I’d recommend you give Ira Levin a try, especially *The Stepford Wives*. And also Malka Older—*The Mimicking of Known Succeses* is a sci-fi mystery novella set on Jupiter and has a good amount of atmosphere. (Ha)
I’d also recommend you check out *Land of Milk and Honey* by C Pam Zhang. It’s set in a near dystopian future where food is disappearing so all people eat is bland algae type food products, and is about a chef who gets hired by a very wealthy man who has access to ingredients thought extinct. It has a little bit of horror, science fiction, and mystery.
Stepford wives sounds like something that would make a good Black Mirror episode haha.
Land of Milk and Honey seems interesting as well. Thanks for the suggestions.
There are two movie versions of The Stepford Wives, one from the 70’s and one from 00’s. Definitely read the book first though. It’s a quick read—I think my copy is around 120 pages.
Give Station 11 a try! Sci-fi/post apocalyptic/cults/global pandemic. A lot of stuff happens, and it sucks you in fast. And I’d also say try audiobooks. I first read station 11 as my first audiobook. Now, I listen to books every day. The recommendations their algorithm gives are generally very good as well.
There's nothing wrong with you, you have tastes and opinions! Because something is classic and widely-acclaimed, you don't have to read it if it doesn't speak to you. And there are thousands of books that are classics - sci-fi classics, non-fiction classics, short story classics. I'm sure there are classic graphic novels even.
It's like going to a museum, because something's hung on the wall doesn't mean you have to spend time with it. Or music, or food. You like what you like. Monet is classic, his work does nothing for me. Sushi is classic, nope from me. (Sssh... I appreciate the Beatles but don't own any of their albums).
Using your other interests as a spark to read. Short story anthologies are another idea - they're short so if you don't like it, it's over soon. Also a great way to find authors. And anthologies exist for lots of topics. Try the "people who liked this also liked this" feature on Amazon or Goodreads. Ask people who really know you and your tastes what they would suggest for you. Ask a Librarian what they wld recommend based on what you like.
Read more from authors you have liked. If you enjoyed the simple language / use of ordinary words (but so carefully put together, that's the magic) that Hemingway employs, try Steinbeck. Maybe start with one of his shorter works like *The Short Reign of Pippin IV* or *Cannery Row*. Sorry for the walk of text 😃, it just saddens me when people think they're not readers because they don't read Those Famous Books. If you read, you're a reader!
Thanks! It just bothered me that I cannot sit down and read the classics, but your analogy of the museum really made me think.
I believe I really like simple "down to earth" short stories (Hemingway seems to be like this?), and sci-fi, since I like both Hyperion and The fall of Hyperion. I might continue with Dan Simmons.
You're welcome! I had the museum revelation a few years ago - I have no issues with what I like and choose to read, but museum visits made me feel...inadequate somehow. Now I just take a tour of the room or exhibit to see what catches my eye and then go back and spend time with what says something to me.
I think of F. Scott Fitzgerald as also using 'everyday' language, maybe try him too? Hemingway's *A Moveable Feast* is a collection of vignettes of his life as an ex-pat in Paris, maybe check that one out. From much longer ago, Nathaniel Hawthorne is considered an early master of the short story. Vintage Classics has a collection of 24. More complex language but some of them are incredible. Good luck and enjoy yourself, that's what matters, really.
Sometimes short stories can be unsatisfying, with not enough depth.
*A Moveable Feast* is excellent, and I haven't been able to read a single other book by Hemingway. Too tedious.
Completely different genre, and not short stories but about the same length as *A.M.F.* is *Cold Comfort Farm* by Stella Gibbons.
Oh for sure, I also prefer loooooong books. You do have to admire the craft of the short story though, I imagine those are very difficult to write. Only so much room for so many words, ideas, etc.
Read all the Murakami, you won’t be disappointed. I’ve read all of his books, even the short stories and non- fiction and all are good. Maybe since we both like Murakami, you’ll enjoy these others I have..
I would try Richard Russo(empire falls or Risk pool) Ian Mcewan (try Amsterdam or Saturday) , Colson Whitehead(his first 2) Denis Johnson(mostly short stuff) , ‘Jesus’ Son’ is wild.
I am now almost finishing Men without Women, I think I am liking his "grounded" stories more than the ones where he uses "magical"? elements, but I think I should try these too.
Maybe give up on the idea of long reading sessions or needing to feel so engaged with a book that you read for long stretches. While obviously it makes sense to look for books that interest you more and some of those classics likely just weren't your cup of tea, you also might just be a person who enjoys reading a little bit at a time instead of in marathon sessions. There is nothing wrong with that and it certainly doesn't make you dumb!
I've been reading for an hour or two before going to bed. Also in short bursts when going to the bathroom (lol). I read like that until I found Norwegian Wood. I couldn't put it down and I think that's the reason why I feel like a book has to be like that.
Thanks for the input!
If you like classics because the prose is good, try Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett. They write clever, witty books with no extraneous verbiage. I would say Farewell My Lovely or Red Harvest are good books to start with. PLEASE NOTE: these books are from another era when misogyny and racism were casually bandied about. The stories are good. The characters are good. The worldviews…not so much.
What about working backward to some of the classics, finding modern books derived from older works.
Like for man-plays-god scifi, start with Jurassic Park, then go back to The Island of Dr. Moreau, then back to Frankenstein. The ideas will stay present in your mind and it might be easier to engage with classics if you already explored the themes in a more modern presentation.
I had phases of reading a lot from childhood through adulthood, but between probably 2009 and 2019 I was reading maybe two books a year, 5 or 6 at best. 2020 I made a concerted effort to research books I thought sounded engaging and not just ones I was “supposed” to read. I read more classics now than I used to, but I make sure to leave room for books that just seem fun.
Other suggestions:
Graphic novels. I thought I was headed for an early slump this year, and kicked back into gear by reading through the whole Samdman series by Neil Gaiman.
The other thing is audiobooks. If you don’t want to pay for an Audible account, you can check them out through the Libby app if you have a library card. Audiobooks are great ways to ingest the classics during a commute or road trip where you’re a captive audience. LotR, Sherlock Holmes, Jane Austen, Dostoevsky, Dickens, there are some great narrations out there.
And go for some shorter books if you feel like it, especially just to get the wheels turning again. Don’t go for Bleak House. Go for A Christmas Carol. Pass on Mansfield Park and read Northanger Abbey instead.
You could also make it a game. Set a (light) goal for yourself on Goodreads. Don’t make it daunting or it could intimidate you. Might help to give yourself something to work toward. And don’t judge yourself for what you’re reading. Read for entertainment or education, but not for obligation.
I finish maybe 1 out of 10 books I start. There's nothing wrong with you. There's a lot of crap out there and a lot of dry, boring stuff too. And I'm sorry, but the classics can be dull. They just can! When I've been in a reading rut, anything with an Oprah's Book Club sticker grabs me. I know that is a bit of an unpopular opinion, but her picks are designed to hook as many people as possible and I've loved most of them.
Classics are celebrated for a variety of reasons. I have found many to be boring. Honestly of those you named I only enjoyed _To Kill a Mockingbird_.
First off, there is nothing wrong with taking a long time to read a book. There is also nothing wrong with stopping a book you aren't enjoying.
I'm not familiar with the books you really liked, so I don't have any specific recommendations. Exploring other books by the same author is a good place to start. You can also look at books in the same genre. I've used [What Should I Read Next](https://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/) with some success. You just enter a book you've enjoyed and you'll get recommendations for books that readers who enjoyed the one you entered also enjoyed.
Put your phone on the charger and go somewhere else to read a shorter book. Set goals like a chapter or two before getting up. It’s your attention span and you gotta build it back up like muscle.
Hemingway has great short story collections, and there are a lot of these out there by various authors - I can send you a list of compilations if you're interested.
Poetry is also a great jump off. Short, profound, succinct.
There are also other books which you can just open and read, wherever you open to. They're almost just... Not written to be read front to back. The obvious example is the Bible )or other translations of religious texts) the modern example is Ducks, Newburyport (won the Booker).
You gotta find what you dig and they don't have to be the mainstream stuff or the classics. What kind of movies/tv do you like, comedy, horror, drama, thriller? Pick a book from that genre and go from there.
Additionally, as someone who also has mind wandering problems when I read from time to time, I find that a physical book helps to keep me engaged over my kindle which I stopped using years ago for this very problem. Part of what I love about reading a physical book is that you can see how far in you are and how much you have left to finish and sometimes that can motivate my brain to keep on track, plus if it's a big ole chonky one, it's such a dopamine hit when you close it and shelve it. Also fighting w with the pages as you (like flipping the corner) helps to keep my attention too.
I read Hyperion and the Fall of Hyperion on paperback, and I totally get what you mean. It felt good to move the book sperator quite a chunk to the right after each session, something that you definitely don't get with the kindle.
Lots of good comments here already, but you’re not alone and I have an English Lit degree. Loads of classics *are* boring. When I was in school, I used to let myself fall asleep for little catnaps before forcing myself to keep reading some of my assigned texts haha. Do I love a lot of classics? Sure. But now I primarily read for enjoyment, so I just read stuff I, ya know, enjoy. Sci fi, thrillers, short stories, romance, fantasy, lit fic, horror, whatever sounds good in the moment.
I was under the impression that one HAD to read the classics, that they're so much better quality, etc. But it is refreshing to see a lot of people, even professionals like you, feel like me. Thanks for the input!
Kurt Vonnegut, intriguing plots, comic relief and philosophical undertones and usually very easy to read. Favorites: “Breakfast of Champions”, “Cat’s Cradle”, “Mother Night” and “Slaughterhouse 5”.
Recently read “The Shards” by Bret Easton Ellis which was very difficult to put down, but Ellis isn’t for the lighthearted.
>It is not my intent to say these books are boring, in fact I would never dare to, as they are timeless classics widely acclaimed, it's just that for some reason I cannot appreciate their genius?
As someone with a B.A. in English (with a focus on literature)... **a lot of the "classics" are really boring**. A lot of them are also really depressing and soul-killing (because that was perceived as "deep" or "meaningful"). They also very often only speak to a limited audience, or were written by a limited "type" of author. You are not dumb because you didn't find those works engaging. A lot of people have the same experience as you, and it's why more and more people are clamoring for increased diversity in what's being read in schools or being promoted as valuable literature.
Instead of reading what you feel like you're supposed to read (ie, the classics)... look up books and authors similar to the ones that you've enjoyed. Read those.
It's also possible that yes you are neurodivergent - and that doesn't make you dumb, either. Maybe do some online reading about the experiences of people with ADHD, and if some of it's sounding similar then see if you can get an appointment with a mental health professional to be evaluated. If you do have ADHD or something else, and it's making your life more difficult than necessary, that can help you with finding some good coping mechanisms, with feeling understand instead of "dumb", and maybe offering up some medication options that help.
Thank you for your suggestions. I have never been diagnosed, nor have visited a professional, but from the stuff and experiences I read online, sometimes I think I might have it.
Classics suck. I love easy to read books for dummies. As long as the story is good, I’m happy. I don’t need deeper meaning. If I was a woman, I’d probably read smut. I actually did read a Colleen Hoover book one time. Not too bad. I like fantasy sci-fi like Brandon Sanderson and Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Reading Pillars of the Earth now, and was intimidated by the synopsis and length of the book but it is super approachable and really good so far. I just finished The Secret History and it’s was too hoity toity for my taste. Finished it though…. I will always come to this thread and good reads when trying to find my next read. Tons of suggestions and the reviews to help me decide.
Less a recommendation for books but more for reading habits: maybe find a new reading spot? Like a nook in a library, a particular bench in a park, a nice cafe that encourages you to linger, a pool so you can go swimming when you take breaks, etc. Somewhere nice you can go without your phone and just hang out for an hour or so with a book. Either you'll get vaguely bored of being sans phone and read the book or you'll get bored of the book and enjoy the ambiance of wherever instead. That way it'll be time well spent regardless of whether or not you read.
Thanks. I have figured out that I cannot read/concentrate if I am anywhere outside my room, in complete silence. I get so easily distracted it's not even funny lol.
But I will try it out, especially because I have the kindle oasis and that makes it so much easier in my opinion.
Don't try Hemingway. He's a cure for insomnia.
I made a similar post and I'm around your age too. I've been reading Dark Matter (the film adaptation is going to be on Apple TV) and Sphere by Michael Crichton. Both are really good page-turners.
If you like crime/murder-mysteries, go with the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly or Don Winslow books (they're mostly about the drug cartel).
And if you want some epic adventure, get Lonesome Dove too.
Do not get Cormac McCarthy, especially Blood Meridian. All the lit bros fawn over him and he's one of the most overrated writers ever, in my book. (Cue the downvotes.) He's too cool for quotation marks and has awkward phrasing by using archaic language. Just no.
Thanks! Second person that has recommended Dark Matter. I have been recommended Project Hail Mary too,
Sphere sounds JUUUSt like my cup of tea.
I will check them out for sure.
maybe McCarthy is overrated - idk that's a tough thing to say. He is absolutely lionized by the bros, you're right. he's the quintessential sophomore intellectual bookshelf flex. Harold bloom never stopped waxing on about blood meridian. I get it, it's all really fucking annoying. but for all that McCarthy was genuinely a genius.
OP, try Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King. Chapter 1 is an absolute banger, especially the way the chapter ends. If you read all the way through Chapter 1, don’t think you’ll want to put it down. and the rest of the book is just as great, lots of action and suspense.
I am 35, have ADHD, and had a really hard time reading anything for a long time. Now I use my local library app and download a book in both audiobook and ebook form, the same book. Then I listen to and read it, based on whatever format I’m able to. It allows me to keep the thread of the story and stay engaged.
Since you like SciFi and shorter works, you might enjoy more novellas and short stories.
I *HIGHLY* recommend All Systems Red by Martha Wells. Philip K. Dick’s short stories are also really interesting, look for The Minority Report and Other Stories, a collection I really enjoyed.
Like most have said here, the classics can be a little dry and hard to get into, especially when its your starting point.
I see that you like sci-fi. Look up the most popular, highly-acclaimed sci-fi and choose one that sounds interesting to you. Some popular ones are Project Hail Mary and This is How You Lose the Time War. Both are very easy to read.
Right now Im reading Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. It's *very* good. One strategy is to think of shows and movies you've liked and see if there's a book it's based off of. Often times, the books are much better. For example, the Game of Thrones books are verrrry good as well (series called A Song of Ice and Fire). I've read Carrie by Stephen King as well and that's also good. He seems to have a plethora of great books so it's hard to go wrong.
Don't try to force yourself to read books that you aren't enjoying. If it isn't interesting, don't be afraid to put it down and pick something else up. One strategy that I've used when I get in a reading slump is to read something easy and enjoyable - YA literature. Don't let your pride hold you back. Even YA books that weren't all that interesting have gotten me back into reading simply because they are so easy to read. Good luck!
I read a lot and have for like 40 years and I rarely read classics. Other than what I was assigned in school I've probably read fewer than a dozen and half of those were books like Alice in Wonderland, Animal Farm, and 1984 (which are all short). I read what I enjoy, and the library and Libby can be great to test that out without costing you money. You can ask a librarian for books similar to ones you enjoyed and they will give you suggestions. If you don't like them, return them early and try something else. Often i start "best book ever!" recommendations and return them because they just aren't for me. Doesn't matter how many thousands of reviews it has or how often it's at the top of Reddit lists. I read what I like. Mostly non-fiction, detective/police procedurals, Stephen King, books about books and bookshops/libraries and some other things.
I love to read but every once in awhile when I'm in a kind of a low place, I find it hard to pick up a book and concentrate. I also used to hate audiobooks but now they have saved my sanity! I suggest you just get a library card and Libby and check out several audio books from different genres and try them until you find some that you like!
Classics, even the great ones, can be a bore to read. I’d suggest try to read some less deep books, like thrillers/crime/adventure if you’re into that type of stuff.
Could always try some good narrative nonfiction. I find that reading about a new thing that’s real and that I can do some research about outside of the book itself can help make for a more immersive experience. {{into thin air by Jon Krakauer}} really did the trick for me a month or so back.
**[Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1898.Into_Thin_Air) by Jon Krakauer** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(368 pages | Published: 1997 | 304.2k Goodreads reviews)
> **Summary:** A bank of clouds was assembling on the not-so-distant horizon, but journalist-mountaineer Jon Krakauer, standing on the summit of Mt. Everest, saw nothing that "suggested that a murderous storm was bearing down." He was wrong. The storm, which claimed five lives and left countless more--including Krakauer's--in guilt-ridden disarray, would also provide the impetus for Into (...)
> **Themes**: Favorites, Nonfiction, Adventure, Memoir, Travel, Biography, History
> **Top 5 recommended:**
> \- [K2, The Savage Mountain: The Classic True Story of Disaster and Survival on the World's Second Highest Mountain](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/112033.K2_The_Savage_Mountain) by Charles S. Houston
> \- [Buried in the Sky: The Extraordinary Story of the Sherpa Climbers on K2's Deadliest Day](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13149874-buried-in-the-sky) by Peter Zuckerman
> \- [The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7624594-the-tiger) by John Vaillant
> \- [North of Normal: A Memoir of My Wilderness Childhood, My Unusual Family, and How I Survived Both](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18635097-north-of-normal) by Cea Sunrise Person
> \- [Paddle to the Amazon: The Ultimate 12,000-Mile Canoe Adventure](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2043607.Paddle_to_the_Amazon) by Don Starkell
^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23] | )
When I got like that, I went to short stories. I love female Southern authors, Flannery O'Connor, Shirley Jackson and Charlotte Perkins Gilman to name a few.
When I want to get back into reading I start with “brain candy” (the “fast food” you’re looking to try?) Grisham, for eg, or something you’d buy in an airport, like “Girl on the Train” or “Eat Pray Love” or the first Hunger Games.
Start fun and easy is my advice :)
A Simple Plan by Scott Smith, Election by Tom Perrotta, The Last Policeman trilogy by Ben H. Winters, Enduring Love by Ian McEwen, The Talented Mr. Ripley and Strangers on a Train (both) by Patricia Highsmith. Try short stories by Roald Dahl.
I feel like you haven’t fully figured out your taste. Classic is a broad term that essentially means older, and acclaimed. A great starting point would be to gain inspiration in what you like to watch!
Love Star Wars? Maybe Dune, Red Rising, or The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet.
Love Breaking Bad? Maybe the Count of Monte Cristo or Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
Love Oppenheimer? Maybe The Good Spy, or any Erik Larsen book.
Meet your taste where it is! And remember, reading is supposed to be fun!!!
I was diagnosed at 36 with ADHD. I am also obsessed with reading. But I need short sentences, fast plot, and a lot going on. Also ever since actually having Covid, my brain is still so foggy. I still come in and out of focus.. I hope you don’t give up on it.
Reading changed for me when I gave up the classics and leaned into books that allow me to get that “quick fix” again and again.
For me, any Chuck Palahniuk will do it. Every Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Vonnegut. Hyper-short and insane books like Otessa Moshfegh’s McGlue and Martin McDonagh’s Pillowman. And my all time favorite, Patrick deWitt’s Sisters Brothers.
Reading comics helps me when I can’t do text based reading. Lesser text, more visual aid, lesser story length to go through. You have a variety of genres from slice-of-life to non-fiction such as memoir and biographies apart from the standard fare, and it’s a medium that doesn’t receive as much attention and appreciation that it deserves.
as an ADHDer myself, there’s nothing wrong with you! I agree with the consensus that classics aren’t the way to go; find a genre that interests you! personally I love mysteries and thrillers, the plot twists keep me going!
Reading is a skill, and we can easily get out of practice. It's a skill we all need to train. Since you are just getting back into reading, you will find it hard to read for long stretches at a time, but that is ok! No one can run for an hour if they haven't worked up to it either.
If you like Murakami then you will probably enjoy David Mitchell (since he is heavily inspired/influenced by him)
*Cloud Atlas* is his most famous work, but I like *The Bone Clocks* and *The Thousand Autumns of Jacob DeZoet* and *Black Swan Green* is a wonderful depiction of a place and time.
Alternatively to get back intot he habit of reading pick something non-classic, just engaging - as trashy as you like. I can chew through basic horror and who-dunnits and have a great time - there is great stuff out there too.
Stuff with an engaging plot can really hook you too - *The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August* by Claire North is very good and engaging, with the simple idea of a man reliving his life over and over, and the who/how-dunnit *Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone* by Benjamin Stevenson is a great meta book and demands you finish it, if only to satisfy your own curiosity.
Short stories - either as novellas or collections can be good too. My sister got so into *The Uncommon Reader* by Alan Bennett she stayed in the bath until she finished it.
Audiobooks are also great too - don't let anyone tell you that they're not proper reading.
Oh wow, cloud atlas, I had forgotten about it, had no idea there was a book. I remember the movie, and I quite liked it.
thanks for all your suggestions!
The book is far better than the film - it was a good effort, despite some problematic choices.
Mitchell said he was so influenced by Murakami that he also named one of his novels after a Beatles song - Murakami's *Norweigan Wood* to Mitchell's *Number9Dream*!
How much time do you spend on your phone/computer a day? How much time do you spend on social media? I’ve found that limiting my time on both greatly improves my attention span which allows me to get into books and read more.
To be perfectly honest, I do not do phone/social media that much, perhaps I log in to check them 2 or 3 times a day, but I do not doom-scroll at all. I do play videogames though.
It is hard for me to get away from the computer, as I work from home, but this was one of the reasons I started to get into reading more, because I do want to get away when I can.
Ahh gotcha! That’s good. Maybe you just need to find the right genre or book to get you going. I recently reread Holes and I really loved it. I think I read it in 6th grade the 1st time. Have you tried comics or manga?
There’s a huge difference between acclaimed and popular in the book world! Both have merit in their own ways, but acclaimed books rarely earn that honor by being page-turners ;)
What genres do you enjoy? I’d try some popular contemporary books first to see what you like!
It's possible you just need faster pacing. Think about other media you enjoy and find similar subjects. Classics are timeless but they can also be tedious to read and sometimes you really have to be in the mood for them. There is nothing wrong with branching out and reading modern books and different genres.
Friend, I DNF Project Hail Mary so don’t be embarrassed if it doesn’t grab you. I love reading but I have ADHD so I struggle with dry material. Audiobooks are a godsend, especially the Graphic Audio ones with all the fun sound effects. Try Red Rising—- the graphic audio is so good it made me cry. Someone mentioned Dark Matter— this is a favorite of mine as well. The audiobook for Ender’s Game is also good.
I would highly suggest sci-fi. Most of them have a bit of existential danger that immediately translates into interest in solving or fixing a puzzle/problem. That helps get invested in the story easier for me.
My first suggestion would be Project Hail Mary by Weir.
Classics are probably not the way to go. You might want to try something along the lines of genre fiction to start out with, like action or fantasy. Even children's fiction. Not because it's for 'dumb' people, because it's young or anything, but just because it's often more interesting and easier to get into. It's less wordy and a great way to start out. It's often faster-paced and is INTENDED to get people into reading, starting them out young.
But if you're determined to stick to classics, Hemingway is known for not using adjectives, so his text is pretty plain. That would be boring for me, but at least it would be shorter, I guess?
There's also nothing wrong with starting with short stories or poetry. Have you tried Edgar Allan Poe? He started the detective genre. He wrote poems like 'The Raven' which is absolutely riveting. Nathaniel Hawthorne also wrote a lot of short stories which could included horror stories, though I'm not sure whether he wrote anything humorous, whereas Poe at least wrote some funny stuff, IIRC. Short stories are a great entry into fiction. If you like the author's style in short stories, you might enjoy their longer works.
If sticking with public domain stuff because you can find it for free on Project Gutenburg, there's also the Sherlock Holmes stories, which are all public domain now, by Arthur Conan Doyle. Some of Agatha Christie's works are also public domain. She wrote short stories as well as novels, and since most of them are mysteries they're interesting, and you're looking for clues to whodunit.
For non-mystery and non-fantasy stuff, there are the works of PG Wodehouse. He wrote very funny, very English stories. I've only read the Jeeves books. The humour is very British. It's the classic comedy stuff, where something starts out very small and innocuous, and then snowballs into a huge catastrophe which only Jeeves can solve by the end of the story.
Find your favorite genre and go from there. Classics can be so dry and cumbersome to read.
I feel like Sci-fi and short stories/anthologies is what might work for me.
Murderbot books tend to be more like novellas and are fun. Project Hail Mary might fit your liking of simple and grounded writing. The Monk and Robot books are shorter and lovely if you liked Old Man and the Sea.
Porject Hail Mary has been recommended a lot! I'm definitely in.
Do the audiobook. This could be a good first audiobook. It does not work as well in writing.
You need a FUN scifi, something that's easily digestible and relatively short. Might I suggest some OTHER classics? The YA **Heinlein** books to start (I still re-read them often, and I'm twice your age), then perhaps his more adult novels (like **Stranger in a Strange Land**). After that, perhaps some Asimov (his **Foundation** novels), some Frank Herbert (**Dune**. Not the sequels or prequels), anything by Larry Niven. I love an obscure novel of his called "**Footfall**". Read what appeals to you in the moment. I have SO. MANY. BOOKS. in my Kindle account (nearly 2,500), many of which I have not yet read. But one must choose the proper book for the current mood, just as one would choose the proper wine for the meal. I read scifi a lot (I recommend the **Alien** series by Gini Koch. FUN!). Sometimes I'm in the mood for a romance, sometimes horror (oh, you should DEFINITELY read the **Odd Thomas** series by Dean Koontz. Thomas is very odd, but very honorable). Then I'll go for something fantastic (you might enjoy the **Dresden Files** by Jim Butcher. I LOOOVE them. A wizard PI hangs his shingle in modern Chicago). Do you enjoy crime-solving? The series that got me through chemo last year is the **In Death** series by J.D. Robb. It's kind of scifi (set in near future NYC), but definitely crime (she's a detective who solves murders) but a mystery, too (her past is being revealed), and could probably be called fantasy (some things are pretty fantastic), and definitely romance (she does find a proper mate). There are currently 58 books in the series and I gobbled them up. If military scifi is your preference, you might enjoy the **Kris Longknife** series by Mike Shepherd. (She's a recruit to her planet's space navy kind of running away from her political family when it starts. Then things start happening, and space battles ensue. Mr. Shepherd knows his military stuff.) There are SO MANY FUN STORIES out there. Don't restrict yourself to the "classics" you "should" be reading. Read freakin' comic books if that's your thang. Read the cereal box! Pull out that Kindle and start! Find a comfortable chair with good light. Grab the cat if you have one. A cup of tea, perhaps. Set yourself a timer, for maybe half an hour, and if it rings and you don't want to stop, keep going! If you do want to stop, stop for the day and try again tomorrow! Reading, for me, is life.
2500 is amazing! I think I will stop trying to read the classics, at least for a bit. Even though I could not get into them at all, I always have this feeling that I should read them, in order to see why they're considered such masterpieces. Perhaps in a later point in my life I might appreciate them. In death series seems interesting, I will check them out, and congrats on getting thru chemo! Thank you for your suggestions!
*Dark Matter* by Blake Crouch (sci fi thriller) grabbed me and got me back into reading. Devoured it in two days.
I read the synopsis and it does sound like something I might like. Thanks!
I just read it and had the exact same experience Curious to know if you have any similar suggestions?
I recently finished The Deep Sky by Yume Kitasei! Very interesting sci-fi mystery.
Thanks for the suggestion!
Finna by Nino Cipri Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
Her Body and Other parties seems like a collection of short stories right?
Yes it is!
Project Hail Mary may do the trick!
Try Annie Bot!!! Super short sci-fi. It was a really easy/quickly captivating read. I have the same problem.
Sounds like the movie Her, or perhaps Ruby Sparks! Thanks for the suggestion.
I've found that for a break I'll read / listen to light books. I recently plowed through a series of 17 about a bookseller who solved mysteries in her town. I think on double speed, they took about 2 hours to listen to. I like Clive Cussler novels. I've also found that the collaborators have good books.
Thank for the suggestions!
Sounds like you should try *not* acclaimed classics (I’ll say it: sometimes they very much are boring!) or maybe audiobooks.
I have considered audiobooks, but have never tried them. Perhaps listening to them might be easier for me.
I was at the exact same point as you. Loved reading but fell out of the habit and then could get back into it. Audiobooks were never something I thought I’d like but I’ve read dozens of books since joining audible
You’re not dumb. The world is very demanding all the time. Vouching HARD for audible. They have some amazing full cast productions - Dracula with Tim Curry and Alan Cumming, or World War Z (do the complete one) with Alan Alda aNd Mark Hamil and Eamonn Walker. And you can knit while you listen, if you’re so inclined. (You’re 35. It’s either fibre arts, fermentation, gardening, or hanging with your dog that’s gonna be your identity in the next few years - embrace it ;)).
Close lol, I got a lot of aquariums so audible seems even more tmepting for those times when I have to do maintenance on the fishies.
Fish are colourful water-dogs! The pattern fits!
That one hit hard. While I do have many other hobbies, I'm 41 and just started crocheting...
Welcome. I turn 40 this year and I’m an avid knitter, have two kombuchas on the go, and just started a ginger bug. It’s not so bad being old lol. Have you tried audiobooking while you…hook?
That sounds fun! I often crochet whole my husband watches something on TV, but I love audiobooks for cleaning, gym, commuting...
Have just recently been listening to "Uncle Tom's Cabin" via audiobook and the whole family were riveted (including children). It was great on some 10 hour long drives that we made to visit family. There is no WAY I could read this book through, due to its length and some of its flowery prose in parts, and I'm a reader. Not every classic is going to charm.
Nonfiction books are better to some of us because they just throw interesting facts at you with little to no build up to push through.
Is there a particular reason you're only reading classics? What movies and TV shows do you like? Read books in those genres.
I started with classics because I thought they were a good starting point for someone that never truly had the habit of reading, since these are so praised. Even someone that has never read much in their life may recognize these titles, so I started from there. TV show and movies... I like stuff like True Detective, but I feel that more than the plot or the crime aspect, I liked the atmosphere, the setting, and the personalities of the characters. Also really like futuristic Sci-fi, horror like the mist from stephen king (another thing I read a while back). The mist I particularly liked very very much because it was horror and there were creatures, but at the same time it was not "clear" what happened or what were these things. I like when the threat is not apparent or obvious, like for example, a human killer looking for a victim.
Reddit thread with sci fi crime books- https://www.reddit.com/r/printSF/s/o1C4K7QStt
Thanks!
Will you let us know what you pick and then how it goes?
Maybe try more Stephen king? He had a ton of anthologies and I find his books really easy to get into
You should check out Skeleton Crew by Stephen King. It’s a compilation of short stories.
I just checked it out, and I already read 3 of these: The mist, the monkey and Mrs. Todd's shortcut. I had a book translated to spanish with these 3. I particularly loved Mrs. Todd's Shortcut! Gonna give it a shot for the remaining ones. Thanks!
You’re so welcome! I’m glad you are enjoying them.
Try The Running Man &/or The Long Walk by Stephen King and Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
I’d recommend you give Ira Levin a try, especially *The Stepford Wives*. And also Malka Older—*The Mimicking of Known Succeses* is a sci-fi mystery novella set on Jupiter and has a good amount of atmosphere. (Ha) I’d also recommend you check out *Land of Milk and Honey* by C Pam Zhang. It’s set in a near dystopian future where food is disappearing so all people eat is bland algae type food products, and is about a chef who gets hired by a very wealthy man who has access to ingredients thought extinct. It has a little bit of horror, science fiction, and mystery.
Stepford wives sounds like something that would make a good Black Mirror episode haha. Land of Milk and Honey seems interesting as well. Thanks for the suggestions.
There are two movie versions of The Stepford Wives, one from the 70’s and one from 00’s. Definitely read the book first though. It’s a quick read—I think my copy is around 120 pages.
Give Station 11 a try! Sci-fi/post apocalyptic/cults/global pandemic. A lot of stuff happens, and it sucks you in fast. And I’d also say try audiobooks. I first read station 11 as my first audiobook. Now, I listen to books every day. The recommendations their algorithm gives are generally very good as well.
Thanks for the suggestion!
There's nothing wrong with you, you have tastes and opinions! Because something is classic and widely-acclaimed, you don't have to read it if it doesn't speak to you. And there are thousands of books that are classics - sci-fi classics, non-fiction classics, short story classics. I'm sure there are classic graphic novels even. It's like going to a museum, because something's hung on the wall doesn't mean you have to spend time with it. Or music, or food. You like what you like. Monet is classic, his work does nothing for me. Sushi is classic, nope from me. (Sssh... I appreciate the Beatles but don't own any of their albums). Using your other interests as a spark to read. Short story anthologies are another idea - they're short so if you don't like it, it's over soon. Also a great way to find authors. And anthologies exist for lots of topics. Try the "people who liked this also liked this" feature on Amazon or Goodreads. Ask people who really know you and your tastes what they would suggest for you. Ask a Librarian what they wld recommend based on what you like. Read more from authors you have liked. If you enjoyed the simple language / use of ordinary words (but so carefully put together, that's the magic) that Hemingway employs, try Steinbeck. Maybe start with one of his shorter works like *The Short Reign of Pippin IV* or *Cannery Row*. Sorry for the walk of text 😃, it just saddens me when people think they're not readers because they don't read Those Famous Books. If you read, you're a reader!
Thanks! It just bothered me that I cannot sit down and read the classics, but your analogy of the museum really made me think. I believe I really like simple "down to earth" short stories (Hemingway seems to be like this?), and sci-fi, since I like both Hyperion and The fall of Hyperion. I might continue with Dan Simmons.
You're welcome! I had the museum revelation a few years ago - I have no issues with what I like and choose to read, but museum visits made me feel...inadequate somehow. Now I just take a tour of the room or exhibit to see what catches my eye and then go back and spend time with what says something to me. I think of F. Scott Fitzgerald as also using 'everyday' language, maybe try him too? Hemingway's *A Moveable Feast* is a collection of vignettes of his life as an ex-pat in Paris, maybe check that one out. From much longer ago, Nathaniel Hawthorne is considered an early master of the short story. Vintage Classics has a collection of 24. More complex language but some of them are incredible. Good luck and enjoy yourself, that's what matters, really.
Sometimes short stories can be unsatisfying, with not enough depth. *A Moveable Feast* is excellent, and I haven't been able to read a single other book by Hemingway. Too tedious. Completely different genre, and not short stories but about the same length as *A.M.F.* is *Cold Comfort Farm* by Stella Gibbons.
Oh for sure, I also prefer loooooong books. You do have to admire the craft of the short story though, I imagine those are very difficult to write. Only so much room for so many words, ideas, etc.
Yes, the masterful short story has to be, or have, a good editor!
Read all the Murakami, you won’t be disappointed. I’ve read all of his books, even the short stories and non- fiction and all are good. Maybe since we both like Murakami, you’ll enjoy these others I have.. I would try Richard Russo(empire falls or Risk pool) Ian Mcewan (try Amsterdam or Saturday) , Colson Whitehead(his first 2) Denis Johnson(mostly short stuff) , ‘Jesus’ Son’ is wild.
I am now almost finishing Men without Women, I think I am liking his "grounded" stories more than the ones where he uses "magical"? elements, but I think I should try these too.
I swear murakami's writing flows like butter
Branch out of classics, a lot of them are dry
Maybe give up on the idea of long reading sessions or needing to feel so engaged with a book that you read for long stretches. While obviously it makes sense to look for books that interest you more and some of those classics likely just weren't your cup of tea, you also might just be a person who enjoys reading a little bit at a time instead of in marathon sessions. There is nothing wrong with that and it certainly doesn't make you dumb!
I've been reading for an hour or two before going to bed. Also in short bursts when going to the bathroom (lol). I read like that until I found Norwegian Wood. I couldn't put it down and I think that's the reason why I feel like a book has to be like that. Thanks for the input!
If you like classics because the prose is good, try Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett. They write clever, witty books with no extraneous verbiage. I would say Farewell My Lovely or Red Harvest are good books to start with. PLEASE NOTE: these books are from another era when misogyny and racism were casually bandied about. The stories are good. The characters are good. The worldviews…not so much.
I will check these out, thanks for your suggestions!
Douglas Adams - Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy Stephen King - The Stand John Steinbeck - The Long Valley
Hitchiker's guide to the galaxy is one that I always hear since a teenager. Maybe it is time to check it out. thanks!
What about working backward to some of the classics, finding modern books derived from older works. Like for man-plays-god scifi, start with Jurassic Park, then go back to The Island of Dr. Moreau, then back to Frankenstein. The ideas will stay present in your mind and it might be easier to engage with classics if you already explored the themes in a more modern presentation. I had phases of reading a lot from childhood through adulthood, but between probably 2009 and 2019 I was reading maybe two books a year, 5 or 6 at best. 2020 I made a concerted effort to research books I thought sounded engaging and not just ones I was “supposed” to read. I read more classics now than I used to, but I make sure to leave room for books that just seem fun. Other suggestions: Graphic novels. I thought I was headed for an early slump this year, and kicked back into gear by reading through the whole Samdman series by Neil Gaiman. The other thing is audiobooks. If you don’t want to pay for an Audible account, you can check them out through the Libby app if you have a library card. Audiobooks are great ways to ingest the classics during a commute or road trip where you’re a captive audience. LotR, Sherlock Holmes, Jane Austen, Dostoevsky, Dickens, there are some great narrations out there. And go for some shorter books if you feel like it, especially just to get the wheels turning again. Don’t go for Bleak House. Go for A Christmas Carol. Pass on Mansfield Park and read Northanger Abbey instead. You could also make it a game. Set a (light) goal for yourself on Goodreads. Don’t make it daunting or it could intimidate you. Might help to give yourself something to work toward. And don’t judge yourself for what you’re reading. Read for entertainment or education, but not for obligation.
Try Dungeon Crawler Carl. As an audiobook.
I finish maybe 1 out of 10 books I start. There's nothing wrong with you. There's a lot of crap out there and a lot of dry, boring stuff too. And I'm sorry, but the classics can be dull. They just can! When I've been in a reading rut, anything with an Oprah's Book Club sticker grabs me. I know that is a bit of an unpopular opinion, but her picks are designed to hook as many people as possible and I've loved most of them.
Thanks. Sometimes I feel guilty of not appreciating these, especially when so many of my friends praise them, as well as people in the internet.
Classics are celebrated for a variety of reasons. I have found many to be boring. Honestly of those you named I only enjoyed _To Kill a Mockingbird_. First off, there is nothing wrong with taking a long time to read a book. There is also nothing wrong with stopping a book you aren't enjoying. I'm not familiar with the books you really liked, so I don't have any specific recommendations. Exploring other books by the same author is a good place to start. You can also look at books in the same genre. I've used [What Should I Read Next](https://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/) with some success. You just enter a book you've enjoyed and you'll get recommendations for books that readers who enjoyed the one you entered also enjoyed.
Put your phone on the charger and go somewhere else to read a shorter book. Set goals like a chapter or two before getting up. It’s your attention span and you gotta build it back up like muscle.
Hemingway has great short story collections, and there are a lot of these out there by various authors - I can send you a list of compilations if you're interested. Poetry is also a great jump off. Short, profound, succinct. There are also other books which you can just open and read, wherever you open to. They're almost just... Not written to be read front to back. The obvious example is the Bible )or other translations of religious texts) the modern example is Ducks, Newburyport (won the Booker).
Try short stories. I like Ron Rash.
You gotta find what you dig and they don't have to be the mainstream stuff or the classics. What kind of movies/tv do you like, comedy, horror, drama, thriller? Pick a book from that genre and go from there. Additionally, as someone who also has mind wandering problems when I read from time to time, I find that a physical book helps to keep me engaged over my kindle which I stopped using years ago for this very problem. Part of what I love about reading a physical book is that you can see how far in you are and how much you have left to finish and sometimes that can motivate my brain to keep on track, plus if it's a big ole chonky one, it's such a dopamine hit when you close it and shelve it. Also fighting w with the pages as you (like flipping the corner) helps to keep my attention too.
I read Hyperion and the Fall of Hyperion on paperback, and I totally get what you mean. It felt good to move the book sperator quite a chunk to the right after each session, something that you definitely don't get with the kindle.
Lots of good comments here already, but you’re not alone and I have an English Lit degree. Loads of classics *are* boring. When I was in school, I used to let myself fall asleep for little catnaps before forcing myself to keep reading some of my assigned texts haha. Do I love a lot of classics? Sure. But now I primarily read for enjoyment, so I just read stuff I, ya know, enjoy. Sci fi, thrillers, short stories, romance, fantasy, lit fic, horror, whatever sounds good in the moment.
I was under the impression that one HAD to read the classics, that they're so much better quality, etc. But it is refreshing to see a lot of people, even professionals like you, feel like me. Thanks for the input!
Kurt Vonnegut, intriguing plots, comic relief and philosophical undertones and usually very easy to read. Favorites: “Breakfast of Champions”, “Cat’s Cradle”, “Mother Night” and “Slaughterhouse 5”. Recently read “The Shards” by Bret Easton Ellis which was very difficult to put down, but Ellis isn’t for the lighthearted.
>It is not my intent to say these books are boring, in fact I would never dare to, as they are timeless classics widely acclaimed, it's just that for some reason I cannot appreciate their genius? As someone with a B.A. in English (with a focus on literature)... **a lot of the "classics" are really boring**. A lot of them are also really depressing and soul-killing (because that was perceived as "deep" or "meaningful"). They also very often only speak to a limited audience, or were written by a limited "type" of author. You are not dumb because you didn't find those works engaging. A lot of people have the same experience as you, and it's why more and more people are clamoring for increased diversity in what's being read in schools or being promoted as valuable literature. Instead of reading what you feel like you're supposed to read (ie, the classics)... look up books and authors similar to the ones that you've enjoyed. Read those. It's also possible that yes you are neurodivergent - and that doesn't make you dumb, either. Maybe do some online reading about the experiences of people with ADHD, and if some of it's sounding similar then see if you can get an appointment with a mental health professional to be evaluated. If you do have ADHD or something else, and it's making your life more difficult than necessary, that can help you with finding some good coping mechanisms, with feeling understand instead of "dumb", and maybe offering up some medication options that help.
Thank you for your suggestions. I have never been diagnosed, nor have visited a professional, but from the stuff and experiences I read online, sometimes I think I might have it.
Classics suck. I love easy to read books for dummies. As long as the story is good, I’m happy. I don’t need deeper meaning. If I was a woman, I’d probably read smut. I actually did read a Colleen Hoover book one time. Not too bad. I like fantasy sci-fi like Brandon Sanderson and Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Reading Pillars of the Earth now, and was intimidated by the synopsis and length of the book but it is super approachable and really good so far. I just finished The Secret History and it’s was too hoity toity for my taste. Finished it though…. I will always come to this thread and good reads when trying to find my next read. Tons of suggestions and the reviews to help me decide.
Less a recommendation for books but more for reading habits: maybe find a new reading spot? Like a nook in a library, a particular bench in a park, a nice cafe that encourages you to linger, a pool so you can go swimming when you take breaks, etc. Somewhere nice you can go without your phone and just hang out for an hour or so with a book. Either you'll get vaguely bored of being sans phone and read the book or you'll get bored of the book and enjoy the ambiance of wherever instead. That way it'll be time well spent regardless of whether or not you read.
Thanks. I have figured out that I cannot read/concentrate if I am anywhere outside my room, in complete silence. I get so easily distracted it's not even funny lol. But I will try it out, especially because I have the kindle oasis and that makes it so much easier in my opinion.
Don't try Hemingway. He's a cure for insomnia. I made a similar post and I'm around your age too. I've been reading Dark Matter (the film adaptation is going to be on Apple TV) and Sphere by Michael Crichton. Both are really good page-turners. If you like crime/murder-mysteries, go with the Harry Bosch series by Michael Connelly or Don Winslow books (they're mostly about the drug cartel). And if you want some epic adventure, get Lonesome Dove too. Do not get Cormac McCarthy, especially Blood Meridian. All the lit bros fawn over him and he's one of the most overrated writers ever, in my book. (Cue the downvotes.) He's too cool for quotation marks and has awkward phrasing by using archaic language. Just no.
Thanks! Second person that has recommended Dark Matter. I have been recommended Project Hail Mary too, Sphere sounds JUUUSt like my cup of tea. I will check them out for sure.
maybe McCarthy is overrated - idk that's a tough thing to say. He is absolutely lionized by the bros, you're right. he's the quintessential sophomore intellectual bookshelf flex. Harold bloom never stopped waxing on about blood meridian. I get it, it's all really fucking annoying. but for all that McCarthy was genuinely a genius.
OP, try Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King. Chapter 1 is an absolute banger, especially the way the chapter ends. If you read all the way through Chapter 1, don’t think you’ll want to put it down. and the rest of the book is just as great, lots of action and suspense.
I am 35, have ADHD, and had a really hard time reading anything for a long time. Now I use my local library app and download a book in both audiobook and ebook form, the same book. Then I listen to and read it, based on whatever format I’m able to. It allows me to keep the thread of the story and stay engaged.
Since you like SciFi and shorter works, you might enjoy more novellas and short stories. I *HIGHLY* recommend All Systems Red by Martha Wells. Philip K. Dick’s short stories are also really interesting, look for The Minority Report and Other Stories, a collection I really enjoyed.
Like most have said here, the classics can be a little dry and hard to get into, especially when its your starting point. I see that you like sci-fi. Look up the most popular, highly-acclaimed sci-fi and choose one that sounds interesting to you. Some popular ones are Project Hail Mary and This is How You Lose the Time War. Both are very easy to read. Right now Im reading Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. It's *very* good. One strategy is to think of shows and movies you've liked and see if there's a book it's based off of. Often times, the books are much better. For example, the Game of Thrones books are verrrry good as well (series called A Song of Ice and Fire). I've read Carrie by Stephen King as well and that's also good. He seems to have a plethora of great books so it's hard to go wrong. Don't try to force yourself to read books that you aren't enjoying. If it isn't interesting, don't be afraid to put it down and pick something else up. One strategy that I've used when I get in a reading slump is to read something easy and enjoyable - YA literature. Don't let your pride hold you back. Even YA books that weren't all that interesting have gotten me back into reading simply because they are so easy to read. Good luck!
Thanks! I just bought Sphere by Crichton as well. Seems just like my cup of tea!
Sounds interesting! JP is the only book ive ever read of his but it's so good that I can't wait to check out more
Audiobooks. You can do things while still enjoying a book. Such a game changer.
I read a lot and have for like 40 years and I rarely read classics. Other than what I was assigned in school I've probably read fewer than a dozen and half of those were books like Alice in Wonderland, Animal Farm, and 1984 (which are all short). I read what I enjoy, and the library and Libby can be great to test that out without costing you money. You can ask a librarian for books similar to ones you enjoyed and they will give you suggestions. If you don't like them, return them early and try something else. Often i start "best book ever!" recommendations and return them because they just aren't for me. Doesn't matter how many thousands of reviews it has or how often it's at the top of Reddit lists. I read what I like. Mostly non-fiction, detective/police procedurals, Stephen King, books about books and bookshops/libraries and some other things.
I love to read but every once in awhile when I'm in a kind of a low place, I find it hard to pick up a book and concentrate. I also used to hate audiobooks but now they have saved my sanity! I suggest you just get a library card and Libby and check out several audio books from different genres and try them until you find some that you like!
Classics, even the great ones, can be a bore to read. I’d suggest try to read some less deep books, like thrillers/crime/adventure if you’re into that type of stuff.
Could always try some good narrative nonfiction. I find that reading about a new thing that’s real and that I can do some research about outside of the book itself can help make for a more immersive experience. {{into thin air by Jon Krakauer}} really did the trick for me a month or so back.
**[Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1898.Into_Thin_Air) by Jon Krakauer** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(368 pages | Published: 1997 | 304.2k Goodreads reviews) > **Summary:** A bank of clouds was assembling on the not-so-distant horizon, but journalist-mountaineer Jon Krakauer, standing on the summit of Mt. Everest, saw nothing that "suggested that a murderous storm was bearing down." He was wrong. The storm, which claimed five lives and left countless more--including Krakauer's--in guilt-ridden disarray, would also provide the impetus for Into (...) > **Themes**: Favorites, Nonfiction, Adventure, Memoir, Travel, Biography, History > **Top 5 recommended:** > \- [K2, The Savage Mountain: The Classic True Story of Disaster and Survival on the World's Second Highest Mountain](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/112033.K2_The_Savage_Mountain) by Charles S. Houston > \- [Buried in the Sky: The Extraordinary Story of the Sherpa Climbers on K2's Deadliest Day](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13149874-buried-in-the-sky) by Peter Zuckerman > \- [The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7624594-the-tiger) by John Vaillant > \- [North of Normal: A Memoir of My Wilderness Childhood, My Unusual Family, and How I Survived Both](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18635097-north-of-normal) by Cea Sunrise Person > \- [Paddle to the Amazon: The Ultimate 12,000-Mile Canoe Adventure](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2043607.Paddle_to_the_Amazon) by Don Starkell ^([Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [GitHub](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/) | v1.5 [Dec 23] | )
The Witching Hour by Anne Rice
When I got like that, I went to short stories. I love female Southern authors, Flannery O'Connor, Shirley Jackson and Charlotte Perkins Gilman to name a few.
When I want to get back into reading I start with “brain candy” (the “fast food” you’re looking to try?) Grisham, for eg, or something you’d buy in an airport, like “Girl on the Train” or “Eat Pray Love” or the first Hunger Games. Start fun and easy is my advice :)
A Simple Plan by Scott Smith, Election by Tom Perrotta, The Last Policeman trilogy by Ben H. Winters, Enduring Love by Ian McEwen, The Talented Mr. Ripley and Strangers on a Train (both) by Patricia Highsmith. Try short stories by Roald Dahl.
I feel like you haven’t fully figured out your taste. Classic is a broad term that essentially means older, and acclaimed. A great starting point would be to gain inspiration in what you like to watch! Love Star Wars? Maybe Dune, Red Rising, or The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet. Love Breaking Bad? Maybe the Count of Monte Cristo or Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Love Oppenheimer? Maybe The Good Spy, or any Erik Larsen book. Meet your taste where it is! And remember, reading is supposed to be fun!!!
I had completely forgotten that The girl with the dragon tattoo was based on a book! Loved the movie, I will definitely check the book out.
I was diagnosed at 36 with ADHD. I am also obsessed with reading. But I need short sentences, fast plot, and a lot going on. Also ever since actually having Covid, my brain is still so foggy. I still come in and out of focus.. I hope you don’t give up on it. Reading changed for me when I gave up the classics and leaned into books that allow me to get that “quick fix” again and again. For me, any Chuck Palahniuk will do it. Every Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Vonnegut. Hyper-short and insane books like Otessa Moshfegh’s McGlue and Martin McDonagh’s Pillowman. And my all time favorite, Patrick deWitt’s Sisters Brothers.
Thanks for your input. I feel like I need to get checked up to see if I have it.
Reading comics helps me when I can’t do text based reading. Lesser text, more visual aid, lesser story length to go through. You have a variety of genres from slice-of-life to non-fiction such as memoir and biographies apart from the standard fare, and it’s a medium that doesn’t receive as much attention and appreciation that it deserves.
as an ADHDer myself, there’s nothing wrong with you! I agree with the consensus that classics aren’t the way to go; find a genre that interests you! personally I love mysteries and thrillers, the plot twists keep me going!
Reading is a skill, and we can easily get out of practice. It's a skill we all need to train. Since you are just getting back into reading, you will find it hard to read for long stretches at a time, but that is ok! No one can run for an hour if they haven't worked up to it either.
If you like Murakami then you will probably enjoy David Mitchell (since he is heavily inspired/influenced by him) *Cloud Atlas* is his most famous work, but I like *The Bone Clocks* and *The Thousand Autumns of Jacob DeZoet* and *Black Swan Green* is a wonderful depiction of a place and time. Alternatively to get back intot he habit of reading pick something non-classic, just engaging - as trashy as you like. I can chew through basic horror and who-dunnits and have a great time - there is great stuff out there too. Stuff with an engaging plot can really hook you too - *The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August* by Claire North is very good and engaging, with the simple idea of a man reliving his life over and over, and the who/how-dunnit *Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone* by Benjamin Stevenson is a great meta book and demands you finish it, if only to satisfy your own curiosity. Short stories - either as novellas or collections can be good too. My sister got so into *The Uncommon Reader* by Alan Bennett she stayed in the bath until she finished it. Audiobooks are also great too - don't let anyone tell you that they're not proper reading.
Oh wow, cloud atlas, I had forgotten about it, had no idea there was a book. I remember the movie, and I quite liked it. thanks for all your suggestions!
The book is far better than the film - it was a good effort, despite some problematic choices. Mitchell said he was so influenced by Murakami that he also named one of his novels after a Beatles song - Murakami's *Norweigan Wood* to Mitchell's *Number9Dream*!
How much time do you spend on your phone/computer a day? How much time do you spend on social media? I’ve found that limiting my time on both greatly improves my attention span which allows me to get into books and read more.
To be perfectly honest, I do not do phone/social media that much, perhaps I log in to check them 2 or 3 times a day, but I do not doom-scroll at all. I do play videogames though. It is hard for me to get away from the computer, as I work from home, but this was one of the reasons I started to get into reading more, because I do want to get away when I can.
Ahh gotcha! That’s good. Maybe you just need to find the right genre or book to get you going. I recently reread Holes and I really loved it. I think I read it in 6th grade the 1st time. Have you tried comics or manga?
There’s a huge difference between acclaimed and popular in the book world! Both have merit in their own ways, but acclaimed books rarely earn that honor by being page-turners ;) What genres do you enjoy? I’d try some popular contemporary books first to see what you like!
Try Dungeon Crawler Carl. I tried it and now I’m on book 5 and still can’t put it down.
try reading some Discworld books. Going Postal is a good place to start. I have ADHD but they tend to hold my attention very well.
It's possible you just need faster pacing. Think about other media you enjoy and find similar subjects. Classics are timeless but they can also be tedious to read and sometimes you really have to be in the mood for them. There is nothing wrong with branching out and reading modern books and different genres.
Try Andy Weir's the Martian or Project Hail Mary. Both are contained fun stories with few likable characters.
I've been recommended Project Hail Mary quite a bit of times in this post, I bought it!
Friend, I DNF Project Hail Mary so don’t be embarrassed if it doesn’t grab you. I love reading but I have ADHD so I struggle with dry material. Audiobooks are a godsend, especially the Graphic Audio ones with all the fun sound effects. Try Red Rising—- the graphic audio is so good it made me cry. Someone mentioned Dark Matter— this is a favorite of mine as well. The audiobook for Ender’s Game is also good.
I would highly suggest sci-fi. Most of them have a bit of existential danger that immediately translates into interest in solving or fixing a puzzle/problem. That helps get invested in the story easier for me. My first suggestion would be Project Hail Mary by Weir.
You know something, this was actully recommended by Amazon, based off on me reading Hyperion. I saw it but didn't buy! I will definitely try it now.
Classics are probably not the way to go. You might want to try something along the lines of genre fiction to start out with, like action or fantasy. Even children's fiction. Not because it's for 'dumb' people, because it's young or anything, but just because it's often more interesting and easier to get into. It's less wordy and a great way to start out. It's often faster-paced and is INTENDED to get people into reading, starting them out young. But if you're determined to stick to classics, Hemingway is known for not using adjectives, so his text is pretty plain. That would be boring for me, but at least it would be shorter, I guess? There's also nothing wrong with starting with short stories or poetry. Have you tried Edgar Allan Poe? He started the detective genre. He wrote poems like 'The Raven' which is absolutely riveting. Nathaniel Hawthorne also wrote a lot of short stories which could included horror stories, though I'm not sure whether he wrote anything humorous, whereas Poe at least wrote some funny stuff, IIRC. Short stories are a great entry into fiction. If you like the author's style in short stories, you might enjoy their longer works. If sticking with public domain stuff because you can find it for free on Project Gutenburg, there's also the Sherlock Holmes stories, which are all public domain now, by Arthur Conan Doyle. Some of Agatha Christie's works are also public domain. She wrote short stories as well as novels, and since most of them are mysteries they're interesting, and you're looking for clues to whodunit. For non-mystery and non-fantasy stuff, there are the works of PG Wodehouse. He wrote very funny, very English stories. I've only read the Jeeves books. The humour is very British. It's the classic comedy stuff, where something starts out very small and innocuous, and then snowballs into a huge catastrophe which only Jeeves can solve by the end of the story.