book recommendations for a non-reader???

[SleepyWitch]

heyho,
could you guys recommend some books for my boyfriend?
He'd like to brush up his English a bit, so I think he ought to read a couple of books, seeing as it helps me a lot. the thing is, he doesn't like reading too much.
Can you recommend any more or less contemporary books with an interesting plot that are not too high-brow (no pulp, either, though)? (No Shakey or Jane Austen etc please)
~THANKS~ :)

[PeterL]

Suggest some detective novels. Something the is fast paced and easy to read.

[Crimpit]

Try 'Touching the Void' by Joe Browne.
Fantastic true life adventure story that's pretty much unputdownable and not excessively long.

[Whifflingpin]

How about newspapers or magazines, especially magazines about subjects he's interested in?

Detective novels might indeed be OK - Graham Hill, Graham Hurley, Ruth Rendall, Colin Dexter, are current and worthwhile English writers in the genre. Mind you, if the language is itself a mystery, would you want a mysterious plot as well?

[aXis]

How about trying out the Harry Potter series? They are quite long, but very enjoyable to read.

[B-Mental]

Try 'Touching the Void' by Joe Browne.
Fantastic true life adventure story that's pretty much unputdownable and not excessively long.

OMG that book was incredible! I couldn't put it down. The pseudo documovie was quite well done too. Its a story of two climbers on a mountain that run into a mess of trouble and how they get along now. Eye Opener.

[JaneEyre1986]

I have a friend who isn't much of a reader, but "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin caught his attention. I've read most of it, and it's a fairly easy and quick read.

[SleepyWitch]

How about newspapers or magazines, especially magazines about subjects he's interested in?

Detective novels might indeed be OK - Graham Hill, Graham Hurley, Ruth Rendall, Colin Dexter, are current and worthwhile English writers in the genre. Mind you, if the language is itself a mystery, would you want a mysterious plot as well?

yep, he likes newspapers. but the problem here is, that his formal vocab and grammar are great. What he's got problems with is the way people speak in real life. So newspapers wouldn't be ideal in this respect... we'll subscribe to Newsweek though, anyway

[Schokokeks]

Hmm...how about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ? That's not too long, very enjoyable and not at all newspaper language.

Furthermore, a lot of the students I tutor (if they're not non-readers, who is ? ;)) liked The Catcher in the Rye a lot. But they are probably a bit younger than your boyfriend :D.

In general, I would suggest you don't offer him any of the rather older classics. Maybe he would like to try an author who's still alive, e.g. John Irving (Prayer for Owen Meany !), Ian McEwan (maybe Saturday, it's about 09/11, and very readable, I found), or David Lodge (e.g. Nice Work, a campus novel).

I hope he'll have a nice time reading ! :nod:

[SleepyWitch]

yeah, I've thought about David Lodge, too. good idea, Schoko..
I've never read anything my Ian McEwan myself, but that book sounds interesting. thanks

[Pensive]

yep, he likes newspapers. but the problem here is, that his formal vocab and grammar are great. What he's got problems with is the way people speak in real life. So newspapers wouldn't be ideal in this respect... we'll subscribe to Newsweek though, anyway

In this case, he should read Harry Potter series. Rowling's style is informal and engaging. :)

[EAP]

I see that Pensive has been here before me, so I'll second the HARRY POTTER reccomendation. When I was a wee lad struggling with English language, Harry Potter not only improved my vocabulary (and sense of sentence structure) but also got me interested in the language itself.

[chasestalling]

etwas john grisham ich denke. ich hatte the firm gelesen. wundarbar. wirklich.

[SleepyWitch]

it's den Film gesehen, chase ;) what you said means I read the film :)
thanks :)

[Mary Sue]

P.G. Wodehouse may not be contemporary but he's an easy read & very, very light-hearted & funny. Give him Thank You, Jeeves or Right ho, Jeeves, maybe. Or ANY Harry Potter book would do. Or try some sci-fi graphic novels, which often encourage non-readers to want to see more of the printed word.

[JaneEyre1986]

it's den Film gesehen, chase ;) what you said means I read the film :)
thanks :)

If you know German, PLEASE translate what they said. I don't know any German. :(

[Pensive]

I see that Pensive has been here before me, so I'll second the HARRY POTTER reccomendation. When I was a wee lad struggling with English language, Harry Potter not only improved my vocabulary (and sense of sentence structure) but also got me interested in the language itself.

Reccommendation or recommendation? :p *Professor Henry Higgins-ish*

[SleepyWitch]

If you know German, PLEASE translate what they said. I don't know any German. :(

he/she said: Some John Grisham, I think. I've watched the film, it was great, really.

[chasestalling]

it's den Film gesehen, chase ;) what you said means I read the film :)
thanks :)

bitte schon, with umlaut over the o.

[SleepyWitch]

heehee, I think I should open a new thread called "German lessons with SleepyWitch", seeing as so many people in here do German :)

[Bottichelli]

Hallo! Guten Tag!
Bottichelli

[SleepyWitch]

See, there's another one.
Hello Bottichelli, nice to meet you
got any book recommendations for my bf?

[JaneEyre1986]

SleepyWitch: I agree. I'm always up for learning another language.

[Virgil]

Suggest some detective novels. Something the is fast paced and easy to read.

Hey That's a great idea. I bet he woud love The Maltese Falcon by Dashiel Hammett. Top notch writing for a detctive novel. And Sam Spade is a really cool character.

[kilted exile]

Brett Easton Ellis

[EAP]

If we are recommending Bret Easton Ellis than I might as well go and say Irvine Welsh.


Glue and Rules of Attraction would make excellent back-to-back reads.

[Mystic]

Romane von John Grisham sind sehr gut und vielleicht leicht zu lesen. Ich weiss nicht wie gut dein Freund auf English lesen kann.

(My german is shoddy at best, I'm trying to say that novels by John Grisham are good and probably easy to read, although I don't actually know how well your boyfriend can read.)

[papayahed]

Der kugelschriber ist gelp.


How about Stephen King? Especially the older stuff like It or even the short stories.

[SleepyWitch]

Romane von John Grisham sind sehr gut und vielleicht leicht zu lesen. Ich weiss nicht wie gut dein Freund auf English lesen kann.

(My german is shoddy at best, I'm trying to say that novels by John Grisham are good and probably easy to read, although I don't actually know how well your boyfriend can read.)

hey you're German is great :)
I think I'll go with John Grisham and Dashiell Hammet, seeing as so many of you think detecitve novels would be the best choice.

[Schokokeks]

In any case, do let us know what you picked and how he took it up :nod:.

[SleepyWitch]

yep, I will :)
i love John Irving, too, but I'm afraid most of his books are too long for my bf. It's difficult enought making him read at all

[Scheherazade]

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (http://www.amazon.com/Curious-Incident-Dog-Night-Time/dp/1400032717/sr=8-1/qid=1168652185/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-6067772-1824904?ie=UTF8&s=books) by Mark Haddon.

It is a very engaging mystery and a definite winner! :)

[the Last 13]

I've posted these for a few others so far

although not necessarily classics or what everyone else is suggesting still good books and great reads

*the short story -riding the bullet- by stephen king ...can be found in everything's eventual which is good all around
*the tomorrow series (tomorrow, when the war began)- by john marsden
*Interview with the vampire, the vampire lestat and queen of the damned...Anne Rice (obviously)
*falling by fire - teena booth
*born to rock- gordon korman
*The Sword of Truth series- by terry goodkind

[SleepyWitch]

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (http://www.amazon.com/Curious-Incident-Dog-Night-Time/dp/1400032717/sr=8-1/qid=1168652185/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-6067772-1824904?ie=UTF8&s=books) by Mark Haddon.

It is a very engaging mystery and a definite winner! :)

hehe, I'm reading it at the moment and thought I'd make him read it, too :)

thanks, Last. I've never heard of the vampire books, actually

[dramasnot6]

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (http://www.amazon.com/Curious-Incident-Dog-Night-Time/dp/1400032717/sr=8-1/qid=1168652185/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-6067772-1824904?ie=UTF8&s=books) by Mark Haddon.

It is a very engaging mystery and a definite winner! :)

I LOVE THAT BOOK! :D:D The voice was so so amazing! I was blown away. You were completely absorbed in his world...

[Pensive]

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (http://www.amazon.com/Curious-Incident-Dog-Night-Time/dp/1400032717/sr=8-1/qid=1168652185/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-6067772-1824904?ie=UTF8&s=books) by Mark Haddon.

It is a very engaging mystery and a definite winner! :)

Yes, it is a very engaging story. I will second it! It reminds me of another epistolary novel as well called Perks of Being a Wall-flower.

[Nightshade]

P.G. Wodehouse may not be contemporary but he's an easy read & very, very light-hearted & funny. Give him Thank You, Jeeves or Right ho, Jeeves, maybe. .
Yes but no one talks like that anymore Wodehouse used alot of contemperary slang.




The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (http://www.amazon.com/Curious-Incident-Dog-Night-Time/dp/1400032717/sr=8-1/qid=1168652185/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-6067772-1824904?ie=UTF8&s=books) by Mark Haddon.

It is a very engaging mystery and a definite winner! :)


Have you read the new one? A spot of bother havent got round to it yet but I will definatly.

I've posted these for a few others so far

although not necessarily classics or what everyone else is suggesting still good books and great reads

*the short story -riding the bullet- by stephen king ...can be found in everything's eventual which is good all around
*the tomorrow series (tomorrow, when the war began)- by john marsden
*Interview with the vampire, the vampire lestat and queen of the damned...Anne Rice (obviously)
*falling by fire - teena booth
*born to rock- gordon korman
*The Sword of Truth series- by terry goodkind

Umm aren the rice books full of fluutey languge? Lets see I hate to say it but my sister who hates hates reading enjoyed the Davinci code...there are the james pattersons...apparantly very very good but just a bit too violent for me. Umm Colin forbes, the avalanche express was my favourite as true one off but almost all of them a good...the one about the double cross was excelllent, if I rember correctly, what else..... Agathat christies you cant go wrong with an agatha christie...much as I cant stabd Poriot. But then again contemporary slang does turn up rather alot. Problem is Im in the middle of a classics and nonfiction with very very ocassional scifi/fantasty cycle at the moment so Im really not much help. What kind of thing does hw like to watch??

[Idril]

Something by Neil Gaiman might work. I'm not sure how he feels about fantasy but Gaimen writes fantasy as if it were straight fiction which is something I've always liked about him. American Gods is good, Neverwhere is excellent, Anansi Boys is enjoyable and for sheer silliness, you could go with Good Omens which he wrote with Terry Pratchett of Discword fame.

[subterranean]

I don't know whether Lee Child's Jack Reacher series are easy and interesting enough for your bf. They're quite fascinating to read.

[Mitchell Levene]

A book of Agatha Christie stories - Short, very descriptive, very precise and correct English, masterpieces each and every one of them.
He could also try my book - Hard to Swallow - fast, funny and contemporary - 150 pages . available on amazon.com - just do a search for my name Mitchell Levene.