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/lit/ - Literature

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21570179 No.21570179 [Reply] [Original]

Hey /lit/

I come here to humbly solicit your advice. My girlfriend has some aversion to novels as she’s always associated reading with schoolwork. I’m not an avid reader myself but I always have at least one or two books on my nightstand. Recently she’s told me she wants to get into reading more, and that she wants to try reading together. I was wondering if anyone had some recommendations on some stimulating, engaging novels for (at the risk of making us both sound like idiots) “first time readers.”

>> No.21570182

No. I won't help you appear more valuable or interesting than you are to your girlfriend. Fucking pleb. Die.

>> No.21570197

>>21570179
His dark materials trilogy
the hobbit
lolita
chronicles of narnia

>> No.21570237

>>21570179
Industrial Society and its Future

>> No.21570246

>>21570179
Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Brothers Karamazov. I think these are some of the most beloved works amongst various groups, generally speaking.

>> No.21570250

>>21570179
The turner diaries

>> No.21570254

You should look up Hogg by Samuel Delany. It's really good, I think she would enjoy it.

>> No.21570255

>>21570254
>>21570250
>>21570237
edgy

>> No.21570262

>>21570182
We’ve been dating long enough. I think I’m well past the point where I need to appear like anything. I was just asking for a recommendation, friend. That’s what I get for expecting an honest answer instead of some edgy remarks, /lit/ is still 4chan I guess.

>> No.21570268

>>21570246
>>21570197
Thank you both. Although I’m not sure if Lolita is the most kosher choice

>> No.21570275

Don't start with Dune. Too complex for new readers. You need something simple, but easy to follow.
Here's what I advise:
Lord of the Flies
Flowers for Algernon
The Hobbit
Lolita
Anything by Guy de Maupassant
Anything by Hermann Hesse

>> No.21570313

>>21570255
Don't go getting shirty, it's 4chan. It helps if we know what sort of genres or subjects interest you and your girlfriend, also have to take into consideration that what you enjoy might not be something she enjoys and vice-versa. What do you kids enjoy?

>> No.21570346

>>21570313
We generally enjoy science fiction (I think that’s a pretty safe bet for most people), satirical novels, and action fiction. We can get into the grittier stuff, probably not as gritty as Hogg, though. I know this isn’t my personal think tank and I wouldn’t want to go treating it as such, but just some general recommendations would be nice. I’ve already gotten a couple of good ones off this thread and I appreciate that.

>> No.21570349

>>21570346
could read neuromancer

>> No.21570361

>>21570346
I love Dune but Dune might be too dry, I think. Anything by Hunter S. Thompson would be good. Matthew Reilly is great for action fiction, easy to read too, his Jack West Jr series is a personal favourite. Maybe some Tom Clancy stuff if you want techno-military thrillers. If you like horror then Adam Neville has some good stuff like The Ritual. N0S4A2 by Joe Hill was pretty good too. American Psycho for gritty satire goes hard, also the Liberal Politics of Adolf Hitler by John King was a decent read.

>> No.21570411

>>21570349
>>21570361
These are phenomenal and exactly within the scope of what I was looking for, thank you guys. I had actually considered a few of these already and Hunter S. Thompson is definitely a favorite. I’ve heard some good things about N0S4A2 before and I’ve been wanting to check out American Psycho. I’ll take a look at some of your other suggestions as well, they all seem pretty interesting.

>> No.21570440

>>21570411
All good brother, hope you find some stuff you both enjoy. If you like fantasy then I highly recommend The Lord of the Rings, such a beautiful book and an incredibly well-crafted world. If I think of any other books, I'll drop them in here. I've read so much that it becomes difficult to remember them, funnily enough. Oh, Richard Laymon did some great, pulpy horror. Night In The Lonesome October is another personal favourite. Also, if you like 40k at all, I can't recommend Dan Abnett's Gaunt's Ghosts series is hardcore military SciFi. It's basically Band of Brothers meets Sharpe in space.

>> No.21570472

>>21570440
I think I may have come across some stuff by Laymon before actually. That brand of horror is one of the things I miss about reading back when I consumed just about anything I could get my hands on by Stephen King. And your description of Gaunt’s Ghosts makes it seem like a fun read too, I’ll add it to my list as well. Thanks again friend, hopefully this will be the start of me getting back into the habit of reading, and just maybe I can get my girlfriend to enjoy it the way I used to as well.

>> No.21570485

>>21570472
Best of luck man. Reading is one of life's greatest pleasures, in my opinion. Ever since I began reading more I've dropped the amount of screen-time I have and the amount of digital media I consume. It's well worth it, in my opinion! Again, best of luck to you both man and I'll try remember more books to drop in here as long as the thread stays up.

>> No.21570502

>>21570485
Most definitely, I agree with you. And you’ve given me a lot to work with so I appreciate all the help, cheers

>> No.21570513

>>21570179
My wife enjoyed All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Not my kind of book, but it won the pulitzer if that means anything to you. You could also watch the netflix series with her after she finishes it.
As for SF, The Lathe of Heaven by LeGuin is good and pretty short. Good for a warmup. Then I'd recommend Starship Troopers.
The rest of LeGuin's SF like The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed is also all highly acclaimed, but I didn't care for it.

>> No.21570565

I'd recommend The Futurological Congress by Stanislaw Lem. It's science fiction, humorous, and short. What I've read from Lem does not feature any real science, but is instead more philosophical while still being a pleasant read. For me it was very easy to get in to but if you find it's not for you then at least it was short :)

>> No.21570726

>>21570179
Unironicaly you guys should just read brandon sanderson or stephen king books.

>> No.21571193

>>21570179
Honestly some kind of recently written American immigrant family novel.

Muslims have a lot of strict traditional observations their parents who grew up outside the united states bring with them which set up some really comfy and engaging domestic forbidden love scenarios.

>> No.21571202

>>21571193
Yeah if she's new to reading something like LOTR may bore her into insanity, it would not feel relatable in its content or language.

Just take her to a book store and crack spines on stuff and read the language first. Eventually she will see a paragraph and want to know the rest of the book. Buy that book.

>> No.21571209

>>21570411

What are her interests?

She could love all the recommendations here but if they aren't about a topic she has any interest in, it may not matter.

There is a great book on and topic so once you have a suspicion on something that would click with her, I'd start there

>> No.21571218

Hilary Mantel, Ken Follett, etc. avoid genre crap like Dune or Lord of the Rings.

>> No.21571430

>>21570179
Read “Petals in the Hail” by prolific cuckold erotica author Tony Baus.

>> No.21571627

>>21570179
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by R. L. Stevenson

>> No.21571702

>>21570179
Lord of the rings and hobbit.

>> No.21571732

Try stuff by Chuck Palahniuk

>> No.21572122

Unironically John Green

>> No.21572162
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21572162

>>21570179
pic related unironically got me back into reading after being burnt out on it because of school. It's sort of a meme book now but it's genuienely a lot of fun to read and very engaging.

>> No.21572181
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21572181

>>21570179
Elric of Melniboné
Sailors on the Sea of Fate
Weird of the White Wolf
The Vanishing Tower
The Bane of the Black Sword
Stormbringer

>> No.21572194

>>21570179
Any piece of Fantasy. Idk. Try Howl's Moving Castle.