Recommend 2-3 books for someone that wants to get into reading

[seabiscuit]

Got to give a plus 10 for Reaper Man. My favourite Discworld Novel. It possibly helps if you have read Mort before it, but at the same time, Mort is not one of the greats.

 

[Chojin]

My recommendation would be the following which are fairly short novels that are easy to pick up.

The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler
The Man in the High Castle - Philip K. Dick
Bright Lights, Big City - Jay McInerney

 

[Quartz]

I'm the OP and its a little over a year since I asked for help in getting back into reading, and I'm happy to say that I've been reading ever since. I've now a fixed 30-40min working day slot during lunch that I read.

Try the Rivers of London series by Ben Abramovitch (Harry Potter meets Sherlock Holmes), though there are some clunkers (avoid the novellas and False Value). Just Stab Me Now by Jill Bearup is a good light read in the romance / drama vein. And how about some of Dickens' smaller works? Like A Tale of Two Cities and Christmas Carol.

 

[Feek]

if you can, find the original lord of the rings book.

you will find so much in it , that was not in the films and its a good read

No, no, no. No way is Lord of The Rings a good book for someone just starting to read.

I read a lot and I’ve still never managed to complete the lotr books. They’re long, far too wordy and written in a style that’s almost preaching.

 

[Flibster]

Dungeon Crawler Carl
He Who Fights With Monsters
Terry Pratchett's Discworld (Try staring with Guards Guards or something around there)
The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy
Jurassic Park
The Godfather
We are Legion, We Are Bob (Book one in the Bobiverse)
Will Save The Galaxy For Food

 

[tangey]

No, no, no. No way is Lord of The Rings a good book for someone just starting to read.

I read a lot and I’ve still never managed to complete the lotr books. They’re long, far too wordy and written in a style that’s almost preaching.

In my first post, I noted that Lotr was one of my last reads, in my 20s. I have the illustrated hardback editions.

I enjoyed the books so much that I didn't want it to end, so I stopped way before the end, and then read it again from the start and did the same thing. Think I did that 4 times in total. I never did read to the end. I only found out that Frodo ultimately fell under the rings power when I saw the return of the king film. So Frodo heading off on the boat with the Elves was also quite the surprise ending for me.

Off-topic I know, but for me Peter Jackson did a mighty impressive job with the films, in terms of the characters and the sets and the settings, he really did put to film astounding well what I'd had in my minds eye all those years ago. Look at Ian Mckellan as Gandalf, you could very well be fooled into thinking that Tolkien wrote it for him, such was the casting, the acting and the costume.