Adults who did not grow up reading or have a reading family, do you enjoy reading now?

[Anonymous]

My father was illiterate and self taught when I was a teen, my mother did not have a love for reading or actively sit down and read books. I would skim books for book reports never fully reading cover to cover. I do not enjoy reading but would like to start. I’m late thirties now without a clue for where to start but considering murder mystery type books.

[Anonymous]

I find it helpful to set goals for myself. Like 1 book every month or 30 pages a day etc.

[Anonymous]

It's pretty easy just pick up a book.

[Anonymous]

My husband is from a family like yours. His mom in particular thinks reading (other than the Bible) is a waste of time and “puts ideas in your head”.

Once we moved to MoCo, and he quickly became bored of his Metro commute I suggested reading. I gave him The Hunger Games, and he couldn’t put it down. Now he reads about 6-12 books a year, and finds pleasure in having something to occupy free time.

[Anonymous]

Get a library card and check out some murder mystery books! And other genres--cast a wide net. You never know what might interest you. Finding a book that you enjoy is truly delightful. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I don't love reading, though I was good at it from a young age. I'd rather be doing something active--always have been this way. Audio books has changed that a bit for me though--I can listen to a book while I'm doing something else which I love.

[Anonymous]

Browse the library, ask for recommendations, and don’t judge yourself for what you pick. You may end up liking kids books or young adult books, and that’s fine. Another genre that’s fun is graphic novels.

You may want to try audio books too.

If you share the kind of TV shows or movies you like, we might be able to recommend books.

[Anonymous]

Murder mysteries are good but I would actually suggest romance novels. Nora Roberts would be a good read. And then branch into more “beach reads” which are interesting books but easy to read.

Dh grew up in a family who never read. He’s still never read a book in his life (just cliffs notes for school) but he loves audio books now. He listens on his way to work or on road-trips.

[Anonymous]

To start, think you should consult best of lists depending on your interests. Do you like British novels set in the countryside? Do you like true crime? Or do you prefer modern fiction?

Browse your local bookstore in person and also look at what staff recommend, they usually write little blurbs about each book and that can give you some ideas. And then you can buy them there or get them from your local library.

[Anonymous]

Never too late to become a reader! Just get a pile of books from the library, dig in, and see where your interests take you. Try nonfiction too! Enjoy!

[Anonymous]

You could start with a book that was turned into a movie if you enjoyed the movie and don’t mind spoilers. Most of the time, the books are much better than the movie because you get more into the characters’ minds. If you don’t like spoilers, you can try a book for a movie you haven’t seen yet but liked the trailers.

Personally (and this might sound weird) sometimes I feel anxious about starting a new book because it’s such a time investment. It helps me to know I’ll like the book because I liked the movie or trailers. Then I can branch out and read more from that author if I enjoyed that book.

Mostly I listen to audiobooks these days. Sometimes it’s really hard to choose because I have credits accumulated but don’t know which books to choose. At least you have a genre you want to explore. That’s a good start. Good reads is a good resource, or you can Google “books similar to [story/movie/book you like].”

[Anonymous]

I would also suggest going to the library and getting a variety of books. A few different mysteries, a romance, something from the bestseller shelf, a biography or autobiography of someone you're interested in, etc. Just whatever grabs your eye.

Then just start somewhere. Sometimes if I'm not sure what to read next, I read the first chapter of a couple books at hand and see which one grabs me. When you're starting out, just make sure it doesn't feel like work!

If you give us some idea of movies you like or a little more detail about you personality, we could probably give you an idea of some authors to start with.

[Anonymous]

Agree with others it makes sense to try a variety of books and see what you enjoy. Audio books are nice. Also: don’t force yourself to read like it’s a chore. If something’s not fun, no guilt on putting it down. Books clubs can also be good for recommendations — most independent book stores run them.

[Anonymous]

Also- don’t feel like you need to finish a book once you start. If it’s not compelling to you, dump it and move on (but let us know in the DNF thread! 😊)

[Anonymous]

Thank you PPs! This is on my list for the week!