Start at the library to find what genre and authors you like before going out and buy a lot of books when you find what you like you can start building a collection

I think you might like some of the classic novels that also have a deeper meaning or teaching attached.

The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut might be something you like.

Also I recommend: Brave New World, Slaughterhouse Five, Fight Club and The Rum Diary.

my tip is to sandwich books. read 1-2 books you really enjoy, then 1 book you wish you enjoyed but helpful. or even read them at the same time

people tend to look down on fictions but they're not useless. you gain a lot from fiction, including but not limited to imagination, how to express yourself better, a peek into others' lives and minds, and most importantly, empathy.

do you watch movies? do you enjoy movies? do you think watching movies is a waste of time? reading fictions is no different. they're all made up little stories that bring us joy. entertainment brings values to our lives but it often gets overlooked and dismissed.

It sounds like you like being seen as a reader more than the reading itself. Reading is easiest if you enjoy the act and can't put down a story or can't stop wanting to learn more from your text book.

If you don't have that, there's not much point in reading.

You know what you're right, Imma read Hp again soon, Thanks

You're right, but don't limit yourself to just classical. I find moving from one genre to another while reading can amplify different types of scenes. For instance, one of my most potent memories is having a rock song on while reading Elfstones of Shannara as a teenager. It made the scene just so much more intense.

We just finished the Master and Margarita in r/classicbookclub with discussions one chapter at a time. You could start and read our commentary.

Also the Master and Margarita is a 20th century book. It reads faster. The prose is more efficient. The book is somewhat surreal.

What do you want to get out of reading? The answer to that should give you a few directions you could go in.

I’m a big advocate of learning history, it obviously influences everything in the present. It can be studied endlessly, anywhere from the largest of scope to minute details of an individual life. History can inform your reading of literature, psychology, the authors you read, the social and political situations we find ourselves in today, all the way down to personal circumstances. Science can do the same.

Once you decide what you want to get out of reading it becomes easier to pick out books to achieve that.

Not a waste at all! You learn all kinds of human behavior, language, and critical thinking from fantasy novels.

BUT if you want to read nonfiction, there are genres within that too. Even within self help, do you want to learn about psychology, health, business, interpersonal skills? Or maybe you’d be interested in memoirs, narrative nonfiction, history?

My best suggestion is go to a library or bookstore if you can and tell them what you like and they will give you ideas. Even if you don’t have that access, try highly rated books from lots of different genres until you find something you like. Also, don’t do it because you think you should, do it because you want to. So if that means you enjoy fantasy then go for it, but if you want to learn things go for that too. Just don’t read because you think it looks good for you to be carrying around “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” or something like that.

I’m reading Slade House now and it’s awesome. I like how the short stories function as standalone stories and characters that really stick out. Like he has a way of getting you invested in the characters, even before he ties them to the main plot of the book

Thank you!

ngl, I feel guilty when I don't finish a book. I feel like I've done something very very bad, like betrayed the book or something. It's so weird

I do this on the train when people are talking and I’m trying to read. I also have a playlist of instrumental heavy metal which works better for louder journeys.

See that's the problem, I don't know what I like. I mean I do like fantasy novels but reading them feels like a waste of time. I don't learn anything useful form them. I want to read self-help and shi like that yk. Honestly, I feel like I need a book on how to read books.

Finding long forgotten treasures, exploring remnants of the past, discovering a Raymond Chandler novel with an inscription…

The hard part is find the kind of book you like, no one can tell which genres of book can like to you. Think about what you like more and just buy some book, not all of them will like to you, you will not end all of them. Just start and try

Find books and genres that actually interst you.

I have all twenty spots on KU taken. Some of them have been put off over a year. I've read, returned, and replaced hundreds of books since slotting them, but never replaced these. They're constantly in "I'll read it soon" territory.

[removed]

at least you are reading, even if it’s a small amount

Lots of stuff does not get reprinted. I read romance and a lot of the books are designed to be ephemeral and just to be on the shelves for a short period of time before being replaced with new books.

Also the cost factor. Getting to pick up 10 books for what one new paperback would cost.

On a separate but related note, I need more bookshelves....

Holden Caulfield is the most iconic character in literature. He captures a universal feeling of angst and frustration — that is not limited to adolescence. I think about him a lot. He is not a forgettable cardboard cookiecutter character like so many others.

Of course they're wonderful in the way that used-clothing stores, tag sales, and recycling in general are wonderful: We're saving the planet, saving resources instead of throwing out the old and chopping down trees or digging up minerals to make new stuff, and saving money. Plus, we're discovering hidden gems rather than following the newest ads.

BUT -- Please remember the authors like me: When you buy a used book instead of a new one, you are taking away our income. So....please try to buy a new book (from an indie local bookstore, written by an unknown author) now and then. Thank you.

I read it a long time back but recently bought the fourth book "gleanings" which told a lot about backstory of Goddard and Citra's brother and a lot of other short stories on other scythes😁 My favorite series so far❤️❤️

A thousand times this. I was reading early 20th century fiction yesterday with the Met Opera on quietly in the background. Such an enjoyable afternoon.