Top Ten Books I Would Recommend to Someone who is "Not a Big Reader"

Your weekly top ten list hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This weeks topic is "Books You'd Recommend to X Person." It's a very broad topic. When I think of people I want to recommend books to it's those people who say "I don't read much" or "I'm not a big reader." I hate that kind of statement. It's like you're saying I read but I don't really enjoy it much. So why do you read? I always want to find a book that a person like this will really enjoy. So here is my list in no particular order.

1.) The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
I answer this for everything. It's my all time favorite book but it has something for everyone. Action, adventure, mystery, romance, and it's just complicated enough for someone who doesn't read often. It is a little complex and a little long though for someone who's not a big reader. But I would recommend this to someone who enjoys scary movies and/or mysteries.


2.) The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo
Again, one of my all time favorite books. This is the book that inspired me to start this blog. I would recommend this to someone who doesn't read often because it's relatively short but it is and interesting and engaging book that most people who read have a deep emotional connection to.
My Review

3.) Divergent by Veronica Roth
Maybe it's because it's a recent read for me but I found this book an incredible page turner. It had complex characters you can relate to, interesting themes of humanity, and lots of action. Plus because it is a Young Adult book the writing style is easy enough for a "non-reader" to get into.
My Review of the Series 

4.) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
My favorite series. I probably have this on every one of my top ten lists. But I really do recommend this to a lot of people. Especially people who have watched and enjoyed the series. It's also a good recommendation to anyone who likes fantasy but doesn't want anything with too much out there world building. 

5.) The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein
I think the Lord of the Rings series is a great recommendation for people who want a classic high fantasy. The only problem as Tolkein tends to get a little wordy. I would recommend The Hobbit because it's a stand alone and it was originally written to be a children's book so it's lighter than the "we have to save the world" epic that The Lord of the Rings trilogy is.  It is however an interesting and engaging series. I mean come on, there's a dragon!

6.) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Another one of my favorite series. It is also another book that has something for everyone. Action, adventure, humor, romance (though not really). I would recommend this to someone who enjoys Sci-Fi TV shows in the vein of Joss Whedon. It is pretty short and is just so whimsical so it's good for someone who doesn't read often. I would also recommend this because while it is part of a series it can be enjoyed as a stand alone so there's not much pressure to go on with the series (though I can't see why you wouldn't).

7.) When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
I'm not a huge fan of David Sedaris but he has a very specific voice that a lot of non-readers enjoy. This book is a collection of short stories where Sedaris finds humor in every day occurrences like waiting at the doctor's office or dressing up for Halloween. Plus the short story format makes it less pressure for someone who doesn't read a lot.

8.) Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
It is a very specific person I would recommend this to. This is the kind of book I would recommend to a person who only reads "academically." It is non-fiction but still interesting enough to engage someone who is not a big reader.  The Tipping Point is also a good one for all the reasons above,

9.) Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
Again this is a specific person I would recommend this too. I would recommend this to someone who hasn't read much since they were younger, probably a woman, and I would especially recommend this to someone who I know liked Harry Potter. It's full of diverse and likeable characters and is a pretty light and fluffy read especially in the beginning but it gets more complex. I have not met a person who read this book that didn't like it. 
My Review


10.) One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
Again I would recommend this to a pretty specific person, a woman who likes mysteries, or anyone who enjoys shows like Bones and NCIS. The Stephanie Plum series is light and fun chick-lit that will make you laugh out loud but it is a mystery series about an inexperienced bounty hunter so there's always the fun of trying to figure out the mystery.

There you have it, my ten recommendations for people who "are not big readers." There is a lot of variety so hopefully our non-reader friends can find something they like.