By Niki Angelopoulou,
In today’s day and age there are so many different ways to seek entertainment. We have movies and tv shows, clubs and bars, sports and… books. Even though they may not be as popular as they once were, a good book has always been a nice way to spent an evening inside. However, there are many people who claim that they do not find reading interesting or enjoyable. The secret that non-readers usually don’t know is that, to enjoy a book, you should choose the right one for you, so here are some recommendations for people who dislike reading.
A long book and a short one
“The Count of Monte Cristo” by the French author Alexandre Dumas is an adventure novel about the journey of an unjustly incarcerated man trying to get his revenge on those who wronged him. Despite of its length (640 pages) the book keeps the reader on edge with a plot involving jail breaks, poisoning attempts and duels. Beyond the exciting narrative, Dumas offers a biting critic on the political and judicial corruption at the time.
“Fame” by Andy Warhol (47 pages) is consisted of pieces selected by his autobiographers and reflects his thoughts on fame, beauty and love. The legendary artist’s short stories of New York’s pop scene in the sixties are a great read for those not wishing to embark on a lengthy reading journey. The writing style is fun and witty and the book is filled with great quotes and theories about life from one of the most controversial artists of the past century.
A poetry book and a biography
“Love is a dog from Hell” is a collection of poems by Charles Bukowski. Bukowski is known for his vulgarity and lack of poetic forms. His themes mostly centre around sex, decay and social corruption. This may have made him a very controversial figure among literature circles, but it has also made his poems more accessible to a wider audience, who sympathise with this cult hero.
Finding a good biography to read is very tricky because the person in focus has to have had an interesting life. Usually, the best choice is reading about someone you find inspiring, whether they are an artist, a politician or an historical figure. My personal recommendation is Jim Morrison’s biography “No one here gets out alive” by Danny Sugerman and Jerry Hopkins. The book perfectly captures the complexity of the famous singer, while also providing illicit, sometimes even scary, party and drug scenes.
An old-time classic and audio books
“Dracula” by Bram Stoker, is a literary classic and a very interesting read with elements of that time period’s pulp fiction. The very name of the book brings to mind images of vampires and garlic but the books is so much more. The famous story has been recreated in popular culture through movies and shows so many times, yet nothing can beat the fast-paced gory scenes graphically written by Stoker.
Aside from the physical form, books exist in audio as well. Audio books may be a great start for anyone interested in reading but not wanting to actually sit down and open a physical copy of a book. Audio books’ popularity has grown over the years and many free versions on YouTube or Spotify make it easier for anyone interested in listening to good stories.
