How do you start reading?

[jessydiamond]

I don't read. Except blogs, Twitter and the back of shampoo bottles. I never liked reading. To me, it was a long, boring activity. When we had to go to the library in school, the teacher hated me because I couldn't choose I book. She said : "What kind of book do you like to read?" I didn't know.

And today, I still don't know. But now I want to read. I feel like I'm missing on something. I got myself a library card, but man, there's a lot of books in a library. I don't know where to start, I don't know what to choose. I asked the guy there. "I don't read either" was his response. Well, that's helpful.

So, how do you start reading?

Disclaimer : I live in Quebec and I speak French. I might not be able to find some books if they were not translated.

[Aqweei]

Well.. I am actually going through this problem with my Fiance. She doesnt read either and she doesnt know how to pick a book to even begin to read. She has read a few books so luckily we have a few things to go off of but really, I think the best thing you can do is just decide on a genre of book first of all. Do you want to read Science Fiction, Crime Novels, Autobiography's, Self-Help Books, etc? Just pick a genre that as a whole would peak your interest, then I would start looking at books where the title catches your eye. Pick up said book and read inside the front cover and on the back of the book so you can see just what it is all about. That way you spend 1-2 minutes seeing if its something you may even like. If you think you will like it then check it out and go read it.

If you decide you dont like it do one of two things. 1.) Just stop reading it completely or 2.) Continue it anyways. I usually go with option 2 because some books start slow but then get really really good at the end. Once youve read a book or two you can start looking for similar books or books by the same author and from there you will start to learn how to choose a book and read it!

[Oogiem]

I'm the person who used to hide books in plastic bags in the barns and sneak outside to read when my mother sent me outside to "play" because I'd rather read than run around so I'm probably not the best person to ask but hey.. ;-)

What are you interested in?

Do you have a favorite TV show?

What sort of movies do you like?

Do you like comedy or mystery?

Is there anything you've ever wanted to learn more about?

Do you like history?

I'd pick something you already have a passing interest in and ask for good books related to that. Many TV shows, esp. British ones, and most movies have some book tie-in that is a good place to start. I happen to love mysteries and there is a whole class of mysteries that are always related to some other factor. They are called Cozy mysteries and there are whole series where the detective is a knitter, or scrapbooker, or rides horses, or a weaver or makes soap or cooks a lot or runs a B&B. They tend to be focused on women readers but all are generally good decent fast mystery reads. I'd be glad to give you a list if you want to try a few.

There are classic books that you may know the story of but that are so different when you read the actual book. Peter Pan, Treasure Island, and Grimms Fairy Tales are ones that come immediately to mind.

Young adult books or kids books are a great way to get started, esp if you are trying to read in a foreign language. I'm not ashamed to say I still love many of my old kids books, Wind in the Willows, The Winnie the Pooh Books and Secret Garden are good places to get started.

If you have a hobby, any sort of hobby, pick up a book that is about that hobby, you might advance your skills and learn something new.

History is always good for great books. Real history is fascinating if you've got a good writer and alternate histories stretch the imagination. I read a lot of both and can offer suggestions there as well.

What about obscure things? Troll the free kindle book sites and you'd be amazed at the weird and off the wall books you can find. Pick one that looks like it might be fun and try it. I've read books on Sabotage, Chain Mail, Explosives, Cooking, Farming, Sewing, Needlework, etc from free out of print kindle books. You don't need a kindle to read them you can get the kindle app for your computer.

Pull out a dictionary, randomly open it up to a page, pick out a word and look for a book about that topic.

Take a class in reading comprehension or speed reading, maybe you don't like to read because it takes you a long time or you feel you are missing stuff.

[jessydiamond]

I don't really know what I want to read. Crime novels could be interesting I guess? I'm more interested in fiction than non-fiction, if that can help.

Now how do I find books? Books in my library are classified by author. You can't really search by genre. I guess I could find a list of recommended books on the internet and start from there?

[jessydiamond]

What are you interested in? Do you have a favorite TV show? What sort of movies do you like? Do you like comedy or mystery?

I more of a comedy guy I guess? I watch shows like How I met Your Mother, Seinfeld, The Big Bang Theory, etc. But I don't know, I feel like reading about funny stuff is not as entertaining as watching funny stuff, but I might be wrong. Reading a funny short blog post? Sure. But an entire book? I don't know. I guess I could try. I think humor is tricky, since a lot of jokes might be lost in translation. I watch shows in English, but I can't get (free) books in English where I live. Since I would like to spend less time on the computer, the Kindle App isn't an option I would consider.

I'm not interested in books about stuff like cooking. I want a story, something I can read before going to bed. Not sure I want to go to bed feeling hungry after reading about Paleo cooking! Maybe in the future, when I'll be a better reader.

I think what could really help me is a few starting suggestions for different topics or genres. It would help me pinpoint a particular genre I might like. What do you think?

Anyway, great advice, it really inspire me to pick up a book.

[Avistew]

I would suggest Les Fourmis by Bernard Werber, because it has lots of small chapters. If there are other books by him, Les Thanatonautes is my favourite one, but Les Fourmis is more like a Mystery novel, which is what you said you were interested in.

Since you said you found the idea boring, I think the small chapters could help you, as you can just read one and stop there if you want to, and go back to it later.

Another suggestion would be to find a movie or show you like that was based on a book, and pick up the book. You already have an interest in the story, which might make it easier for you to stay interested.

When you start reading, there is a lot of trial and error. You'll find things you like and things you don't. Once you know, you'll have an easier time picking what to read next.

I would also check short stories, either in books/magazines at the library or online. They require less investment from you due to being short, so if you realise you don't like one, you won't feel like you've wasted your time as much.

[Maj. Bloodnok]

I'd definitely recommend Maurice Leblanc's Arsene Lupin stories; they're short, quite funny, and very well-written. Arsene Lupin is a master thief, equally as smart and ingenious as Sherlock Holmes, and a real smartass. He's the kind of guy who will break out of prison, go to a cafe for a smoke and a glass of brandy, then knock on the prison's front door and ask to be taken back to his cell.

You might also like Daniel Odier's mysteries; they're written under his pen name of Delacorta. Short, funny, and ever-so-slightly inappropriate.

[Aqweei]

I would recommend going to Amazon.com and looking at their selection of books then. You can browse by genre and then you can also read descriptions and book reviews before you decide to buy or hunt for them locally.

[jessydiamond]

I would suggest Les Fourmis by Bernard Werber

I asked a friend of mine she suggested the exact same book. I think I'll give it a shot.

Arsene Lupin sounds like the kind of story I could enjoy, but I'm a bit scared about the "well-written" part. I tried to read "The Three Musketeers", but there was a lot of words I didn't know or understand (however it might be different in English). I gave up after a few chapters. Is that what you meant by well-written?

[Gobnait]

Well, I hate to suggest pirating, so do you know anyone who can smuggle secondhand paperbacks to you? Perhaps an e-reader might be wise, or a phone that can handle e-books.

Fanfiction.net is pretty terrible, like using canned spaghetti to wean yourself off of spahetti-O's. But you can find prose based off of media you like, and there is a dice-roll chance of finding decent prose, depending on the fandom.

If you can inter-library loan books that are six months out of the bestseller list, you might begin to get a feel for genre. It is a shame that your local library doesn't keep fiction categories, I remember at least three major ones.

I'm not much into comedy. I had a love-hate relation with Douglas Adams, I find Pratchett decent enough, and was on a Asprin binger in the months leading up to the his death. (I recently killed Harry Harrison by trying to get interested in his books, too.)

[Maj. Bloodnok]

By well-written, I mean the language isn't clumsy, and there aren't huge illogical holes in the story. You forget that you're reading, and can see the action in your mind. (I'm with you on 'The Three Musketeers'; I had a really tough time with that book. 'The Count of Monte Cristo' was better.) The vocabulary shouldn't be too tricky, either in French or in English. The stories are in the public domain; you can get audiobook versions of them at Librivox.org, and text versions at gutenberg.org.

[Avistew]

For text version of books in French, there is also http://www.ebooksgratuits.com/. They also have French translations of English books in there. It's all public domain, and while most formats seem to be for e-readers, I think they also provide .doc files.

[jessydiamond]

For text version of books in French, there is also http://www.ebooksgratuits.com/. They also have French translations of English books in there. It's all public domain, and while most formats seem to be for e-readers, I think they also provide .doc files.

Oh, nice! I don't want to read on my computer, but I guess I could read a chapter or two on my computer to see if I like it, then get the paper version at my library. Merci!

[Laney]

I asked a friend of mine she suggested the exact same book. I think I'll give it a shot.

Arsene Lupin sounds like the kind of story I could enjoy, but I'm a bit scared about the "well-written" part. I tried to read "The Three Musketeers", but there was a lot of words I didn't know or understand (however it might be different in English). I gave up after a few chapters. Is that what you meant by well-written?

Great book, also, Dean Koontz- he got me really into mystery novels. The book Whispers scared the pants off of me in 7th grade, I couldn't put it down! (I literally got a detention for reading in English class because of this book...)

Also, don't invest into eBooks unless you're a hardcore reader, try Half Priced Books or Amazon Used Books

[Chicory]

I second the recommendation for mysteries. Crime novels, mysteries, and thrillers are generally written to be fun and engaging to read. Like, read 200 pages in two days, can't put it down kind of thing, which I think would be a good place to start for someone who's not in the habit of reading.

Books by Michael Chrichton are pretty good, some combination of science fiction and thrillers. Jurassic Park, for example, if you've seen the movie. These are originally in English, but probably popular enough to have been translated.

Also, Jean-Christophe Grangé in French. A little less science fiction a little more crime/mystery, to the best of my knowledge. I read Les rivières pourpres for school maybe 7 years ago and I enjoyed the story (if not the translating dictionary I had to lug around.) It had some mind-bending plot twists!

Like Oogiem, I have always loved reading. I'm sorry I can't offer any advice for your new-to-reading position, but it's great to see someone interested in getting started! Good luck and let us know what you end up trying.

[Lachy]

I'm not sure how well it would translate to French, but for a funny book, with a nerd slant, I don't think you can go past "The Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy"

[Hermione Gainser]

Hitchhiker's Guide is one of my all time favorites.

Another interesting route you might take:

You like to read blogs, right? Short stuff? And think you'd be into comedy. Try some David Sedaris. It's technically non fiction but it's hilarious and interesting. It's a lot like blogs in that he writes about his life and each chapter is a story. So, it's kind of a gateway drug to reading, if you will.

Dean Koontz is also fun reading. The stories are absurd and awesome (Intensity messed me up) and definitely keep the reader interested.

You might also like A Confederacy of Dunces. It's considered a 'must read' and appears on lots of those '100 books to read by' lists.

Of course, the Harry Potter series. Seriously, so much better than the movies, really well written, frequently funny. Good stuff.

Let's see.. what else might float your boat...

High Fidelity -Nick Hornby (yes, the movie is based on it).

Bright Lights, Big City- Jay McInerney (haven't read but has been on my to read for a while-hear he's great)

And, of course, you can always join our book club and see what happens

Hope this helps (and that at least some of my recommendations are translated!)

[Oogiem]

Just thought of an option, there is a mystery series set in France, First one is Murder in Marais Here is the link to the English version, not sure if they are in French but the places are in France and when I read them it clearly expected you to know a bit about French culture so might be fun to start with.

The detective is a woman and her partner is a dwarf.

http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Marais-Aimee-Investigation-ebook/dp/B004HYHAVW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1348701313&sr=1-1&keywords=murder+in+marais

Good mysteries, I stayed up all night reading the first one and only barely manage to tear myself away to go to bed for a couple more. Haven't finished the series but I like them.

Do you read German? There is a great mystery "Three Bags Full" the detectives are a flock of sheep, originally written in German

http://www.amazon.com/Three-Bags-Full-Detective-ebook/dp/B000RG1NWG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1348701666&sr=1-1&keywords=three+bags+full

The second one is out, German only, I'm eagerly waiting for the English translation, both funny and a mystery.

[jessydiamond]

I'm not sure how well it would translate to French, but for a funny book, with a nerd slant, I don't think you can go past "The Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy"

You know what? I think I did read this book. And if I remember correctly, I liked it a lot.

Laura, when I read your list, I said to myself : "There's no way those books are available here". Well I was wrong. David Sedaris, Dean Koontz (and of course Harry Potter), all available. I will definitely give your suggestions a shot.

So thanks everyone. I really appreciate your ideas. I'll go to the library next week and will keep you updated.

[jessydiamond]

Do you read German?

Not at all. I can read French and English, but need a lot more concentration while reading in English.

The detective is a woman and her partner is a dwarf.

http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Marais-Aimee-Investigation-ebook/dp/B004HYHAVW/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1348701313&sr=1-1&keywords=murder+in+marais

Looks...special ? And it's available at my library. I'll have to add it to my list.

Speaking of lists, how do you all keep track of the books you want to read?

[Oogiem]

Looks...special ? And it's available at my library. I'll have to add it to my list.

Speaking of lists, how do you all keep track of the books you want to read?

I went into reading the first one with a jaundiced eye. Was prepared for a really crappy story and got sucked into a great book. Try it.

I keep a wish list on Amazon, currently at about 425 or so books and I keep a log of books read in DEVONThink. I also have several Libre Office files, one with books owned fiction, one with books owned non-fiction, one with books owned on Kindle and one with iPad books.

[CalvinHobbes]

If you were in Montreal and not Trois-Rivieres, I'd point you in the direction of an awesome used book store with an extremely comical owner...

[Hermione Gainser]

You know what? I think I did read this book. And if I remember correctly, I liked it a lot.

Laura, when I read your list, I said to myself : "There's no way those books are available here". Well I was wrong. David Sedaris, Dean Koontz (and of course Harry Potter), all available. I will definitely give your suggestions a shot.

So thanks everyone. I really appreciate your ideas. I'll go to the library next week and will keep you updated.

Awesome! I was pretty sure Harry Potter.. because.. you know.. And, if I recall correctly, David Sedaris lives, lived or spent a great deal of time in, a French speaking country. I could be completely wrong, though

Regardless, I'm super glad they're accessible in French! For Sedaris, I meant to suggest: Me Talk Pretty One Day, Naked, and When You Are Engulfed In Flames. In that order.

[Lachy]

You know what? I think I did read this book. And if I remember correctly, I liked it a lot.

Cool, well there are actually a few books that follow up the original, all quite good too. Also, if you liked Hitchiker's, then check out Red Dwarf. There was a TV show based on it, but the books are better.

I think you've got enough to get you started for now though. Don't overwhelm yourself. Just grab a book and start, see how you go.

[Avistew]

I enjoyed books by Jean-Christophe Grangé, but a word of warning (because nobody warned ME), it's super violent. And in my opinion, a lot of the violence, described in extreme detail, brings nothing to the story. Of course opinions can differ on that, and it's not an issue if you're fine with violence or even enjoy it. But it was a big shock for me, so be prepared.

I don't think it detracts from the stories enough to make them not enjoyable at all, but it definitely made them less enjoyable for me. I don't believe I need to know exactly what piece of your flesh is hanging from what part of your body to know that you go hurt.

To clarify, I don't think the violent scenes should have been completely removed (they are definitely plot points in more than one occasion) but I could have done with less details and descriptions of wounds.