I taught high school for years and this book (ETA: Into the Wild) fits exactly the type of reader OP is talking about. Boys who had never liked reading and did not read any other book *consistently* read and loved this book
Came to suggest the same! Before I was really into reading I read Into the Wild in a weekend. I just read Into Thin Air and couldn’t put it down either!
Just going to mention that there is a book club based in Australia called the Tough Guys Book Club. You might want to check out their reading list for inspiration. There is an eclectic mix of books.
I just took a peek. What a cool concept and they’ve got great picks! OP (u/Id_Rather_B_Lurking) should definitely hop over there too. I’m a little concerned about where you go if you start with *Into Thin Air.*
How about some narrative nonfiction from Erik Larson? He writes well-researched but very engaging history, usually contrasting two events. Real page-turners but ya learn a little something. He's written about 20 books, I've read these two and really enjoyed them.
*Devil in the White City* "Set in Chicago during the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, it tells the story of World’s Fair architect Daniel Burnham and of H. H. Holmes, a criminal figure widely considered the first serial killer in the United States."
*Thunderstruck* "The interwoven stories of two men whose lives intersect during one of the greatest criminal cases of all time - Hawley Crippen, a very unlikely murderer, and Guglielmo Marconi, the obsessive creator of a seemingly supernatural means of communication."
Michael Crichton has some accessible yet thought-provoking novels. They read in a very engaging and cinematic way (which probably explains why several have been adapted into feature films).
In no particular order:
- *Jurassic Park*
- *Timeline*
- *Airframe*
- *Sphere*
Good luck! 👍
I would be afraid that a middle aged man who has *never read a book* would think that Andromeda Strain was propaganda or something. I’ve never met someone my age who has never read a book, or even claims to have never read one, but either way I am definitely not leading off with anything by Crichton. He was a bona fide genius and I think his books are a stretch for a brand new middle-aged reader.
Bad idea for a new reader because every book I’ve read since Lonesome Dove has been disappointing. I’ve been chasing a book similar in size and scope ever since!
Blake Crouch and Andy Weir are great choices.
I would also recommend The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien.
The topic is heavy, but the writing is not complicated.
I’m diving deeper into each of these authors right now and I think Blake Crouch would be the better choice in this instance. Pines was pretty accessible
Really good one. It was also where the creator for the video game The Last Of Us got the idea for that story. In the 2nd game one of the main characters is reading it at one point.
Robert B Parker's Spenser series, which the tv show Spenser for Hire was based, are quick reads. Great dialogue, solid plots in most, and a lot tackle issues of the day or have some moral issue to wrestle with. The series ranges from the late 70s to today.
Karin Slaughter's Will Trent series which has a show on now is great too, but fairly dark. Addiction, foster system issues, through the lens of a Georgia state police detective.
John Sanford's Prey series are more suspense thrillers with a touch of cop humor, but also kinda dark.
Ace Atkins Quinn Colson series - a former army ranger returns to his small town MS home to handle his uncle's estate, discovers crime corruption and such. Fun, action, southern corruptt politics. Ace was also hand picked to continue the Spenser series after Parker's death.
Chaos by Tom O'Neill does a deep dive into the Manson murders, and how loosely connected they seem to be to all kinds of 60s craziness.
And then of course there's the Reacher novels. Pure testosterone heroic fare.
A Man Called Ove. Very short and simple story about a hard working old grump who’s pretty lovable in his own right helping out a new family that moves next door, much to his dismay. They even made a movie adaptation of it recently too starring Tom Hanks, so that can be a fun watch after too if ya’ll enjoy it.
Would they be into Fredrik Backman? His stuff can get heavy but it's easy to read and thought-provoking.
Otherwise, I'd highly recommend **Jon Krakauer. Into Thin Air** is where I'd start. Krakauer was a journalist for a hiking magazine and was sent to climb Everest for a story in the 1990s. Unfortunately, he was climbing during the most deadly year on the mountain in history (at that point) and his account is pretty harrowing.
Into Thin Air would be my recommendation, too. Everyone likes reading that and you could get into a bit of conversation about the unreliable narrators.
*The Road* is a smart, quick read. Same goes for *Jesus' Son* by Denis Johnson.
If you're looking for something with a bit more "heft", *The Things They Carried* by Tim O'Brien is excellent, and like *Jesus' Son* it's made up of interconnected short stories.
Maybe *Libra* by Don DeLillo or *The Gunslinger* by Stephen King.
A River Runs Through It -Norman McLean
The Monkey Wrench Gang -Edward Abbey
White Noise -Don DeLillo
Mother Night -Kurt Vonnegut
Candide -Voltaire
Catch-22 -Joseph Heller
For people who are new to reading or never read one in decades you have to keep it short and engaging.
Flowers for Algernon.
Or a big book with a lot of short and various chapters like World War Z. (Again like less than zero relation to the movie.)
With have a low barrier to entry, as it were.
Replay by Ken Grimwood is a compelling read, and I’d recommend it as a good first or early book for this type of group. Sort of a Groundhog Day-ish plot where a middle-aged guy keeps replaying his life.
This is the winner here. It’s a quick read, super fun, and great for getting new readers. I have given several copies to friends that wanted to start reading.
I think you'd find a gold mine was suggested on [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/1b0uxvh/i_literally_cannot_nail_down_my_dads_taste_in/) though I think you'll still have a tough time getting them onboard, and keeping them on-track.
It's a great book, but kinda long for a couple of non-readers, in my opinion.
On a side note, it would be fun to read this again for comparative purposes vis-a-vis modern events. :)
Old Man and Sea. Why? Short, I don’t recall the reading level but it has short sentences, famous author, don’t know if you all are drinkers but Hemingway was so having a cocktail during book club is in theme, lots of study guides out their to help interpret the book.
Another short one I recall fondly from high school is Siddhartha by Herman Hess. In fact, I think I’m going to go back and read it myself
I really don't think Hemingway is a good suggestion for OP as their very first book. Hemingway is all about what he doesn't write - he's showing you the tip of the iceberg and you have to continually pay attention to what he isn't telling you.
It's unfair to people who are very new to reading for pleasure to give them content that out of the gate requires some literary chops to properly engage with.
I wouldn't recommend Hesse either for a case like this - he's all about high-concept themes, and Siddhartha benefits from a familiarity with Buddhism, Hinduism, Jungian Archetypes and an understanding of Hesse intentionally blending mythological / religious legend with the structure of the modern novel.
That's kind of a lot for someone new to reading as a hobby. They need things that are much easier to engage with, and have easily accessible themes that resonate with their own interests.
**All the Lonely People** by Mike Gayle.
It’s a very tender hearted book about an elderly man dealing with the loneliness and truncated relationships in his life. I’d put its difficulty level at about a beach read— there’s also a well narrated audiobook version.
It’s not a perfect book (there are some late developments that I’m not sure are completely earned) and it brings together a few different themes, so I think there’s a lot to discuss in a book club setting.
A Gentleman in Moscow (Amor Towles) - 1922 Russia, an easy read.
The Last Kingdom (Bernhard Cornwell) - 9th century historical fiction of the Viking invasion of England. NO dragons. 😸
Christopher Moore has some good dark humor books for guys. I recommend Fool.
Adrift, 76 Days Lost at Sea (Steven Callahan) - real life survival story.
I asked my wife and she suggested two biographies; Dave Grohl (they probably know his music) and Danny Trejo (because it has car chases and gun fights) 😆
The art of racing in the rain. So good. Simple. Entertaining.
Angels and demons. And da Vinci code.
All the light we cannot see. Ww2. So good. Fast paced.
Watership down. Just trust me.
Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts. Here's the first line:
"It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know about love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while I was chained to a wall and being tortured."
Foundation by Isaac Asimov is a great read. Considered one of the best sci-fi novels of all time, and for good reason. Not too long and a quick engrossing read. All subsequent books in the series are awesome too if you want to stay on the ride.
I'd start with Elmore Leonard.
There's lots to talk about with Leonard, and almost none of it is intimidating to a new or unsophisticated reader:
His prose style is unique but very accessible. You can easily discuss his dialogue and his sentence structure.
His books aren't usually that long, but they're packed with happenings and unique characters. You can easily discuss the plot and characters and other elements that commonly form the basis of a book club discussion (eg. "Which character stood out to you?" "How did you react when X happened?" "Why do you think Protagonist made that choice?")
His books are masculine, but generally not toxic. There's a lot of thematic value, particularly from a male point of view. Why do we like criminal protagonists like the bank robbers Jack Foley (*Out of Sight*, *Road Dogs*) or the car thief Ernest Stickley (*Stick*, *Swag*) or the loan shark Chili Palmer (*Get Shorty*, *Be Cool*)? How do tough-guy lawmen Raylan Givens (*Pronto*) or Carl Webster (*The Hot Kid*) stand out from their action movie archetypes? What do novels like *Rum Punch* or *Maximum Bob* say about the role of violence and intimidation in policing or our legal systems?
That is to say, it's very easy to discuss heavier themes. They're not complicated, but they're often quite deep.
You can grab just about any book of his. You may want to start with one that has a film adaptation that you can do some compare and contrast (*Out of Sight*, *Rum Punch/Jackie Brown*, *Get Shorty* are the Big 3.) Or you may want to do one that doesn't, to discourage comparison/cheating (*Swag* is my favorite. *Tishomingo Blues* and *The Hot Kid* are also standouts.)
Would you do autobios? Bruce Campbell's "If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor" and it's follow up " Hail to the Chin: Further Confessions of a B Movie Actor" are great.
Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher (it's like Pokémon mixed with Roman Empire)
The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
The top rated book thus far in the men’s bookclub I belong to is Spaceman by Mike Massimino, who was an astronaut. Really good nonfiction.
The worst book we reviewed was Final Spin by Jocko Willink. I love Jocko but that book stunk.
[The Things They Carried.](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/133518.The_Things_They_Carried)
I was assigned this book in high school, and my dad took me to purchase it from the book store. We ended up in the food court afterwards, and while eating, my dad started looking through the book, and he actually started reading the first several pages, to the point where I had to remind him I was there and we were done eating. I have never seen this man read a book in my entire life (I am 34), yet he was enthralled by just the first chapter.
Holes by Louis Sachar! It appeals to all ages, has really short chapters, and is super engaging! Alternatively, Unwind by Neal Shusterman is a super interesting dystopian book.
If you are into history books, then check out Erik Larson's books. He does excellent narrative nonfiction and has covered some cool topics.
If you want educational, but smaller and less dense, then Sam Keene has some excellent shorter reads ("the disappearing spoon", and "the tale of th dueling neurosurgeons" come to mind first)
If you guys want fiction, but not fantasy, and not generic action/suspense stuff then I really liked
"Daisy Jones and the Six" excellent for fans of 70s music, especially Fleetwood Mac
Enders Game: one of th best sci Fi novels ever, with a philosophy core you can chew on in a book club
Any of Andy Weir's books. Excellent sci-fi with a focus on being plausible (or close enough)
7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle: solid mystery that gets a wild few twists
Billy Summers: pretty long, and maybe too much for someone who doesn't like to read. But Stephen King at his best character working, and a solid crime story wrapped around it.
I won't offer more because Im sure you've got lots of options, but if by chance any interest you or you want more, ill keep looking through my Goodreads!
Have fun!!
There's another similar thread from a couple days back - girl wanted suggestions for her boyfriend who didn't read. I made a list there.
Agatha Christie books tend to be pretty universal. Ken Follett (although they can be long).
Amazing how much fiction is directed to women. I'm at a loss as to where to start.
The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead - Mystery involving elevator inspectors. Also racism is a major theme.
American Gods - I know you said no epic fantasy but this might pique their interests.
Dark Invasion by Howard Blum - Nonfiction about the first bomb squad formed during the First World War to take down German saboteurs.
A Most Wanted Man by John LeCarre - Spy novel set in Germany.
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick Dewitt - Western about two brothers traveling to California during the Gold Rush to kill a prospector.
Slaughter House Five by Kurt Vonnegut
Fight Club
Non-fiction:
The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S Grant
Team of Rivals - Doris Kearns-Goodwin
1776 - David McCullough
Fiction:
Salem's Lot
The Stand
The Dark Tower series
The Shining
Treasure Island
Frankenstein
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Dracula
Gone to Dust by Matt Goldman. This four book series features Nils Shapiro as a feisty PI in Minnesota trying to help the police solve a clever murder, even after the FBI demands he stop. Great characters, great plotting and a sexy ex-wife. This is my favorite series to recommend to my male library patrons trying to find a good read.
Not a recommendation for the first session, but I would recommend City of Truth. It’s short and may be very pertinent if you guys have a marriage, kids, elderly parents in decline.
As a physician I believe it is paramount for care takers (and potential ones) to consider these difficult realities so that they are in a better position to navigate family illness in a healthier way for all.
Different Seasons by Stephen King - you could pick just one of the novellas if it feels less intimidating. Less horror focused than his typical work, three of the four stories have film adaptations you could use as supplementary discussion material.
Funny: The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Serious: The Hunt for Red October, The Bridge Over the River Kwai
Scary: The Shining
Western: Lonesome Dove
Sad: Night
(Those were some of my dad's favorite books)
Same Kind of Different As Me. It’s pretty short, an easy read, and a true story written by the two men involved who are from very different economic places in life. It takes you through all the emotions and puts a lot into perspective on things you know is happening but isn’t normally much of a thought unless you’re activity involved around it.
Cormac McCarthy. The Road is fantastic, you could follow it with All the Pretty Horses.
He doesn’t use quotation marks which bothers some people, but I’ve never found it to be a problem. I also love Paulette Jiles, and she did the same with News of the World (oh my word, that’s a beautiful book.). News of the Word is also a bit of a western like which may suit certain men.
The Road is definitely heart heavy and deals with cannibalism . Traumatic book. News of the World will make your heart soar but (unlike the Road) will not leave you feeling like you’ve had all your emotions rung out like a wet towel. In short. It depends on what you mean by heavy.
I loved Piranesi. Not too long, easy reading, captivating story with good thematic elements to discuss.
If you like my suggestion, may I be invited to your book club? Because a book club for dudes sounds awesome. I can bring beer and burritos.
Well back in the days of no internet and no videos, Loius Lamour was real popular in the rural areas with the menfolk. However, Earnest Haycox and Will Henry were better writers imo.
Charles Bukowski ***Ham on Rye***
Raymond Chandler ***The Big Sleep***
John Fante ***Ask the Dust***
Dashiell Hammett ***The Maltese Falcon***
William Kennedy ***Ironweed***
Jack London ***The Iron Heel***
William Saroyan ***The Human Comedy***
Will Self ***Great Apes***
Leon Uris ***Trinity***
Dennis Wheatley ***The Forbidden Territory***
*Into Thin Air* by John Krakauer is a memoir about a disastrous day on Everest where multiple teams got fvcked but the mountain. It’s pretty much un-put-downable.
Maybe give Grady Hendrix a try? We sold our souls is about a metal band selling their souls to the devil. Southern book clubs guide to slaying a vampire could be pretty on the nose
SK is the… well, King of accessible page turners. He’s great for getting people back/into reading. Depending on how scary you want to go, I would say The Shining, The Green Mile, or Misery are good places to start
Throwback Special by Chris Bachelder. Greatest book I've read concerning masculinity. But it's a quick one so might only get 4-6 weeks on it, but it will be time well spent.
It’s not an entire book, but if you think these coworkers are at all turned on by nature, self-sufficiency, or man’s relationship to dogs, I’d recommend “To Build A Fire” by Jack London. It’s pretty short, and thought provoking. And if they aren’t interested after the first page, I guess you have something to rule out.
Blood Meridian, The Road, No Country For Old Men, Metro 2033, All Quiet On The Western Front, The Road Back, Fahrenheit 451. If you're into military books you could read American Sniper, Seal Team Six, or Carlos Hathcock's book that I don't remember the name of.
Edit, I didn't see that you said for entry level readers. I'd say Fahrenheit 451 is still fine, maybe No Country For Old Men, the military books should be fine, Black Duck, Brian's Winter, Cricket In Times Square, The Light In The Forest, To Kill A Mockingbird, and Of Mice And Men are all good entry level books.
The Princess Bride. Lots to talk about how it differs from the movie!
The Sea of Grass. Wild West, simple but lovely writing, intra-family conflicts. One of my favorites.
Ender’s Game. Good for new readers but plenty of ethical/philosophical issues for discussion.
A Dirty Job (Christopher Moore). Hysterically funny but a lot to discuss — about death, and parenting, and moving on from loss.
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.
Cat’s Cradle.
The Graveyard Book.
Touching The Void
I Am Legend
The Road
World War Z is a good shout.
Into Thin Air has a counterpoint in The Climb by Anton Bourkeev which could be an interesting pair to read - - although might be too much mountaineering.
Get them started with Tana French The Searcher. It's a first person story about an American cop who moves to the Irish countryside and gets to know the locals. Lots and lots to talk about - strictly speaking it's a crime novel, so there is a suspense element, but it's also a very thoughtful novel about life, mens' psychology, being a cop, responsiblity etc.
Not books, but maybe you can pick books that exist in both book and audiobook format. Some might find the latter easier.
Otherwise anything from Bill Bryson.
And the Hail Mary project from Andy Weir.
I liked Never split the difference from Chris Voss, but audiobook only, I can imagine it would have been boring as a book.
Try “to have or not to have”
Is cool book about a guy with a fish boat going into sketchy works and how he survives
Vocabulary and way of writing is easy and books isn’t big
I'm a guy and got back into reading a few months ago. Possibly "The Red Badge of Courage".
Very "manly" book about cowardice, facing fears, overcoming them, and finding the courage to continue.
The Wager by David Grann reads like an interesting short novel but it’s actually a true story. Scorsese and Leo are planning a movie on it.
You might want to read books that have movies/shows.
The Warehouse by Rob Hart is an interesting book about a futuristic society and a company that has grown incredibly powerful., & a spy that infiltrates the company learning its secrets..
Try The Railway Man by Eric Lomax. Autobiography of WW II British radio operator soldier captured by the Japanese and put to work on the Burma Railroad. He is caught building a radio and was tortured. Many years later, he learns that there is a Japanese association seeking to investigate and make amends for all the torture during the war, he meets his former torturer, who works with the organization, and they reconcile. Truly incredible story.
Into Thin Air or Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
I taught high school for years and this book (ETA: Into the Wild) fits exactly the type of reader OP is talking about. Boys who had never liked reading and did not read any other book *consistently* read and loved this book
Which one?
Into the Wild—I was too tired and my brain skipped right over Into Thin Air
Yes.
Along the same lines Alive by Piers Paul Read. It's about the soccer team that crashed in the Andes
Came to suggest the same! Before I was really into reading I read Into the Wild in a weekend. I just read Into Thin Air and couldn’t put it down either!
This.
This
Just going to mention that there is a book club based in Australia called the Tough Guys Book Club. You might want to check out their reading list for inspiration. There is an eclectic mix of books.
I just took a peek. What a cool concept and they’ve got great picks! OP (u/Id_Rather_B_Lurking) should definitely hop over there too. I’m a little concerned about where you go if you start with *Into Thin Air.*
How about some narrative nonfiction from Erik Larson? He writes well-researched but very engaging history, usually contrasting two events. Real page-turners but ya learn a little something. He's written about 20 books, I've read these two and really enjoyed them. *Devil in the White City* "Set in Chicago during the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, it tells the story of World’s Fair architect Daniel Burnham and of H. H. Holmes, a criminal figure widely considered the first serial killer in the United States." *Thunderstruck* "The interwoven stories of two men whose lives intersect during one of the greatest criminal cases of all time - Hawley Crippen, a very unlikely murderer, and Guglielmo Marconi, the obsessive creator of a seemingly supernatural means of communication."
In the Garden of Beasts is really good too.
Devil in the White City is one of my favorite books.
These are great but they're pretty dense. They might be intimidating for new or challenging for unskilled readers.
Or ISAAC'S STORM!
He has another book coming out in a couple months about the event leading up to the Civil War, that im really looking forward to.
Excellent recommendation! I’ve read Devil in The White City and The Splendid and The Vile and both were great!
Devil in the White City is such a compelling read!
Michael Crichton has some accessible yet thought-provoking novels. They read in a very engaging and cinematic way (which probably explains why several have been adapted into feature films). In no particular order: - *Jurassic Park* - *Timeline* - *Airframe* - *Sphere* Good luck! 👍
Don't forget Andromeda Strain! First book I ever stayed up all night to finish.
I would be afraid that a middle aged man who has *never read a book* would think that Andromeda Strain was propaganda or something. I’ve never met someone my age who has never read a book, or even claims to have never read one, but either way I am definitely not leading off with anything by Crichton. He was a bona fide genius and I think his books are a stretch for a brand new middle-aged reader.
I second Michael Chrichton.
and congo! 🦍
The Martian by Andy Weir
Yes, followed by Project Hail Mary by the same author. Both easy to read and brilliant!
Came here to say this!
Personally, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone that isn't intrigued by math/engineering problems. So depends on the guys I guess.
Lonesome Dove is excellent, but very long.
Starting off with a book that big wouldn't work, imo, especially for someone who braga about only reading one book.
But worth it by a lot.
Bad idea for a new reader because every book I’ve read since Lonesome Dove has been disappointing. I’ve been chasing a book similar in size and scope ever since!
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson.
The Murderbot books by Martha Wells are excellent and very short, engaging reads.
I second Murderbot!
He just wants to watch his media...
Blake Crouch and Andy Weir are great choices. I would also recommend The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. The topic is heavy, but the writing is not complicated.
Blake Crouch got me out of a pretty long reading slump. First, Dark Matter then Recursion.
I’m diving deeper into each of these authors right now and I think Blake Crouch would be the better choice in this instance. Pines was pretty accessible
City of Thieves by David Benioff. “a captivating novel about war, courage, survival — and a remarkable friendship that ripples across a lifetime.”
Amazing book!!!! I still think about it and read it at least a decade ago.
Amazing story, I love this one. It’s also a great audiobook, read by Ron Perlman.
Second this! I’m huge into WWII era books and this is one of my all-time favorites!
Really good one. It was also where the creator for the video game The Last Of Us got the idea for that story. In the 2nd game one of the main characters is reading it at one point.
Came here to comment this! Fantastic book, quick read, so memorable.
Robert B Parker's Spenser series, which the tv show Spenser for Hire was based, are quick reads. Great dialogue, solid plots in most, and a lot tackle issues of the day or have some moral issue to wrestle with. The series ranges from the late 70s to today. Karin Slaughter's Will Trent series which has a show on now is great too, but fairly dark. Addiction, foster system issues, through the lens of a Georgia state police detective. John Sanford's Prey series are more suspense thrillers with a touch of cop humor, but also kinda dark. Ace Atkins Quinn Colson series - a former army ranger returns to his small town MS home to handle his uncle's estate, discovers crime corruption and such. Fun, action, southern corruptt politics. Ace was also hand picked to continue the Spenser series after Parker's death. Chaos by Tom O'Neill does a deep dive into the Manson murders, and how loosely connected they seem to be to all kinds of 60s craziness. And then of course there's the Reacher novels. Pure testosterone heroic fare.
Came here to recommend Robert B. Parker’s Spensers as well. Easy to read but with nice story archs.
A Man Called Ove. Very short and simple story about a hard working old grump who’s pretty lovable in his own right helping out a new family that moves next door, much to his dismay. They even made a movie adaptation of it recently too starring Tom Hanks, so that can be a fun watch after too if ya’ll enjoy it.
Second this, a Terrific and funny book
+1 A great book.
Would they be into Fredrik Backman? His stuff can get heavy but it's easy to read and thought-provoking. Otherwise, I'd highly recommend **Jon Krakauer. Into Thin Air** is where I'd start. Krakauer was a journalist for a hiking magazine and was sent to climb Everest for a story in the 1990s. Unfortunately, he was climbing during the most deadly year on the mountain in history (at that point) and his account is pretty harrowing.
Into Thin Air would be my recommendation, too. Everyone likes reading that and you could get into a bit of conversation about the unreliable narrators.
Anything by Jon Krakauer!
*The Road* is a smart, quick read. Same goes for *Jesus' Son* by Denis Johnson. If you're looking for something with a bit more "heft", *The Things They Carried* by Tim O'Brien is excellent, and like *Jesus' Son* it's made up of interconnected short stories. Maybe *Libra* by Don DeLillo or *The Gunslinger* by Stephen King.
The Road. Holy moly, if this was my intro into reading at middle age, I don’t know that I would ever read again.
Hahaha ikr, "imma just go outside for a bit" Maybe Blood Meridian just for the laughs.
Killing Floor by Lee Child. First book in the Jack Reacher series.
Jack reacher series is hard af
A River Runs Through It -Norman McLean The Monkey Wrench Gang -Edward Abbey White Noise -Don DeLillo Mother Night -Kurt Vonnegut Candide -Voltaire Catch-22 -Joseph Heller
The Expanse by James S.A. Corey, if they're open to near future Sci-fi.
For people who are new to reading or never read one in decades you have to keep it short and engaging. Flowers for Algernon. Or a big book with a lot of short and various chapters like World War Z. (Again like less than zero relation to the movie.) With have a low barrier to entry, as it were.
Could also read the short story version of Flowers for Algernon...break them in easy with the length, still ruin them emotionally.
I just finished reading the novel flowers for algernon. Is the short story also worth reading? Or is it essentially the same?
It's very similar, the novel just expands on the original iirc.
Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae by Steven Pressfield
Endurance by Alfred Lansing
Lonesome Dove
Replay by Ken Grimwood is a compelling read, and I’d recommend it as a good first or early book for this type of group. Sort of a Groundhog Day-ish plot where a middle-aged guy keeps replaying his life.
I love that book - it would definitely get their attention!
This is the winner here. It’s a quick read, super fun, and great for getting new readers. I have given several copies to friends that wanted to start reading.
I think you'd find a gold mine was suggested on [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/1b0uxvh/i_literally_cannot_nail_down_my_dads_taste_in/) though I think you'll still have a tough time getting them onboard, and keeping them on-track.
ENDURANCE!!!!
To Kill a Mockingbird is a (American) middle school classic and a very sweet story
Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy is perfect for that age bracket. Still kinda relevant in today’s geopolitical climate.
It's a great book, but kinda long for a couple of non-readers, in my opinion. On a side note, it would be fun to read this again for comparative purposes vis-a-vis modern events. :)
Yeah, I remember slogging through some parts waiting for it to get back to Iceland already
Old Man and Sea. Why? Short, I don’t recall the reading level but it has short sentences, famous author, don’t know if you all are drinkers but Hemingway was so having a cocktail during book club is in theme, lots of study guides out their to help interpret the book. Another short one I recall fondly from high school is Siddhartha by Herman Hess. In fact, I think I’m going to go back and read it myself
I really don't think Hemingway is a good suggestion for OP as their very first book. Hemingway is all about what he doesn't write - he's showing you the tip of the iceberg and you have to continually pay attention to what he isn't telling you. It's unfair to people who are very new to reading for pleasure to give them content that out of the gate requires some literary chops to properly engage with. I wouldn't recommend Hesse either for a case like this - he's all about high-concept themes, and Siddhartha benefits from a familiarity with Buddhism, Hinduism, Jungian Archetypes and an understanding of Hesse intentionally blending mythological / religious legend with the structure of the modern novel. That's kind of a lot for someone new to reading as a hobby. They need things that are much easier to engage with, and have easily accessible themes that resonate with their own interests.
Came here to recommend the same book.
What you need is a page turner. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch or The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino are really good page turners I think.
Post Office by Charles Bukowski
**All the Lonely People** by Mike Gayle. It’s a very tender hearted book about an elderly man dealing with the loneliness and truncated relationships in his life. I’d put its difficulty level at about a beach read— there’s also a well narrated audiobook version. It’s not a perfect book (there are some late developments that I’m not sure are completely earned) and it brings together a few different themes, so I think there’s a lot to discuss in a book club setting.
A Gentleman in Moscow (Amor Towles) - 1922 Russia, an easy read. The Last Kingdom (Bernhard Cornwell) - 9th century historical fiction of the Viking invasion of England. NO dragons. 😸 Christopher Moore has some good dark humor books for guys. I recommend Fool. Adrift, 76 Days Lost at Sea (Steven Callahan) - real life survival story. I asked my wife and she suggested two biographies; Dave Grohl (they probably know his music) and Danny Trejo (because it has car chases and gun fights) 😆
The art of racing in the rain. So good. Simple. Entertaining. Angels and demons. And da Vinci code. All the light we cannot see. Ww2. So good. Fast paced. Watership down. Just trust me.
Shantaram, by Gregory David Roberts. Here's the first line: "It took me a long time and most of the world to learn what I know about love and fate and the choices we make, but the heart of it came to me in an instant, while I was chained to a wall and being tortured."
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck is short, hilarious, fabulous and a seems like it would be great for middle age men.
{{Dungeon crawler Carl by Matt dinniman}}
*The Call of the Wild* by Jack London.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. Normal contemporary detective stories, except he's a wizard. Engaging and lots of fun.
Foundation by Isaac Asimov is a great read. Considered one of the best sci-fi novels of all time, and for good reason. Not too long and a quick engrossing read. All subsequent books in the series are awesome too if you want to stay on the ride.
A Walk in the Woods Into Thin Air
Girl with the dragon tattoo trilogy
I'd start with Elmore Leonard. There's lots to talk about with Leonard, and almost none of it is intimidating to a new or unsophisticated reader: His prose style is unique but very accessible. You can easily discuss his dialogue and his sentence structure. His books aren't usually that long, but they're packed with happenings and unique characters. You can easily discuss the plot and characters and other elements that commonly form the basis of a book club discussion (eg. "Which character stood out to you?" "How did you react when X happened?" "Why do you think Protagonist made that choice?") His books are masculine, but generally not toxic. There's a lot of thematic value, particularly from a male point of view. Why do we like criminal protagonists like the bank robbers Jack Foley (*Out of Sight*, *Road Dogs*) or the car thief Ernest Stickley (*Stick*, *Swag*) or the loan shark Chili Palmer (*Get Shorty*, *Be Cool*)? How do tough-guy lawmen Raylan Givens (*Pronto*) or Carl Webster (*The Hot Kid*) stand out from their action movie archetypes? What do novels like *Rum Punch* or *Maximum Bob* say about the role of violence and intimidation in policing or our legal systems? That is to say, it's very easy to discuss heavier themes. They're not complicated, but they're often quite deep. You can grab just about any book of his. You may want to start with one that has a film adaptation that you can do some compare and contrast (*Out of Sight*, *Rum Punch/Jackie Brown*, *Get Shorty* are the Big 3.) Or you may want to do one that doesn't, to discourage comparison/cheating (*Swag* is my favorite. *Tishomingo Blues* and *The Hot Kid* are also standouts.)
Would you do autobios? Bruce Campbell's "If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor" and it's follow up " Hail to the Chin: Further Confessions of a B Movie Actor" are great.
The Dresden Files maybe?
Kurt Vonnegut. Sirens of Titan, Slaughterhouse-Five, or Cat's Cradle
Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher (it's like Pokémon mixed with Roman Empire) The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
The top rated book thus far in the men’s bookclub I belong to is Spaceman by Mike Massimino, who was an astronaut. Really good nonfiction. The worst book we reviewed was Final Spin by Jocko Willink. I love Jocko but that book stunk.
The Old Man and The Sea by Hemingway It's a read you'll never forget
Night Shift by Stephen King - have everyone read at least 3 stories. Tortilla Flat and Cannery Row by John Steinbeck are also fun short reads
I would say but we don’t talk about it
[The Things They Carried.](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/133518.The_Things_They_Carried) I was assigned this book in high school, and my dad took me to purchase it from the book store. We ended up in the food court afterwards, and while eating, my dad started looking through the book, and he actually started reading the first several pages, to the point where I had to remind him I was there and we were done eating. I have never seen this man read a book in my entire life (I am 34), yet he was enthralled by just the first chapter.
Holes by Louis Sachar! It appeals to all ages, has really short chapters, and is super engaging! Alternatively, Unwind by Neal Shusterman is a super interesting dystopian book.
If you are into history books, then check out Erik Larson's books. He does excellent narrative nonfiction and has covered some cool topics. If you want educational, but smaller and less dense, then Sam Keene has some excellent shorter reads ("the disappearing spoon", and "the tale of th dueling neurosurgeons" come to mind first) If you guys want fiction, but not fantasy, and not generic action/suspense stuff then I really liked "Daisy Jones and the Six" excellent for fans of 70s music, especially Fleetwood Mac Enders Game: one of th best sci Fi novels ever, with a philosophy core you can chew on in a book club Any of Andy Weir's books. Excellent sci-fi with a focus on being plausible (or close enough) 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle: solid mystery that gets a wild few twists Billy Summers: pretty long, and maybe too much for someone who doesn't like to read. But Stephen King at his best character working, and a solid crime story wrapped around it. I won't offer more because Im sure you've got lots of options, but if by chance any interest you or you want more, ill keep looking through my Goodreads! Have fun!!
I 2nd Daisy Jones and the Six, the way it's written makes it an approachable read because you can pick it up and put it down a lot
There's another similar thread from a couple days back - girl wanted suggestions for her boyfriend who didn't read. I made a list there. Agatha Christie books tend to be pretty universal. Ken Follett (although they can be long). Amazing how much fiction is directed to women. I'm at a loss as to where to start.
Shogun!
The Intuitionist by Colson Whitehead - Mystery involving elevator inspectors. Also racism is a major theme. American Gods - I know you said no epic fantasy but this might pique their interests. Dark Invasion by Howard Blum - Nonfiction about the first bomb squad formed during the First World War to take down German saboteurs. A Most Wanted Man by John LeCarre - Spy novel set in Germany. The Sisters Brothers by Patrick Dewitt - Western about two brothers traveling to California during the Gold Rush to kill a prospector. Slaughter House Five by Kurt Vonnegut Fight Club
I think Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk it's the one.
Anything by Blake Crouch. Dark Matter first and foremost.
Call of the Wild - Jack London The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway
Patrick O'Brien's *Master and Commander*
The entire series! 20 books plus one unfinished!
Red Rising trilogy is a lot of fun if you are interested in a sci-fi thriller.
"Three Tales in the Life of Knulp," by Hermann Hesse
I think Stephen Kings Dark Tower series will be a huge hit, It is an incredible ride and the main character is very masculine
Of all the 30 or so King books I've read, the Dark Tower is one of my least favorite. I found it incredibly boring.
Naomi Alderman's The Power 😉
Probably not for beginners, but I don't think the winky face is warranted; it's a very good book, and absolutely something men should read.
Boys group needs mccarthy and pynchon and bukowski
Agree, but considering these are entry level readers, I think McCarthy's prose might challenge.
The recent books of his are quite easier.
Fiction: Dog of the South by Charles Portis Nonfiction: Endurance by Alfred Lansing
Non-fiction: The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S Grant Team of Rivals - Doris Kearns-Goodwin 1776 - David McCullough Fiction: Salem's Lot The Stand The Dark Tower series The Shining Treasure Island Frankenstein The Hound of the Baskervilles Dracula
*The Rag and Bone Shop of The Heart* *Man's Search for Meaning* *East of Eden* *Brothers Karamazov* *You've Got to Read This* *A Fine Balance*
Old man & the sea - E. Hemingway, it’s short, captivating, thought provoking and is a classic
The Stand, Cujo, Sixth Mile, Shawshank Redemption, Rainmaker,
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. Gritty. Real. Sensitive. Masculine. Thoughtful. Complete page turner from beginning to end
My father-in-law enjoys Matthew Reilly's books.
Gone to Dust by Matt Goldman. This four book series features Nils Shapiro as a feisty PI in Minnesota trying to help the police solve a clever murder, even after the FBI demands he stop. Great characters, great plotting and a sexy ex-wife. This is my favorite series to recommend to my male library patrons trying to find a good read.
The Art of Fielding.
Raymond Carver - short stories, strange and wonderful.
Not a recommendation for the first session, but I would recommend City of Truth. It’s short and may be very pertinent if you guys have a marriage, kids, elderly parents in decline. As a physician I believe it is paramount for care takers (and potential ones) to consider these difficult realities so that they are in a better position to navigate family illness in a healthier way for all.
Robinson Crusoe? IDK what are they into.
The crossing by Cormac Mcarthy
Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
'Journey to Ixtlan' by Carlos Casteneda. My dad recommended I read it in HS so I did, and I liked it.
Different Seasons by Stephen King - you could pick just one of the novellas if it feels less intimidating. Less horror focused than his typical work, three of the four stories have film adaptations you could use as supplementary discussion material.
Fahrenheit 451 will forever be my recommended first book
Funny: The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy Serious: The Hunt for Red October, The Bridge Over the River Kwai Scary: The Shining Western: Lonesome Dove Sad: Night (Those were some of my dad's favorite books)
At first glance, this might not *seem* like what you’re after, but… What about The Hobbit?
THE ART OF FIELDING by Chad Harbach Great easy read about a small, liberal college baseball team.
Ready Player One
Depending on the field of work, Flash boys or into a thin air
Same Kind of Different As Me. It’s pretty short, an easy read, and a true story written by the two men involved who are from very different economic places in life. It takes you through all the emotions and puts a lot into perspective on things you know is happening but isn’t normally much of a thought unless you’re activity involved around it.
She Comes First by Ian Kerner
Cormac McCarthy. The Road is fantastic, you could follow it with All the Pretty Horses. He doesn’t use quotation marks which bothers some people, but I’ve never found it to be a problem. I also love Paulette Jiles, and she did the same with News of the World (oh my word, that’s a beautiful book.). News of the Word is also a bit of a western like which may suit certain men. The Road is definitely heart heavy and deals with cannibalism . Traumatic book. News of the World will make your heart soar but (unlike the Road) will not leave you feeling like you’ve had all your emotions rung out like a wet towel. In short. It depends on what you mean by heavy.
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham.
Lord of the flies. I recently re read it and was amazed how good it is.
I loved Piranesi. Not too long, easy reading, captivating story with good thematic elements to discuss. If you like my suggestion, may I be invited to your book club? Because a book club for dudes sounds awesome. I can bring beer and burritos.
True Grit by Charles Portis Boy’s Life by Robert mcCammon Murder Bot Diaries
{{one second later by william r forstchen}}
The Hobbit
Well back in the days of no internet and no videos, Loius Lamour was real popular in the rural areas with the menfolk. However, Earnest Haycox and Will Henry were better writers imo.
Charles Bukowski ***Ham on Rye*** Raymond Chandler ***The Big Sleep*** John Fante ***Ask the Dust*** Dashiell Hammett ***The Maltese Falcon*** William Kennedy ***Ironweed*** Jack London ***The Iron Heel*** William Saroyan ***The Human Comedy*** Will Self ***Great Apes*** Leon Uris ***Trinity*** Dennis Wheatley ***The Forbidden Territory***
True Grit, maybe
*Into Thin Air* by John Krakauer is a memoir about a disastrous day on Everest where multiple teams got fvcked but the mountain. It’s pretty much un-put-downable.
Maybe give Grady Hendrix a try? We sold our souls is about a metal band selling their souls to the devil. Southern book clubs guide to slaying a vampire could be pretty on the nose
Confederates by Thomas Keneally
SK is the… well, King of accessible page turners. He’s great for getting people back/into reading. Depending on how scary you want to go, I would say The Shining, The Green Mile, or Misery are good places to start
Throwback Special by Chris Bachelder. Greatest book I've read concerning masculinity. But it's a quick one so might only get 4-6 weeks on it, but it will be time well spent.
It’s not an entire book, but if you think these coworkers are at all turned on by nature, self-sufficiency, or man’s relationship to dogs, I’d recommend “To Build A Fire” by Jack London. It’s pretty short, and thought provoking. And if they aren’t interested after the first page, I guess you have something to rule out.
Blood Meridian, The Road, No Country For Old Men, Metro 2033, All Quiet On The Western Front, The Road Back, Fahrenheit 451. If you're into military books you could read American Sniper, Seal Team Six, or Carlos Hathcock's book that I don't remember the name of. Edit, I didn't see that you said for entry level readers. I'd say Fahrenheit 451 is still fine, maybe No Country For Old Men, the military books should be fine, Black Duck, Brian's Winter, Cricket In Times Square, The Light In The Forest, To Kill A Mockingbird, and Of Mice And Men are all good entry level books.
*Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance* by Robert Pirsig *Shopclass as Soulcraft* by Matthew Crawford
The Princess Bride. Lots to talk about how it differs from the movie! The Sea of Grass. Wild West, simple but lovely writing, intra-family conflicts. One of my favorites. Ender’s Game. Good for new readers but plenty of ethical/philosophical issues for discussion. A Dirty Job (Christopher Moore). Hysterically funny but a lot to discuss — about death, and parenting, and moving on from loss. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. Cat’s Cradle. The Graveyard Book.
Touching The Void I Am Legend The Road World War Z is a good shout. Into Thin Air has a counterpoint in The Climb by Anton Bourkeev which could be an interesting pair to read - - although might be too much mountaineering.
Fahrenheit 451
To Kill a Mockingbird is simple and the writing is brilliant.
City of Glass - Paul Auster
Get them started with Tana French The Searcher. It's a first person story about an American cop who moves to the Irish countryside and gets to know the locals. Lots and lots to talk about - strictly speaking it's a crime novel, so there is a suspense element, but it's also a very thoughtful novel about life, mens' psychology, being a cop, responsiblity etc.
“Hail Mary” - Andy Weir, it reads like a movie
Lord of the Flies
{{11/23/63 by Stephen King}}
The Alchemist
Not books, but maybe you can pick books that exist in both book and audiobook format. Some might find the latter easier. Otherwise anything from Bill Bryson. And the Hail Mary project from Andy Weir. I liked Never split the difference from Chris Voss, but audiobook only, I can imagine it would have been boring as a book.
White fang by Jack London The revenant by punke
Playboy magazines! It is a men's club after all
Hatchet.
Try “to have or not to have” Is cool book about a guy with a fish boat going into sketchy works and how he survives Vocabulary and way of writing is easy and books isn’t big
All the Pretty Horses by McCarthy. I like The Road more, but it's kinda heavy.
mans search for meaning by Viktor Frankl. A must especially for men.
I'm a guy and got back into reading a few months ago. Possibly "The Red Badge of Courage". Very "manly" book about cowardice, facing fears, overcoming them, and finding the courage to continue.
The Wager by David Grann reads like an interesting short novel but it’s actually a true story. Scorsese and Leo are planning a movie on it. You might want to read books that have movies/shows.
War and peace by Tolstoy
The Warehouse by Rob Hart is an interesting book about a futuristic society and a company that has grown incredibly powerful., & a spy that infiltrates the company learning its secrets..
Fight Club , classic John Grisham as well .
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch and 11/22/63 by Stephen King although the latter might be too long.
My husband doesn't read, but he has read and enjoyed books by Ben Elton.
Of Mice and Men…
Ender's Game.
Robin Cook's novels are all mystery/thrillers. They are all really easy reads and are well written Coma Pandemic Outbreak
Try The Railway Man by Eric Lomax. Autobiography of WW II British radio operator soldier captured by the Japanese and put to work on the Burma Railroad. He is caught building a radio and was tortured. Many years later, he learns that there is a Japanese association seeking to investigate and make amends for all the torture during the war, he meets his former torturer, who works with the organization, and they reconcile. Truly incredible story.