Ugh - recommendations are so hard to give (or receive). I can’t tell you how many times various people have recommended a Colleen Hoover or a Ruth Ware and it is absolutely not in my area of interest. I’m not knocking them; I’ve read 2 Hoovers just to try her out and at least 2 Wares (can’t say you don’t like it if you haven’t even tried it) but that style of writing does nothing for me. Too plot driven, not intellectually engaging enough - for me.
Romantasy is another genre I can’t relate to. I read some of the ACOTAR novels (Sarah J Maas) with my niece. I was thrilled that she was reading and wanted to encourage her. We had some good discussions but again, not my bent. I want character growth, descriptive landscapes, experiences that I can empathize with or that make me think more or deeper about situations I know little about. I’m the bookworm amongst my friends - what I read is typically not to their taste so I seldom recommend anything. Just finished an Amor Towles, looking forward to Phillip Roth next and started Animal Farm again (for our discussion).
So - I liked Ayn Rand and yes, it was in college. Lol. I love classics but happy to read contemporary. Having said all this I’m also a huge Stephen King fan and have been since I was 11 and bought The Shining (my first adult book that was mine and not my mother’s). No one policed my reading, fortunately for me! I’ll give many genres or authors a whirl because I’m genuinely curious and love reading. But the Dan Brown and Rebecca Yarros novels will always end up back at the used bookstore instead of on my shelves when I’m done with them.
I really enjoyed reading your comment and I think it’s admirable how you tried reading something not up your alley to in an effort to encourage and connect with others close to you. Kuddos for real!
We understand some people, especially progressive women, think we are wrong to only read older fiction and to read Peterson or Dineen or CS Lewis.
That is why we do it and why we advertise it about ourselves. We are looking for other men (and a few women) who share our taste. It is also good to remind people that good books are not just what has been printed by today’s publishers.
As far as the quality of today’s fiction, we definitely disagree. I will reread Iris Murdoch or Dostoyevsky another hundred times before picking up the NY Times book of the year of 2025.
That's not a book recommendation, is it? I admit that I only read non-fiction, but I would not recommend this to anyone else. I've read a lot of fiction in my life. However, the last few fiction books I've attempted never held my attention. It might be because these days I only listen to three or four audiobooks a year, and my interests more align with religious studies, history, philosophy, applied science, politics, and the like.
And, I get a lot of narrative through reading books to the children.
"They lack imagination and are proud of it."
Goodness, that's mighty pretentious. I play D&D with the kids and nephews which is essentially improv group storytelling. Men and women are different, and that's okay.
It's just my sense of humor, definitely don't take me too seriously. I am in the middle of 3 non-fiction books now, and I have 6 kids I read to as well. I get it.
I am sure you realise the irony of this post. Warning us about certain books in a post warning us about recommending certain books. Doubly so when you put the boot into Ayn Rand although to be fair it was only a yellow card. Further proof of the gradual resuscitation of AR's reputation in these latter days.
I do emphasize classics, and I own my snobbishness. LOL. But I have read some very good contemporary fiction and I enjoy the richness of it. 😍 I try to mix in some nonfiction and I'm happy to say that there is a LOT of great stuff out there. As for your comments, I must agree 💯, with the added note about The Alchemist. Actually, we read Pilgrimage, by the same author, for book club, and I know that some people adore him, but I thought he was simply insufferable, and I would never touch another one of his books for anything. 😝
I recommended Less Than Zero to my then-girlfriend and she married me anyway.
Ugh - recommendations are so hard to give (or receive). I can’t tell you how many times various people have recommended a Colleen Hoover or a Ruth Ware and it is absolutely not in my area of interest. I’m not knocking them; I’ve read 2 Hoovers just to try her out and at least 2 Wares (can’t say you don’t like it if you haven’t even tried it) but that style of writing does nothing for me. Too plot driven, not intellectually engaging enough - for me.
Romantasy is another genre I can’t relate to. I read some of the ACOTAR novels (Sarah J Maas) with my niece. I was thrilled that she was reading and wanted to encourage her. We had some good discussions but again, not my bent. I want character growth, descriptive landscapes, experiences that I can empathize with or that make me think more or deeper about situations I know little about. I’m the bookworm amongst my friends - what I read is typically not to their taste so I seldom recommend anything. Just finished an Amor Towles, looking forward to Phillip Roth next and started Animal Farm again (for our discussion).
So - I liked Ayn Rand and yes, it was in college. Lol. I love classics but happy to read contemporary. Having said all this I’m also a huge Stephen King fan and have been since I was 11 and bought The Shining (my first adult book that was mine and not my mother’s). No one policed my reading, fortunately for me! I’ll give many genres or authors a whirl because I’m genuinely curious and love reading. But the Dan Brown and Rebecca Yarros novels will always end up back at the used bookstore instead of on my shelves when I’m done with them.
I really enjoyed reading your comment and I think it’s admirable how you tried reading something not up your alley to in an effort to encourage and connect with others close to you. Kuddos for real!
We understand some people, especially progressive women, think we are wrong to only read older fiction and to read Peterson or Dineen or CS Lewis.
That is why we do it and why we advertise it about ourselves. We are looking for other men (and a few women) who share our taste. It is also good to remind people that good books are not just what has been printed by today’s publishers.
As far as the quality of today’s fiction, we definitely disagree. I will reread Iris Murdoch or Dostoyevsky another hundred times before picking up the NY Times book of the year of 2025.
“I only read non-fiction”
That's not a book recommendation, is it? I admit that I only read non-fiction, but I would not recommend this to anyone else. I've read a lot of fiction in my life. However, the last few fiction books I've attempted never held my attention. It might be because these days I only listen to three or four audiobooks a year, and my interests more align with religious studies, history, philosophy, applied science, politics, and the like.
And, I get a lot of narrative through reading books to the children.
"They lack imagination and are proud of it."
Goodness, that's mighty pretentious. I play D&D with the kids and nephews which is essentially improv group storytelling. Men and women are different, and that's okay.
It's just my sense of humor, definitely don't take me too seriously. I am in the middle of 3 non-fiction books now, and I have 6 kids I read to as well. I get it.
I am sure you realise the irony of this post. Warning us about certain books in a post warning us about recommending certain books. Doubly so when you put the boot into Ayn Rand although to be fair it was only a yellow card. Further proof of the gradual resuscitation of AR's reputation in these latter days.
I do emphasize classics, and I own my snobbishness. LOL. But I have read some very good contemporary fiction and I enjoy the richness of it. 😍 I try to mix in some nonfiction and I'm happy to say that there is a LOT of great stuff out there. As for your comments, I must agree 💯, with the added note about The Alchemist. Actually, we read Pilgrimage, by the same author, for book club, and I know that some people adore him, but I thought he was simply insufferable, and I would never touch another one of his books for anything. 😝
💖📚