Get the boy a book!
November 17, 2008 4:00 PM Subscribe
If he liked Tony Parsons and Roald Dahl and Nick Hornby what else will he like?
My mom, dad, and I ALWAYS have a book in our hands. My brother..... not so much. In the last year and a half he has really started reading books for fun. He said he enjoyed Tony Parsons so last Christmas I did Nick Hornby and Roald Dahl for him, and he liked those too. Since reading is something I would REALLY like to encourage, what books should I get him this year?
My mom, dad, and I ALWAYS have a book in our hands. My brother..... not so much. In the last year and a half he has really started reading books for fun. He said he enjoyed Tony Parsons so last Christmas I did Nick Hornby and Roald Dahl for him, and he liked those too. Since reading is something I would REALLY like to encourage, what books should I get him this year?
John O' Farrell's The Best a Man Can Get is hornsbyesque and amusing.
posted by Morpeth at 5:16 PM on November 17, 2008
posted by Morpeth at 5:16 PM on November 17, 2008
http://www.gnooks.com/trip.php
Look for suggestions here.
Always happy to encourage a new(ish) reader!
posted by jaruwaan at 6:15 PM on November 17, 2008
Look for suggestions here.
Always happy to encourage a new(ish) reader!
posted by jaruwaan at 6:15 PM on November 17, 2008
Response by poster: He is 19... I think. Yeah, 19. Not to worried about mom's dislike of language in the books, I think at this point she is happy to see him willingly picking up a book without a look of total disgust on his face.
posted by magnetsphere at 7:26 PM on November 17, 2008
posted by magnetsphere at 7:26 PM on November 17, 2008
I was really into Chuck Palahniuk and Douglas Coupland back when I was also really into Hornby.
Seconding the Vonnegut suggestion, too.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 9:21 PM on November 17, 2008
Seconding the Vonnegut suggestion, too.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 9:21 PM on November 17, 2008
Seconding John O' Farrell and adding Stephen Fry, Terry Pratchett, Bill Bryson, Dave Gorman, Tony Hawks, Nevil Shute, Ben Elton and Danny Wallace.
posted by ceri richard at 1:02 AM on November 18, 2008
posted by ceri richard at 1:02 AM on November 18, 2008
You could also give him more Nick Hornby -- has he read both About a Boy and High Fidelity? Hornby also has the newish Slam out now which I just read and enjoyed, and happens to be about an adolescent boy of 16. (I also enjoyed his other novels but don't recommend them as highly.)
posted by onlyconnect at 9:27 AM on November 18, 2008
posted by onlyconnect at 9:27 AM on November 18, 2008
Response by poster: About a Boy & High Fidelity were the two I did last year because those were the two of Hornby's that I enjoyed the most as well. I'll check out Slam though, I haven't read that one.
posted by magnetsphere at 7:49 AM on November 19, 2008
posted by magnetsphere at 7:49 AM on November 19, 2008
Iain Banks, humorous and dark
posted by chelegonian at 3:22 PM on December 17, 2008
posted by chelegonian at 3:22 PM on December 17, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
If he likes Roald Dahl, he might like some of Vonnegut's shorter works - they've got the same sort of fantastical look at the modern world (as well as a plain writing style), but they're much, much darker. Also, if he's under the age of say, 16, his mom might not like some of the language. I would probably start with Cat's Cradle, as that's the book that turned me on to Vonnegut at the age of 16 years, 11 months, and 4 days.
posted by muddgirl at 4:17 PM on November 17, 2008