What Book Should I Read?

[flobadob]

I've not been much of a reader since I was very young, other than newspapers and teletext, so I was thinking as a new year resolution that perhaps I could start to read more books. The only book I've read in the last ten years is Catcher in the Rye, which I'd read and enjoyed in school so read it again. I've started a few books over the years but just sat them down and forgot about them each time.

So what I would like is a few suggestions on what I should read as a reintroduction to books. I need something that is accessible as I'm pretty much a book virgin but I would also need it to hold my attention, and preferably I would like it to have some sort of cultural significance. I hope that these stipulations don't somehow cancel each other out.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated, and I suppose I would go for one if it was suggested by a few different people. Thanks.

[genius1933]

as there are billions of books on thousands of subjects perhaps you can give your age,sex and nationality first

[quizbag]

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini is a story of life for the ordinary Afghani under the rule of the Taliban. Quite heartbreaking and revealing.
If you fancy something historical try Katherine by Anya Seton or The Far Pavilions by M M Kaye two of the best books ever. Otherwise anything that takes your fancy. It is the reading that is important not the book - though try to stay away from Fifty Shades of Grey.

[Jules001]

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - it is short enough to not make you lose interest, but I can honestly say that you won't want to put it down. It is a fable about following your dream and everyone I have spoken to that has read it has enjoyed it.

[SeaJayPea]

Try Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night Time - I read it in one sitting, couldn't put it down.

And, of course, there's always To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee - has to be in anybody's top ten.

[atalanta]

Cider with Rosie
Three men in a Boat

[saxy_jag]

I don't know if you're male or female, but I know quite a few women who've enjoyed Jane Eyre. David Copperfield and Great Expectations are also relatively straightforward.

You might also want to consider The Great Gatsby or Silas Marner.

[Canary42]

Two very good ones already, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Curious Incident .....

Or you could try The Hunger Games.

The Millennium Trilogy is another good three to tackle - the feisty heroine is a class apart (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest)

[Khandro]

What a person means by "cultural significance" depends somewhat on their culture. Catcher in the Rye was so steeped in the culture of the USA half a century ago, is now so corny as to be near unreadable I would think. If you are British you could try reading someone like Martin Amis I suppose, but it's really, without more information, an unanswerable question.