Broke and the Bookish is hosting their Top Ten Tuesday. Don't just read my list. Go check them out, and see everyone's picks.
This is a tough question, because it really depends on the person you're making a recommendation to. If I know somebody is an action movie fan, then I'd hardly recommend a romance. You get the picture. So, here's my list:
1. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee. Literary without all the effort. Universal.
2. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien. A fantastic children's story. Much easier than Lord of the Rings, and probably more fun.
3. Neon Rain - James Lee Burke. Ok, this is what I was talking about...this is a violent book. Not for everybody. But, I was explaining this book to my dad one time years ago, and my non-reading brother overheard me, and said that sounds like a great story! Of course, he never read it, that I know.
4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl. A great book to give that kid you'd like to see read, but is resistant. Also works for adults who have children.
5. Where the Sidewalk Ends - Shel Silverstein. Hilarious poems for children (or are they for adults?)
6. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen. Ok, so not for men. Hell, I've never even read it (or Austen for that matter). But, I've never known a woman to read Austen and not like it. So, if your non-reader is a woman, this is called playing the odds.
7. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. There's a lot of name recognition here. There are the popular movies (which I refuse to see). In other words, this may be an easy sell to a non-reader.
8. The Firm - John Grisham. This was THE huge book of the early 90's. It is a page turner, and pretty simple. Grisham used the formula over and over again, and it's pretty stale by now...but there's a reason he became a millionaire. The Firm is that reason. He does it well in this book. And the non-reader, won't realize that Grisham regurgitated a lot of the magic he captured in The Firm in later efforts.
9. Hope and Glory - Robert B. Parker. Huh? Ok, so I thought I could use a little romance on the list (outside of Austen). And I've actually read this one. It's a simple, breezy, charming love story about a man trying to win back the girl of his dreams. It's short. Has Parker's fantastic dialogue. And IMO, appeals to both sexes.
10. Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone. Hey eight thousand, gazillion people can't be wrong, right? I wouldn't know. I've never read it.
So, if you're not a reader (and if that's the case why the hell are you here?), pick up one of these. If you are a reader, what books are on your list?
