My father doesn't read, but I want him to. Is this a decent list of recommendations for him?
Julius Caesar
Wuthering Heights
Euthyphro
I realize that these works are not unified by any particular theme, and that you may not consider them the best of the best; but I am trying ease my father into an interest in learning and reading.
I live in a small town, and nobody here reads. It would be great if I could get him to read.
We know nothing about your father so just give him something he'd complete before anything else
Wuthering Heights is a pretty great book senpai. Definitely one of my favorites. Heathcliff and Cathy are easily two of the greatest chatacters in literature.
You sound like pretentious condescending fuck.
3/10 would not want to have as son.
Lol why would someone enjoy reading those, you choose books to read yourself. Sounds like you're trying to act smart.
Do you think I hate my father? That I think he is stupid?
He's actually very smart, but has never been a reader, and I thought trying to get him into it would be cool.
I'm not entirely sure those are works to start a beginner reader on. I think you would have a much better chance using some modernist writings like Hemingway or Steinbeck to really get him going. Something like The Old Man and the Sea would be perfect, it is short, fairly simple in prose, but nonetheless a great work.
>Trying to act smart
These works are not that difficult to read. It just sucks living in a place where nobody shares my interests.
Getting people into literature is legitimately one of the hardest things you can do. I've tried to get my best friend into lit for the past year and it's just not happening. He had 3 months to read a book for a college english class and didn't even get past the first chapter. He can't stop playing video games long enough to read 5 pages a say.
Recommend some stuff to your dad, but don't be forceful. If he cares enough to read, he'll start.
Just ask him what he'd be interested in reading.
He did say he read The Old Man and the Sea once. I'll try introducing him to more Hemingway, or East of Eden maybe.
Do not do this to him.
You don't want him to start thinking about shit, which will lead him to suffering.
This is my situation precisely. I try not to get frustrated (because they are my friends) but being informed and well read doesn't require a genius IQ—it just requires self-discipline. Instead of reading, they just play video games all day. They don't even want to go out and do things because of "muh video games".
Go through a high school style curriculum. East of Eden isn't taught in high school because it's long and at times difficult. I'd say go with the following:
Of Mice and Men: Easy to read, obvious themes, still a significant work by a significant author
Oedipus Rex: Culturally important, not too challenging
For Whom the Bell Tolls: Has some difficult parts but the setting keeps it gripping
Romeo and Juliet: I adore this book. Funny, compelling, people respond strongly to the characters
Macbeth: Also culturally significant but generally not too difficult
Add something fun in there, like a book about one of his hobbies or interests, or something funny like David Sedaris.
I love Faulkner and McCarthy but those are tough for someone not used to academic reading.
Anyways, that's my recommendation. There's a reason high school reading is structured the way it is. It hits culturally significant books for people who don't necessarily like reading literature.
Iktf all my friends want to do is play LOL and listen to metal.
dads like history - give him
i, claudius or augustus
I like this. Thanks for the recommendations.
I guess I'll see if it sparks some interest.
>Steinbeck
he always struck me as a boring ass dude, but as a significant American author i feel like i should read him, so i copped a copy of Moon Is Down which is like 100 pages, if it doesn't suck I might read more, if not at least i'll have something to talk about when some dickhead brings him up in a fantasy conversation about literature that will never happen
>Oedipus Rex: Culturally important, not too challenging
they just had a full cast performance of the three oedipus plays on sale on audible for literally $2, i was like fuck yes copped
>Y-you have no idea how stupid Harry Potter is.
>Eh, I liked it when I was a kid.
>You wanna go to this l-little hole in the w-wall bar and hold up a book cover to start a c-c-conversation with p-people?
>So you want to hang out but not talk to each other? I think I'll play video games while talking to friends that I have all over the world by using Discord. You should try League of Legends! It runs on bad computers and is super fun.
>P-Plebian!
>imblyngi
It is a whore fucking lie that League of Legends is a super fun game. People do not play League of Legends to have fun.
There was nothing pretentious in OP's post.
expecting a non-reader to read through withering heights is unlikely, as is any Shakespeare. Euthyphro may be the most unlikely to get someone into reading. If you are not already interested in philosophy, then Euthyphro certainly isn't going to spark some desire.
I'd say your best bet is probably something like Slaughterhouse Five. It's short, easy, funny, and has historical significance.