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Original poster

Can you give me your book suggestions please for sons kindle? He turns 28.

37 replies

EmailsaysOOO · 10/06/2026 12:20

I need to suggest a book for my son's kindle. His gf is arranging for his birthday and I think because they are moving to France in the summer. She's asking lots of people. Husband and I each asked to give her a request plus a message, ( and I don't know how or what she's going to do with messages).

So he is going to be 28. Racking my brains to remember books I know he's read. The fiction I know he's read includes Ian Mc Ewan, Haruki Marukami, also had a spell of reading buddhist kind of things, I think Siddartha is along those lines. I know he has read at least one book by Matt Haig and I was thinking of suggesting the Midnight Library so I'd be particularly keen to know if anyone's husband or sons etc have read it as I know the central character is female. So is it going to be relatable for a man?

I might be able to sneakily find out via his GF which Ian Mc Ewan books he hasn't read but I feel they are all so variable. I think that would be more risky.

Can I please have your ideas?

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Silverbirchleaf · 14/06/2026 21:28

Robert Harris books - superb historical novels

John Marr books - written in the near future, so slightly futuristic, but relatable to today as well. Superb author

Black box thinking - Matthew Syed - not fiction but may be a good choice also

bellocchild · 14/06/2026 20:16

Terry Pratchett

TheDonsDingleberries · 14/06/2026 18:29

Forgot one!

A Tale For The Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

TheDonsDingleberries · 14/06/2026 18:20

The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St Mendel
Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka

CutFlowers · 14/06/2026 18:00

On a French theme - some of the Sebastian Faulks books are set in France - Paris Echo, Birdsong, Charlotte Gray. The Count of Monte Cristo is a great yarn. I also really enjoyed Hisham Matar books - My Friends which is set in London but really about exile. His memoir about his father, The Return, is also very good.

KnittyKnotty · 13/06/2026 17:02

Would a Kindle voucher be better, I would hate someone picking books for me?

Original poster
EmailsaysOOO · 13/06/2026 12:54

ChessieFL · 12/06/2026 20:09

No I haven’t read all Matt Haig’s books, think I’ve read three of his. I don’t know anyone else in real life who reads them so can’t comment about whether men read them or not.

Thanks @ChessieFL

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ChessieFL · 12/06/2026 20:09

No I haven’t read all Matt Haig’s books, think I’ve read three of his. I don’t know anyone else in real life who reads them so can’t comment about whether men read them or not.

DelphiniumBlue · 12/06/2026 20:06

DH and some of my adult sons like the Slow Horses series, and Rivers of London. Also Last Kingdom.

Original poster
EmailsaysOOO · 12/06/2026 18:47

@ChessieFL, I've now seen that the Midnight Train hasn't been out for long. Just curious - do you read all Matt HAig books ? And do you know any men who read them and enjoy them please.? ( Not too sure why I'm getting hung up in the gender business but there we go). Cheers

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Original poster
EmailsaysOOO · 12/06/2026 18:45

Reader19 · 10/06/2026 20:01

If he enjoyed Siddhartha, maybe some other Hermann Hesse? Lots of his work incorporates Buddhist influences, though not all equally obviously. The Glass Bead Game and Narcissus and Goldmund are the ones I have loved, though others may have read others and be able to recommend them. Hesse is more intellectually demanding than most of the suggestions so far, but fits the books you have said he has enjoyed.

Other suggestions (based mostly on his reading Murakami) are Kurt Vonnegut and ths short stories of Jorge Luis Borges.

Thanks very much. Yes another Hermann Hesse might work. Good idea 💡 👍

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ChessieFL · 11/06/2026 06:46

I have read The Midnight Train and enjoyed it. It’s a very similar vibe to The Midnight Library, so someone who liked Library will probably like Train and vice versa.

Reader19 · 10/06/2026 20:01

If he enjoyed Siddhartha, maybe some other Hermann Hesse? Lots of his work incorporates Buddhist influences, though not all equally obviously. The Glass Bead Game and Narcissus and Goldmund are the ones I have loved, though others may have read others and be able to recommend them. Hesse is more intellectually demanding than most of the suggestions so far, but fits the books you have said he has enjoyed.

Other suggestions (based mostly on his reading Murakami) are Kurt Vonnegut and ths short stories of Jorge Luis Borges.

MrsMist · 10/06/2026 19:37

No I don't, i just pointed it out after @RubyPowderPuff said the Midnight Library was terrible. Though I have googled Midnight Train and it sounds like the might be similar.

I'm not sure my son would have liked Midnight Library but I loved it.

The Robin Hobbs books are epic!

Original poster
EmailsaysOOO · 10/06/2026 19:11

@MrsMist hi, please can I ask if you know anyone who's read the Midnight Train ?.

Thanks I'll look into Robbin Hobbs ☺️

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RubyPowderPuff · 10/06/2026 18:50

@EmailsaysOOO yes, I found it very repetitive, predictable and boring...
1Q84 is actually a long book - print length is about 950 pages- but once you get into in the story and enjoy it, that's irrelevant! Plus, I like books & characters that will be there for a while when I come home from work or spend a few afternoons reading.... it's a bit of a comfort thing and escapism. Only problem is, these types of book need to be very well written

MrsMist · 10/06/2026 18:20

Pp said Midnight Train not midnight library.
My son of similar age enjoyed the Robin Hobbs books ie The Assassin's Apprentice

Original poster
EmailsaysOOO · 10/06/2026 18:13

AnnaQuayRules · 10/06/2026 15:43

My DS is 28 and a great reader. He lives with his girlfriend and reads on Kindle so I don't know many of the books he's read recently but I know he's enjoyed:
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow
The Secret History
Project Hail Mary
The Grapes of Wrath
Wild Dark Shore.
Pompeii (Robert Harris)
In Memoriam

Wow! You might have hit on something with the Secret History, that's Donna Tart, isn't it ? Loved that and he'd be interested in the social dynamics of all the students after the crime comes out. Thanks a million for this ! 😁

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Original poster
EmailsaysOOO · 10/06/2026 18:09

@RubyPowderPuff thanks for this. I read the Midnight Library and loved it and gave to my youngest who said she did too. can I ask what you thought of it ? Did it seem a bit too repetitive, like he was following a formula ?

Yes my husband might choose Marukami for his suggestion . I think he might have mentioned IQ 84 - hope that wouldn't be too long. I just assume everyone is like me and scared of long books. Thanks for those other 2 suggestions as well 😁

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Original poster
EmailsaysOOO · 10/06/2026 18:05

TemporarilyCantDoMyself · 10/06/2026 15:46

If he likes McKewan, he likes good, intelligent fiction.
Has he read any of the more recent American greats? I'm thinking Philip Roth - The Human Stain is magnificent but there are lots of others. Jonathan Franzen. Richard Powers - I adore him, he's a genius IMHO. Don DeLillo. Paul Auster.
There are loads really but that's a good place to start if he hasn't ventured into US fiction, and there are lots from the above from the male POV. It's a whole other world.

Ooh I'm going to have to steal these for me. think I might have heard him say something about DonDe Lillo but I could be wrong. many thanks 😁

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RubyPowderPuff · 10/06/2026 17:54

NO to The Midnight Library by M Haig! Utter rubbish!!!

I think get him Murakami either The Wind-up Bird Chronicle or 1Q84, probably less known but a great read.
I'd also suggest the Mary Renault Alexander the Great Trilogy...
Octavia Butler also has some interesting books SiFi books....

Or get hin a 12 months Kindle unlimited subscription.

Original poster
EmailsaysOOO · 10/06/2026 17:53

ExplodingSmittens · 10/06/2026 17:39

I quite like the Maigret books. The first ones were published in the 1930s so they aren’t modern but I still think they’re a good read.

Oh my husband's always waxing lyrical about those ..Nice idea 💡

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Original poster
EmailsaysOOO · 10/06/2026 17:52

CraftyNavySeal · 10/06/2026 15:37

For interesting sci fi vibes I recommend There is No Anti Memetics Division (idk the author), China Mieville books and The Three Body Problem series

Oh yes they all sound interesting. Good stuff 👌 😁

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ExplodingSmittens · 10/06/2026 17:39

I quite like the Maigret books. The first ones were published in the 1930s so they aren’t modern but I still think they’re a good read.

TemporarilyCantDoMyself · 10/06/2026 15:46

If he likes McKewan, he likes good, intelligent fiction.
Has he read any of the more recent American greats? I'm thinking Philip Roth - The Human Stain is magnificent but there are lots of others. Jonathan Franzen. Richard Powers - I adore him, he's a genius IMHO. Don DeLillo. Paul Auster.
There are loads really but that's a good place to start if he hasn't ventured into US fiction, and there are lots from the above from the male POV. It's a whole other world.

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