Husbands never read a book

[MaybeItsBecauseImALodoner]

Husbands 45 years old, hasn't read a book since leaving school. We were just talking about our upcoming child free week away. I plan to read lots on the sun lounger and I want to buy him something to read.
His Movie favourites are Sci Fi (The Matrix) and Horror, he's always watching videos on ghosts and aliens.
Any suggestions?

The Martian is a gripping read for men who don't read a lot of novels.

Why didn't you get him on audible instead, maybe he would prefer to listen rather than read.

My DH never reads it wouldn't cross my mind to make him?

Stephen King
The expanse novels
The haunting of hill house
The woman in black
Sherlock Holmes stories
Philip K dick "do androids dream of electric sheep" (inspired bladerunner)
William Gibson Neuromancer (first use of the word cyberspace)
Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash

Another vote for Stephen King. Green Mile etc

Thanks for all the suggestions I'll take a look. Stephen king is a good shout.

I'm not making him, he agrees himself that going 30 years without reading a book isn't great.

I was going to suggest Stephen King too - extremely easy to read. Same with Michael Crichton. Not high literature but good page turners!

My other half is the same, but he now loves reading non fiction; autobiographies, war histories, that sort of thing!

My husband enjoyed Ready player one and the hunger games. The books are better if you haven't seen the films though

Reading isn’t for everyone. I used to be an avid reader, but my concentration and time has gone now. Have bought books but never gone beyond the first chapter. If the want isn’t there, it’s simply pointless to force it (for himself, not saying you are!).

How about MR James on audiobook? His short stories would be a good place to start. Mark Gatiss made a superb documentary about James, so maybe he has recorded some of them. If Stephen Fry has recorded a few, that would be even better. As for sci fi, I’m a big Douglas Adams fan. If hubby doesn’t want to read them, I’m sure Adams’ stuff must have been recorded as well.

Some of the classic SF short stories from the "Golden Age of Science Fiction", especially the 50s were truly excellent. There are lots of collections still easily available, both individual writers or mixture of writers. The stories of that era were generally short and snappy and generally had a good and satisfying ending. Many were filmed (and refilled) by the various incarnations of The Twilight Zone and are still available on Youtube and probably some streaming services.Some good authors are here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Science_Fiction

Skimming through that article I noticed some novels that were great. For example, 'Canticle for Liebowtz' is fairly long, but sooo good. For several years in my teens I read a great deal of Sf. I was a fairly precocious reader and I feel it opened my mind and imagination to so many different things.

Sorry your post read "I'm reading so he should do too.. " in my head.

if he wants to read that great but I'd show him audible as an option as well and podcasts.

My DH doesn't t read but has started listening more to podcasts.

Same for me I simply don’t enjoy fiction now. I do like non fiction and podcasts though

Has he said he wants to read s book? If not why are you buying.

Depends a bit why.

my husbands similar - started reading Harry Potter in lockdown and is now a reader. Also loves David eddings, Mary Doria Russell, John Wyndham.

I used to read a lot. Now I talk to you lot too much instead!!
I find it hard to 'get into' a book now, but when I do, nothing else gets done, there's no happy medium!!

why not get him to choose something that appeals at the airport? (Or online or a charity shop at the weekend??)

Only Forward by Michael Marshall Smith is great, and a pretty easy read.

If he decides on audiobooks, take a look at your local library services, they will likely have a free service eg Borrowbox or Libby..
Learned that on a Mumsnet thread about free things that are amazing.

We're going on a sit round the pool type holiday but child free. He just commented earlier that I tend to always have my nose stuck in a book on holiday and I suggested he give reading a go. I want to get him a pile of books for Christmas to take on holiday.

I wouldn't buy a pile of books for a non reader, seems like a potential waste of money. Why not wait and see if he enjoys a book before buying loads?

I saw that as someone who reads every day but whose children never pick up a book, some people just aren't readers

The Passage by Justin Cronin or any Stephen King book

3 Body Problem is one of the best sci fi ever written imo, very complex, was sad to finish the trilogy. Michael Crichten (sci fi) and Dean Koontz ( horror with humour) also very good

But you didn't answer the question Did he actually say he wanted to read as,your reply was more about what you want.

What about a book of short stories. There has been one published recently - ghost stories. Git great reviews. I'll see if I can find it.

Also second non-fiction