If you had to choose one book for a non reader...

[tessiegirl]

Just that really.

I need a book that is not too 'heavy' or long...

I'm trying to get someone 'into' reading.

I have ideas - the flowers in the attic, agatha Christie, gone girl, Mark Edwards, jojo moyes...

Any genre...ideas?

Do they want to get into reading? If they’re not bothered then no book would do the trick. If they want to but they just need something to ease them in, I agree with Agatha Christie is fun and easy. Maybe something by Catherine Ryan Hyde as well.

Is this an adult? I know a few adults who never read but somehow have all read Harry Potter.. could be a good place to start?

Carl Hiaasen's Sick Puppy Don't be put off by the title. It's easy, funny, topical with good pace.
VI Warshawski series has a great female protagonist. Kathleen Turner played her in the film.

DDM's Rebecca.

Peter Moore's, "No shitting in the toilet"
Its a travel book, and hilarious, but also mainly written in bullet points.
No story to follow at all.

Philip Pullmans His Dark Materials

need more info, what do they do when not watching tv?

Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella. It's easy to read, funny and you want to know the outcome so will keep reading.

I typically read mainstream books and all of your suggestions would have put me right off if I'd never read before! It depends very much on the person, DH is not typically a reader (finds reading quite difficult) but devoured the Game of Thrones series which I gave up on after one page because it was such hard work.

If the person is not a reader, I would suggest a list of topics they are interested in. Also fiction or non fiction? Personally I am currently reading the ragged trousered philanthropists. I also think this book should be compulsory reading for all high school students. It's very relevant despite being written over 100 years ago.

What do they like in general? If you sat and had a chat what would they tell you about?

Do they like humour? Real life stories? Music/tv/movies, if so what kind?

My favourite book is the blue castle by LM Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables. It's gentle, beautifully written & an utter joy to read!

Of recent times, I'd urge everyone to read Educated by Tara Westover & also any Sarah Waters, Maggie O'Farrell, Amy Tan, Donna Tartt, Daphne du Maurier...

@buckeejit Thanks I've just ordered the blue castle.

Already been mentioned on here - Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. It's a favourite book of mine and lots of people's favourite too, which says a lot. I think it's one of of those books that you can read many times and love it even more each read. It's pretty much perfect in my opinion.

Party Shoes
Ballet Shoes

I think if they want to start reading they need to think about what they find interesting and look for a book about that. Assuming you're talking about fiction what kind of stories do they like in films or TV? Maybe the book that inspired a TV series would be good?

The trouble with suggesting a specific book is that if you tell them it's brilliant and they hate it that might put them off. Look at the thread about hyped books people hate. There's both books I disliked and books I loved on that list. And some of the reasons people give for not liking a book? shudder But we are all different and get different things out of reading and that's part of the fun. So probably the most important thing to say is 'if you don't like this book that's OK, we can have fun arguing about that'.

It depends on why they're not a reader in the first place. My late MIL only read one entire book in her whole life, a James Herriot. But she struggled massively with reading and classroom trauma had left her feeling reading = bad. So she sought to avoid it as far as possible. I was amazed when she said she had read a book once, on holiday and she did enjoy it, but then it didn't seem to have pushed her towards trying another, did it..?

So my tongue in cheek suggestion is James Herriot, which to be fair are quite readable even if you're not arsed about animals. They're as much about the people and his day to day life, all dealt with quite humorously. They're not challenging in any way, and don't cover much grimness (that which there is seems to be covered quite gently).

The Wasp Factory
A Curious Incident of a Dog in the Night-time

My bf isn't a reader either but he really liked these two books.

The Royal Game by Stefan Zweig, its gripping and very thin! So they will at least make it to the end.

At Mary’s chronicles Everytime so much fun to read

Any of the Discworld books - either from the start of the series or pick out one that's relevant to the person (like Moving Pictures if they're into films)

Depends in if it's a man or woman and how old, but seven sisters series by Lucinda Riley.

White Fang

The lost !am by jane Harper....thriller set in Australia outback....gripping! Difficult to suggest unless you know more about the reader

Man not !am