Odd experience trying to choose books for a non-reading young woman

[MsAmerica]

I recently met a hair stylist who I'd guess to be still in her late teens. Very cute, very chatty, but I was horrified by what she told me of her schooling. She basically didn't have much, although technically has a high school diploma. She also doesn't usually read, although she told me she's reading a self-help book and would like to read more, because she understands that it's a "good" thing to do.

So I thought maybe I'd try to bring something next time, and asked a forum for suggestions. I said I'd love to get her a few easy cheap paperbacks, good-quality fiction that she might really enjoy, not junk. And not fantasy. If it were a 30 year-old man, I might get him something like "Of Mice and Men" which has the advantage of being actual literature AND short AND with simple language. But it's too downbeat for a young woman just starting out. I couldn't immediately come up with anything except O.Henry short stories.

The first problem was although I said she was a working person in her late teens, I made the mistake of using the word "girl," and everyone in the forum started suggesting children's books. Several suggested fantasy, although I clearly said I didn't want that. (A few even chided me for wanting to give books to a non-reader at all.)

The second problem is that it really did turn out that everything I could think of would be more suitable for a young man, and everything seemed to be very downbeat.

Funny how much reading is gendered.

Why do you keep reiterating it's not what YOU want? You sound like you're suffering from some weird literacy saviour complex. Does she make a good job of your hair, if so, leave it at that and let her choose her own reading material.

Go to your local library and ask the librarian for help. It’s the sort of thing they’re really good at.

Ooh, which one? I still love some of her now at nearly 50😂

Translation -

I’m better than you, here’s a book. Read it.

Thank goodness the common sense people have joined this thread. Avoiding ‘the book woman’ sums it up perfectly
well

It’s worse than that, it’s ’I’m Better than you — here’s a book that has to be something approved by me, even though I have weird, gendered ideas about books.’

If she was "highbrow" would you still say "some exposure to something different would be good" and but her a trashy fantasy romance? I doubt it.

If you want her to discover a love of reading you need to find what she's interested in and go with it - not give the polar opposite in the name of "broadening her horizons" or something.

The more off piste you go with your very fixed ideas (which for some reason you don't want to explain) the more likely it is she'll let the book father dust on a shelf.

And say what, "I must save my low brow hairdresser from the misery of not reading, please direct me to your finest literature"?

Preferably say this in a “Withnail” voice, OP 😀

🤣🤣

😂

My DH (a non reader who loves LOTR) is always trying to get our teenagers (who do read) to read it. They all ignore him. They also usually ignore me when I suggest things, even though my suggestions are more along the lines of 'I think you might be interested in this book that is related to the subject you've just talked about to me for the last half hour'. Teenagers don't listen.

"And can you explain why you don’t want her to read any fantasy? (Not that it’s your choice.) No Tolkien / Susan Cooper / Philip Pullman? No Narnia? Heavens!"

What @TroubledBloodyMary said! And no Jacqueline Carey? Or even, no Anne McCaffrey? Which brings us to Sci-Fi....

Yes exactly this.

Why on earth the sexist, snobby view of books? Marketing may be gendered, books are not. As for the “no fantasy” - words fail me.

If she is a non reader who actively wants to read more (as opposed to telling an opinionated customer what she wants to hear) then easy reading is exactly the place to start. YA, graphic novels, easier fantasy, sex and shopping books, cosy mysteries, popular detective series all have one thing in common - people like them which is why they sell by the truckload. People won’t read what they don’t like, it needs to be enjoyable.

And if you must take books in to "educate her” at least follow PP advice and tell her you are having a clear out and thought she might enjoy a couple of the books or suggest she joins a public library where she can try different things for free and where there are trained professionals who can make suggestions.

I remember the crystal singer books as a teenager - much of her fantasy output would appeal to a young woman who is not a regular reader.

And as you say - there is all of Sci-Fi. It never ceases to amaze me that people completely dismiss entire genres.

Thanks!

I still re-read the first CrystalSinger book as a comfort read. I also loved the DragonRider series, although I suspect some of the of-its-time sexism might deter people.

Plus I forgot to agree with a PP who suggested Terry Pratchett.

Yes its a fair shout that they are a little dated now - a contemporary equivalent may well be better for a young woman.

The Green Man series isn’t “romantasy” but I have suggested that to young readers with some success, ditto Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series and both of Samantha Shannon’s series. There are many, many more - the choice is enormous.

I have yet to meet the person for whom I cannot find a Pratchett - he covered pretty much every interest group on Discworld 😀

@C8H10N4O2 reckons "I have yet to meet the person for whom I cannot find a Pratchett - he covered pretty much every interest group on Discworld 😀"

Yep. What about one of the Tiffany Aching ones for the OP's project? Hat Full of Sky?

Try her on the Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum books - she'll realise that books can be funny and entertaining, but also that sometimes however much you enjoy a series you have to take a break and read something different.

Oh dear, we’ve returned to the book recommendations…I just want to tell the op to back off!

Imagine being at work making small talk with a customer to be polite and friendly as part of your job and then the customer comes back a few weeks later with a reading list and a pile of books that you have to read between now and their next appointment.
Way too intense! Leave her alone!

I can assure you that you would not find a Pratchett for me, and I’m a voracious reader.

This OP’s hairdresser we’re talking about, not her child or her student.

She shouldn’t be ‘trying her on’ anything!

This thread is absolutely nuts! I reckon half of these recommendations are people trying to egg OP on so she makes a fool of herself.

Or they’re under the misapprehension that she’s talking about her 12 yr old niece.

@maudelovesharold it says "recently met a hair stylist" in the first sentence of the OP. But yes, maybe people have skimmed it and assumed it's a young family member in need of an auntie's guidance.