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What next for book-obsessed DD16 who has “read everything worth reading”

121 replies

NemoNerd · Today 08:49

Looking for some suggestions for summer reading for my book-obsessed 16 yo dd. She hardly read anything in y8 and y9 but in y10 suddenly became a voracious reader. It’s her biggest hobby now - she reads 3 or 4 books per week and no longer watches Netflix at all. I barely recognise her!

She does read fiction, and has tapped out the big hit classics like Pride And Prejudice as well as more recent novels like Madeline Miller’s Song of Achilles.

She really enjoys books about psychology, sociology, astronomy - for example she enjoyed reading an old 1999 book called The Calendar which is very dense but explains how religion and politics have changed how we measure and understand time. She has also read some of the self help books about improving your personal power and influence over others.

Anyway…she’s just finishing up “Man’s Search For Meaning” by Viktor Frankl which she chose for herself.

She’s pondering reading “The Man who mistook his wife for a Cat” next as she really quite enjoys medical/psychological weirdness (she was a big Stephen King fan in year 9!).

For her next read I recommended “Sapiens: A brief history of humankind” followed by “Thinking Fast And Slow” which I told her may be a bit of a stretch.

But for the summer I’d like something a bit lighter…

What else may she like?! When I was her age I read a biographIes and enjoyed them, but it would need to be something really engaging.

She proudly tells me she’s read everything worth reading and is “running out of books” which I found extremely cute. Help me build a reading list!

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RafaistheKingofClay · Today 11:17

I think I’d agree on pulling her up on the read everything worth reading. I know that’s just teens being teens but if she’s going to be a truly voracious reader with her own tastes she’s going to need to get into the idea of developing her own tastes by also reading the things that aren’t worth reading (or more specifically finding stuff that she doesn’t like or isn’t necessarily linked to stuff she’s already read). It’s really more about what she enjoys rather than what’s worth it and that might change from day to day.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give her suggestions though. Sophie’s world is great for that age. Maybe try Bryson’s shoot history if anything and some Pratchett. Go browse a bookshop with a book chart or selection of recommendations/bestsellers.

https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/category/secondary-ks3-ks4-reading-lists/

there are some lists here for KS4 and 5 too. She might find stuff on the KS3 lists she enjoys too. There’s nothing wrong with going back and reading stuff intended for slightly younger age groups she might have missed if she never read before.

Secondary KS3, KS4 and KS5 11-18 books lists

Books for secondary children aged 11-16. Recommended reading lists for Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, Year 11, Year 12 & Year 13 in KS3, KS4 & KS5

https://schoolreadinglist.co.uk/category/secondary-ks3-ks4-reading-lists

Maybeitllneverhappen · Today 11:19

For a variety:
Thomas Hardy
Kate Mosse
William Boyd
Henry James
Joseph Conrad
Hilary Mantel
Some French(?)- Madame Bovary, Cousin Bette
Some Russians(?)- Anna Karenina?

MyThreeWords · Today 11:21

Agree War and Peace is a great read, but perhaps some shorter works by Tolstoy would be better (less of a challenge) for a young reader. His memoir (semi-memoir?) Childhood, Boyhood, Youth is lovely,

Sweetsalad · Today 11:22

Factfulness
Hiking with Nietzsche
The Trading Game
Status Anxiety
Surrounded by Idiots (a particularly nice one for the bookshelf you Grin)

Ormally · Today 11:29

Surrounded by Idiots (a particularly nice one for the bookshelf you )
I'll put this on a wish list and will be happy to put it next to 'They F*k You up' by Oliver James!!

2BarbieOrNot2Barbie · Today 11:31

At that age Germs, Guns and Steel I think is a great read. All about the role of those 3 things on human developement through the ages.

Sweetsalad · Today 11:33

Ormally · Today 11:29

Surrounded by Idiots (a particularly nice one for the bookshelf you )
I'll put this on a wish list and will be happy to put it next to 'They F*k You up' by Oliver James!!

Grin

"How to kill your family" is also useful to display prominently on the bookshelf just to keep everyone on their best behaviour

Ormally · Today 11:37

Sweetsalad · Today 11:33

Grin

"How to kill your family" is also useful to display prominently on the bookshelf just to keep everyone on their best behaviour

If on zoom calls (even worse, zoom interviews), I usually use a small room where all of DH's books are in the background - definitely Not My Bookcase! I'm so conscious that it could swing things either way and it would be very unrepresentative of my lot that's at eye level at the top of the stairs.

Someone once mused on what Malcolm Tucker would advise/browbeat for backdrops if there had been a 2020 In The Thick of It. This is something that I smile and wonder about far too often!

ToadRage · Today 11:38

I would definitely reccomend His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, I was a little younger than her when I read them. I resisted the Twilight books for a little while due to the hype but got the first one for Christmas and got hooked. If she likes thrillers I would definitely reccomend the Ben Hope series by Scott Mariani, I really enjoyed them and there are about 20-odd books in the series so will keep her busy for a while. I love crime fiction myself read a lot of Karen Rose, Karin Slaughter, Lisa Jackson, Beverly Barton etc.

Sweetsalad · Today 11:39

Ormally · Today 11:37

If on zoom calls (even worse, zoom interviews), I usually use a small room where all of DH's books are in the background - definitely Not My Bookcase! I'm so conscious that it could swing things either way and it would be very unrepresentative of my lot that's at eye level at the top of the stairs.

Someone once mused on what Malcolm Tucker would advise/browbeat for backdrops if there had been a 2020 In The Thick of It. This is something that I smile and wonder about far too often!

Grin
TheDonsDingleberries · Today 11:42

If she likes sociology, Random Family by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc is fascinating. It follows young people living in the Bronx during the nineties and documents their attempts to break the cycle of poverty, teenage parenthood, and gang culture.

I'd also recommend Unnatural Causes by Dr Richard Shepherd. Dr Shepherd was Britain's leading forensic pathologist, and one of the experts brought in to assist with post-mortems in the aftermath of 9/11. This is a memoir of his life, but also explored the psychological toll his work took on him.

I would also recommend Invisible Women: Data bias in a world designed for men by Caroline Criado Pérez, because I think everyone needs to read it at least once!

Definitely challenge her to read books she doesn't think are worth reading though. Some of my favourite books ended up being ones I was sure I wouldn't like at first glance.

Sweetsalad · Today 11:44

Also suggest she /you take a look at Persephone books - I have discovered so many fabulous gems from them

And I agree with whoever suggested PH Wodehouse. For something light and frothy but fun they are hard to beat - and there are lots

Sweetsalad · Today 11:47

TheDonsDingleberries · Today 11:42

If she likes sociology, Random Family by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc is fascinating. It follows young people living in the Bronx during the nineties and documents their attempts to break the cycle of poverty, teenage parenthood, and gang culture.

I'd also recommend Unnatural Causes by Dr Richard Shepherd. Dr Shepherd was Britain's leading forensic pathologist, and one of the experts brought in to assist with post-mortems in the aftermath of 9/11. This is a memoir of his life, but also explored the psychological toll his work took on him.

I would also recommend Invisible Women: Data bias in a world designed for men by Caroline Criado Pérez, because I think everyone needs to read it at least once!

Definitely challenge her to read books she doesn't think are worth reading though. Some of my favourite books ended up being ones I was sure I wouldn't like at first glance.

Same. Most recently the Diary of a Provincial Lady. I can't believe how many times I ignored recommendations, assuming I wouldn't enjoy it

I like reading challenges on Storygraph for pushing myself to try new things

midJulytarget · Today 11:47

Jonathan Coe

Start her on What a Carve Up! and she'll be hooked

It's got everything a book could possibly have. I'm not even going to start listing its merits or I'll never stop

Stowickthevast · Today 11:48

My 16 year old just loved Project Hail Mary and is now trying some Iain M Banks for space SF. She likes being recommended things by me as well as choosing her own stuff, which tends to be a bit more lowbrow romance.

Annie Ernaux is great for sociology, start wth The Years. She may also like Perfection by Vincent Latronico for a look at millennials/ digital nomads.

Love and Other Thought Experiments by Sophie Ward is quite an odd book that was on the Booker list a few years ago that has a fair bit of philosophy woven in, I preferred it to Sophie's World which I found a bit dry.

WonderingAndOverthinking · Today 11:49

Silverbirchleaf · Today 09:18

Whistle - Linwood Barclay - the reviews say that it’s very Stephen King -like. I absolutely loved it.

I adored this book, it took me right back to my Stephen King obsessed teen self!

Sweetsalad · Today 11:50

Stowickthevast · Today 11:48

My 16 year old just loved Project Hail Mary and is now trying some Iain M Banks for space SF. She likes being recommended things by me as well as choosing her own stuff, which tends to be a bit more lowbrow romance.

Annie Ernaux is great for sociology, start wth The Years. She may also like Perfection by Vincent Latronico for a look at millennials/ digital nomads.

Love and Other Thought Experiments by Sophie Ward is quite an odd book that was on the Booker list a few years ago that has a fair bit of philosophy woven in, I preferred it to Sophie's World which I found a bit dry.

Good point. My son has enjoyed Project Hail Mary and is currently enjoying The Martian.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · Today 11:52

Get her to listen to some old podcasts of R4’s “A Good Read” programme. Really inspirational. Or at least look at their recommended reading lists A Good Read.

BBC Radio 4 - A Good Read

Find reading inspiration with favourite books chosen by our guests.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006v8jn

Ohwhatfuckeryitistoride · Today 11:53

Morepositivemum · Today 09:32

Just because she liked Sapiens I’d say try Stephen Fry’s books

If youre talking mythology, and given that she seems an advanced reader, id skip Fry's versions and go for the og-Homer and Robert Graves Greek Myths.

ElizaMulvil · Today 11:53

Tale of Two Cities. Dickens.

Swissrailways · Today 11:56

I tend to read in 'themes'
So , a particular author, books set in eg Australia or US deep south, all Booker winners
There are many lists of recommended books, the Guardian recently published a list of the best 100 novels of all time, Barack Obama publishes a list of his favourites every year which is a mixture of genres. I've enjoyed books i wouldn't choose from such lists.

stargirl1701 · Today 11:58

Pop to the library? She sounds like a librarian’s dream!

HelenaWilson · Today 11:59

Wasn't there a fictional heroine who started with authors beginning with A in the local library and worked her way through?

She's a bit old for that teenage know it all 'read every worth reading' attitude. I think it merits a Miss Cromwell type reading list of classic fiction and nonfiction from a range of periods and cultures.

Has she ever been to a really big bookshop? Foyle's in Charing X Road or Blackwell's in Oxford or one of the very big Waterstones such as Piccadilly or Gower Street?

Whyarepeople · Today 12:01

For fiction, anything by Margaret Atwood but I highly recommend Cat's Eye. It is her best by far IMO.

Psychology wise Stephen Pinker is good but I'd warn her to take what he says with a pinch of salt. He is solid in many things but too confident in some of his assertions, largely because of the pop-psych slant of his work (he'd be more cautious in academic texts). The Blank Slate is a dense read but comprehensive and fascinating.

supercrone · Today 12:01

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · Today 09:05

Honestly I wouldn’t be trying to make her a list, it sounds like she is at the point where she needs to develop her own skills in finding and evaluating books. I would be facilitating her going to libraries/bookshops/Amazon or whatever means of acquiring books works best for her, and helping her navigate the world of reviews/blurbs which overpraise mediocre books/strategising what to read next.

Yes. I'd just let her at it now