I've been saying for years that I'm going to read more, but I never know where to start. Dense, long books bore me, but I don't want something too childish either. What do you recommend that's gripping and won't make me abandon it halfway through?
I agree that genre matters, but "The Alchemist" honestly is kind of slow if what you're looking for is something that grabs you right away. Try short thrillers or graphic novels - like "Persepolis" by Marjane Satrapi or some mystery that won't let you put the book down. The idea is for your first book to be an experience, not a chore, so you actually want to read again afterward. Is there any topic you're obsessed with? (Real crime, travel, romance, whatever) because that matters more than "literary quality" to hook you.
Most people who say they don't read actually just haven't found the right genre, not that they lack discipline. I'd start with something short and fast-paced like "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho or "The House of the Spirits" by Isabel Allende if you're into stuff that blends realism with a touch of magic, because those pages just fly by and hook you without being heavy. If you'd rather go for something more contemporary and quick, "Before Night Falls" by Reinaldo Arenas is short but intense, or even some graphic novels like "Maus" that break the mold of what you think a book is. The thing is to try different genres without guilt if one doesn't do it for you halfway through: it's not failure, it's just that you haven't found yours yet.
If what hooks you is watching birds or nature documentaries, try "The Girl Next Door" by Jack Ketchum or something by Jon Krakauer like "Into the Wild" - they're short books, steady pacing and they grab you because things keep happening, there's no unnecessary filler! Forget the dense classics for now, what you need is to find a plot that won't let go of you.
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