Want to start (or restart) a reading habit? This book list is the best place to begin

By Megha Sharma22 September 2019

From crime mystery to romance and humour, there's a genre for every kind of aspiring reader in here

One of the most common and important goals that a person sets in life, apart from having a regular workout routine and prioritising mental well-being, is developing a lifelong reading habit. While some are successful in doing so, others get stuck in the rules of it all—make a list, find a quiet place, have a reading hour every day—instead of actually making any headway with their 'Books to Read' list.

So here's one thing that could actually help you get started (or pick up from where you left off). A really good book. Often reading a book that holds some literary value and is also engaging and simple enough for a beginner can be the key to reading more. Ahead, we recommend eight such reads that are sure to make you cancel your plans, get yourself a cup of good hot chocolate, find a comfy couch and read into the late hours of the night.

My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell

Genre: Autobiography, humour

In case of this twentieth-century classic, humorous is an understatement. Durrell chronicles five years of his life spent on the Greek island of Corfu with his family, starting at the age of 10. As we go through his book, with diet and gun-obsessed siblings, his widowed mother, and dog Roger, we embark on a journey that’s a delightful account of their eccentric experiences that include competing for space with snakes, scorpions, geckos, owls and toads alike. The novel is the first part of The Corfu Trilogy, followed by its sequels Birds, Beasts and Relatives, and The Garden of the Gods. Capturing the beginnings of Durrell’s love for animals and accompanying family issues, My Family and Other Animals gained immense popularity, and was also adapted into a 90-minute film, and a 10-part BBC and 6-part ITV series.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Genre: Fantasy

Now also a Broadway musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is definitely one of the most popular works of Roald Dahl. It’s the story of an eccentric character Willy Wonka, who invites the finders of five Golden Tickets hidden inside the wrappers of chocolate bars, to visit his chocolate factory, one that nobody has ever been inside. Charlie Bucket, our brave and honest hero, is one of those lucky kids. As we dive into fun-filled pages narrating how he sets off to witness the wildest time of his life, we’re in for a sweet surprise at the end.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Genre: Fiction

Shaker Heights is a placid suburb in Ohio, and a place where everything is run by the rules—including the upper-middle class Richardson family. Little Fires Everywhere explores their relationship with Mia and Pearl Warren, a mother-daughter duo renting one of the Richardsons’ homes. There’s a lot one can look forward to with the passage of events—the mysterious past of the tenants, chemistry between the Warren daughter and the Richardson children, and the intertwined fates of everyone. This is an ideal pick if you’re looking for some engaging fiction.

Normal People by Sally Rooney

Genre: Fiction

Normal People is a coming-of-age story of Connell, a popular boy in his school, and his relationship with his quiet and intimidating schoolmate, Marianne. The novel explores the topsy-turvy journey of the teenage couple through their school and university years, as they deal with insecurities, weave in and out of each other’s lives and end up developing an intense bond. The witty dialogues, remarkable imagery and a take on what it’s like to be young and in love—all make it an engaging short read when you’re looking for something to start with. Rooney’s second work, the book was also longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2018 and Women’s Prize for Fiction 2019.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Genre: Thriller

A modern American literature classic and Pulitzer Prize winner, To Kill a Mockingbird is found on almost every bookshelf and reading list. The plot brings out the issues of rape and racial inequality through the eyes of a six-year-old narrator, and explores the concepts of right and wrong, just and unjust. Atticus Finch, a widowed father of two and a prominent lawyer, encourages his children to be empathetic, and always leads by example. Soon, the story escalates and we embark on a thrilling journey of Finch fighting a black man’s case and his daughter (the narrator) standing up for her father’s honour.

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

Genre: Crime mystery

Kicking off with a few unconnected events and then leading onto deeper investigations into all of them, Case Histories is an unputdownable crime detective novel. The surprises are set extremely well and you’re struck by the tiniest of details. A three-year-old girl has disappeared from a garden, a husband is murdered by his wife with an axe, and a solicitor’s daughter is murdered without an apparent motive. Do we even need another trigger?

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

Genre: Romance

A 29-year-old girl who is academically intelligent, completes The Daily Telegraph crossword every day during her lunch break and leads a solitary lifestyle consuming two bottles of vodka every weekend, but describes herself as “absolutely fine”. As we continue to dive deeper into her socially awkward life, we witness her developing a crush on the lead singer of a local band, but her expectations soon meet a disastrous end. Gradually, events point towards a troubled past and she slides into a state of extreme despair—the beginning of a roller-coaster of events. The novel lets profound loneliness take centre stage, while also keeping the reader engaged through a humorous narrator, Eleanor Oliphant herself.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

Genre: Dystopian novel

Though a bit complicated to take in for a completely new reader, The Handmaid’s Tale by Atwood is the perfect novel if you were a voracious reader, once upon a time, but haven't finished a single book for as long as you can remember. Set in a near-future New England, it explores women’s status in a patriarchal society and a totalitarian state that has overthrown the United States government. Offred, a handmaid, takes us through her life experiences as she strives to gain individuality, and describes through events, what she imagines the ideal life of a handmaid to be like. The book was adapted into a web television series in 2017, with the third and latest season having premiered in June this year.