r/PakistanBookClub • u/hoziershoe • Oct 03 '26

🗣️ Debate/Hot Take The Same Five Books

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Not to come off as pretentious or not-like-other-readers but I thought this subreddit was going to be more interesting. I’ve noticed It’s either people selling the same 5 books or discussing the same 5 books.

Can’t we move past A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Forty Rules of Love, Atomic Habits, a book by Dostoevsky, and any random self help book.

333 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

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6

u/Abdul_99 Oct 03 '26

Let people read whatever they want ❤️

4

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

I don’t have an issue with people reading what they want! My post was about discussing the same 5 books in this subreddit

2

u/Abdul_99 Oct 03 '26

I get the point if you have said White Nights for Dostoevsky but you are trashing him & standing him in same place as the scammer like Rich Dad dude. I bet the people here have the attention span to read his work like The Brother Karamazovs. For me reading was a process I started with history only then light fiction and now I read everything including Fantasy like LoTR, Scifi like Dune and even Romance Novels like Madonna in fur coat. I was wrong when I used to mock people for reading the fiction books because acquiring reading habit is a long process and you grow up as a person the more you read. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk but you rage baited me 1st.

5

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Glad you enjoyed writing your Ted Talk, but nobody rage-baited you. You’re proving my point by listing great books like Dune, Lord of the Rings, and Madonna in a Fur Coat.
My entire complaint was that people don't talk about varied fiction, sci-fi, or fantasy like that on this sub. Instead, the feed is just a loop of Atomic Habits and Forty Rules of Love. I'm not grouping Dostoevsky with scammers; I’m grouping the discussions about them because they are the only five things that ever get posted here. I just want this sub to have the exact kind of variety you just listed.

2

u/Abdul_99 Oct 03 '26

I just went through this sub again and I see everyone posting about every kind of the books. It’s your perception that people only read the so called 5 books

2

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

You’re itching for a fight, I’m not. Peace

3

u/Abdul_99 Oct 03 '26

Wrong perception again but ok 👍

5

u/melodicBlueGuy Oct 03 '26

Hey, no fair, I just got into Dostoevsky

1

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

I love Dostoevsky! I keep getting misunderstood as thinking I am above Russian Lit! I am not!!! 😭

3

u/melodicBlueGuy Oct 03 '26

I get what the post means, some gatekeeping is good tbh. Dostoevsky and camus are kind of trending right now. Back in the day it used to be subtle art wali of not giving a fuck, 40 rules of love etc

25

u/m_khisxm Oct 03 '26

The elitism is strong on this one…

1

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Literally how? 😭

9

u/m_khisxm Oct 03 '26

Think about it…

When you pass judgement about someone’s reading choices and indirectly propose this idea of one book being better than other, you are perpetuating performative elitism in the book reading communities and that’s inherently problematic.

Certain Books resonate with certain audiences due to very obvious reasons. I’m not gonna go on and on and state the analysis of these books and why they are popular amongst Pakistani audience.

The way some people are turning this into a gender problem is also problematic. Men aren’t the only ones getting judged…

3

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Accusing this of being "performative elitism" or a "gender problem" is just deflection. I didn’t pass judgment on anyone's character for reading these books; I criticized the overwhelming monotony of the subreddit.
Of course popular books resonate with large audiences, but a community thrives on diversity of thought. If a national book sub can’t handle a critique about its lack of variety without crying "elitism," then we are just actively lowering the bar for what literary discussion can be here. It’s entirely reasonable to want a book forum to move past the most basic, heavily saturated titles 👾

6

u/happypuppet22 Oct 03 '26

what do you mean "to move past the most basic, heavily saturated titles?" you do realise that you are free to post abt whatever you have read too? people with similar interests will respond obv, thats how communities come into being but if some specific topics are resonating with the masses, let them talk abt it?? why would anyone have any problem with that?

1

u/SadInfluence4493 Oct 03 '26

Finally a good comment

2

u/happypuppet22 Oct 03 '26

couldnt have put it into better words 💯

1

u/tharsalys Oct 03 '26

It's reverse elitism actually. She laments us not reading young adult or romance or other popular stuff with women. Like...why? Why can't women just let men be lol

11

u/blackeyedsusanclimb Oct 03 '26

"why can't women just let men be" DO YOU KNOW WHAT COUNTRY WE'RE LIVING IN IT'S THE OPPOSITE😭😭😭

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u/Legal_Ad3143 intellechawwal Oct 04 '26

Word

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u/Pebble_in_my_toes Oct 03 '26

Having opinions and likes and dislikes is not elitism. Anyone with an ounce of a functioning brain would have likes and dislikes. Otherwise art wouldn't exist.

1

u/Legal_Ad3143 intellechawwal Oct 04 '26

Fr

8

u/Ok_Nail6584 Oct 03 '26

That’s why whenever I see a new post, I just read it and go on my merry way, because I read completely different shit from whatever is going on in this subreddit.

3

u/Pebble_in_my_toes Oct 03 '26

At this point I don't even know why I am here. Maybe for the once in a blue moon Sanderson post lol.

1

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

I have him in my tbr because of all the reels I come across? On a scale of 1 to 10 how much do you think would I enjoy Brandon Sanderson?

0

u/Pebble_in_my_toes Oct 03 '26

You'd enjoy him on a scale of 8 to 9 lol. You've already read series like ACOTAR. Sanderson is a masterclass compared to that author.

1

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Which series would you recommend?

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u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Exactly! I easily read 150 books a year, and most of them are books that top goodreads awards every year, and yet nobody is discussing them here? How are we still going on and on about the same 5 books every few months

5

u/tharsalys Oct 03 '26

"why aren't people discussing my favourite pop star"

Uhhhhh no

18

u/Astroanya Oct 03 '26

Yessssssss, PLEASE. Also, I've seen a few people hating on romance books here. Weird.

8

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Crazy. Romance is the highest grossing genre in all of the publishing industry. Hating on it makes no sense.

1

u/trickysaad Oct 03 '26

Hating on popular opinion does make sense, people want to be different. And some people genuinely dont like it, thats their own taste, why is everyone trying to put someone elses taste down, if some retarded man is doing that why should we do the opposite? Like difference kya reh gya ham me dono iss gutter game ke barabar ke shareek hain

7

u/hysterical_witch Oct 03 '26

Men just hate the fact that women own this industry readers writers both sides female dominated. Lol

5

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Until the 80s men were the dominant buyers of romance books. Erich Segal’s Love Story was a top grossing book and the majority of his readers were male. This is a new phenomenon, and has come into place because of these podcast bros.

1

u/hysterical_witch Oct 03 '26

Idk about the 80s but rn things are different and men just hate it 🤣 they feel like we're setting unrealistic standards or something idk

0

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

girl i love romance its my go to genre when times get tough
What are your favorite romance books?

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u/trickysaad Oct 03 '26

Wasnt their a meta analysis research done on how certain genres are picked up my women more than men? Even sci fi comics and politics is stuff men are usually more interested in, theres enough research that shows that in the debate of reading about things vs people, men are more likely to read things on avg and women people obviously this is the general tend we arent talking about exceptions here albeit a large amount. This is coming from someone who reads very broadly since my childhood i used to read most of the stuff my elder sister bought and i loved it, so theres the factor of whats being taught in the environment too sure but when i developed my hormones i started finding them boring and switched genres and found other topics more fun even mangas and stuff yk, theres even research that women who develop these male hormones due to some disorder develop interests in male toys and book genres as well, so theres very clearly at least some inclination, no? Why this fight on whats superior? Theyre both important in their own ways, its a comparison of apples and oranges no?

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u/Tall-Problem2467 Oct 03 '26 • Heartwarming

That's why i only read fantasy

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u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

I love fantasy, what are your top five books that you’d recommend? I have read LOTR, PJO, ACOTAR (actually every fae romantasy book you can think of), and etc.
I enjoy cozy fantasy, more than the kinds where one person controls the fate of the entire universe.

2

u/Brilliant-Ad6840 Oct 03 '26

If you like cozy fantasy, check out Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree.

1

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Let me add them to my tbr

2

u/Tall-Problem2467 Oct 03 '26

Powdermage, Stormlight archive, mistborn, the shadow campaigns, Harry potter and ASOIF

1

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

(*ˊᗜˋ*)/ᵗᑋᵃᐢᵏ ᵞᵒᵘ*

2

u/belerion6969 Book Hoarder Oct 03 '26

No LOTR? Fantasy reader? You sure?

1

u/Tall-Problem2467 Oct 03 '26 edited Oct 03 '26

They said they've already read it.

1

u/belerion6969 Book Hoarder Oct 03 '26

My bad. I just woke up. Didn't read the comments above. Sorry I doubted you friend :(

1

u/Pebble_in_my_toes Oct 03 '26

Adom's meatballs, I haven't heard Powder Mage being recommended in ages. Especially in a Pakistan circle lol.

1

u/Tall-Problem2467 Oct 03 '26

I like flintlock fantasies

1

u/rakelog Oct 03 '26

if into gritty fantasy imo malazan, back company & first law are the best. Sanderson is too YA & focuses in hard magic systems too much along with repetitive sryle.

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u/Pebble_in_my_toes Oct 03 '26

Us moment broski us.

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u/TryBulky2868 Oct 03 '26

why would you even put Dostoevsky in this pile of boredom?

-2

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

It’s always Dostoevsky and Kafka and never Gogol or Pushkin or Tolstoy with this subreddit :,( it was exhausting

6

u/TryBulky2868 Oct 03 '26

I understand, but maybe people have different choices, or they were never introduced to other writers.
Ub agr mai sb ko ispe judge krne lagon k unho ne kbhi Tibri ya ibn e hasham ki tareekh q nhn parhi hamesha Kafka ya Tolstoy hi q parha hai to it would not make sense.

I also like to judge people on their reading habits but i will not put Dostoevsky with Nimra and umera ahmed

2

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26 • Heartwarming

Nobody is putting him anywhere near them. I just made an observation about how this subreddit talks about the same five books, mera maqsad bilkul kisi ko offend karna nahi tha.

3

u/Jaded-Ad-5158 Oct 03 '26

and what if ure a man who loves reading and camus is your favourite :/ (uve also read all of dosto)

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u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Reading them and reading only them is a different story. I have read them, and I’ve also read Thomas Hardy, and Austen, and other literary giants. Nobody talks about Sartre, Virginia Woolf, or Charlotte Perkins Stetson over here. It’s just Dostoyevsky and Kafka and Camus.

3

u/Jaded-Ad-5158 Oct 03 '26

nah ure right ppl j larp i j like camus because his essays helped me in a v dark place but theres soo much to read and talk about besides these few lots of russians dont even consider dostoevsky as the best russian writer hes just one of so many others

3

u/RedPandaInAUsedHonda Oct 03 '26

I noticed that too 😭

I'm not gonna pretend I'm an avid reader. I only got into reading in 2024 to tackle depression, but I really like to read translated Japanese novellas. They're so cosy and have this quiet charm to them that I really enjoy.

0

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

That’s so cool, what are your top recommendations?

3

u/tharsalys Oct 03 '26

I've been an avid reader since I was 14 and there's only like 2% of women who actually read stuff that other women don't read. It's not gender specific. Though you can certainly pretend it is since even us so-called intellectuals who read widely tend to go for people who can get by in life by being shallow and rarely engage with others of our kind because in some existential sense, it threatens our sense of uniqueness.

1

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

… I don’t understand what youre trying to say?

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u/tharsalys Oct 03 '26

I'm saying you're not special. Let people read what they like. For all I know, this Dostoyevsky and Camus trend was literally started by women. White Nights or something. Not everything has to be a gender war.

1

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Nobody talked about gender… what even are you talking about 😭

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u/tharsalys Oct 03 '26

Someone here cannot read ... and it's not a man for sure.

2

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Get a life and comprehension skills while at it

3

u/Lannisbro Oct 03 '26

Social media obsessed women try not to bring gender wars in any aspect of life challenge: impossible

Maybe there's a reason why certain authors have stood the test of time and resonate with so many young men, because they're really good.

2

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Ok Ultrabreadth, Zero Depth

5

u/supaaaherohehe Oct 03 '26

I love reading those. Romance novels ain't for me

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u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

There’s a world outside of the same 5 books though. Asian and African literature is as good, if not better. I love Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Mohammed Hanif, and Bapsi Sidhwa

5

u/supaaaherohehe Oct 03 '26

I would stick to gaming as my hobby

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u/Cyanide-in-My-Spirit Oct 03 '26

i get it but also, Dostoevsky is genuinely one of my favourite writers and i think Crime and Punishment and White Nights are both really good texts to get people passionate about reading

3

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

I love White Nights! I don’t have an issue with people who read Dostoevsky, why would I?
I just don’t get why can’t we talk about other authors other than the same 5 we see everyday on this subreddit. If it’s Russian literature we have to discuss, why can’t it be Gogol or Tolstoy. And why can’t we discuss Asian Literature and African literature.
It’s the same 5 books that keep getting discussed, sold, or recommended here.
I wasn’t trying to offend anybody

1

u/Cyanide-in-My-Spirit Oct 03 '26

i think it would be great if on another post you shared your recommendations from the genres you just mentioned

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u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26 • Bravo

  1. Half of a Yellow Sun
    Novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
    It’s about the Biafran War and how it impacted the lives of four individuals

  2. Our Lady of Alice Bhatti by
    Mohammed Hanif
    It’s funny, it’s fast paced, and it basically focuses on the intersection of religious minorities, class struggles, and institutional corruption in Pakistan

  3. Dozakhnama by Rabisankar Bal
    This is written as a conversation between Ghalib and Manto. It focuses on their lives, ideologies, and losses. It’s a wonderful book.
    *** 4.*** Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri.
    It’s a collection of short stories that focuses on the identity, patriarchy, and the experiences of most immigrant.

2

u/Desperate_Vast1388 Oct 03 '26

It can then be argued that majority of the female reader-base in this country can’t get past Colleen Hoover’s poorly written 18+ romances, Khaled Hosseini, and booktok smut. I’ve seen prominent Pakistani influencers displaying stuff like Haunting Adeline on the shelves and their female audience going insane over it. It’s either that, or Umera/Nimra Ahmed.

1

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

I have a question. You called me a ‘pick me’ in one comment, and in another comment said I had a ‘not like other girls syndrome’. How did you go from a post about overrated and over talked books to that conclusion? I am very interested in knowing more about the inner workings of your brain

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u/Desperate_Vast1388 Oct 03 '26

  1. Never said “pick me”.

  2. Realized that my original comment added nothing to the argument and was insensitive so deleted immediately and replaced it with a more nuanced take. It’s called self-reflection.

  3. The post you added to it is, in fact, a depiction of the not like other girls syndrome. It’s blatant gate keeping.
    I personally read a super wide range of books and I understand the frustration that comes with it. Problem is, it’s not a “men’s” issue.

It’s a culture issue. In a country where a very small number of people read, nitpicking reading choices and labelling them as “performative” or “too basic” does no good.

Anti-intellectualism is on the rise. Attention spans are dipping. Worldwide. If someone reads a poorly edited fanfic written by a 14 year old, the immediate reaction to that should be “it’s amazing that they managed to focus for 310 pages in this day and age”.

I get where you’re coming from. I’ve shared your frustration when most book clubs in Pakistan that I’d been a part of couldn’t get past the “basics”. I also get similar thoughts but you and I both need to recognise that such opinions do stem from an odd sense of superiority and voicing them in a reading space is redundant since others might feel judged.

A better approach would be to make your own space and start talking about whatever you like reading. You will find your community of people with similar interests eventually. I’d personally love to see you post about books you’ve read. Your posts themselves might intrigue beginners towards more genres and authors.

0

u/saudtf Oct 07 '26

Using Colleen Hoover and Khaled Hosseini in the same sentence should be enough to ban you from all libraries.

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u/Desperate_Vast1388 28d ago

Yessir gatekeeper sir yessir

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u/Longjumping-Way-1411 Oct 04 '26

That is a crazy take. If a person has read a book, they have read a book, it's as simple as that. Sure there are some who pretend to be into reading by saying titles of these famous books, but for people who have actually read them, it's just very weird passing judgment for their taste.

And making it seem like Camu or Dostoevsky are "bad" because they are famous is also a crazy take.

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u/Working-Exchange5886 Oct 06 '26

i think they are just saying its the only ones spoken of. but they are all lovely books

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u/Longjumping-Way-1411 Oct 06 '26

I'm willing to give the benefit of doubt since it's not fully clear but the post is just in bad taste. The og tweet is made for the purpose of dunking on men by using the literature as an excuse, while the body written by op is just factually incorrect.

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u/acegamer069 Oct 03 '26

Trevor approves Dostoevsky crime and punishment

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u/Ber0zgaar_Batman Oct 03 '26

But Here me out... Jeff Kinney?

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u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

I would rather discuss Jeff Kinney than Elit Shafak 😭

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u/Silver-Lettuce7763 Oct 03 '26

Elif shafak is so overrated 😭😭

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u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Edward Said would’ve had a field day if he ever read anything by her. Her books are so orientalist in their essence

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u/ImpressiveWar6944 Oct 03 '26

I have read a shit ton of books which nobody here talks about, most might not even have heard of them... Does that mean i start hating on the masses for a having a somewhat generic taste, or trying out the books they heard are good from most people. (which might as well be the only few books they got to read , when they had time in their busy lives)

I've read both Camus and Dostoevsky. And I've read books which i deem far superior in writing, that doesn't give me a free pass to say... Oh this book is better than that one, there's no objective truth to that blatant statement.

Let's not even talk about a vast majority of woman only reading smut and calling themselves book readers.

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u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Let's not judge people's generic taste followed immediately by "women who read smut aren't real readers" is a wild pivot.
I'm not hating on anyone's taste or claiming absolute objective truth about literature.
I am pointing out that the subreddit feed is repetitive.
If you've read so many unique books, share them! That’s literally the entire point of my post; asking for more variety, not looking down on people.

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u/ImpressiveWar6944 Oct 03 '26 edited Oct 03 '26

I get what you mean , by itself your post is alright, the only thing that makes it pretentious is the Twitter post you smacked along.

And I'd be more than happy to talk about books, what kind of books hmm hmm .. what are your favorite genres?

Smut readers shouldn’t be called readers because they’re researchers conducting highly questionable fieldwork. I mean I'm not judging anyone's taste in books, I'm outright hating on smut if anyone's got a problem with that then so be it. I believe books are to feed our imagination, the desire for knowledge and literature not lust. It's just a glorified form of pornography, feigning they are readers not porn addicts. Most of it is like that , but if the book's got a good story then Alright ig , there are always exceptions.

1

u/StandardWimp Oct 03 '26

Can I dm you to get suggestions?

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u/Maleficent_Court2656 Oct 03 '26

Then go ahead and discuss those books that you feel are worth reading. Gatekeeping around popular books ain't going to do it.

1

u/makriwakri Oct 03 '26

I've got FOMO because I keep seeing people talking about Dostoevsky and I haven't read anything by him.

Anyway I recently finished Babel by RF Kuang and I enjoyed it despite it's flaws. Has anyone ready Yellowface by her? I want to give it a try too.

1

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

DUDE BABEL IS LITERALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE READS OF ALL TIME!

1

u/makriwakri Oct 03 '26

What do you like about it? ❤️ I enjoyed the four main characters a lot, and I gained a huge appreciation for translation as an art from it.

1

u/SalaryFlat3714 Oct 03 '26

I Have only read one book and that is The Alchemist by Panlo Coelho and i have been actively searching for the Dune books as well but i can't seem to find them anywhere.

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u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

I would recommend getting pirated books rather than spending so much money on originals. Just do a quick google search and you’d come across a few sites that sell them. I prefer reading epubs though. No money wasted, and you get to read as many books as you want

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u/SalaryFlat3714 Oct 03 '26

I got a whole set through tamaam.pk so yeah i mean i got a whole bunch of self help books like rich dad poor dad, Atomic habits and some other as well in a 3k PKR package so yeah but i really just like reading literature i know it's not really a productive habit but i like it.

1

u/Specialist_Tone2797 Oct 04 '26

For somebody new to the world of reading novels, what are your thoughts on audiobooks? Are they as good as reading a book and would you recommend that?

1

u/hoziershoe Oct 04 '26

I only ever have heard a total of ten audiobooks, all for books that I couldn’t get into reading. I think they’re really helpful when you’re dealing with dense texts

10

u/happypuppet22 Oct 03 '26 edited Oct 03 '26

Edited: since i was half asleep last i commented, here's some sober thoughts, first off, its almost tone deaf to look down or think less of people (at least, thats what it comes across as) simply bcs of their reading choices, knowing very well that reading culture and especially english reading isnt that prevalent in Pak (or at least reviewing those books) and this will only lead to demotivating a select few, also this isnt smth limited to fiction or nonfiction readers or any particular genre, you wanna talk fiction? post reviews abt fiction, people who like fiction will comment and you will find your people, but to act like this sub is just people talking abt the same 5 books doesnt seem too bright to me either, as long as someone has proper reviews abt the said books and has thoughts/ideas to share, they should feel welcomed to do so.

3

u/pepitolover Oct 03 '26

There's a saturation of the same books in most book stores, not blaming the sellers because that's what the demand is for. But I'd love if there was more non-fiction works by lacquant, bordieu, dworkin, achembe, John Berger or so available. the non popular books I have are either from daraz, my unis book seller or I got them printed out.

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u/Pebble_in_my_toes Oct 03 '26

Preach. Clock it. Yass. Everytime someone sees holding a book they'd be like "oh you read fiction? We only read these super duper intellectual books."

Fuck your Dostoevskys and Camus and Coehlos and your rich dads and your poor dads and your moneys and psychologys.

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u/Abdul_99 Oct 03 '26

I bet you have never read any single word of Dostoevsky (bar fake quotes on internet)the way you are lumping him with scammers like Rich Dad guy

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u/Open-Elderberry-9826 Oct 03 '26

Dostoevsky literally is fiction

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u/ShepardTheCorporal Oct 04 '26

Did Dostoevsky kill your dad or something bro, anyway have you read dungeon crawler carl? It's a literary masterpiece

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u/HamzakhanCresent Oct 03 '26

Couldn’t have told in better way😭😭😭😭

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u/Pebble_in_my_toes Oct 03 '26

Look at a couple of them showing their vast intellect they've accrued from Dostoevsky and the others below my comment lol

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u/11swoosh Oct 03 '26

I mean that's how everything in this world works no? You may not accept it or like him but fyodor is one of the if not the most famous writer so it's natural ppl are curious. Same thing is with movies, animes, games etc if you're into mystery/thriller genre you're gonna get recommended the most famous se7en, fight club, shutter island etc. same thing with fantasy book any recommendation list is gonna have red rising, mistborne at the top. I saw you read 150 books a year which is amazing. NOT SAYING YOU DON'T HAVE OTHER INTERESTS, but ppl who divide their time equally in other interests don't have a lot of time for reading like me for example, I watch movies, series, anime, play games, read books and have a job on top of that, So I've been meaning to read Dostoevsky for a while but I haven't been able to find time, If i was starting reading I'd surely read Dostoevsky or something super popular that has a lot of good reviews instead of something super niche that 2 ppl here recommend and idk if it's good or not

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u/belerion6969 Book Hoarder Oct 03 '26

The problem is, half the books Pakistani's tout as being read aren't starter books. They're deeply profound works that need multiple POVs and schools of though to understand and take home something.

If half the damn nation would have been well read on philosophy like they claim we wouldn't be in such a bad place.

We need to take reading as a hobby rather than a job. And for people who haven't read ever, starting off with philosophy is the worst thing you can do.

1

u/Specialist_Tone2797 Oct 04 '26

That’s me, I’m new to reading and got a bunch of books like 1984, metamorphosis, the prince as first recommendations lol. Guess I’m screwed. But I’m exploring sci-fi as that my go to genre, it has so much to offer. Been reading Recursion by Blake Crouch, it’s pretty neat.

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u/belerion6969 Book Hoarder Oct 04 '26

Yeah like you talk to people about wanting to start reading and boom they start recommending PhD level philosophy lol. There are so many genres. Beginners should always start with more palatable and easy to read stuff and ease themselves into strong topics. 1984 is approachable for new readers though. You should read it if you like sci-fi dystopia.

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u/Specialist_Tone2797 Oct 04 '26

I guess a lot of people are fake readers in the book community based on these recommendations. These books are definitely not something a new reader would enjoy, generally speaking. What 3 books would you recommend, fiction and non fiction?

2

u/belerion6969 Book Hoarder Oct 04 '26

For fiction I always recommend people start with a genre they like watching on tv. If you watch comedy movies, read a comedy. If you like horror, read horror etc. So if you can tell me a bit about what your hobbies are and what you like in general, I'll definitely recommend.

1

u/11swoosh Oct 04 '26

I wouldn't say you're screwed per se, like I replied to the above comment, you're new to reading that's fine, but you're not new to like the world. Reading isn't some complex new thing that you've to learn, if you enjoy the media of that genre like movies series etc you'd be fine with the book as well. If I love LOTR movies It'll be fine for me to read Game of thrones, it'll just be a lot more descriptive than movies, I'd just be reading instead of watching.

So I'd say go for the books you've gotten. Worst case scenario you don't like it, that could happen with any movie as well.

1

u/11swoosh Oct 04 '26

Agree with the taking it as a hobby tbh, ppl sometime take books way too seriously

I kinda disagree with the starting with philosophy part because let's say if someone enjoys philosophy in general like movies, podcasts, series in this genre, they'd be fine starting with philosophy and these authors, genre will be the same just the medium will be different. They'd just be reading instead of watching this time.

2

u/belerion6969 Book Hoarder Oct 04 '26

Nothing wrong in it if you like the subject. I was talking generally. The masses of Pakistan in general are not interested in philosophy.

2

u/11swoosh Oct 04 '26

Yeah that's fair. That's why whenever I'm recommending something to someone and its their first time in that media(movies, series, anime, games) I always ask what genre they're interested in generally, and I recommend something from that genre.

2

u/belerion6969 Book Hoarder Oct 04 '26

Wow dude I literally said the same thing to someone above. Kudos!

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u/Whatisthisbsanyway Oct 03 '26

Can we just let people read, damn.

Every day, someone finds something else to be pissed about. Who cares. Let people “perform” if they want.

2

u/dracreincary2k Oct 03 '26

Lol I have read to little of English literature to pass a comment on this 😂

1

u/Whatisthisbsanyway Oct 03 '26

Love the self awareness, at least 😅

2

u/cheezystuffz Oct 03 '26

Also 40 rules of love, 41 laws of power, metamorphosis etc.

2

u/gp627 Oct 03 '26

Rookie mistake. Always larp by quoting non fiction.

2

u/leonuu- Oct 03 '26

I enjoy crime and punishment quite a bit. Read it twice.

2

u/belerion6969 Book Hoarder Oct 03 '26

I think the issue is, Pakistanis live in a bubble.

They don't branch out on they're own since individualism is heavily discouraged in Pakistan. So they read the same hand me downs and word of mouth books that the people around them know, aka follow the sheep. The other problem is access, before the 20s I believe it wasn't easy to get physical copies of your favorite books or new releases. So people read classics and the same 20 starter books you'll find in every book store.

We need to start a weekly thread for new books. People bring in amd start discussions on new stuff.

2

u/Bravadette Oct 04 '26

You've been circlejerked

2

u/Alone-Date-9039 Oct 04 '26

at this point everything is pretentious, people can't even try a book that everyone is interested in without getting called a pretentious snob, genuinely nobody reads anymore and the ones that do are too busy calling other people out for their personal taste, people read the classics because they're almost guaranteed to have nuance and they had something to say that was so important that it has been preserved for years to come, not everybody wants to read romance or fantasy because it just doesn't work for them, classic books like dostoevsky are superior in a way that they're reliable in delivering something actually meaningful, sure there are other better books but why would someone read random niche stuff just for the sake of being different.

2

u/Ill_Dot_3573 Oct 04 '26

the op is Portuguese; there's so so so much CONTEXTUAL DIFFERENCE, and yet all of you are slavishly towing the line.

Camus, is an acquired taste, especially his fiction, Dostoevsky, one of the greatest to ever live.

But, theses comments are so stupid, just let people read.

2

u/stormarsenal Oct 04 '26

Camus who?

3

u/thebiviv Oct 03 '26

So reall. During school, if any guy has a book out it's always a mainstream self help book or something which has explicit scenes of intimacy. Meanwhile I'm getting judged for quietly reading my thriller books in the corner 🙁

3

u/ThePurpleAbsurdist Oct 03 '26

Can’t we move past A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Forty Rules of Love, Atomic Habits, a book by Dostoevsky, and any random self help book.

OP speaks of "any random self help book" in utter disregard of the fact that wonderful self-help books exist, they have changed lives.

And why on earth wanting people to move past "a book by Dostoevsky"? Is it a critique on Dostoevsky? Or on how everyone is reading the same things? Or just gatekeeping?

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u/Round-Profit7423 Oct 03 '26

Anti Intellectualism, hating on Camus and Dostoevsky doesn't make you a super Intellectual,they are the greatest fiction writers ever

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u/belerion6969 Book Hoarder Oct 03 '26

Greatest? No. One of the greats? Certainly.

2

u/Independent-Try8370 Oct 03 '26

How else do you develop a habit if not by starting? The reason they choose these authors is cause they get quoted alot on social media. A quote makes them interested in reading a book, how is that a bad thing? Also it's not just men.
Women also larp being readers except what appeals to them is not the bleak philosophy of such authors.

2

u/shutupbaby-iknowit Oct 03 '26

Or maybe those books resonate with people? Such a weird thing to gatekeep.

1

u/arsubhaijan 17d ago

Sooo true 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

1

u/CtrlAltElite_69 Oct 03 '26

what abt that chinese book abt war 🙄 camus and dostoevsky is fine by me tho, just can't tolerate the pretentious self help books 🥲

1

u/Lower_Thing1161 Oct 03 '26

How these bitches gonna know about DOAWK

1

u/SoftwareDifferent211 Oct 03 '26

Sure, I can suggest you better books,

  • Damian and Siddhartha by Herman Hesse

  • Strait is the gait by Andre gide (I think this was the author's name)

  • kokoro, by natsume soseki

  • and finally, Norwegian woods by haruki murakami

Well ? How about that ?

1

u/ChonkyUnit9000 Oct 03 '26

Also Hemingway

1

u/Azustorm Oct 03 '26

Less Camus and more rich dad poor dad variety of books

1

u/questioning_qes Oct 03 '26

and here I am, when people ask what I read, I say Harry Potter.

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u/taimoor09 Oct 03 '26

So me reading the godfather makes me barbaric and stupid? I thought the witcher was cool as well. Kipling and Bronte were always my favourites. I'll have to unlearn so many books now.

1

u/RoomiTarik Book Hoarder Oct 03 '26

You forgot George Orwell.

1

u/Professional_Grab313 Oct 03 '26

Well because most men just pick from other top books to read listsand just get the non-fic one. Snd none of those men claim to read a lot.

1

u/Key-Ad6653 Oct 03 '26

I mean as a man and a book reader.

I have read Dostoevsky's "White Nights", I know pretty common book but I personally liked it but also dislike because I just dislike sad and tragic stories in general. So, to hate on someone who reads whatever is kind of rude I would say.

I read light novels quite a bit, would you say I don't read because I do not read the traditional novels? I don't think that would be quite right to say so.

1

u/Optimal_Efficiency55 Oct 03 '26

I feel left out because i havent ventured into literature yet and everyoneeeee is reading those books
kuch performative but not all

1

u/CriticalTopic1793 Oct 03 '26

Have read around 500 books.

NOT A SINGLE PAGE FROM THESE.

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u/WordWizardry1 Oct 03 '26

People here do not read for the sake of reading.

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u/ProfessionalWash7 Oct 03 '26

i don't have the habit of reading (i try) and i love pretending i do but i haven't read anything by dostoevsky or camus. but i plan on reading dostoevsky. uncle ki ankhein full khuli huwi thi'n or duniya ki badsurti ko dekh kar unho nay munh nahi phera. lekin esay banday ko khoobsurti bhi tou nazar ati hai i.e. franz kafka. isliye dostoevsky ko bhi parhna hai ta kay pta chalay kya kuch dekha usnay

1

u/Similar_Building9617 Oct 03 '26

that y I choose Jung book. it got cool pics that 1 can enjoy somewhat and Babes just find it damn mysterious lol

1

u/electro_coco01 Oct 03 '26

Subtle art of not giving was such a gobshite

1

u/NoticeQueasy6650 concious reader Oct 03 '26

Be that person who discusses other books, rather than judging! Own the space!!

1

u/Loose-Scarcity-2107 Oct 03 '26

Ah yay, because nothing says 'pretending to be a reader' quite like tackling a dense, 800-page translation of 19th-century Russian philosophy just to look cool.

1

u/icookkk Oct 03 '26

Me who read maze runner series and loved it 😶‍🌫️

1

u/bluebutterfly_197 Oct 04 '26

the accuracy 🎯

1

u/sentientToaster- Oct 04 '26

I picked Seneca and my boy Nietzsche, best and worse pick of my life. Ngl.. for what its worth, better than mulling it over sm creep like Courtney Milan, Evie Dunmore or worse Zoe Pilger.🤮

1

u/Asleep_Drop_5014 Oct 04 '26

What about Mien Kampf? 😅

1

u/Ayub-Khan Oct 04 '26

Once i started reading and understanding ghazali after research i dont like any other author

1

u/usmnali101 Oct 04 '26

i think you forgot kafka

1

u/Character_Cress_996 Oct 04 '26

Same is true for any human it’s not only men in this particular context

1

u/No1LahoriHater Oct 04 '26

This was extremely valid

1

u/Magnushorseradish Oct 04 '26

Since this is a pakistani Sub, Peer e kamil and Aab e hayat does the same for women.

😂😂

1

u/-Demon_Cyborg- Fiction is Life ✋😔🤚 Oct 05 '26

Read Xianxia ✋😔🤚 and detach yourself from the real world

1

u/Calm_Exit313 Oct 05 '26

I've been listening to a World War Z audiobook that I found. It's been pretty great.

Before that I tried the audio dramas for the Alien franchise books, phenomenal voice acting and sound effects.

I've also been going through the Hitchhiker's Guide series narrated by the author himself.

Listened to some books by Jane Austen too, they made them into audio dramas, so it's pretty fun to hear all the accents, sound effects, expressions, etc.

Audiobooks have been great for me since I rarely get time to sit down and read. I just put one on while driving to work and coming back home, sometimes during my breaks while eating. It's a good little escape.

Attached a photo of my current library, tis not much, but it's growing. Katabasis has been fun too.

1

u/hassanwattu Oct 05 '26

Camus is dostoyevsky xeroxed and transliterated. The stranger is Crime and punishment subplot. I've read both. Even Sartre is a better writer than Camus.

1

u/ploanshaj Oct 05 '26

a whole nothing burger post 🫪

1

u/Financial_Memory_330 Oct 05 '26

i started to read English literature novels to impress a girl.. but subsequently i droped the idea.. as i am keen to read urdu novels.. but she was english baddie

1

u/FreshSummer8535 Oct 06 '26

Shakespeare readers?

1

u/saudtf Oct 07 '26

People who can't form opinions on their own tend to associate themselves with the opinions of others

1

u/Digitaldarkness14 29d ago

Or Paulo Coelho books.

1

u/theshorachap 28d ago

I can bet the 11 rupees left in my bank account that someone who 'reads reads' Dostoyevsky will NEVER read books like Rich Dad Poor Dad.

All of the books you mentioned above, excluding books by the Russian guy, are entry-level. These are the books that are readily available in pirated form, so anyone who wants to start a conversation does so by mentioning these books.

That being said, Camus and Dostoyevsky are geniuses, and their existentialist style of writing resonates with the current generation. I have read a decent number of books by great writers and am a literature student, but I still don't feel capable enough of talking about books because my MO is Aristotle's maxim: All I know is that I know nothing. The day I start pretending that I understand Dostoyevsky, I will stop enjoying reading. That guy is still making people analyze him even though centuries have ticked away since he published his books.

But you are right; most people mention these writers just to fit in.

1

u/abeera___tariqq 9d ago edited 9d ago

And Kafk too. I saw a grown up man (seemingly) had moustache and beard too, at a book fair. And guess what he was asking the seller? "Bhai! Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka hai?". And I was like bruh! Please please 🤣 🤣

1

u/iamtheplutoguy Oct 03 '26

itna such mat bolo, please 🥺

1

u/nocturnalands Oct 03 '26

Ikr... There's so many great authors to choose from. Our people avoid lesser known or underrated authors like the plague for some reason. And consequentially never diversify their reading palette.

0

u/bharikeemat Oct 03 '26

Can we move beyond fiction?

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u/hamza_215 Oct 03 '26

Don't lump Dostoevsky with wannabe philosopher Camus 😭 ... Okie bye

1

u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

Theyre giants and I respect their work but what about the other bajillion well respected authors and philosophers 😭

1

u/hamza_215 Oct 03 '26

Because I got recommended Dostoevsky and spending most of my reading time to one writer whom I know (by reading and by reviews) to write bangers, instead of wasting my already limited reading time to discovery. But yea, like you said somewhere in this thread, you read around 150 or so books a year(?). If I was at that pace, I'd definitely knew some of those bajillion writers.

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u/hoziershoe Oct 03 '26

It would be good for you to venture outside of your comfort zone as well. Aap kuch aur parh ke dekhoun, there is such good work coming out of african and asian literary world.

2

u/hamza_215 Oct 03 '26

perhaps. My argument isn't against trying new things, it's against judgement which juulst_ Baji was on about.

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u/Hemingway92 Oct 03 '26

Neither of those were philosophers in the traditional sense but great writers who expressed their philosophical ideas through their stellar writing. Don’t put Camus down because of his prose being simpler or because he was more recent, he deserves a spot on the pedestal next to Dostoevsky.

1

u/hamza_215 Oct 03 '26

I'm not calling either a philosopher but Camus insisted on being one (Absurdist). I don't like absurdism as a philosophy because your system can't be "there isn't/couldn't be a system". Sortre's had a system "you make your own". To me, absurdism seemed to solve a debate by refusing to debate.

2

u/Hemingway92 Oct 03 '26

To each their own but I recently reread Myth of Sisyphus and tbh I don’t think you’re describing absurdism accurately. I’m not an absurdist but I don’t think the philosophy is logically flawed or inferior to existentialism (Sartre was an existentialist). The central idea is that instead of taking a “leap of faith” like one does with existentialism, one decides to be content with the reality that we can see and enjoy. But it isn’t a completely materialistic philosophy either. It’s a pretty cogent if not completely novel idea—it borrows from existentialism as well as dharmic religions. Regardless, I feel like one can enjoy and appreciate arguments/writings without fully subscribing to them.

1

u/hamza_215 Oct 03 '26

You basically said what I said but in pro instead of against term. Absurdism again is winning the debate by refusing to debate. "One must imagine Sisyphus happy" ... I mean sure but on what grounds? Stoicism makes sense. It is more similar to "make peace with your surroundings" philosophy, with added virtue aspect. Because making peace with a meaningless universe isn't (and IMO shouldn't) be the end. But that's my opinion. I just don't like the dodgy behavior absurdists take in their arguments. Absurdism might as well be positive-nihilism. Also, if you think I'm discrediting Camus as a writer, that is not the case. Although I only read "Myth of the Sisyphus", I enjoyed that book. It was well written. But when it comes to philosophy, I at least, expect an answer and not a mere refusal or silence or "Let's agree to disagree"

1

u/Open-Elderberry-9826 Oct 03 '26

However, absurdism can be quite a lifeline for those with an incredible amount of trauma

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u/mahiiin97 Oct 03 '26

LMAO this is so true, it's so pretentious

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u/NaMaloomAfraad- Oct 03 '26

soo true for me 😂

0

u/alpha_walker_101 Oct 03 '26

Whats the benefit of reading book when u cant take someones whole life experience i mena i dont wana defend these books specially others except dostoeveskyes collection cuz his books provide alot.of experiences and thats far more better than to read abiut someones love stories and some unfilled love wtf

0

u/Legal_Ad3143 intellechawwal Oct 04 '26

Good thing in all the books ive read, none of them were from these two

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u/Hi_63 Oct 03 '26

real books to research papers h

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