There's always "that book" for everyone. That one they finally click with. And then they can't shut up about it, such as the davinci-code... or outliers (my daughter's first)... but so few books hit you like lightning... I think part of it is just trying to get to that point where one hits you so expose people to books, who know what will stick. Worked for my daughter.

For me it was axctually the first novel I read. My aunt gave me The Malloreon. I was bored in winter break in the late 80s and I felt guilty I hadn't used my aunt's gift. So I read it. Now I recall spending an entire day curled up with a quick trip insulated mug in our breakfast nook when it was below freezing out reading the next book next to my mom. It'd take about 3 hours to finish that herbal tea.

Shortly after my dad gave me unlimited allowance for books. It was a smart but mildly costly move.

My dad did the same, and I have to thank him for that. It may have been expensive but no more so than doing some equivalent with video games or the like, none of which would have aided me as much as reading did.

Maybe the vast majority of adults don’t read books because as kids they were forced to read “classic” works they didn’t identify with nor enjoy and have thus been conditioned to see books as boring and worthless.

Perhaps the solution is to not force specific books on anyone. If kids want to read Twilight for class, let them. Maybe it’s more important (and effective) to have them read anything and enjoy it than cramming “high literature” down their throats.

I posit that a person who enjoys the experience of reading a bad book is likely to later on pick up several good ones, while someone who was forced to read a handful of ostensibly good books they weren’t ready for is likely to never pick up a book again.

> Perhaps the solution is to not force specific books on anyone. If kids want to read Twilight for class, let them. Maybe it’s more important (and effective) to have them read anything and enjoy it than cramming “high literature” down their throats.

We had two separate classes in school, one for English, and one just called "reading". In it, we could read whatever we wanted, as long as we read for the entire period. Sometimes we'd discuss our books. It was great.

I would actually really have enjoyed "reading" class. Free periods where we got to read whatever were always the best in middle school, wish those continued. I'd just read whatever if I could anyway - and hell, sometimes that was the classics after all.