What book would you force on random people if you could?

Either The Night Circus or Every Heart a Doorway.

If the Wayward Children series ( Every Heart a Doorway is the first of it) had existed when I was a child/preteen, I would have felt Very Seen. As it is, there are specific books from the series that still make me feel Very Seen.

ION: I ended up with a new manager late last year; she's someone I've worked with before, and a great person. But I am a little worried that because of her somewhat narrow focus on only the specific pillar she's in, I'm going to have to put a LOT more work in on my "Give Jilli a Promotion!" doc. Because my focus and team management extends to five separate software pillars, and she (and her manager) don't quite grasp what's involved with that.

What book would you force on random people if you could?

I wouldn't, only because I hate when people who I already know foist a book on me unasked-for and say "Read this!!"* So I really wouldn't read a book that a random person forced on me. Therefore, if I wouldn't take a book from a stranger, I wouldn't give a book to a stranger. (I realize I am taking this very literally and possibly too seriously, but hey. If we're talking Give Book To A Stranger Whose Tastes I Don't Know At All, my answer is nah.)

*(Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, I see you.)

. *(Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, I see you.)

I didn't need that repressed memory unlocked, Tep.

(Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, I see you.)

Ha!

I didn't need that repressed memory unlocked, Tep.

I wish I could go back in time and tell 21-year-old me "If a dude harangues you to read this so you can 'understand him,' just go find someone else," because WOW, was that dude (and that book) a waste of time and energy.

Lol yes I feel like most books I’d want people to read would not get read. Though the Murderbot suggestion earlier was good for that. And if I had a way to force them to read something I might be picking a nonfiction book that would open minds (not sure what but some kind of history book maybe?)

If he's trying to make you read THAT you probably already understand him ... and don't think it's worth the time.

guys(and mostly it is guys) who love that book really are obsessed by it. I haven't read it...maybe I'd like it, my own taste being rather dudely in its way. But I don't think I want to be an *evangelist* for any book I didn't write myself anymore.(Even if getting David Simon as a follower wins me social media in a way ten people understand). Basically, a guy that doesn't like *anyone* picked me. Well, not *picked me*, picked me, Lippman could make it look like an accident and get another award, but if the Internet had Ms. Congeniality, I think I could have picked up 2021's virtual statuette. Even if I've stopped putting dashes in my expletives.

I've pushed my favorites on very close family or friends, but not generally. Probably because a friend in college gave me her absolute favorite book in the world and I hated it. It was decades ago, so not sure if I would still hate it, but not going to give it another chance. It was The Mangus by John Fowles. My vague memory was that I thought all the characters were sickos. Now I loved Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and they were all sickos, so my embrace of sicko characters may vary.

Other than a number of classics, the ones I recommend include The Ten Thousand Doors of January and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. I would already know if that was the person's thing before I pushed them. Loved a lot of classics including As I Lay Dying, and Grapes of Wrath. People ought to read lots of the classics!