Books

17 Books For Guys He’ll Love That He Probably Hasn’t Actually Already Read

In your life as a literature-lover, you're going to come across many instances where you'll need to find good books for guys. There are birthdays and holidays, of course — and then, sometimes, you just feel the urge to shove a book into a dude's hand to just get him reading something other than the same cliché, macho stuff he always reads. (If this sounds familiar, I feel you so hard.)

So, I've got something for you: a list that will make him laugh, cry, and thank you for suggestions that will earn you a big, fat hug. Whether he’s looking for adventure, enlightenment, or just wants to kick back and experience the joy of a good book he's never discovered before, these 17 books are ones that he's going to fall pretty deeply in love with. Just try to spare him the "I told you so" if possible. At least try.

by Crissy Van Meter

‘The Silent History’ by Eli Horowitz

This book will satisfy the guy on the hunt for a serious — and seriously different — adventure. Short chapters tie together to reveal the truth behind a worldwide epidemic. This one is a chorus of testimonials told in a totally unusual way that’s unlike anything he’s ever read before. It looks intimidating to pick up; trust me, it’s anything but.

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'Delicious Foods' by James Hannaham

This is a book that’s going to suck him in and totally re-jazz him on contemporary fiction. In the wake of a sudden death, a drug-addicted mother is lured into captivity on a farm while her son embarks on a journey to find her. It’s a story full of compassion and honesty that’s almost impossible to not love.

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‘Battleborn’ by Claire Vaye Watkins

This collection of short stories features ghost towns, desert wanderers, a sex ranch, and the fallout of Helter Skelter. The stories are magical and full of people he’s met (OK, and many he will want to forget, too). He may start dreaming of desert landscapes, dusty sunsets, and the Wild West. It’s pretty cool.

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'Love in the Time of Cholera' by Gabriel García Márquez

All right, so maybe he won’t think he’s into a love story. But maybe you should remind him that this is one of the best love stories of all time — a guy lives his life to get back to his one true love. Life gets in the way, but the story of Florentino Ariza is epic and worth every page. Also, y’know, this book won the Nobel Prize, so you can assure him that it can’t be that bad.

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'Ancient Oceans of Central Kentucky' by David Connerley Nahm

This indie favorite is poetic, mysterious, and just plain great. When Leah loses her little brother as a child in central Kentucky, she’s haunted forever. But the return of a man claiming to be her brother leads to a flood of childhood memories. This is a nostalgic novel for a small-town guy.

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'The Turner House' by Angela Flournoy

Angela Flournoy digs into the sacrifices we make for family in this dazzling debut novel. Set in a decrepit Detroit, this story isn’t just about a mother who moves in with her eldest son — it’s about confronting the past. If he’s a mama’s boy, this one is going to pull at his heartstrings.

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‘The Sellout’ by Paul Beatty

Although this book will have him laughing out loud, it’s sure to get him seriously thinking, too. A story about race and identity in America, The Sellout follows a young man exploring his relationship with his father and himself — and a race trial headed for the Supreme Court. This just may be one of the best-written books in recent contemporary fiction, and if it becomes his new favorite, you can gently remind him that you intro’d him to it.

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‘Station Eleven’ by Emily St. John Mandel

Who doesn’t love a good post-apocalyptic tale of worldwide epidemic? (Spoiler alert: No one, that’s who.) In this creepy novel, a group of actors must survive in a crumbling world. And, to keep him on the very edge of his seat, the book jumps around in time to capture world tragedy with adventure after adventure.

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‘This is How You Lose Her’ by Junot Díaz

This may sound like a break-up book (well, it’s good for that, too), but it’s full of love. Junot Díaz is the master of telling it like it is — and in this collection of stories, he documents all kinds of love that will make him laugh and, yes, even cry.

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‘Naked Lunch’ by William S. Burroughs

A wacky and wild ride right from the start, this classic is full of junkies, sex, and wild rides. A perfect experimental read for a guy who likes action and satire. If he somehow missed this one, make sure he gets on it NOW.

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‘California’ by Edan Lepucki

In Edan Lepucki’s debut, a couple makes their way to a dystopian survival settlement outside of a crumbling Los Angeles and they must learn who to trust. He’ll be eager to uncover the secrets in this book, which is as tender as it is creepy. Plus, you can mention that Stephen Colbert is a fan.

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‘The Sound of Things Falling’ by Juan Gabriel Vásquez

Translated from the original Spanish, The Sound of Things Falling could be a new favorite for him. Antonio Yammara reminisces about the past — his involvement in the violent Colombian drug wars that shaped him and his country. This story is a piece of history told with great care and detail, and in such lyrical prose. Perfect for a history buff who still cares about storytelling.

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‘Hocus Pocus’ by Kurt Vonnegut

Does he have a crazy sense of humor? Here’s his book! A Vietnam vet is a teacher at an overcrowded prison who must reflect on his own life to ensure his survival. He writes his story on tiny scrap pieces of paper and describes his life with extreme wit and laugh out-loud humor. This book is wacky and full of twists and turns that will leave him rolling on the ground.

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‘Annihilation’ by Jeff Van der Meer

He may not come up for air if he starts with this one, so don’t let him read this if you need his attention for anything. In Annihilation, four ladies embark on the 12th mission to explore Area X — a portion of the continent that’s been cutoff and surrounded by mystery. What they find there, and what they find out about each other, makes this apocalyptic thriller the ultimate page-turner.

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‘Descent’ by Tim Johnston

After a family vacation to the majestic Rocky Mountains leaves Caitlin Courtland missing, a broken family must deal with their terrifying future. This thriller will keep his heart racing as a family tries to find their daughter among the mystery of the mountains. Seriously, he won’t be able to put it down.

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'The Tusk That Did The Damage' by Tania James

If he thinks outside the box, he’ll be into Tania James’ Tusk for lots of reasons. The biggest of those, however, is that one of the three perspectives through which this story of poachers in India is told is from the eyes of an elephant. Yup, an elephant. Is he interested yet?

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'Making Nice' by Matt Sumell

Making Nice , a novel in stories, is about one character who’s having a pretty rough go at life after losing his mother to cancer. He’ll totally relate to Alby’s wild range of emotions if he’s ever felt frustration, anger, or sadness — OK, or if he’s in a little bit of arrested development.

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