Guide for the first time readers | by Stampede of Thoughts | Nov, 2025
Reading as a habit if inculcated helps with vocabulary. It doesn’t matter what you read, what is important is to inculcate the habit of reading. Every human is different and with that varies their selection of books. There are many genres of reading like Romance, Mystery, Scientific, Technology, Comics, Horror, Thriller, etc. My simple mantra to start reading is read simple and interesting. Frankly, I am no one to tell what you should read, but yes suggestion is acceptable. Right?
Before writing this article I went through a lot of website and videos for a beginner’s guide for books but very few actually concentrated on the section of people you want to inculcate his habit into.
Take me seriously language doesn’t matter. Reading is not set for only English language. We have this weird mindset that English is everything. It’s just a language like any other. Read any language of your choice and interest. A good book with good knowledge matters.
Here are some of my favourite 10 books which are great for beginners:
1. Short Stories by O Henry: Nothing like starting with reading short stories for a beginner. One such famous writer is William Sidney Parker famously known by his pen name as O Henry a well known American short story writer. His story concentrates on the ordinary people of New York City. His stories are famous for its surprise endings. For a non-reader, his books are recommended basically for its easy language, interesting plots, and themes. His famous stories include The Gift of Maggi, The Last Leaf (adapted in Bollywood cult movie Lootera), The Ransom of Red Thief, After Twenty Years, A Retrieved Reformation, etc. The book is available in Hindi, Gujarati languages.
2. Stories by Sudha Murthy: This renowned storyteller is an Indian engineer, teacher, social activist and writer in Kannada and English. She is the chairperson of Infosys and wife of N. R. Narayana Murthy. Her books are vivid, fun to read, simplicity and with no crucial words. Her stories are based on common people with struggles and deeds. She has the ability to bring human emotions to life. Even the titles of her books are interesting and catchy. A must recommended writer for beginners read. Her best books involve Five Spoon of Salt from Grandma’s Bag Of Stories (a fun read), Wise and otherwise, How I taught my grandmother to read, Mahashweta, Dollar Bahu, Something happened on the way to heaven, Grandma’s bag of Stories (for children), The day I stopped drinking milk, and many others. Sudha Murthy’ s books are available in English, Kannada, Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati.
3. Premchand: The “Upanyas Samrat”, Dhanpat Rai Shrivastava famously known by his pen name Munshi Premchand was an Indian writer famous for his modern Hindi-Urdu literature. He is one of the most celebrated writers of India and is regarded as one of the best Hindi writers of the early 20th century. He began writing under the pen name “Nawab Rai”, but subsequently switched to Premchand. He had a sense of storytelling with simplicity. His novel focuses on rural issues in India. His must-read book involves Godan, Nirmala, Alankar, Pratigya, etc. This is one of the best books under Hindi literature.
4. Preeti Shenoy: On number 4 is an author who has been consistently nominated for the Forbes List of the 100 most influential celebrities in India since 2013. India Today entitles her as “the only women in the highest selling league”. She is an amazing storyteller. Her writing involves simplicity, life goals, realistic and a sense of building thought-provoking narration. Her best books are Life is what you make it, Tea for Two and a piece of Cake, The Secret Wish List, The Rule Breakers, It Happens for a Reason, The One You Cannot Have and many more. Read her books and feel the real meaning of storytelling.
5. Novoneel Chakraborty: Next best author for a beginner is, Novoneel Chakraborty. If you like romance and thriller at the same time you are going to have the best reading experience. His books are intriguing and you will not leave until you finish it. He is also a full-time scriptwriter for television shows like Million Dollar Girl (Channel V), Twist Waala Love (Channel V), Secret Diaries (Channel V), Pyaar Tuney Kya Kiya (Zing TV), Savdhaan India (Life OK), Mann Mein Vishwas Hai (Sony). His best books are A thing beyond forever, How about a SIN tonight?, That Kiss in the Rain, The Stranger Triology Black Suits You, Forever Series, Cheater.
6. Twinkle Khanna: If you like satire, humour then Twinkle Khanna is the best author to read out for. An Indian actor, columnist, designer, and now an author. Her first book Mrs Funnybones: She’s Just Like You and a Lot Like Me was out and has created her name as a best seller. The book is a nonfiction satire based on her personal life and has reached out to the audience at a large scale. Her other best books involve Pyjamas are Forgiving, The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad. Must read if you a Twinkle Khanna fan or simply satire.
7. Karan Johar: The witty outspoken star Director of the Indian Cinema, Karan Johar released his biography The Unsuitable Boy in 2016. Even if you are not a Karan Johar fan you will love every part of the book. The book is written with great reality and is heartwarming. A book recommended for all.
8. Ruskin Bond: Ruskin Bond is an Indian author of British descent. The Indian Council for Child Education has recognised his role in the growth of children’s literature in India. He has been an experimental author with types of writing; he tried different genres of storytelling like nonfiction, romance, and books for children. His best books are The Room on The Roof, The Night Train at Deoli, The Blue Umbrella, Our Great Escape, A Face in the Night and The Eyes Have It. These books are must read and highly recommended.
9. Khushwant Singh: An Indian author, lawyer, diplomat, journalist, and politician, Khushwant Singh explores social, political realities of Indian life in his book. His experience of 1947 Partition of India inspired him to pen down Train to Pakistan which became his most well-known novel. He has also written many plays and short stories. His other best book involves Why I Supported The Emergency, Delhi: A Novel, The Portrait of a Lady: Collected Stories.
10. Rabindranath Tagore: Rabindranath Tagore was a poet of India. He wrote many stories, novels, poems, and dramas. He was also known as a philosopher and an artist. His writing style involves thoughts, feelings, and images to convey a certain message to the reader. His best reads are Gitanjali (poem), Choker Bali, Gora, Kabuli Wala, The Broken Nest.
These are some my favourite book reads and a guide for a beginner. Not just novels but you can start reading with simple comics, magazines, poetries. It all depends on one’s individual choice of interest.
In case you like this article and if you have any other books do comment in the comment section below and let me know
