topic Re: BOYS AND BOOKS in Community Chat

BOYS AND BOOKS

Oznell — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 13:34:04 GMT

There's a growing presence online, of teenage boys and young men who've found their way to the classics, and want to talk about it.

It's noteworthy because boys ( in general) have seemed less into books than girls, especially works of literature.

The one that's getting a lot of notice is Chris Fizer, of "ChrisKindaReads". He's on youtube, twitter, instagram.

He has lots of thoughts on what he's reading, and wants to share the excitement. He's been raving about "The Brothers Karamazov" by Fyodor Dostoevsky, focusing on certain chapters that he finds extremely compelling.

He also recommends and discusses "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde, and "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley (he recommends the 1818 text), among others.

For light reading, he held up "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier, singling out some of the great sentences ( "fire", as he put it) and generally good writing.

Paul Anleitner is another, appeared on Chris's feed, another huge Dostoevsky fan. --

Murph of murphreads is another one. He has been extolling "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck.

LOVE this phenomenon, and hope it spreads. It's been called a new "counter culture". I don't care if its tiny-- it has potential, as these enthusiastic young men share what they've gained.

These guys are serious-- they have ambitious reading plans. Go, guys!

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

walkingal — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 19:37:28 GMT

I saw this article on X this morning. This is good to hear. Reading improves grammar, spelling, and vocabulary. All good things.

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

Cakers3 — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 14:08:19 GMT

Interesting about the return to classics.👍

I always gave DS and GS a book for holidays and birthdays but also here and there in between.

Thank you for posting a good thing about boys and great pictures.

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

Franklinbell — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 14:13:48 GMT

@Oznell Thank you for sharing!, this is great news!

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

just bee — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 14:14:15 GMT

@Oznell

This is encouraging.

I always include books in baby shower gifts. A child's library should start pre-birth.

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

Janey2 — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 14:19:02 GMT

This makes me happy. Young people that can read a book and want to discuss it. There is hope....l

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

Jo1313 — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 14:57:46 GMT

My grands(boys) could read before they went to pre-school..I watched them..I thought maybe they were making things up from the pictures..They were reading the words!..One was bored in pre-school..My DIL told the teacher to give him a book!..The teacher was SHOCKED that he could read the words! I mean he was reading from second grade books.

My DIL and DS always read with them..They are doing a great job!

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

Franell — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 15:40:30 GMT

I taught reading and one of my professors in graduate school told us a funny story. Early in her career she worked with a child who could read fluently but only when he turned the book upside down. She thought that the child had an unusual case of dyslexia. It turned out that his grandmother read to him holding the book facing him and that's how he learned to read. There are some children who pick up reading easily and others whose learning styles are not typical and need special help. It is not necessarily connected to intelligence.

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

skatting44 — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:11:58 GMT

Noticed movie remakes of Wuthering Heights,

A Tale of 2 Cities, The Count of Monte -Cristo

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

Q-Checker — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 19:38:05 GMT

Fantastic to learn about these boys! I hope that they continue their interest in great literature for the rest of their lives. If they do, I think that their lives will be so enriched, and I am happy for them.

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

threecees — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:26:03 GMT

Both of my children were early readers. Nice story.

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

Sakuya — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:36:34 GMT

Great post and very encouraging. I used to be quite an avid reader (several books a week) before too many other things squeezed out reading time. I am working on getting it back.

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

tansy — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:41:40 GMT

@Sakuya wrote:
Great post and very encouraging. I used to be quite an avid reader (several books a week) before too many other things squeezed out reading time. I am working on getting it back.

Try audiobooks, @Sakuya. Great way to get back into books. I use the Libby app with my library.

One of my sons was a very early reader; the other one not so much. They both read a great deal as adults.

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

beach-mom — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:51:16 GMT

@Oznell - I will have to tell DS about Chris. DS is a voracious reader. He likes to go to the park near him on a nice day with a book. He is not interested in any e-book sites like Nook, and he prefers hardcovers, although he does read paperbacks too. He has asked me some questions about classics from time to time, and read some when he was younger. He likes books about science and politics now. We all get a book for Christmas. DH's book was Everything is Tuberculosis. Guess who took it back on the plane with him? At least he took the book I had special ordered for him too!

Now his sister. . . LOL!

I started reading to them every day when they were 3 months old. DH and I both love to read, and we wanted our children to love reading too.

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

Oznell — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 23:41:12 GMT

Great to read of so many parents here who've read to their kids from the start, beginning a life-long involvement with books.

I wasn't surprised that other people find this story so exhilarating too-- it just makes you happy, to think of these boys making these discoveries of great works, and so enthused by them...

No matter what happens, how society evolves or how great a role the cyber sphere plays, I believe there will always be *some* people who will love books and knowledge, and have the intellectual curiosity to pursue them. Like these boys are doing.

Fab that your son tackles science and politics in his reading, @beach-mom !

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

Franklinbell — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 23:45:47 GMT

Thanks to this story, I have decided to reread Wuthering Heights! It has been a while, and I know that a movie is coming out. it shall be fun!

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

shoekitty — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 23:47:02 GMT

wonderful, encouraging news! There are always those that read, but these days sharing online is a positive way to endorse. Nothing like your peers sharing! In the long run, reading these books will take through many lands, minds, ideologies, and life experiences. Teaches you how others lived in past times, and present. One can onlybecome a more knowledgable person, and have fun at the same time

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

Oznell — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 23:49:09 GMT

Wow, great, @Franklinbell -- I hope you'll give your review, too.

So well put, @shoekitty , everything you said!

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

Franklinbell — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:21:03 GMT

One thing I enjoy about re-reading books is how my perspective changes and how I envision the characters!

Re: BOYS AND BOOKS

shoekitty — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:37:16 GMT

@Franklinbell yes, ones perspective changes over the years. I think. Some of those books the boys showed they are reading, when read 20, 30 years from now...Will feel different.

I felt that about Tess of D'Aurborvilles. When I read it as young adult , I found it romantic, tragic . Now I can't even re read it again,it makes me mad. Same for many of Jane Austin's novels. As a teen, reading as required High School English, I could barely get through it. It was the language, lengthy chit chat. lol. But I liked it. Now, her works are among my favorite. I love the "archaic" language, to speak. I love the conversations. I often go over conversations, breaking down the meaning. They mean so much more.