10 books your partner will love as much as you do.

I am a crazy book reader. My husband isn’t. I am a book snob. He isn’t.

Sometimes we might find ourselves lying side by side in bed at night, reading. I’m halfway through Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey. He is re-reading some kind of Dan Brown thingy.

Book overlap happens but rarely. That said, there have been moments when I’ve read a book and thought ‘he might like this’. And so I strongly recommend it. “It will bring us closer together” I promise. We share so much else in life, but when I do happen to recommend something to him and he manages to get through it and like it, well that’s a beautiful moment. I feel like I really know him.

So if you are the bookish type who has a partner who is more Matthew Reilly than Henry James, here are some books I’d recommend that might work for you both.

1. The Bones Clocks by David Mitchell.

This is a big book with a female protagonist but don’t let that put him off. It’s quasi science fiction, full of adventure and insight into life, funny, smart and gripping in parts. It ends with a warning about the threat climate change poses to our way of life that will make your seriously consider solar panels on the roof.

2. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

The first in the series is the best. This is young adult reading, but you will both tear through it. Again its sci-fi slash adventure with a female protagonist, but you’ll both want your daughters to grow up to be like Katniss. Make it a family affair and let your tweens and teens read it as well and discuss at the dinner table.

3. The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band - a collaborative autobiography written by Mötley Crüel and former music journo Neil Strauss.

OK stay with me here. A dear friend who always recommends the best books to me gave me a copy of this. I am not a fan of the band or their antics but I couldn’t put this down. It opens with a vivid description of a filthy apartment and an incident of female ejaculation that will stay with you both for some time to come.

4. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John Le Carre.

I read this recently because it is on one of the 'greatest novels of all time' lists circulating the internet. I thought Le Carre was a run of the mill spy novel writer and dismissed him, but boy was I wrong. Compelling stories, powerful prose and a peep into the murky, claustrophobic world of Cold War espionage British style (ie it rains a lot).

5. Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography by Walter Isaacson.

Man, woman and child, Steve Jobs has changed our lives. Who wouldn’t want to know more about who he was?

6. Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris.

The couple that laughs together stays together. You can’t really go wrong with any David Sedaris collection but this one contains a story about his time as a Christmas elf at Macy’s department store, which will have you reaching for the tissues and/or incontinence pads.

7. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.

This is a war story you will both love. Louis Zamperini incredible story of survival was made into a movie by Angelina Jolie that you can watch together after you’ve shared the book.

8. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

You probably both read this at school but reading it again as adults is a great idea. It is a classic for a reason, almost the perfect novel with extraordinary characters to admire and love.

9. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami

A ‘sports’ book with a difference by the award winning novelist Haruki Murakami.

10. Jamaica by Malcolm Knox.

The prolific Australian author Knox writes vividly about men and misogyny in this novel about a friendship circle that travel to Jamaica to enter an extreme swimming contest.

Here’s another tip to get you both on the same ‘page’ when it comes to reading. Think about an audio book for when he is driving in or cleaning the car, walking the dog or out for a run. Or cooking you dinner.

For more recommended reads, try ...

Why colouring books for adults are the Next Big Thing.

18 must-read books about extraordinary women.

12 great books guaranteed to rekindle your passion for reading.