A
male
age
36-40,
anonymous
writes:Hey there,I am 25 and since leaving school and university, I have hardly had the time to read books nor really had an interest for them, but as time goes by I find that my English is not as profound and great as it could be and I am starting to feel as though I need to get my language and my vocab in better shape.I enjoy books that are funny and mysterious, books that keep me gripped to read the next page, but it is rare to find a book when I do read them that does that to me.In short I feel as though I am not sounding as bright as I once was when my vocab was more extensive.Which books would you recommend that might help me in terms of starting to read again, or just in general self motivational books that you'd recommend would help me as this is beginning to affect my self esteem.Thanksx
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female
reader, derval  +, writes (1 June 2010):
Sign up for dictionary.com's Word of the Day. It's super cool, and even if you get lazy and don't always read it (like me!) it makes you feel all self-righteous and smart when it pops up in your inbox.
Use a thesaurus often as well; if you're writing and you're about to use a certain word then look it up in a thesaurus (thesaurus.com) and see what other words you might use instead.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde is written in a very flowery sort of way; it doesn't always make fantastically entertaining reading, though I reccommend it to those who wish to improve their vocabulary (the plot is pretty exciting as well). Oscar Wilde's other works are equally worthy.
Read any books that you might already know are classics: Lord of the Flies, 1984, Catcher in the Rye etc.
Here is a long list of lists (?!) about books that you might like to check out: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/series/toptens
Most importantly, enjoy your reading, otherwise you won't learn anything at all!
A
male
reader, anonymous, writes (1 June 2010): As stated reading in general will probably be the most beneficial way of improving your vocabulary. I myself am an avid reader. I love Sci-Fic! I would highly advise looking into Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time Series. He is/was truly a genius.
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A
male
reader, Honest Answer  +, writes (1 June 2010):
 Reading in general will improve your vocabulary. People that read alot tend to have the biggest vocabulary. You don't have to read the dictionary. The more you read, the more you expand. You start to figure out new words by looking at the content and context of the sentence you are reading. So my advice to you is to pick up a book, and start reading.
Good Luck!
Jeff
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A
female
reader, hpoco  +, writes (31 May 2010):
 I think Ernest Hemmingway is a great writer, particularly for people who aren't native English speakers. His sentence structure is fairly simple and direct, but his vocabulary and way of phrasing certain things is profound. Try some of his short stories first! I think you can also say the same things about John Steinbeck.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (31 May 2010): If you like fiction here are some QUALITY authors. Mysterious and funny: Chuck Palahniuk. Survivor is good. Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-five has good vocabulary. (or anything really by Kurt Vonnegut). Bret Easton Ellis, perhaps you could try American Psycho, even though it is gory.
If you want to try something softer and sweeter and beautifully written you should try Yann Martel's Life of Pi.
Michel Houellebecq (French author in translation), Charles Bukowski, Jack Kerouac.
Self-motivation: Anything by Deepak Chopra, and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (awesome book).
DON'T read Shakespeare, it is OLDE English. You are not going to get it unless you cultivate your vocabulary FIRST.
And the absolute BEST way to improve your vocabulary is to read THE NEW YORK TIMES. Not only will you be up to date with what is going on in the world but it is some of best WRITERS in our country. And it will keep you up on today's best authors and good read's. =)
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A
male
reader, Jmtmj  +, writes (31 May 2010):
 www.thefreedictionary.com is great. Install the free toolbar that they offer and it has a few great games and a new word of the day with definition, example sentence etc. I hate having my internet browser take up a quarter of the screen with about 4 different toolbars, but this is the one toolbar that I'd always keep.
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A
reader, anonymous, writes (31 May 2010): honestly, by the looks of your post... I would think English is your first language =) Don't fret too much, but if practice is what you wish for... can't hurt!
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A
female
reader, chigirl  +, writes (31 May 2010):
 dictionary.com is your friend
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A
female
reader, chigirl +, writes (31 May 2010):
Tolkien. His use of words gave me a headache or two.
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A
female
reader, Carrot2000 +, writes (31 May 2010):
 I suggest "The Emperor of Ocean Park" by Stephen L. Carter. I found it a bit tedious, but it will definitely improve your vocabulary.
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A
male
reader, CaringGuy +, writes (31 May 2010):
William Shakespeare's plays, Raymond Chandler, Brett Easton Ellis, Cormac McCarthy. They're all quality writers.
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A
reader, anonymous, writes (31 May 2010): I've been trying to expand my vocabulary for my English lit a level. I have been picking up words from things like the great gatsby and my teacher has helped alot! The other day I watched a film called v for vendetta, that has some great alternative vocabulary in it... Watch it!! It's also a great film
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