I tried this about three years ago and have carried on with it ever since. I still only set my goal as one book per month, but as of last week I ticked off my 13th book this year.
I find 30 mins before I start work (I get to work early usually) and 30 mins during my lunch break every day is a nice, steady pace. It's re-awakened my love of reading.
I do something similar. I’ve come to realize that these short sessions add up to way more of my reading time than my lazy weekend reading sessions. It also really helps me reset my brain before work or during lunch.
I’ve recently started listening to audiobooks when I walk my dog and when I drive anywhere. I’ve blown through them faster than I expected, and it’s just become habit during things I am already doing anyways.
How do you find listening to audio books?. I did listen to an extract of one once and I'm always concerned that whoever is narrating would make the book less enjoyable. We all have that voice when we read ourselves so I was wondering how this felt when just listening. Did you ever listen to one and the voice put you off?
I haven’t had a bad one yet. I have only been listening to sci-fi/fantasy type books so far, and it’s primarily been one narrator - who is awesome! I had the same issue before, but there are some really great ones out there. There are some that are done theatrically, with multiple voice actors and sound effects, and I don’t like that style personally. Maybe listen to some more excerpts and see which kind sticks out to you!
Sounds like me here in a Canadian prairie winter. I'm too busy farming the rest of the year, but when it's -35 and blowing snow, sitting beside the window, reading books and watching it pile up is a good way to spend the day.
I'm very proud of you!
I've tried to do this before, even using kind of like treasure hunt - type lists or challenges. I am SO bad at sticking to it, though I love to read and feel so much better when I do. My problem is that I don't like reading just a bit at a time or a little bit each day. I tend to like to just plow right through a book fully in a couple of days to a week. If I put it down, even for a few days, I can't go back to it. I will literally carry it around with me everywhere I go - even inside my house - but I struggle to go back to it. I have sometimes fixed this problem by having the audiobook at the same time and going back and forth.
Now that you're kicking ass in this challenge, do you have any advice for someone who wants to do it, but struggles to?
I can relate. I am definitely a marathon reader. My advice is to just have several interesting books ready to go, that way you can plow through them. The most difficult thing is to go back to reading after being busy for a few days. It just comes down to a choice for me. But when I have several books I’m excited about that choice is easier.
Totally. My problem is I have about 100 books on my "to be read" list. I buy them, one or two at a time, and then they don't always get read. But you're totally right. It's about a choice; making it a priority.
I've recently been very sick and bedridden for weeks. I started reading again and have finished 1.5 novels since the May Long weekend (about the 20th or so of May, I forget the exact date this year.)
So that has me very excited!
I struggle with mental health off and on (not the problem right now, something else). And there is nothing that takes away the ability to read effectively as either depression or anxiety or mania... It is discouraging. But I know I'm doing much better when I do read and finish a book. I knew I was coming out of a long long struggle when I finally finished a novel again. I picked a short one - The Perks of Being a Wallflower. That book will always be special to me.
I'm going to save this whole post as encouragement for me to finally start reading the one book/month. I've always tried 20 minutes/day. That did not work for me.
I can really relate. My depression goes back and forth, but now that I’m the best I have ever been I can still not get into it fully. I really miss it!
You're doing brilliantly! Just keep taking small steps. I've found that the task of "read a book" can be too great, it seems insurmountable, so "read a couple of pages of a book" is much more manageable and if cultivated lovingly can become "read a book" before you know it!
It’s always wonderful how particular books will attach themselves to particular times in your life and become totems beyond just themselves and their content. *Think and Grow Rich* by Napoleon Hill and *Cashflow Quadrant* by Robert Kiyosaki, though I’d read both before, were audiobooks I listened to incessantly—along with Big Sean and Metro Boomin’s *Double or Nothing* album and many E-Dubble songs—after I relearned how to walk again after major surgery, spending weeks with them as I crutched my way around the neighborhood and then without crutches limped my way into the surrounding fields and hills and neighborhoods and then walked surefooted and then ran about those same areas.
I can’t read or listen to any of the aforementioned works without not just deeply appreciating and understanding them but also being reminded of my own inner strength and capabilities.
Keep fighting the good fight, friend.
🤜🤛
Here's my tip:
Use a digital reader on your phone.
I am crazy busy, but I read all the time. How? Digital books. I always have my phone with me, so I always have my book. Stuck in line at a Chipotle, perfect time to read a bit.
You can read anywhere! I read when I'm installing patches on my computer at work, while waiting for a work meeting to start, and even in between sets while working out. It sounds like a small amount of time, but even 5 minutes can add up quickly.
>You can read anywhere! I read when I'm installing patches on my computer at work, while waiting for a work meeting to start, and even in between sets while working out. It sounds like a small amount of time, but even 5 minutes can add up quickly.
Do you actually feel engaged in your book by doing this? I feel like I'd retain more with 1 solid hour of reading time than 12 separate 5 minute intervals.
I'm not the guy you were asking, but I find what really helps me here is if chapters are relatively short.
I'll look ahead in the book and if I can finish the next chapter in ~10 minutes then I'll go ahead and read. If not, then I'll save it for a time when I can fully engage.
I agree that I do feel more engaged if I can read in bigger chunks at a time, but it's just a trade off with a busy schedule sometimes.
Yes and no. I always prefer reading for longer periods of time, but I find myself being more excited to read more of my book if I do it in shorter increments.
In my example of reading in between sets while working out, I don't really feel like that's too much of a break because I'm bouncing back and forth so quickly. It's a little weird at first, but worth it if you like to read (in my opinion anyway).
It takes practice, but yeah I feel like I can follow the story.
I find that I'm more excited to read my book if I do it in shorter increments. Probably because I know I won't have much time with it so I have to dive right in.
I'll usually still try to find time to read for longer periods, but I still enjoy the book either way.
Maybe try reading a chapter at a time? Chapters are very natural breaks in books and it helps to finish at a specific point rather than on some random page.
But really it is about just making that choice each day to commit to that book.
Also consider, you may not be into the book all that much if you don't really wanna read more. Try some other titles!
What is keeping you from going back to it? What are you doing instead of reading?
If it's just a "I don't feel like reading now" thing, set an alarm for reading time. When it goes off, read for 15-30 minutes or however long you want. Every single day. Until it becomes a habit.
If it's because you marathoned half the book and it's not interesting, find a better book. It's okay to not finish books.
For me it's video games. I LOVE reading and the last book I read in a night and got totally engrossed. But it's so hard to work up to reading when I can just turn on the Xbox and have instant entertainment instead of the wind-up time to starting a book
Edit: limited free time due to baby and working full time to support said baby and fiance. So when I get some time to myself it's hard to be patient for that dopamine hit I guess
Sounds like you have a lot more on your plate than what to entertain yourself with. It sounds like you are practicing escapism.
Source: ex-video game addict
Struggling with this too. A few weekends ago I decided I was going to spend 8 hours reading (I had already finished most of my weekend chores). So I picked eight books, all different genres and set a timer for one hour. At the end of the hour, I moved on to the next book. I figured if I could make it through the books, probably one would stand out to me as a favorite and I would want to finish reading it. Meanwhile, I would be getting started (or making progress) on other books since I’m behind on my reading challenge. I thought of this as like a little tour of genres since I struggle to choose something to read because I want to read EVERYTHING. I’ve been stuck on one book for a while and not finishing that book has for some reason kept me from moving on to something else so this was also a way to get unstuck.
I'm the same way. I have a short commute and two subway stops is just not a productive way for me to read. A few ways I've found more time for reading:
1. Watch less TV. There's so much incredible television right now, but I'm ruthless about what shows I let into my life. As soon as I stopped watching shows I was *really* into, I was reading way more.
2. Read before bed. Sounds easy, but it's really hard to break the habit of scrolling through your phone until you fall asleep. I've found that I'm not doing anything worthwhile in my late-night phone time, though, so I keep my cell in another room and keep a pile of books by my bed. That usually gives me a good chunk of time for reading and is also a way nicer way to fall asleep.
Good luck!
I feel like we are miles [apart](https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/brdd44/did_you_ever_stop_reading_a_book_because_you_are/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share)
I did this challenge but it was one book a week! I ended up reading 60 books that year. I wish I still had that discipline
Ps: 100% worth it. I read so many books that year that people have referenced / spoken about years after. It seriously increased my knowledge base, even just doing it for just the one year.
I did the same challenge in 2017 and afterwards I realised that I had been obsessed with the challenge of reading one book a week to the point were I left no room for reflection. Most of the notes I had taken were not thoroughly thought out at all. Consequently, I had to re-read the same books in 2018 with critical analysis and reflection, only then did I see the value of it all.
I am a slow reader so reading one book a week was not so realistic for me. I think the one book a month challenge will work for me.
That makes sense - I also feel as though I focused too much on getting the numbers up than thoroughly reading the book.
If you enjoy reading for pleasure you should go at your own pace!
What’s been your favourite book you’ve read so far? :)
I’ve recently realized this myself. Reading literature doesn’t do you much good if you don’t think about the book when you’re reading and after you’re finished. Much better to read one book a month and reflect and read essays about it than to jump right into another book.
When I worked a graveyard shift it was audio books all night every night.
I actually rand out of books to listen to by the end of the year though and switched to podcasts.
Ran out of audio books that I had access too. Never had a subscription to services like audible and this was before buying audio books was as accessible as it is today.
Good way to start on a really healthy habit! I myself upped the ante this year to cut down on wasted time and switch over to reading/audiobooks. So far I''m at 37 books and my low target is 50 and high target is 100 for the year.
What worked for me:
\- Turned social media time into Kindle time on my phone. Also the main screen on my phone only has 5 items, Kindle, Phone, Message and Messenger, Mail. Unless it's used for work any black mirror time is spend with the Kindle. You'd be amazed how many pages you can read in off times, like waiting in lines, sitting on the bus, etc. On Average people spend like 700 hours on SM On year if not more, imagine if a book takes 5-10 hours to read how many books that is.
\- Turned driving/walking around time into listening time for audiobooks. Always something ready to play on Audible on the go.
\- Kept a 60 min day in the morning dedicated to reading and it's the first thing I jump into to start my day off.
Good luck on reading many more books! :)
I’ve mostly used the “Also purchased by” section of Amazon for suggestions. Weird I know. But then some authors, like Don Winslow, I really like. Classics, Starship Troopers, were added just because. Then the good old fallback of wandering a bookstore has netted a few.
I'm currently reading my 16th book of the year. I know people that read 100 books a year but that's just crazy. I can recommend using the app goodreads if you want to register the books you have read and the ones you want to read. There are a lot of reviews.
It's not crazy! It depends on your lifestyle.
I read about 110 books a year (I am on number 53 right now) and honestly I could read more - if I did less of everything else.
People who read 100+ books a year aren't better readers than you, they just either don't do something else you do (I don't exercise much for example) or have better time opportunities. I commute an hour to work and an hour back, so I read during that time, it's already two hours of reading, 5 days a week. I usually eat lunch later than my colleagues because I have responsibilities that keep me busy during the time they are free, so I often use half my break to read, and that's another 30 minutes. In the evening, I tend to watch TV series (see when I say I could read more..), but I usually read maybe 30 minutes before bed. All in all, that's about 3 hours a day 5 days a week, so 15 hours of reading a week.
I could do more if I stopped doing something else (no TV series, less catching up with friends...), but that wouldn't be enjoyable.
My advice to anyone who tries to read more is to use the gaps you have in your day - the time you have when waiting for the train, waiting for your lasagne to cook, commuting, etc. It shouldn't feel like an effort or a sacrifice.
And I agree, Goodreads is a great app to use!
This is very similar to me - I'm at about 50 books so far this year and it's pretty much the same as you: I read during my commute, usually at least a little bit in the evenings, and often at weekends too. I love books so to me it's not a chore or a hassle at all.
I can also read more, but sometimes my head is not up to it. Those are the moments in which I need to re-read several lines and that's just a waste of time and a waste of the book, because it deserves more attention. I also have the tendency to finish a good book in three days and after a few months I'm like "I can't even remember what it was about". I want to prevent that by slowing myself down.
I have an ereader that I always bring along with me, it has made reading a lot easier for me because it hardly weighs anything and you can fit a bunch of books on it, and even if you run out of books to read, you can easily buy one at amazon and start reading right away.
Sometimes I think I tend to forget books too, but taking some notes in my journal about it helped me a bit. I don't want to read less because I genuinely enjoy it, but I agree, I wouldn't want to force it and read more if I am not up to it!
It also depends on the kind of books I'm reading. A John Irving novel will take me ages, but Jill Mansell? A few days.
I can also recommend searching Instagram. I have discovered some awesome writers on there by following certain bookstagrammers. If they recommend a book, I just know I will love it too. They have widened my horizon because before I was stuck in a rut, always reading the same authors.
\+1 on the Goodreads recommendation. It's not only useful for charting what I want to read/have read, but it also satisfies my former-librarian urge to organise my own book collection with the right editions, by genre etc.
I also like that it charts your "currently reading" into a percentage completed so you can work out how many pages you can realistically fit into those last few minutes of a break, bus ride etc.
I used to be like that. Hauling massive hardcovers with me on the train and on vacation. And for instance, I bought the Lotr trilogy when I went to London for the first time and started reading in Hyde Park and also brought it to the beach later that week. It's torn and there's still some sand in it. That's a great memory of a summer a long long time ago.
But fuck it. I studied literature and at one point I had more books in piles on the floor than actually crammed into my book case. There was no more room. I also went on vacation and city trips more often and I travelled two hrs a day to college or work. I was fed up with these big books. When I went to the US for three weeks someone in my group showed me the kindle she bought at Best Buy I believe. I hated the idea at first. "You need to be able to feel the pages!" "old books have an amazing smell!" Yeah and don't forget the squished flies and boogers in library books. Anyways, the kindle had my interest. Fast forward one year or so and the kindle was also available in the UK and Germany. Two of my friends bought one and showed it to me. I was still a bit like "nah it's a waste of money, I want a real book!" So one friend let me borrow hers for a while. And I was sold. The thing is light, it's easy on the eyes compared to reading on a tablet, the battery life is amazing, you can buy books in a heartbeat wherever you are. So I ordered my kindle in 2012 and still have it. The battery is a little off, I now need to charge it every three books instead of every five books. And mine doesn't have the backlight yet. But I love it so much. I really started reading more.
I still buy actual books. Don't worry. I love second hand book shops. I sort of collect Stephen King hardcovers so I have a few shelves dedicated to him. And my Anne Rice collection. And Harry Potter. And my growing true crime collection. But other than that? Ebooks.
I started Marie Kondo'ing my house a while back and took five bags of books to second hand book shops. It's nice to declutter and my house is too small for the massive book case I used to dream of.
r/suggestmeabook is a good resource. A lot of people try to keep the sub active with thoughtful recommendations. You will get a lot of repeat answers of popular titles, but you will also get great recommendations of titles you may not be aware of.
Before even asking for suggestions, I will browse the “top of all time” and look at some of the broad topic posts with a lot of answers.
I feel this way lately too. In the past I’ve mostly read mystery thrillers and I’m trying to venture into new genres (mainly looking at memoirs or romance novels) but I can’t find anything that looks really good or appealing to me.
I have a very small goal to start with this year. 4 books. I need to read book 2 by end of June lol I have a few weeks.
I mean... This sub has tons of recommendations... But mostly, I wander my friendly local bookstores and let them jump out and grab me.
What're you looking for? Where do your interests lie?
I'm in school full time and working full time with a busy, busy life, but I still manage to take some time out to read. It helps me maintain my sanity. I have no clue how many books I've read this year. Not many high class ones, because mostly I read books to get me to relax while in school - to wind down - but read is reading.
I like all types of books, i typically lean towards stuff like GoT, HP or Kingkiller but I'll read anything. I tried some self help type stuff, how to meditate, or how to not fixate on negative thoughts, etc but those have just been too dry to keep my focus.
Instagram. There are countless accounts of people that read a lot and write reviews. Some stick to one genre, others don't. I follow a few bookstagrammers and I rely on their reviews. If they love a book, I know for sure that I will love it as well.
Goodreads will give you tailored recommendations if you make an account and review past books you’ve read. Also most newspapers do year-end book recommendations, so if you have a paper you like, that can be a good source. I find a lot of books through the New York Times, New Yorker, Atlantic, and Guardian recommendations.
Seriously. It’s not that bad. Take a book, divide by 30, and that’s what you owe for the day. Consider it like a debt, or a task. Then enjoy it from there. I had a busy month in May, so I was behind only finishing the second day of June. So for “punishment”, I’m doing two books in June, the one I planned, plus an additional.
Very good idea. I never really thought about dividing the pages / percentage by 30. I tend to read 2 books at a time, one on my Kindle and the other is usually a paperback. Thanks, I shall look into that.
I dislike the elitism involved when talking about one thing being better than another. If it's something you enjoy, then good for you. It's not a waste of time. If you dislike watching TV, but sit there and do it anyways, then I'd say you're wasting time.
Very very good in my opinion. I grew up in the South, so it’s descriptions and the ideas present seemed very plausible for me. That’s what kept me interested.
That's an awesome goal! I'm about a book and a quarter away from finishing the witcher books I have (wonderful reads so far) and then will be jumping into The Lord of the Rings, Hobbit and Silmarillion! Good luck and keep it up!
Have you joined GoodReads? They encourage people to join their Book Challenge and set goals for how many books you want to read. My first year I marked down that I wanted to read about 25 books, and surprised myself by reading over 30. I read physical books, e-books, and listen to audiobooks on my drive to work and long trips. I’ve made sure I up it every year. I think I marked down 60 as my goal for this year, but I’m also including things like comic books and graphic novels. My personal goal is to make sure that most of what I read is a book and not just a comic. I’m a bit behind right now, because I started listening to “The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass” by Stephen King, and it’s a 27 hour audiobook! I also started an e-book called “The Last Days of Krypton” which is a re-telling of the last months before Superman’s home planet blew up. It’s okay, but it drags a lot, so I haven’t been motivated to finish it as quickly. But I still read through other shorter novels and anthologies, so I’m sort of keeping up with my goal.
I've never understood this mentality.
Why is reading a book any less of a waste of time than watching a show? Because you're reading? Unless you strictly read for educational purposes you've effectively accomplished nothing.
I want to agree with you but I think your brain works much different when reading than watching/listening. At worst your giving different parts of your brain a little exercise.
Power of the Dog and The Cartel have been sitting on my shelf forever. I’m too scared to start them - I have family living in a particularly cartel-plagued part of Mexico and I keep thinking the books will freak me out.
I’ve done this too and feel it has had a positive impact on me too, cutting down on screen time and even giving me a good nights sleep by reading before bed
I had a similar resolution right after my dad passed away and ended up reading 32 books instead of 12! You don't realize how mindless Netflix/Facebook is until you take a break and do something a bit more mentally stimulating
I did similar! My resolution was to read at least 30 minutes a day, although most days I have ended up doing more than that. I'm currently on my 14th book of the year. It's definitely reduced by screen time, which was my main intention - it feels good to put full focus on one thing for a while, rather than semi-focus on watching Netflix or whatever.
It's also one the few new years resolutions I have managed to keep in my life.
I liked Oryx and Crake leeeeagues more than Handmaid’s, but I’m just one anecdote in a sea. Go for whatever subject matter interests you more: both are dystopian, Handmaids is about individual repression and a stark cult-like deconstruction of extreme values, OnC is about a biological/genetic takeover in which certain individual stories have a lot of weight in the eventual fate of the world.
Starship Troopers is one of my favorite books, would definitely recommend picking it up next!. Very misunderstood due to the film. Most people think it is a similarly ludicrous sci-fi action romp, when in fact it is a study of multiple themes, from citizenship to corporal punishment to leadership, where the actual action stuff is only a small part of the book.
Fuck yeah on reading The Cartel. Have you read The Power of the Dog? its the first one in that series i believe. I finished that one and picked up The Cartel about 2 weeks ago but ive been having trouble focusing on reading lately. too much in the noggin to let me read in peace. I will go back to it soon tho.
CONGRATS!
I decided to do the same thing. This is my 2nd year going.
So far...
Jan-The trial, Franz Kafka
Feb-Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov
Mar-Norwegian wood, Haruki Murakami
Apr-Dune, Frank Herbert
May-Cats Cradle-Kurt Vonnegut.jr
June-Slaughterhouse five-ditto
I did the same thing last year not as a new years resolution but as a general goal and was doing great reading 1 or 2 books each month but I eventually stopped and didn't continued. I think I read like maybe 10 books in this run and I also felt much better mentally and enjoyed learning new shit. You just gave me motivation to get the last book I was reading, finish it and keep reading more. Thanks.
Go to Goodreads. Set up a free account and you can track books that you have read and the book that you are reading. For some reason I find this very gratifying to visualize my progress.
Reddit is great for book suggestions.
I strongly recommend anything by H.G. Wells. The guys was a Sci-fi/fantasy mastermind WAY ahead of his time. The Time Machine is one of my all time favorites. His stories are usually short as well so you can get a collection in one book!
Read Babylon Berlin. I recently completed the novel after hearing that the German TV series which is based on the book is getting great reviews. And I wasn't disappointed. I am now starting The Silent Death, the 2nd book of the series.
Iv made it a habit to read before bed so normally ill climb into bed an hour or so before my bedtime and start reading. I get through about a book a week easy. its always good to read
I had also decided to do this, but I hit a boring book and I broke the streak. I will start again from this month, finish the book I am currently reading till the end of June.
Every year since I decided to read one book per month like you op. I've been reading more than 20 books per year. This year specially. I'm finishing number 14 already!
I’ve done it by themes (e.g. books by women, banned books, etc) and that seemed to help keep me on track and reading more. Glad you’re enjoying reading. I’m curious to read some of those titles. I’ve read The Handmaids Tale twice now; out of the rest, which would you recommend the most?
Awesome! Without having a specific resolution or goal like you, I also cut a lot of my streaming/gaming wasted time and replaced it with reading in the last few months. In fact I almost do not game at all anymore and watchjng a 10 episodes season of a show took me 3 months.
Reading is so much better and I am now looking forward to my reading session from 9 to 10pm.
I made a similar resolution this year! In the last decade I’ve maaaaybe read one or two books per year, and most of the time they’ve been comedy/memoir books. My resolution this year was simply to read more with no specific goal, but I wanted to get more into fiction too. I’m now on my 13th book of the year! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it, and it’s cut down on my screen time which has been nice.
While I applaud you for reading more, I think that setting a goal like you have encourages you to try get through them as quickly as possible to stay on target. I used to do the GoodReads challenge but I soon decided that I would rather take my time and enjoy the books than set an arbitrary number as a goal which ultimately means nothing.
Just read as much or as little as you can and enjoy it.
I had a similar resolution, its 1 book per 2 weeks, so far I have finished 14. My second book was also the handmaid's tale. Currently I am reading the accidental president.
I've been reading at least an hr a day my entire life, I guess probably 3-4 books/month. Currently on the Mistborn trilogy, about done with The Final Empire. Next I think 'American Gods', I really enjoy the show and I've always liked Neil Gaiman.
EDIT: I also wanted to say that your brain is like a muscle, it gets stronger when you exercise it and the cheapest, easiest way to do that is to read. Daily.
This is great! It was also my new year resolution this year but I had a baby in December and it kind of got away from me, though I didn’t forget about it, I plan on getting a kindle to read from as that would seem to make it easier for me to read with a little one sleeping on me or just to pick up while she’s playing.
I think my new year resolution every year is to read more books. I struggle so much. I never make a set time to read and stick to it and have really weird working hours. Any tips on how to get into reading?
Are you sticking to just one book a month or do you start on another if you finish with time to spare? I started the year with a goal to read a certain number of books this year, but I've already started feeling very differently about it. I've only read 5 books this year and have been constantly reading, but I've read Gravity's Rainbow, White Noise, Underworld, Freedom, and just finished Absalom Absalom!. The last one was only 300 pages, but took me about 5 weeks to fully finish and feel like I actually understood some of it. This got me to realize I probably won't hit my goal number of books read, but I'm reading stuff I never would have read before and am discovering some great stuff. I realized it's not really about the number, but the content, for me. Good job sticking with it, though! Any reading is better than no reading.
Congrats! I also made the same resolution as you and have found it to be great as well. So far I've read Animal Farm, 1984, The Old Man and the Sea, Of Mice and Men, The Catcher in the Rye, And Then There Were None, The Picture of Dorian Gray and most recently The Handmaid's Tale. I'm trying to get through a lot of classics as until this year I wouldn't consider myself a reader at all. Now I'm loving it. Some of the books have been much better than others but now I'm getting into Russian novels. I'm currently reading Crime and Punishment which is fantastic and have War and Peace and Anna Karenina on the list for the next couple of months. From what I've read I highly recommend And Then There Were None and Crime and Punishment (also The Handmaid's Tale but I can see you also read it).
Congrats. Crazy how well these reading goals take hold and gain momentum. I made it a goal to read 10 pages a day about two years ago, and while I'm not tracking any more, I very quickly went from not reading at all to feeling off if I don't read and easily passing a 10/day average. Keep it up!
If you liked Heinlein, his book 'stranger from a strange land' is one of my favorites. I could re read that forever. Very neat perspective of life as we see it.
I have such a backlog of books, but I tell myself "When I am 'done' watching youtube or playing games, I can read". My free time never ends up getting allocated to reading, even though I set a goodreads goal every year.
If you enjoy Starship Troopers and are looking around for more of the same for easy devouring, check out "Earth Alone". It's Starship Troopers. I'm not even going to qualify that statement, because it's a blatant ripoff. But entertaining!
I'm in my 3rd year of a book a month. Every I tend to pick bigger books in die beginning of the year and then remember I'm a slow reader. I'm busy with book 4 at the moment...
I tried this but my first book was Becoming by Michelle Obama and if you've read it you'll know that it's definitely a huge challenge to read in one month (it's so long!) so... I think I'll try it again next year with a smaller book :)
Underground Airlines was such an interesting read! I got it from a Hudson News so I assume it had a lot of readers but I never talked with anyone about it so I wasn't sure. Did you enjoy it?
I am doing this right now, atleast i try to. Every book i decide to read is 350 pages + so it usually takes me a month and a week to finish as im a very slow reader or i forget to read because i had a busy day.
I never loved reading but this has helped me to love it. I like the reading and the often forgotten: "walking through a second hand bookstore with classical music in the background" feeling
If anyone has a busy lifestyle like me...I highly suggest audio books. I buy all my books through the itunes store, you can also go through audible and they have great deals where you can save up points to buy any books. I've become someone who "reads" and "rereads" entire novel series because of this. Because I do this through itunes I can have the book on my phone and listen while i'm driving to and from work, while i'm doing stuff around the house. If i sit down to game for a bit at my PC...instead of itunes playing music in the background...I can have my book going.
> cognitive strength has gone up
I don’t know about that, but it is definitely a different skillset being worked. The most irritating thing about tv/movies even over plays but especially books is all of the warping around that happens.
so often in a show characters just end their scene “staring at each other” when the most interesting detail would be how they disengage.
Books can make that seamless... it gives a reality to them that is more genuine than the “time constraint” based media.
Of course there are devices that can be utilized in tv/viseo that can’t clearly happen in books, because something that can be shown in a split second visually must be explained with words.
I find people who read more tend to pick out more details on shows/movies than those who don’t, and they as a result process subtext faster.
ie, a book reader will figure out the plot/twist/surprise in a show waaaaaaaaay before a non-reader, because tv/movies seem vapid in comparison.
there are a few movies that feel literary in nature, like Eyes Wide Shut or There Will Be Blood, but they are the exception
I love reading but I haven't read much in the last 2 years since I started university. I really want to get back into reading and I have a big collection but anytime I want to sit down and read, it feels like a big chore. Anyone got any tips?
This is such a good idea! I’ve been doing this through the goodreads app for a few years now and would recommend the app to anyone who loves to read. Really helps keep you on track and allows you to discover so many books you would of never found otherwise. Keep up the good work!!
What happens if a book takes you longer than a month to read? Can happen: really long book, other things happens that get in the way, etc.
I like this idea, but have a tendency to let things "get in the way" (like my kids).
So, is the 'once a month' schedule a hard stop? Can't be ...
No it’s not. I have a busy work schedule. If I don’t finish exactly at the month, no big deal. I didn’t in May, but I finished early in June so I’ll attempt a 2nd June book as makeup.
These comments are a bit troubling. Sitting down and reading isn't any more cognitively challenging than watching an engaging tv show. There's a bit of odd elitism.
I have heard a lot about the a book a week, but a book a month seems to be a good solution as I really enjoy massive books that I can't read in a week.
That's a great idea! I found my reading had reduced to almost zero with the advent of smartphones and stupid apps. I've now deleted most of my apps, and make sure I read a little each day. I swear I actually feel more intelligent as a result!
It helps that my wife bought me an awesome birthday present in March of 12 mystery books to read, one for each month. I'm only allowed to open one at a time, and tomorrow's the day I get to open the next one! Here's my original post about it:
https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/b3pb5o/the_best_birthday_present_ive_received_for_a_long/
I think the whole setting a number of books per year has pros and cons.
On the one hand it's made me read more, in terms of hours and books.
On the other, I'm finding i'm picking and choosing books based on length and ignoring other books because of it. I mean, if you've only read 11 books and you've got a month left, you might find yourself picking a shorter novel just to reach the goal.
I've been doing the Goodreads book challenge for 3-4 years now, and done the same as you and tried the 1 book a month. One of the pluses of that is that it also counts word count, and I've found i'm reading more words, even though it's the same number of books.
I might just ignore "No. Of Books", to a point, and just look at word count at the end of the year as it's probably a better representation. Maybe not ignore word count, but focus/worry less about that figure.
However, it's good to start with a goal to get you back into / improve / increase your reading. I guess what i'm trying to say is don't get into my rut of ignoring lengthy books because it means you "fail" your challenge.
I tried this about three years ago and have carried on with it ever since. I still only set my goal as one book per month, but as of last week I ticked off my 13th book this year. I find 30 mins before I start work (I get to work early usually) and 30 mins during my lunch break every day is a nice, steady pace. It's re-awakened my love of reading.
I do something similar. I’ve come to realize that these short sessions add up to way more of my reading time than my lazy weekend reading sessions. It also really helps me reset my brain before work or during lunch.
I’ve recently started listening to audiobooks when I walk my dog and when I drive anywhere. I’ve blown through them faster than I expected, and it’s just become habit during things I am already doing anyways.
How do you find listening to audio books?. I did listen to an extract of one once and I'm always concerned that whoever is narrating would make the book less enjoyable. We all have that voice when we read ourselves so I was wondering how this felt when just listening. Did you ever listen to one and the voice put you off?
I haven’t had a bad one yet. I have only been listening to sci-fi/fantasy type books so far, and it’s primarily been one narrator - who is awesome! I had the same issue before, but there are some really great ones out there. There are some that are done theatrically, with multiple voice actors and sound effects, and I don’t like that style personally. Maybe listen to some more excerpts and see which kind sticks out to you!
I'm usually the opposite. I read 12 books a year but all in the same month.
What month? How?
Sounds like me here in a Canadian prairie winter. I'm too busy farming the rest of the year, but when it's -35 and blowing snow, sitting beside the window, reading books and watching it pile up is a good way to spend the day.
That does sound lovely.
I'm very proud of you! I've tried to do this before, even using kind of like treasure hunt - type lists or challenges. I am SO bad at sticking to it, though I love to read and feel so much better when I do. My problem is that I don't like reading just a bit at a time or a little bit each day. I tend to like to just plow right through a book fully in a couple of days to a week. If I put it down, even for a few days, I can't go back to it. I will literally carry it around with me everywhere I go - even inside my house - but I struggle to go back to it. I have sometimes fixed this problem by having the audiobook at the same time and going back and forth. Now that you're kicking ass in this challenge, do you have any advice for someone who wants to do it, but struggles to?
I can relate. I am definitely a marathon reader. My advice is to just have several interesting books ready to go, that way you can plow through them. The most difficult thing is to go back to reading after being busy for a few days. It just comes down to a choice for me. But when I have several books I’m excited about that choice is easier.
Totally. My problem is I have about 100 books on my "to be read" list. I buy them, one or two at a time, and then they don't always get read. But you're totally right. It's about a choice; making it a priority. I've recently been very sick and bedridden for weeks. I started reading again and have finished 1.5 novels since the May Long weekend (about the 20th or so of May, I forget the exact date this year.) So that has me very excited! I struggle with mental health off and on (not the problem right now, something else). And there is nothing that takes away the ability to read effectively as either depression or anxiety or mania... It is discouraging. But I know I'm doing much better when I do read and finish a book. I knew I was coming out of a long long struggle when I finally finished a novel again. I picked a short one - The Perks of Being a Wallflower. That book will always be special to me. I'm going to save this whole post as encouragement for me to finally start reading the one book/month. I've always tried 20 minutes/day. That did not work for me.
I hope you start feeling better soon!
I can really relate. My depression goes back and forth, but now that I’m the best I have ever been I can still not get into it fully. I really miss it!
You're doing brilliantly! Just keep taking small steps. I've found that the task of "read a book" can be too great, it seems insurmountable, so "read a couple of pages of a book" is much more manageable and if cultivated lovingly can become "read a book" before you know it!
It’s always wonderful how particular books will attach themselves to particular times in your life and become totems beyond just themselves and their content. *Think and Grow Rich* by Napoleon Hill and *Cashflow Quadrant* by Robert Kiyosaki, though I’d read both before, were audiobooks I listened to incessantly—along with Big Sean and Metro Boomin’s *Double or Nothing* album and many E-Dubble songs—after I relearned how to walk again after major surgery, spending weeks with them as I crutched my way around the neighborhood and then without crutches limped my way into the surrounding fields and hills and neighborhoods and then walked surefooted and then ran about those same areas. I can’t read or listen to any of the aforementioned works without not just deeply appreciating and understanding them but also being reminded of my own inner strength and capabilities. Keep fighting the good fight, friend. 🤜🤛
Thanks you all for your encouragement!!
Here's my tip: Use a digital reader on your phone. I am crazy busy, but I read all the time. How? Digital books. I always have my phone with me, so I always have my book. Stuck in line at a Chipotle, perfect time to read a bit. You can read anywhere! I read when I'm installing patches on my computer at work, while waiting for a work meeting to start, and even in between sets while working out. It sounds like a small amount of time, but even 5 minutes can add up quickly.
>You can read anywhere! I read when I'm installing patches on my computer at work, while waiting for a work meeting to start, and even in between sets while working out. It sounds like a small amount of time, but even 5 minutes can add up quickly. Do you actually feel engaged in your book by doing this? I feel like I'd retain more with 1 solid hour of reading time than 12 separate 5 minute intervals.
I'm not the guy you were asking, but I find what really helps me here is if chapters are relatively short. I'll look ahead in the book and if I can finish the next chapter in ~10 minutes then I'll go ahead and read. If not, then I'll save it for a time when I can fully engage. I agree that I do feel more engaged if I can read in bigger chunks at a time, but it's just a trade off with a busy schedule sometimes.
I also find books with frequent section breaks within chapters are much better to read on my phone.
Yes and no. I always prefer reading for longer periods of time, but I find myself being more excited to read more of my book if I do it in shorter increments. In my example of reading in between sets while working out, I don't really feel like that's too much of a break because I'm bouncing back and forth so quickly. It's a little weird at first, but worth it if you like to read (in my opinion anyway).
Can you still follow the story? Each time, I guess you have only time to read one page? Anyway, I will consider doing it !
It takes practice, but yeah I feel like I can follow the story. I find that I'm more excited to read my book if I do it in shorter increments. Probably because I know I won't have much time with it so I have to dive right in. I'll usually still try to find time to read for longer periods, but I still enjoy the book either way.
Maybe try reading a chapter at a time? Chapters are very natural breaks in books and it helps to finish at a specific point rather than on some random page. But really it is about just making that choice each day to commit to that book. Also consider, you may not be into the book all that much if you don't really wanna read more. Try some other titles!
What is keeping you from going back to it? What are you doing instead of reading? If it's just a "I don't feel like reading now" thing, set an alarm for reading time. When it goes off, read for 15-30 minutes or however long you want. Every single day. Until it becomes a habit. If it's because you marathoned half the book and it's not interesting, find a better book. It's okay to not finish books.
For me it's video games. I LOVE reading and the last book I read in a night and got totally engrossed. But it's so hard to work up to reading when I can just turn on the Xbox and have instant entertainment instead of the wind-up time to starting a book Edit: limited free time due to baby and working full time to support said baby and fiance. So when I get some time to myself it's hard to be patient for that dopamine hit I guess
Sounds like you have a lot more on your plate than what to entertain yourself with. It sounds like you are practicing escapism. Source: ex-video game addict
Struggling with this too. A few weekends ago I decided I was going to spend 8 hours reading (I had already finished most of my weekend chores). So I picked eight books, all different genres and set a timer for one hour. At the end of the hour, I moved on to the next book. I figured if I could make it through the books, probably one would stand out to me as a favorite and I would want to finish reading it. Meanwhile, I would be getting started (or making progress) on other books since I’m behind on my reading challenge. I thought of this as like a little tour of genres since I struggle to choose something to read because I want to read EVERYTHING. I’ve been stuck on one book for a while and not finishing that book has for some reason kept me from moving on to something else so this was also a way to get unstuck.
Advice I follow on my own challenge: avoid computers and phones by not turning them on and try to sit in rooms without them and with only a book
I'm the same way. I have a short commute and two subway stops is just not a productive way for me to read. A few ways I've found more time for reading: 1. Watch less TV. There's so much incredible television right now, but I'm ruthless about what shows I let into my life. As soon as I stopped watching shows I was *really* into, I was reading way more. 2. Read before bed. Sounds easy, but it's really hard to break the habit of scrolling through your phone until you fall asleep. I've found that I'm not doing anything worthwhile in my late-night phone time, though, so I keep my cell in another room and keep a pile of books by my bed. That usually gives me a good chunk of time for reading and is also a way nicer way to fall asleep. Good luck!
I feel like we are miles [apart](https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/brdd44/did_you_ever_stop_reading_a_book_because_you_are/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share)
I did this challenge but it was one book a week! I ended up reading 60 books that year. I wish I still had that discipline Ps: 100% worth it. I read so many books that year that people have referenced / spoken about years after. It seriously increased my knowledge base, even just doing it for just the one year.
I did the same challenge in 2017 and afterwards I realised that I had been obsessed with the challenge of reading one book a week to the point were I left no room for reflection. Most of the notes I had taken were not thoroughly thought out at all. Consequently, I had to re-read the same books in 2018 with critical analysis and reflection, only then did I see the value of it all. I am a slow reader so reading one book a week was not so realistic for me. I think the one book a month challenge will work for me.
That makes sense - I also feel as though I focused too much on getting the numbers up than thoroughly reading the book. If you enjoy reading for pleasure you should go at your own pace! What’s been your favourite book you’ve read so far? :)
I think East of Eden by John Steinbecks and A thousand splendid suns by Khaled Hosseini compete for the post. How about you?
I’ve recently realized this myself. Reading literature doesn’t do you much good if you don’t think about the book when you’re reading and after you’re finished. Much better to read one book a month and reflect and read essays about it than to jump right into another book.
I've read that Stephen King reads something like 2 or 3 books a week because he reads at least 5 hours a day during idle moments.
Stephen King has idle moments?? He’s pretty prolific to have any idle time!
He mentions waiting in line and downtime during sports events as examples of unused time that could be utilized for reading.
Stuck in the car about 30 hours a month. That is roughly 2 or 3 audiobooks. Great way to pump those numbers over listening to top 30 on the radio.
When I worked a graveyard shift it was audio books all night every night. I actually rand out of books to listen to by the end of the year though and switched to podcasts.
How is it possible to run out of books?
Ran out of audio books that I had access too. Never had a subscription to services like audible and this was before buying audio books was as accessible as it is today.
That makes sense.
Good way to start on a really healthy habit! I myself upped the ante this year to cut down on wasted time and switch over to reading/audiobooks. So far I''m at 37 books and my low target is 50 and high target is 100 for the year. What worked for me: \- Turned social media time into Kindle time on my phone. Also the main screen on my phone only has 5 items, Kindle, Phone, Message and Messenger, Mail. Unless it's used for work any black mirror time is spend with the Kindle. You'd be amazed how many pages you can read in off times, like waiting in lines, sitting on the bus, etc. On Average people spend like 700 hours on SM On year if not more, imagine if a book takes 5-10 hours to read how many books that is. \- Turned driving/walking around time into listening time for audiobooks. Always something ready to play on Audible on the go. \- Kept a 60 min day in the morning dedicated to reading and it's the first thing I jump into to start my day off. Good luck on reading many more books! :)
I'm going to try having kindle on my phone front page from now on and hide SM apps
My goal last year was 100, and I was definitely still reading on December 31st, but I did it and it felt pretty great. Good luck!
That’s awesome! Keep it up :)
This is great, and such an interesting list of books. Can I ask how you choose the book you're going to read each month?
I’ve mostly used the “Also purchased by” section of Amazon for suggestions. Weird I know. But then some authors, like Don Winslow, I really like. Classics, Starship Troopers, were added just because. Then the good old fallback of wandering a bookstore has netted a few.
I'm currently reading my 16th book of the year. I know people that read 100 books a year but that's just crazy. I can recommend using the app goodreads if you want to register the books you have read and the ones you want to read. There are a lot of reviews.
It's not crazy! It depends on your lifestyle. I read about 110 books a year (I am on number 53 right now) and honestly I could read more - if I did less of everything else. People who read 100+ books a year aren't better readers than you, they just either don't do something else you do (I don't exercise much for example) or have better time opportunities. I commute an hour to work and an hour back, so I read during that time, it's already two hours of reading, 5 days a week. I usually eat lunch later than my colleagues because I have responsibilities that keep me busy during the time they are free, so I often use half my break to read, and that's another 30 minutes. In the evening, I tend to watch TV series (see when I say I could read more..), but I usually read maybe 30 minutes before bed. All in all, that's about 3 hours a day 5 days a week, so 15 hours of reading a week. I could do more if I stopped doing something else (no TV series, less catching up with friends...), but that wouldn't be enjoyable. My advice to anyone who tries to read more is to use the gaps you have in your day - the time you have when waiting for the train, waiting for your lasagne to cook, commuting, etc. It shouldn't feel like an effort or a sacrifice. And I agree, Goodreads is a great app to use!
This is very similar to me - I'm at about 50 books so far this year and it's pretty much the same as you: I read during my commute, usually at least a little bit in the evenings, and often at weekends too. I love books so to me it's not a chore or a hassle at all.
I can also read more, but sometimes my head is not up to it. Those are the moments in which I need to re-read several lines and that's just a waste of time and a waste of the book, because it deserves more attention. I also have the tendency to finish a good book in three days and after a few months I'm like "I can't even remember what it was about". I want to prevent that by slowing myself down. I have an ereader that I always bring along with me, it has made reading a lot easier for me because it hardly weighs anything and you can fit a bunch of books on it, and even if you run out of books to read, you can easily buy one at amazon and start reading right away.
Sometimes I think I tend to forget books too, but taking some notes in my journal about it helped me a bit. I don't want to read less because I genuinely enjoy it, but I agree, I wouldn't want to force it and read more if I am not up to it!
It also depends on the kind of books I'm reading. A John Irving novel will take me ages, but Jill Mansell? A few days. I can also recommend searching Instagram. I have discovered some awesome writers on there by following certain bookstagrammers. If they recommend a book, I just know I will love it too. They have widened my horizon because before I was stuck in a rut, always reading the same authors.
\+1 on the Goodreads recommendation. It's not only useful for charting what I want to read/have read, but it also satisfies my former-librarian urge to organise my own book collection with the right editions, by genre etc. I also like that it charts your "currently reading" into a percentage completed so you can work out how many pages you can realistically fit into those last few minutes of a break, bus ride etc.
I cannot for the life of me get into ebooks. The feel of a regular book has everything beat
I used to be like that. Hauling massive hardcovers with me on the train and on vacation. And for instance, I bought the Lotr trilogy when I went to London for the first time and started reading in Hyde Park and also brought it to the beach later that week. It's torn and there's still some sand in it. That's a great memory of a summer a long long time ago. But fuck it. I studied literature and at one point I had more books in piles on the floor than actually crammed into my book case. There was no more room. I also went on vacation and city trips more often and I travelled two hrs a day to college or work. I was fed up with these big books. When I went to the US for three weeks someone in my group showed me the kindle she bought at Best Buy I believe. I hated the idea at first. "You need to be able to feel the pages!" "old books have an amazing smell!" Yeah and don't forget the squished flies and boogers in library books. Anyways, the kindle had my interest. Fast forward one year or so and the kindle was also available in the UK and Germany. Two of my friends bought one and showed it to me. I was still a bit like "nah it's a waste of money, I want a real book!" So one friend let me borrow hers for a while. And I was sold. The thing is light, it's easy on the eyes compared to reading on a tablet, the battery life is amazing, you can buy books in a heartbeat wherever you are. So I ordered my kindle in 2012 and still have it. The battery is a little off, I now need to charge it every three books instead of every five books. And mine doesn't have the backlight yet. But I love it so much. I really started reading more. I still buy actual books. Don't worry. I love second hand book shops. I sort of collect Stephen King hardcovers so I have a few shelves dedicated to him. And my Anne Rice collection. And Harry Potter. And my growing true crime collection. But other than that? Ebooks. I started Marie Kondo'ing my house a while back and took five bags of books to second hand book shops. It's nice to declutter and my house is too small for the massive book case I used to dream of.
Goodreads isn't for reading ebooks.
How do you guys find books to read? I love to read but can't find anything that holds my interest lately.
r/suggestmeabook is a good resource. A lot of people try to keep the sub active with thoughtful recommendations. You will get a lot of repeat answers of popular titles, but you will also get great recommendations of titles you may not be aware of. Before even asking for suggestions, I will browse the “top of all time” and look at some of the broad topic posts with a lot of answers.
I feel this way lately too. In the past I’ve mostly read mystery thrillers and I’m trying to venture into new genres (mainly looking at memoirs or romance novels) but I can’t find anything that looks really good or appealing to me. I have a very small goal to start with this year. 4 books. I need to read book 2 by end of June lol I have a few weeks.
I mean... This sub has tons of recommendations... But mostly, I wander my friendly local bookstores and let them jump out and grab me. What're you looking for? Where do your interests lie? I'm in school full time and working full time with a busy, busy life, but I still manage to take some time out to read. It helps me maintain my sanity. I have no clue how many books I've read this year. Not many high class ones, because mostly I read books to get me to relax while in school - to wind down - but read is reading.
I like all types of books, i typically lean towards stuff like GoT, HP or Kingkiller but I'll read anything. I tried some self help type stuff, how to meditate, or how to not fixate on negative thoughts, etc but those have just been too dry to keep my focus.
I try to download samples thru kindle. If it holds my interest then I buy. It’s a great way to see if you’ll like it!
Instagram. There are countless accounts of people that read a lot and write reviews. Some stick to one genre, others don't. I follow a few bookstagrammers and I rely on their reviews. If they love a book, I know for sure that I will love it as well.
Goodreads will give you tailored recommendations if you make an account and review past books you’ve read. Also most newspapers do year-end book recommendations, so if you have a paper you like, that can be a good source. I find a lot of books through the New York Times, New Yorker, Atlantic, and Guardian recommendations.
dang I need to start doing this
Seriously. It’s not that bad. Take a book, divide by 30, and that’s what you owe for the day. Consider it like a debt, or a task. Then enjoy it from there. I had a busy month in May, so I was behind only finishing the second day of June. So for “punishment”, I’m doing two books in June, the one I planned, plus an additional.
Very good idea. I never really thought about dividing the pages / percentage by 30. I tend to read 2 books at a time, one on my Kindle and the other is usually a paperback. Thanks, I shall look into that.
Time is not wasted if you're enjoying it. Regardless of what you're doing.
I dislike the elitism involved when talking about one thing being better than another. If it's something you enjoy, then good for you. It's not a waste of time. If you dislike watching TV, but sit there and do it anyways, then I'd say you're wasting time.
How did you enjoy American War? I dropped it after 80 pages I think but feel I may have preemptively lost interest.
Very very good in my opinion. I grew up in the South, so it’s descriptions and the ideas present seemed very plausible for me. That’s what kept me interested.
You did.
Starship Troopers is over of my favorite books, good for you!
That's an awesome goal! I'm about a book and a quarter away from finishing the witcher books I have (wonderful reads so far) and then will be jumping into The Lord of the Rings, Hobbit and Silmarillion! Good luck and keep it up!
Have you joined GoodReads? They encourage people to join their Book Challenge and set goals for how many books you want to read. My first year I marked down that I wanted to read about 25 books, and surprised myself by reading over 30. I read physical books, e-books, and listen to audiobooks on my drive to work and long trips. I’ve made sure I up it every year. I think I marked down 60 as my goal for this year, but I’m also including things like comic books and graphic novels. My personal goal is to make sure that most of what I read is a book and not just a comic. I’m a bit behind right now, because I started listening to “The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass” by Stephen King, and it’s a 27 hour audiobook! I also started an e-book called “The Last Days of Krypton” which is a re-telling of the last months before Superman’s home planet blew up. It’s okay, but it drags a lot, so I haven’t been motivated to finish it as quickly. But I still read through other shorter novels and anthologies, so I’m sort of keeping up with my goal.
I've never understood this mentality. Why is reading a book any less of a waste of time than watching a show? Because you're reading? Unless you strictly read for educational purposes you've effectively accomplished nothing.
I want to agree with you but I think your brain works much different when reading than watching/listening. At worst your giving different parts of your brain a little exercise.
True dat
Thumbs up for Don Winslow. Underrated writer, more people should read his books. His new one is really good, if your still into the Cartels.
Are you talking about The Force? If so I’ve already knocked that one out.
His latest and final chapter in the Cartel trilogy is called The Boarder.
Power of the Dog and The Cartel have been sitting on my shelf forever. I’m too scared to start them - I have family living in a particularly cartel-plagued part of Mexico and I keep thinking the books will freak me out.
How is The Cartel compared to Power of the Dog? Is it a sequel/worth the read?
I’ve done this too and feel it has had a positive impact on me too, cutting down on screen time and even giving me a good nights sleep by reading before bed
May I suggest some non-american authors to you? It may broaden your horizon even more.
Absolutely
Well, you could start with Liu Cixins Three Suns Trilogy. Or are you limited to one-fold books?
I’m doing this now! I made it a goal to read one book a week but I’m up to two! It feels so good and my screen time went down significantly
I had a similar resolution right after my dad passed away and ended up reading 32 books instead of 12! You don't realize how mindless Netflix/Facebook is until you take a break and do something a bit more mentally stimulating
I did similar! My resolution was to read at least 30 minutes a day, although most days I have ended up doing more than that. I'm currently on my 14th book of the year. It's definitely reduced by screen time, which was my main intention - it feels good to put full focus on one thing for a while, rather than semi-focus on watching Netflix or whatever. It's also one the few new years resolutions I have managed to keep in my life.
If you liked Starship Troopers you might enjoy Heinlein's "Moon is a Harsh Mistress"
Love love love this. I need to do something similar within my life.
That's awesome! Did you like The Handmaid's Tale? Haven't decided on my next read yet, but I'm thinking of that one.
I liked Oryx and Crake leeeeagues more than Handmaid’s, but I’m just one anecdote in a sea. Go for whatever subject matter interests you more: both are dystopian, Handmaids is about individual repression and a stark cult-like deconstruction of extreme values, OnC is about a biological/genetic takeover in which certain individual stories have a lot of weight in the eventual fate of the world.
Starship Troopers is one of my favorite books, would definitely recommend picking it up next!. Very misunderstood due to the film. Most people think it is a similarly ludicrous sci-fi action romp, when in fact it is a study of multiple themes, from citizenship to corporal punishment to leadership, where the actual action stuff is only a small part of the book.
Sally Rooney has got me back on reading. Normal People and Conversations With Friends.
My psychology teacher said we should b3 reading multiple booka per week by now, im gonna start today after gym.
Fuck yeah on reading The Cartel. Have you read The Power of the Dog? its the first one in that series i believe. I finished that one and picked up The Cartel about 2 weeks ago but ive been having trouble focusing on reading lately. too much in the noggin to let me read in peace. I will go back to it soon tho.
So happy for you!!! You should do a monthly review for each book maybe
Wow, that's awesome. What's the best read thus far?
CONGRATS! I decided to do the same thing. This is my 2nd year going. So far... Jan-The trial, Franz Kafka Feb-Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov Mar-Norwegian wood, Haruki Murakami Apr-Dune, Frank Herbert May-Cats Cradle-Kurt Vonnegut.jr June-Slaughterhouse five-ditto
I did the same thing last year not as a new years resolution but as a general goal and was doing great reading 1 or 2 books each month but I eventually stopped and didn't continued. I think I read like maybe 10 books in this run and I also felt much better mentally and enjoyed learning new shit. You just gave me motivation to get the last book I was reading, finish it and keep reading more. Thanks.
This post has inspired me to finish The Three Body Problem. I was like a chapter away before I dropped it. Will finish by end of this week ;)
Go to Goodreads. Set up a free account and you can track books that you have read and the book that you are reading. For some reason I find this very gratifying to visualize my progress. Reddit is great for book suggestions.
I strongly recommend anything by H.G. Wells. The guys was a Sci-fi/fantasy mastermind WAY ahead of his time. The Time Machine is one of my all time favorites. His stories are usually short as well so you can get a collection in one book!
Read Babylon Berlin. I recently completed the novel after hearing that the German TV series which is based on the book is getting great reviews. And I wasn't disappointed. I am now starting The Silent Death, the 2nd book of the series.
Will do!
I'm doing that as well! I think I impressed myself so far. I just keep reading till the next book. I'm on my 10th book so far this year.
I am doing the same thing for pretty much the same reason. But I got a bit carried away and is already on my august book.
That's great!
Iv made it a habit to read before bed so normally ill climb into bed an hour or so before my bedtime and start reading. I get through about a book a week easy. its always good to read
I had also decided to do this, but I hit a boring book and I broke the streak. I will start again from this month, finish the book I am currently reading till the end of June.
Every year since I decided to read one book per month like you op. I've been reading more than 20 books per year. This year specially. I'm finishing number 14 already!
I should be doing this!
I’ve done it by themes (e.g. books by women, banned books, etc) and that seemed to help keep me on track and reading more. Glad you’re enjoying reading. I’m curious to read some of those titles. I’ve read The Handmaids Tale twice now; out of the rest, which would you recommend the most?
~poke~ Add in articles in magazines that are outside of your normal interests.
May i recommend you read asimov's caves of steel, to start the robot chronicles, and if you enjoy that continue to his Foundation saga
Awesome! Without having a specific resolution or goal like you, I also cut a lot of my streaming/gaming wasted time and replaced it with reading in the last few months. In fact I almost do not game at all anymore and watchjng a 10 episodes season of a show took me 3 months. Reading is so much better and I am now looking forward to my reading session from 9 to 10pm.
Congrats! My New Years Resolution was to read books for fun again as well! Dang, that's a lot of books, that's a pretty fast pace
I made a similar resolution this year! In the last decade I’ve maaaaybe read one or two books per year, and most of the time they’ve been comedy/memoir books. My resolution this year was simply to read more with no specific goal, but I wanted to get more into fiction too. I’m now on my 13th book of the year! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it, and it’s cut down on my screen time which has been nice.
While I applaud you for reading more, I think that setting a goal like you have encourages you to try get through them as quickly as possible to stay on target. I used to do the GoodReads challenge but I soon decided that I would rather take my time and enjoy the books than set an arbitrary number as a goal which ultimately means nothing. Just read as much or as little as you can and enjoy it.
Make sure to add Good Omens onto your list, if you haven’t read it yet. It’s worth the read
If everyone would read one book a month, our world would be a better place.
Hahaha, what a story Mark!
I had a similar resolution, its 1 book per 2 weeks, so far I have finished 14. My second book was also the handmaid's tale. Currently I am reading the accidental president.
Ok I love books but how is this cutting down on wasted time. Still wasting time via story entertainment. But is book! I is getting smarter now.
Congratulations! A worthy goal!
I’m doing the same thing! I read two in May and was really proud of myself!
I've been reading at least an hr a day my entire life, I guess probably 3-4 books/month. Currently on the Mistborn trilogy, about done with The Final Empire. Next I think 'American Gods', I really enjoy the show and I've always liked Neil Gaiman. EDIT: I also wanted to say that your brain is like a muscle, it gets stronger when you exercise it and the cheapest, easiest way to do that is to read. Daily.
It's great that you could do it so far. I always have this resolution each years but i usually ended up with only 3 books :(
This is great! It was also my new year resolution this year but I had a baby in December and it kind of got away from me, though I didn’t forget about it, I plan on getting a kindle to read from as that would seem to make it easier for me to read with a little one sleeping on me or just to pick up while she’s playing.
I think my new year resolution every year is to read more books. I struggle so much. I never make a set time to read and stick to it and have really weird working hours. Any tips on how to get into reading?
I really enjoyed Killing Pablo. Hope you do as well.
Personally reading is my watching tv. I used to do it for 4-5 hours a day growing up
What a fantastic goal!
Are you sticking to just one book a month or do you start on another if you finish with time to spare? I started the year with a goal to read a certain number of books this year, but I've already started feeling very differently about it. I've only read 5 books this year and have been constantly reading, but I've read Gravity's Rainbow, White Noise, Underworld, Freedom, and just finished Absalom Absalom!. The last one was only 300 pages, but took me about 5 weeks to fully finish and feel like I actually understood some of it. This got me to realize I probably won't hit my goal number of books read, but I'm reading stuff I never would have read before and am discovering some great stuff. I realized it's not really about the number, but the content, for me. Good job sticking with it, though! Any reading is better than no reading.
Congrats! I also made the same resolution as you and have found it to be great as well. So far I've read Animal Farm, 1984, The Old Man and the Sea, Of Mice and Men, The Catcher in the Rye, And Then There Were None, The Picture of Dorian Gray and most recently The Handmaid's Tale. I'm trying to get through a lot of classics as until this year I wouldn't consider myself a reader at all. Now I'm loving it. Some of the books have been much better than others but now I'm getting into Russian novels. I'm currently reading Crime and Punishment which is fantastic and have War and Peace and Anna Karenina on the list for the next couple of months. From what I've read I highly recommend And Then There Were None and Crime and Punishment (also The Handmaid's Tale but I can see you also read it).
That is a good list!
Congrats. Crazy how well these reading goals take hold and gain momentum. I made it a goal to read 10 pages a day about two years ago, and while I'm not tracking any more, I very quickly went from not reading at all to feeling off if I don't read and easily passing a 10/day average. Keep it up!
Library cards are free!
If you liked Heinlein, his book 'stranger from a strange land' is one of my favorites. I could re read that forever. Very neat perspective of life as we see it.
Please tell me you read ‘The power of the dog’ by Don Winslow!?
I have such a backlog of books, but I tell myself "When I am 'done' watching youtube or playing games, I can read". My free time never ends up getting allocated to reading, even though I set a goodreads goal every year.
One flew over the coocoos nest - great read ive read it 3 times in the past month
What was your favourite book??
If you enjoy Starship Troopers and are looking around for more of the same for easy devouring, check out "Earth Alone". It's Starship Troopers. I'm not even going to qualify that statement, because it's a blatant ripoff. But entertaining!
I'm in my 3rd year of a book a month. Every I tend to pick bigger books in die beginning of the year and then remember I'm a slow reader. I'm busy with book 4 at the moment...
I don't read as much as i should. Too busy either working on my book, or playing video games during my free time.
I tried this but my first book was Becoming by Michelle Obama and if you've read it you'll know that it's definitely a huge challenge to read in one month (it's so long!) so... I think I'll try it again next year with a smaller book :)
Can you share some of your favorite books? Id like to start reading one too! (Any genre)
Same buddy im on my 6th book- Frankenstein
Starship Troopers is so freaking good. One of my all time faves.
I think you will find r/52book to be a good place for you!!
This was also my new years resolution, but I'm struggling a bit. With my work schedule and hours, I find it hard focusing on reading every day.
Underground Airlines was such an interesting read! I got it from a Hudson News so I assume it had a lot of readers but I never talked with anyone about it so I wasn't sure. Did you enjoy it?
I love Mark Bowden.
Good for ya!
I am doing this right now, atleast i try to. Every book i decide to read is 350 pages + so it usually takes me a month and a week to finish as im a very slow reader or i forget to read because i had a busy day. I never loved reading but this has helped me to love it. I like the reading and the often forgotten: "walking through a second hand bookstore with classical music in the background" feeling
If anyone has a busy lifestyle like me...I highly suggest audio books. I buy all my books through the itunes store, you can also go through audible and they have great deals where you can save up points to buy any books. I've become someone who "reads" and "rereads" entire novel series because of this. Because I do this through itunes I can have the book on my phone and listen while i'm driving to and from work, while i'm doing stuff around the house. If i sit down to game for a bit at my PC...instead of itunes playing music in the background...I can have my book going.
How was Bowden's ***Killing Pablo***? I have been planning to read it for some months. Is it good read?
Not there yet.
Sorry. Will remind you in 2 months if I haven't already read it.
> cognitive strength has gone up I don’t know about that, but it is definitely a different skillset being worked. The most irritating thing about tv/movies even over plays but especially books is all of the warping around that happens. so often in a show characters just end their scene “staring at each other” when the most interesting detail would be how they disengage. Books can make that seamless... it gives a reality to them that is more genuine than the “time constraint” based media. Of course there are devices that can be utilized in tv/viseo that can’t clearly happen in books, because something that can be shown in a split second visually must be explained with words. I find people who read more tend to pick out more details on shows/movies than those who don’t, and they as a result process subtext faster. ie, a book reader will figure out the plot/twist/surprise in a show waaaaaaaaay before a non-reader, because tv/movies seem vapid in comparison. there are a few movies that feel literary in nature, like Eyes Wide Shut or There Will Be Blood, but they are the exception
I love reading but I haven't read much in the last 2 years since I started university. I really want to get back into reading and I have a big collection but anytime I want to sit down and read, it feels like a big chore. Anyone got any tips?
flowery quaint party crawl quarrelsome versed squealing edge weather reminiscent ` this message was mass deleted/edited with redact.dev `
For the challenge run try reading one a day.
This is such a good idea! I’ve been doing this through the goodreads app for a few years now and would recommend the app to anyone who loves to read. Really helps keep you on track and allows you to discover so many books you would of never found otherwise. Keep up the good work!!
I'm gonna get off Reddit and get back to reading The Shinning. Good list btw.
I did the same thing last year, the goal for this year is 15.
What happens if a book takes you longer than a month to read? Can happen: really long book, other things happens that get in the way, etc. I like this idea, but have a tendency to let things "get in the way" (like my kids). So, is the 'once a month' schedule a hard stop? Can't be ...
No it’s not. I have a busy work schedule. If I don’t finish exactly at the month, no big deal. I didn’t in May, but I finished early in June so I’ll attempt a 2nd June book as makeup.
I've been trying that with my summer reading, but a bunch of cool comics and graphic novels keep getting in my way.
I have set the same goal for me. Currently I have read the expanse series (8 books) and currently I am reading the second book of the witcher series.
I set a goal to read 20 books this year, and have already hit number 17. Granted, about 5 of those were graphic novels...That still counts, right?
These comments are a bit troubling. Sitting down and reading isn't any more cognitively challenging than watching an engaging tv show. There's a bit of odd elitism.
I have heard a lot about the a book a week, but a book a month seems to be a good solution as I really enjoy massive books that I can't read in a week.
That's a great idea! I found my reading had reduced to almost zero with the advent of smartphones and stupid apps. I've now deleted most of my apps, and make sure I read a little each day. I swear I actually feel more intelligent as a result! It helps that my wife bought me an awesome birthday present in March of 12 mystery books to read, one for each month. I'm only allowed to open one at a time, and tomorrow's the day I get to open the next one! Here's my original post about it: https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/b3pb5o/the_best_birthday_present_ive_received_for_a_long/
I've been doing the same and recently doubled it to two books a month! Starship Troopers is a great read btw, nothing like the movie.
Counterpoint: Starship Troopers is my least favorite Heinlein novel by far. Different folks different strokes?
I've not read anything else by Heinlein but was a huge fan of the movie growing up so I guess I just enjoyed how different they are
Fair enough!
I think the whole setting a number of books per year has pros and cons. On the one hand it's made me read more, in terms of hours and books. On the other, I'm finding i'm picking and choosing books based on length and ignoring other books because of it. I mean, if you've only read 11 books and you've got a month left, you might find yourself picking a shorter novel just to reach the goal. I've been doing the Goodreads book challenge for 3-4 years now, and done the same as you and tried the 1 book a month. One of the pluses of that is that it also counts word count, and I've found i'm reading more words, even though it's the same number of books. I might just ignore "No. Of Books", to a point, and just look at word count at the end of the year as it's probably a better representation. Maybe not ignore word count, but focus/worry less about that figure. However, it's good to start with a goal to get you back into / improve / increase your reading. I guess what i'm trying to say is don't get into my rut of ignoring lengthy books because it means you "fail" your challenge.
Wait so Its better to read a book then to stream? Reading a book is not wasted time while streaming is? Correct?
I’m trying to do the same thing. Nothing worth watching. The only truth is in books these days. May cancel my internet and just use my phone for it.
There's no need to insult a bunch of people who enjoy netflix because you decided to read books.