Part 2: Returning To The Reading Habit
A majority of people walking into bookstores today are those who find themselves inevitably drawn to books. It’s often lamented that reading is a habit cultivated early on in life and if not done at the right time it is difficult to get into. There are of course those who were voracious readers at one point but have lost touch with the habit. The first thing to consider here is the removal of guilt; this happens to everyone! What we love most is that even if the regularity of reading is lost or temporarily forgotten, the desire to read persists, and yet again we find ourselves with the challenge of pairing the reader with the right book.
Consider this: when was the last time you read a book so interesting you stayed up late into the night just to finish the chapter (and then the next one, and then one more)? Over the years one foolproof way to navigate this has been to examine the Booker Prize Longlist although it remains largely out of interest zone for Non-Fiction lovers. However this may not be a bad approach, diving into the waters from a completely new side of the pool may prove to be a smart way back in. It all comes down to what clicks with your interest.
Here are a few things to consider when buying a book to help you get back into the habit of reading:
- Take a recommendation – take it from a friend, take it from someone you don’t know, surprise yourself.
- Get something funny – humour has evolved into a new genre for adults with sharp and witty writing both in the Fiction and Non-Fiction spaces.
- A book of quotes – read one a day or breeze through five pages.
- Short Stories/Collected Essays – as with a book of quotes, this takes away from the pressure of reading a book from beginning to end. You have the liberty to read from any point in the book and can keep it aside without guilt when you’re done.
- Go by the greats – Check up on what’s on the TBR shelf of Obama (Barack and Michelle), Bill Gates, even Twinkle Khanna if that’s more your style.
From hereon out it’s simply a matter of turning the page. Find something to love in each page and always go easy on yourself – setting targets may or may not work for you. Treat reading as a way to de-stress at the end of the day rather than an activity to reach a per day/per week goal.