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Becoming a Reader/Developing the Habit of Reading
Posted on 12/1/23 at 11:26 am
Posted on 12/1/23 at 11:26 am
Readers of Tiger Droppings,
Does anyone have any advice on how to become a “reader” and finally get the habit of reading to stick?
As a kid, I absolutely loved reading. This lasted through High School until the Accelerated Reader class ironically ruined reading for me and turned it into a terrible chore. I’m 35 now and have struggled to pick reading back up after High School.
I’ve had a goal in the back of my brain for the last 10 years to try to read the entire Art of Manliness Top 100 Books list, so it feels like right now is as good as ever to go for it.
How would you recommend an adult to develop the habit of reading into a daily activity that can scale/improve over time?
All tips, tricks, recommendations would be super appreciated.
Does anyone have any advice on how to become a “reader” and finally get the habit of reading to stick?
As a kid, I absolutely loved reading. This lasted through High School until the Accelerated Reader class ironically ruined reading for me and turned it into a terrible chore. I’m 35 now and have struggled to pick reading back up after High School.
I’ve had a goal in the back of my brain for the last 10 years to try to read the entire Art of Manliness Top 100 Books list, so it feels like right now is as good as ever to go for it.
How would you recommend an adult to develop the habit of reading into a daily activity that can scale/improve over time?
All tips, tricks, recommendations would be super appreciated.
10
Posted on 12/1/23 at 11:42 am to Lawyers_Guns_Money
I think the biggest thing is to pick a book that interests you and you can finish.
Don't try to read Homer or The Count of Monte Cristo and think you're going to stick to it. Could you? Sure. Will you? Probably not.
After that make it easy for you to read.
Don't watch TV or scroll TD after a certain time. Read instead.
Maybe you have time during the day where you could quickly pick up and knock out 5-10 pages. Do that.
If a Kindle makes that easier, get one.
Don't try to read Homer or The Count of Monte Cristo and think you're going to stick to it. Could you? Sure. Will you? Probably not.
After that make it easy for you to read.
Don't watch TV or scroll TD after a certain time. Read instead.
Maybe you have time during the day where you could quickly pick up and knock out 5-10 pages. Do that.
If a Kindle makes that easier, get one.
Posted on 12/1/23 at 12:04 pm to Lawyers_Guns_Money
quote:
I think the biggest thing is to pick a book that interests you and you can finish.
Good advice. Even if it's just a novella.
The Wheel of Time was a great series but you need the time to finish it. I prefer stand alone books.
I like a mystery. Fiction over nonfiction, but have read some great history novels. ( if you look for "great history books" now days you see many that seem to be virtue signalling ) "Lie's my teacher told me" comes to mind.
This post was edited on 12/1/23 at 12:39 pm
Posted on 12/1/23 at 12:38 pm to Lawyers_Guns_Money
I got back into reading because I realized I was staring at my phone way longer than I should before bed. I started reading a book on Kindle and was able to be ready to sleep way faster. This was my established reading time. If I'm very into a book, I'll read during free time throughout the day, but I always have my fallback of at least 10 minutes a day. I actually look forward to bed now.
Posted on 12/1/23 at 1:00 pm to Lawyers_Guns_Money
I try to be really purposeful in reading at least 30 minutes before I go to bed at night. Trying to find a time that feels better for you and one that you can keep as a regular habit is good. Generally when I find a book that I get into, I will find myself reading at other times throughout the day. I also had a spell where reading for grad school really curtailed my reading for pleasure because I was so burnt out on the act of reading itself. It took me about a year after that to really get back into reading for pleasure.
If you have a Kindle, if you download the Kindle app on your phone they have a Kindle Challenge part where you can earn different achievements with reading streaks and so on.
What kind of genres do you like? Also, (you don't have to participate), but r/bookclub on Reddit has a ton of books they read each month across the spectrum. Every now and again I enjoy do that and partcipating in discussions there. The schedules they put out also help me stay engaged.
If you have a Kindle, if you download the Kindle app on your phone they have a Kindle Challenge part where you can earn different achievements with reading streaks and so on.
What kind of genres do you like? Also, (you don't have to participate), but r/bookclub on Reddit has a ton of books they read each month across the spectrum. Every now and again I enjoy do that and partcipating in discussions there. The schedules they put out also help me stay engaged.
Posted on 12/1/23 at 1:40 pm to Lawyers_Guns_Money
Turn off electronics and read a dedicated time. Pick a day of the week or 30 mins before bed or whatever but get in the habit of getting away from electronics as much as possible
Posted on 12/1/23 at 3:53 pm to WITNESS23
quote:
I think the biggest thing is to pick a book that interests you and you can finish.
This. I have stopped reading several times in my life and it was a riveting book that got me back in the habit. In college I quit reading for pleasure and then someone recommended Red Storm Rising and I could not put it down.
Posted on 12/1/23 at 5:32 pm to WITNESS23
quote:
I think the biggest thing is to pick a book that interests you and you can finish.
Great advice
Covid got me back into reading. Id fell off to not reading ag all and with nowhere to go I picked it back up
Browse Amazon or check your library out and that’s what I did
Walk down the history aisle and say “ oh the crusades.. I just watched kingdom of Heaven.. would love to know more . Or a biography of Ulyssess grant by Chernow. It’s dense but Chernow is so great of an author
Find what you like and go from there.
Posted on 12/1/23 at 7:00 pm to Lawyers_Guns_Money
1) good book that interests you.
2) ritualize it at night or in the morning. Appreciate slowing down and unplugging. Making a tea or a cocktail with the reading time is good. Set a mood for reading. You can do it when laying in bed, but some people fall asleep really quickly from reading which can make it difficult to get into a book.
3) dedicate that time and just stick with it. Eventually the habit will grow as you enjoy it more.
2) ritualize it at night or in the morning. Appreciate slowing down and unplugging. Making a tea or a cocktail with the reading time is good. Set a mood for reading. You can do it when laying in bed, but some people fall asleep really quickly from reading which can make it difficult to get into a book.
3) dedicate that time and just stick with it. Eventually the habit will grow as you enjoy it more.
This post was edited on 12/1/23 at 7:16 pm
Posted on 12/2/23 at 11:26 am to Lawyers_Guns_Money
I’ve given up on reading. I do audiobooks now.
Posted on 12/2/23 at 8:40 pm to biglego
I try to read at night in bed for 30 minutes. Hard though when the wife wants to play with the willy
Posted on 12/4/23 at 10:20 am to MAROON
Thanks everyone for the feedback, this is all great stuff.
Based on the recommendations, I am planning on creating a habit of reading 15 minutes twice a day (once in the morning, once before bed).
I'll try to keep the evening read to something fun that I enjoy and the morning read to something that may take more brainpower (ex: Biography).
Based on the recommendations, I am planning on creating a habit of reading 15 minutes twice a day (once in the morning, once before bed).
I'll try to keep the evening read to something fun that I enjoy and the morning read to something that may take more brainpower (ex: Biography).
Posted on 12/4/23 at 11:32 am to Lawyers_Guns_Money
quote:
I’ve had a goal in the back of my brain for the last 10 years to try to read the entire Art of Manliness Top 100 Books list, so it feels like right now is as good as ever to go for it.
Eh, while there are obviously some fantastic books on that list, I don't know if that's the best approach. It'd be different if you were an avid reader and not trying to pick back up reading.
The last thing you want to do when trying to get back reading is picking up a book that is a chore to read. Reading Moby Dick sounds good and all but a book like that is a pain to read and will more than likely make you stop reading more than it would make you start back up. My brother was trying to get back into reading and he was dead set on reading Dune. I told him not to because even though that's an all time great book, it's a bit of a pain to read. What do ya know, he didn't get halfway through and never picked it, or any other book back up.
Start with an easy to read book like To Kill a Mockingbird or The Jungle Book (a book I re-read almost every year). Or read a book that one of your all time favorite movies is based off of because it's a subject matter you can almost be certain of that you'll enjoy. I'd for starters stay with a book that is on the shorter side, something you know you'll finish. Finish it and it'll kind of build your confidence up that you can get back into consistent reading and then if you want to go for The Bible or The Count of Monte Cristo or some other long reads that are on that list, go for it.
Posted on 12/4/23 at 3:10 pm to iwyLSUiwy
quote:
Eh, while there are obviously some fantastic books on that list, I don't know if that's the best approach. It'd be different if you were an avid reader and not trying to pick back up reading.
The last thing you want to do when trying to get back reading is picking up a book that is a chore to read. Reading Moby Dick sounds good and all but a book like that is a pain to read and will more than likely make you stop reading more than it would make you start back up. My brother was trying to get back into reading and he was dead set on reading Dune. I told him not to because even though that's an all time great book, it's a bit of a pain to read. What do ya know, he didn't get halfway through and never picked it, or any other book back up.
Start with an easy to read book like To Kill a Mockingbird or The Jungle Book (a book I re-read almost every year). Or read a book that one of your all time favorite movies is based off of because it's a subject matter you can almost be certain of that you'll enjoy. I'd for starters stay with a book that is on the shorter side, something you know you'll finish. Finish it and it'll kind of build your confidence up that you can get back into consistent reading and then if you want to go for The Bible or The Count of Monte Cristo or some other long reads that are on that list, go for it.
This is awesome advice, thank you!
Posted on 12/4/23 at 8:00 pm to WITNESS23
quote:
I think the biggest thing is to pick a book that interests you and you can finish.
Bingo. If you like the reading material then you will want to read it.
Also, I take a book everywhere I go. If I get stuck in traffic, I read. On my lunch break, I read. Outside grilling, I read.
Just think about what time you spend watching TV or staring at your phone and then decide what's more important to you.
Posted on 12/5/23 at 11:01 pm to Maytheporkbewithyou
Also, when you find the book that interests you and after the first few chapters, it feels like a slog... Stop reading it and move on. It took me a while to learn how to stop reading a book if I wasn't enjoying it
My habit is during my lunch break. Gives me a solid 30 minutes, plus slows down my eating. Might take a while to finish a book, but I get through 15 or so a year
Here's some that I suggest from a couple of genres that I feel are easy to enjoy
Fantasy - The Hogfather by Terry Pratchett; funny and one of my favorite authors. Also, timely for this time of year. Follow that up with Mort
Travel - A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (Appalachian trail); McCarthy's Bar by Pete McCarthy (Ireland); Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks (not Tony Hawk);
Blue Highways by William Least Heat-Moon (back roads of America, has a nice stop in Louisiana)
All are funny to me, though Blue Highways may not be funny. Been a long time. I might read it again. Bill Bryson is another one of my favorites
Military - Outlaw Platoon by Sean Parnell; Go! Go! Go! By Rusty Firmin (Iranian embassy siege and the SAS); Beyond Band of Brothers by Major Dick Winters book are 3 good ones
Bond books are quick easy reads
If you like religiousy stuff, Mitch Albom
My habit is during my lunch break. Gives me a solid 30 minutes, plus slows down my eating. Might take a while to finish a book, but I get through 15 or so a year
Here's some that I suggest from a couple of genres that I feel are easy to enjoy
Fantasy - The Hogfather by Terry Pratchett; funny and one of my favorite authors. Also, timely for this time of year. Follow that up with Mort
Travel - A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson (Appalachian trail); McCarthy's Bar by Pete McCarthy (Ireland); Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks (not Tony Hawk);
Blue Highways by William Least Heat-Moon (back roads of America, has a nice stop in Louisiana)
All are funny to me, though Blue Highways may not be funny. Been a long time. I might read it again. Bill Bryson is another one of my favorites
Military - Outlaw Platoon by Sean Parnell; Go! Go! Go! By Rusty Firmin (Iranian embassy siege and the SAS); Beyond Band of Brothers by Major Dick Winters book are 3 good ones
Bond books are quick easy reads
If you like religiousy stuff, Mitch Albom
This post was edited on 12/5/23 at 11:03 pm
Posted on 12/7/23 at 3:56 pm to WITNESS23
quote:
I think the biggest thing is to pick a book that interests you and you can finish.
This...i fell out of love with reading because of school and the books being picked for me.
Now I read things I want to and find it way more enjoyable.
Posted on 12/7/23 at 9:53 pm to dgnx6
quote:It helps to find a genre you like. I read history more than anything but for novels, I like a good mystery because it keeps me engaged.
Becoming a Reader/Developing the Habit of Reading
Being disciplined and avoiding TV/phones/computers is important. Reading before bed also helps you sleep.
Posted on 12/8/23 at 6:32 pm to Lawyers_Guns_Money
I read in the early morning hours before my ppl get up and at night before bed.
It’s just a routine that you have to develop.
That’s an exhaustive list- not sure it wouldn’t ruin you like the AR program did earlier in your life though.
What do you like to read? What are you interested in?
It’s just a routine that you have to develop.
quote:
try to read the entire Art of Manliness Top 100 Books
That’s an exhaustive list- not sure it wouldn’t ruin you like the AR program did earlier in your life though.
What do you like to read? What are you interested in?
Posted on 12/8/23 at 9:25 pm to StTiger
Yeah I used to think I “should read all the classics” but the reality is I don’t want to. So I read what I’m in the mood for. Which is usually history but lately has been Sanderson’s Cosmere books. And also accepting that reading a book is not something I will do with regularity but audiobooks fit my schedule perfectly. I can stream an audiobook while driving or doing the dishes or cooking or pooping. So I roll through a 18 hour book in a week.
I did take the time to both read and listen to the Bible, and it was great. Doing both reinforced it in my memory.
I did take the time to both read and listen to the Bible, and it was great. Doing both reinforced it in my memory.
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