i usually find myself in reading ruts when i’m taking classes and being assigned books or when i’m trying to keep up with new releases and the “smart” books that are usually dense and long. i can usually get myself out of this rut by picking out a book that looks fun to me, like a book set on a beach or something I loved in middle school. I’m reading From The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler right now and it’s just FUN!!! I also am very much not someone who feels like they have to finish a book. Life is too short. I think that helps!
Mar 29, 2024
Related Recs
I'm reading like eight books right now, all at a startlingly slow pace. BUT! What makes this more manageable is to have variety in genre and difficulty. This heightens the chance that one of the books in your arsenal will be appealing at any given moment. This is my easy one right now. Large text, memoir, silly, not trying too hard to be anything. The story of a perfectly ordinary girl growing up in Sunnyvale in the 60s and 70s who still managed to be quirked up.
Jan 15, 2025
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… and actually enjoying it. In the past year i’ve finally nailed down my taste/hit a groove with pleasure reading and now I can’t stop. I do a lot of reading recs in a way that I almost feel self-conscious about but I can’t contain it - truly bringing me crazy amounts of peace in my life right now.
When I was 19-22ish, I spent a lot of time reading what I thought I *should* be reading and ending up spending 3 months trudging through a book just to say I did. I blame Red Scare Podcast. Why was I 19 thinking i needed to read Houellebeq and Lasch?
Now I fly through pages and (mostly) love it all. or feel like I got something from it at least. Right now I‘m reading Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver and loving it, can spend hours at a time with it. My favorite book is probably If on a winters night a traveler by Italo Calvino. Happy to get more recs always.
Feb 25, 2024
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not an avid reader (~3-4 books / year, trying to get that number up) but the things that have really invigorated my reading when it feels like a chore to get started:
- reading books that aren’t challenging to start off. all about love and the will to change by bell hooks were the first books i was able to successfully finish in like, years bc her writing style is very colloquial despite the subject matter being very dense. similarly, finding a fun fantasy book (or other genre fiction) to get back in the practice of turning pages and “wanting to find out what comes next” is gonna be paramount to being able to do that for books that are gonna require a little more give from you down the line (haven’t read a physical book in over six months so personally going to start legends and lattes soon to try and trick my brain into not thinking books are time-consuming and scary)
- audiobooks; for me at least reading requires too much visual processing + “sitting still” time that i can’t multi-task and read, so i have to schedule when i’m gonna try and do it (unlike tv where you can have it on in the background as you do dishes or working from home or something and can look up periodically) - taking a chunk of podcast + music time and replacing it with audiobooks has been a game changer bc i now read at the gym, at the office, and in transit <30 min long bc i have to track what station i’m at or see where i’m going
Mar 28, 2024
Top Recs from @partyarty
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go to your local library‘s website or download the app. then search for a book you really want to read. then put it on hold. it feels like online shopping but it’s free. in a few days or weeks you'll get a cute text message or email that your book is ready to pick up and you’ll get to say hello to your local librarians and procure a new (to you) book which also feels like free shopping. the most functional part of our government ily public libraries
Mar 9, 2024
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sure beats having one
Mar 9, 2024
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take your keys out of your bag before you get to your apartment. if you’re reading this on the subway right now reach down into your tote and get them out. i’m begging you. it’s so much easier to find them when you’re two subway stops away than standing in front of your locked door. it’s science. just do it. 10 mins from now you will be so happy. please please just do it now
Mar 27, 2024