“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” - C.S. Lewis
Before I had children, I read everything and anything that I could get my hands on. As a teen I loved reading classics like Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith, and Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo. I often read the books my mom recommended, but I also loved discovering my own favourites, too.
I’ve read hundreds of books over my lifetime, but after having children I went through a half-decade dry spell. I just couldn’t settle my mind enough to pick up a book and enjoy it.
In November of last year, after not reading a full book for the entire year, I picked up a book and devoured it in a few days. Something ignited inside of me, and my passion for reading returned.
Since the beginning of 2018 I have read 17 books, and read a portion of another five books. Most people are shocked with the number of books I’ve read, and wonder when I have the time to read.
Below are five tips of reading when you’re busy:
- Ditch the TV and social media - The biggest obstacle to reading for me has been other forms of media, mostly TV and social media. Instead of watching TV at night or scrolling on my phone for an hour, I have my book nearby and fill in my time with my book. It can be hard to break these habits, so try one or two days of week with no TV after dinner, and putting your phone out of sight for the evening.
- Read books for younger audiences - I first got back into reading after I finished Wonder by R.J. Palacio. This book is geared towards younger readers, but it’s such a wonderful novel with a great message. I also recommend Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie.
- Get social with your reading - Join a book club, or read a book with a friend or relative to keep your reading social and exciting. I also love Goodreads, a wonderful online database and social media that keeps track of the books that you’re reading, and connects you to friends.
- Read books that you want to read - I have become a frequent library user, but I also buy books at Indigo or Janus books when I can’t find what I want at the library. Sometimes there’s an exciting new book that was just published, and I simply don’t want to wait three months to get it from the library. I also don’t force myself to finish a book that I’m not enjoying. There’s been a handful of books that didn’t capture my attention this year, and I’ve simply passed them on to someone else instead of forcing myself to finish it.
These actions have all helped me to read more this year, and enjoy reading!
My top books in 2018 so far:
- Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover (released 2018)
- Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon (released 2015)
- The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (released 2014)
- Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi (released 2000)
- The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain (released 2017)
- Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin (released 2017)
- Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng (released 2017)
- The Alice Network by Kate Quinn (released 2017)
What are the best books that you’ve read lately? Tell me in the comments!