Reading Resolutions

Image by Gabor Kozman via Unsplash

Someone asked me recently if I really read all the books I review on my socials. She asked if it was all true. I won’t judge anyone for being skeptical as to the veracity of social media content, and I responded that it isn’t all real.

I actually read books more than I share publicly.

(Full disclosure: I’m quick to put down books that don’t resonate with me, and I won’t recommend books that I don’t love. However, I don’t consider myself a professional reviewer, so I’ve resolved to keep my more critical thoughts to myself. I’m also admittedly biased - I love my community of author friends, and I don’t care to belittle another author’s hard work. To each their own, but I think both of my grandmothers would be on board with my approach.)

After further consideration though, I think her question contained a deeper question. We live in an attention economy, and we all have countless forces vying for our focus. We’re all so busy. To commit to a book for any stretch of time is practically a countercultural act. It’s going quiet amidst the noise. It’s finding the still point in the chaos. And now, in our modern reality where many people have professional lives that never have off-hours, reading a book seems like extra effort, too.

But reading a book is not a grind. Reading for even six minutes a day can reduce stress by 60%. Spending time reading improves memory, cognition, and boosts creativity, all while lowering blood pressure. Books have lingering benefits as well, with some studies suggesting that reading regularly even prevents dementia.

I think my friend was really asking me how I weave books into my life. I’ve been pondering this a bit, and I have three quirky suggestions for anyone hoping to read more. Now might be the perfect time to make a change. The end of summer - with its back-to-school shopping and copper-tinged leaves and fresh routine - always feels like a new beginning to me. This is the time to make a resolution stick.

So, get ready, readers - because January has nothing on August’s staying power.

• Keep a book close

Did you know that you’re more likely to use your phone if it’s in your back pocket? You’re slightly less likely to reach for it if it’s across the room, and you really diminish its power when it’s out of sight.

Books are like that, too.

I read more because I always keep a book close. I’m constantly in the middle of an audiobook on my phone, and I open it whenever I’m folding laundry. (I have four kids; suffice it to say that I can make headway in a novel fairly quickly this way.) I know many people who are devoted to their e-readers, but my heart belongs to the trade paperback. Invariably, I choose handbags large enough to contain one, and I take them with me everywhere.

Whenever I’m in a doctor’s office or waiting at the pharmacy or sitting in a coffee shop, I have a book at my fingertips. This is akin to putting running shoes by the door or stocking a kitchen with fresh vegetables. Like you, I find it easier to make better choices if I take the time to set myself up for success. As long as its easily accessible, I will reach for the book first.

However, keeping a book close serves another key purpose: it builds momentum. When I’m really engaged with a book, I don’t need anyone to nudge me to read it. The more time I give a good book, the more time I want to give a good book. Closing the spine of a good novel can feel like interrupting a conversation - and I’m the type of reader who wants the author to finish that thought as soon as possible.

As an aside, a book has a way of softening a day’s hard edges. I once finished a dentist’s appointment, walked out into the waiting room, and noticed a torrential downpour. No matter. I took out my book and took a seat by the faux fire. What could have been a frustrating event turned into a calm (and remarkably dry!) fifteen minutes. A book can easily transform a wait into something special, but only within reason - because a book can only work its magic if it’s in reach.

• Don’t read alone.

Storytelling was never meant to be solitary. In our earliest origins, tribes told stories accompanied by visual illustrations in the form of cave drawings. People sat around a fire, with flickering light licking dank, stone walls, and shared stories. Before people became more widely literate, oral storytelling was both entertainment and a way to pass wisdom from one generation to the next. Stories cultivated much-needed meaning, empathy, and connection. Any parent who has bonded with a child over a bedtime story will recognize how little we’ve changed over time.

So, if reading isn’t your cup of tea, I would suggest pulling in more people.

To many of us, the idea of bringing books and people together instantly conjures a book club. While I do love book clubs, I have friends who refuse to join them for the pressure to read a certain book by a certain time. Maybe we need to lower the bar for a successful reading life. After all, there’s no “right way” to read a book with other people.

I know someone who writes her name and the date in a book when she’s completed it. Afterward, she passes it along to someone else, that person makes the same marking, and then passes the book onward. In my family, we all bring books on vacation and end up trading some by the week’s end. I value various digital communities for offering me recommendations and reminding me of new releases. Even sending a solid book review to a close friend can start an interesting, unexpected conversation.

But why limit the fun to your inner circle?

Connecting with authors is an easy way to bring books to life and to learn more about your favorite authors’ upcoming work. Book reviewers, too, are a force unto themselves; they offer thoughtful commentary, endless enthusiasm, and in-depth knowledge about the genres they love. (From what I gather, they read much, much more than me!) You can ask workers at your local bookstore or librarians for their thoughts on what you should read next. Trust me: they love this question! They wait to be asked this question! You’ve made their day by asking them this question!

Sometimes, committing to reading occurs when we’re not reading at all. Sometimes, it’s finding like-minded people to help elevate us to become the best version of ourselves selves. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” To this end, the next time a conversation devolves into gossip, I’d suggest offering this shocking, flamethrower of question: read any good books lately?

The ones who have a ready answer? Those are your people.

• Focus on the moment first

When I think of reading a book, I have to confess that I’m not ever fixated on a certain title. I always, always focus on the moment first. What does this mean?

This weekend, I have a list of tasks I need to complete. Gardening. Laundry. Writing work. This one chore I keep adding to my list that probably won’t get done, so I’ll likely punt and add it to next weekend’s list to watch the cycle repeat itself. Anyway. Maybe you’re walking into the weekend the same way?

However, I am also planning to read. I’m envisioning stealing an hour this afternoon, sitting on my porch for a while with a book, and sighing with contentment. I can picture it now: bare feet and hot coffee. A cacophony of birdsong and kids shrieking and the ice cream truck blasting its song when it’s out of ice cream (as it does). I might take a blanket outside to ward off any chill. (I know that it’s August, but I can always find the cold.) The air will smell fragrant, and the minutes will fly. When my pocket of time passes, I’ll emerge from it feeling refreshed and accomplished.

I suppose this is why I read. The act of reading isn’t a task to me; instead, it’s an escape from the litany of tasks I have to accomplish each day. For as long as I can remember, I’ve viewed reading as a gift I give myself.

Whenever someone asks me how I find time to read, I can feel my eyes go wide. I usually bite my tongue, but inwardly, I want to ask them one question.

How could you not?