Ask Lemmy

Ive never been able to physically read books, I end up getting bored, reading the same page over and over etc I just can't concentrate on it long enough and as such always thought I didn't really like books.

Then I discovered audiobooks around 10 years ago.

Now I get through probably 100 plus books each year and fucking love it. I always listen to books at work whilst doing stuff like setting up machines, I'll listen to them whilst doing chores, or working on my bike or any other kind of task like that.

If I'm not enjoying a book after around half an hour or so I'll just drop it and move on unless it is something I really want to get into but as ive got older I apply this mindset to a lot more things and find in general it makes things a lot more enjoyable than trying to force stuff I'm not enjoying.

I mainly read fantasy and horror and never read to learn or anything like that, it is purely for enjoyment!

I spend most of my day reading, as a translator. But it's almost always stuff that I wouldn't read, if not being paid to.

If counting only books that I read for fun, I guess it's ~2 books/month? Typically fantasy light novels. I also read a fair bit of manga (~5 chapters/day).

Beyond those LNs I think that the last book I've read was in September; Um Copo de Cólera (lit. "a glass of rage"), from Raduan Nassar. Short but good first person story.

I'm almost 40. I'm... tired. I don't read stuff to feel myself cultured; I read stuff when I need to (because of my job) or when I feel in the mood to do so.

I read before i go to sleep each day. I have been for more than 10 years now. I have read fantasy for quite a while, but after reading mistborn and stormlight archive back to back, i can’t bring myself to read anything fantasy anymore.

I mostly read about topics i would like to know more about. Physics, life, philosophy, anything that i come across and think “cool”.

Mind you, english is my second language, so since i mostly read in english, it helps with that, but now i can enjoy books in swedish as well, which also motivates me to keep reading.

On a screen only, in epub format. 10 books or so per year. Almost entirely non-fiction. In theory a chapter at a time. Often in the hour before eating, when I'm most awake and able to concentrate.

As to how I get hold of the book, first I check the Open Library on the Internet Archive. If it's not there (often the case) then I pirate it in about 3 clicks from the usual places.

BUT: if the book is recent and the author is still active, then I will also pay for the book on Amazon or wherever it's cheapest. While reading the epub I pirated earlier. That's only fair. The last time I did this was literally yesterday.

To preface, you are not a worse person if you don't like to read. There's so many different ways to learn or grow nowadays, you don't need to force yourself to do it through a medium you don't enjoy.

That said, I'm a person who DOES enjoy reading, but struggles to do it anyway for some reason. If that's you as well, I get you. And I'd say it's worth it.

In general, figuring out WHY you want to read will impact how to best work it into your life. Is it for entertainment, mindfulness, to get a better attention span, to chill out, etc. I do it for calming down mixed with enjoyment, and that impacts how I work it into my day.

What helped me was working it into my routine. I read at night. I don't have a set schedule, I teach night school some nights, and I'm working on a masters thesis.

My fixed point every day: some time when I feel ready (a fixed time would stress me out), I turn off my laptop, text my partner good night, and put my phone away. I get ready for bed. What follows is designated reading time. I read for as long as I enjoy it, am not too tired, and can still focus. If I'm not getting tired, I'll dim the lights at some point. Sometimes, I read one page, sometimes 50. If you force it, it won't be enjoyable.

I also always carry the book and try to read while I'm on the tram or train. Especially for somewhat longer journeys, which I take somewhat regularly, I get a lot of chill reading done like that. But that's pretty specific to my situation as I'm a public transport commuter and have a partner that lives 4 train hours away.

I go back and forth between reading novels and difficult non-fiction books. Also, I read in the morning with coffee and in the evening with non-caffeinated tea.

When I fall out of my reading habit, I restart it by reading a page-turner. Stephen King, Neal Stephenson, whoever.

When reading a difficult book (philosophy) I treat it like a serious undertaking, something I might not be ready for. I have a dictionary nearby. I'm here to learn, to struggle. And it's like a sport. But an extremely edifying and satisfying sport. It's like climbing a mountain. Some philosophy books require reading like three other philosophy books first. These are geniuses talking to each other, and I just get to watch.

And when I'm done with a difficult book, I follow it up with a page-turner. Alastair Reynolds, some comedy novel, or whatever.

I never read a book "just because it's a classic." That's no fun. There has to be something about the book that makes me want to read it.

And I try not to read multiple books at the same time. I'm currently breaking that rule.

Edit:

Also, find your niche. I never feel guilty about not reading. I just love all the experiences and ideas I get from books. You do it for the love of it. So find the kind of book you love. History (of Europe, of technology, of whatever), spy novels, whatever!

I wish there were better book trailers. Part of it is we get more picky about our time and know what we do and don't like. But sometimes this leads to a certain prejudice that doesn't let us explore something we otherwise would've stumbled onto.

For me with young kids, work, and generally limited time audiobooks are a compromise that allows me to combine with another activity, like cleaning or running.

Funny I'm seeing this post, though, as I placed aside 2 books that were gifted to me in hopes to read a physical book (but how.)

Audiobooks, baby. 1.75x speed (1.25x speed if there’s a heavy accent involved or it’s information dense).

I try to never do chores without an earbud in and a book or podcast going. (Makes dishes so much more enjoyable.)

Edit: spy books by John Le Carre really revived my love for books in older age.

Just like any hobby or leisure activity, my interest peaks and wanes. Marie Kondo said it best, "if it's not sparking joy, yeet it out the window".

Pretty sure that's exactly how she said it.

Personally, I tend to enjoy listening to audiobooks over reading. I keep a looooooong list of books that look interesting so I can pick a title when I feel like reading. Note, I don't call it a "to-read" list because I am not going to read them all. I will never read everything on the list unless I stop adding to it at least ten years before I die. And that approach to a to-read list does not spark joy. From the get to, recognize this is not a list to ever be "completed" by design.

I read a shitload of manga so I try to balance it with a book every once and a while

I really love reading. When little, my mom said I read my way through the kids section in the library in like a year then moved on to the grownup side.

But then I had kids, and read magazines, short stories, and comics because I didn't have uninterrupted time.

Now, when I do have a book I read it while husband is watching TV, we both have entertainment time that way. If we go to the beach I bring the e-reader, and read on days off - still a lot of comics as I'm still busy, and I love them, but more library books than when the kids were kids.

You don't have to read books if you don't enjoy them! Everyone is different. I read really fast and effortlessly (learned to at the same time I was learning to speak, it's a language not a skill for me) so it's a better pace for me personally than other forms of entertainment.

But of my kids, fewer than half read for pleasure. There are so many other ways to use your time that are just as good for you or better.

I am in my 40s, kids, office job, etc. I have read 114 books so far this year, and am aiming for 120. Every one of those books are books I enjoyed. If it doesn’t grab me, I put it down. I put one down yesterday after two chapters.

I have always been an avid reader. Buying an ereader (kobo) has been the biggest game changer for me. I carry it everywhere and use it constantly. I can check ebooks out from the library and they automatically load on my device. If I go for a walk, I’m reading while I do it. I read during my rest times during a workout. If I have 3 spare minutes, I’m reading a book. Are most of my books “fast food” from a literary perspective? Absolutely. Sci-fi, fantasy, and romance are my jam! I’ve never not been a reader. Books were an escape as a teenager and never stopped being a huge part of my life, even decades later. I listen to podcasts or audiobooks when mowing the lawn or doing dishes, but those 114 have been ebooks or paper books. However you consume them, finding what you love is huge for building the habit.

I occasionally read non-fiction, but it’s actually work to do it. The best way to read is to find a good story and let it sweep you away! Stuff that is harder to get through is going to create a little friction. That friction makes you hesitate to pick up the book. That next YouTube video or TikTok is going to be easier at that point. If reading is work, you’re less likely to do it. Trying to read “good” stuff has caused me to slow down.

Early 40s here. I read a lot, but never books.

I read online. I get information, jokes, funny stories and random bullshit.

I can't imagine myself sitting down and reading a book in the near future. I don't have the time, and if I did, there's so many other things I could be doing for much more personal benefit.

I used to be an avid reader but as I got older and busier I just couldn’t find the time.

Then when I did have time there was always distractions, or other things I could be doing.

So now I read primarily via audiobooks through Libby and my library.

I read 130 books or so last year that way.

Mowing the yard? Audiobook.

Long drive? Audiobook.

Waiting at the doctors? Audiobook.

Dishes? Audiobook.

And then when I’m really invested I’ll relax by playing some mindless game while I listen. Think match 3 or bejeweled.

Just engaging enough to keep me from getting bored while listening but not so much that I can’t do both.

Balatro, BABA is you? Bad candidates for playing and listening.

The last couple of years I burned through the wheel of time series, all of Brandon Sanderson’s books (except skyward which I haven’t gotten to), a lot of Adrian Tchaikovsky, and others.

I read books for personal enjoyment, basically never for learning or self-improvement or anything like that. I only ever read one book at a time and mostly in the evening before going to sleep.

I'm in my early thirties. My reading speed varies quite a lot based on the book and my mood, but I've definitely noticed that I've become "worse" at reading in recent years. Too many digital distractions I guess. That said, if I do manage to read for 2 hours before going to sleep, I sleep so much better than if I watch a movie or doomscroll on Lemmy or whatever.

I mostly read sci-fi and fantasy, sometimes historical novels. I think this year I've finished 4 books so far, and dropped one quarter-way through. There were definitely years where I've managed way more.

At night, Kindle paper-white, one book at a time. Some nights i read for an hour, some just a few minutes. If it doesn't hold my interest, I move on.

Mostly audiobooks, 2x speed, a lot of hours a day. I do use an ereader sometimes. I've started collecting (just regular hardcover, mostly) physical copies of some of my favorites, but I don't really read them like that. When possible I read entire series from beginning to end consecutively. Audiobooks and visual reading are generally different books.

Mostly mystery, in a wide variety of settings, tones, levels of intensity, but some pure fantasy. Nonfiction is mostly psychology, but some science, other stuff as well. (180 new books this year), but I re-read as much as I read new. I don't set goals or anything, just use the "goal" to see the number each year out of curiosity.

Mid-30s, IDK. I read a bunch as a kid, then stopped the habit through high school and college and took a while to get back into heavy reading.

If you read, even if its 1 page a day, you are a reader! Please do not discount yourself!!

"How do you actually read?"

I use my eyes.

For me getting an alarm clock made a difference. Because that nullified my brains weak excuse that I needed my phone by my bed "for an alarm". No I didn't. People have woken up perfectly reliably for years before smartphones. So I got an alarm clock. And that made it easier to turn going to bed into calm reading time instead of doom scrolling (by leaving my phone charging in other room). And that's made a big difference, not only to quality of reading but also general mood.

1. My reading habits are like everyone of my hobbies, I'm obsessed for a week then move on to a new pursuit then come back to reading several months later.
2. I read text books about Aztec history.
3. I'm a year away from 40 and I'm coming to terms with being alone for the rest of my life (which is exactly the same leading up to this point).
4. I bought a book stand I can adjust and wheel around.
5. Stop caring what other people think and just read when you feel like it. You're overthinking this.

I finish maybe 5 books a year. The library makes it so there's a "deadline", that helps.

I also don't mind picking up a book, and returning it after a few chapters if I realise I don't like it.

It shouldn't feel like a chore.