My Recipe for Reading (+ Loving It!)
I love books. I love the weight of a hardcover, the smell of those perfect, thick, cream-colored pages, and I love the feeling of getting lost for even just a few minutes as words printed on paper become scenes in my head.
But I have a confession to make — I’m not a voracious reader.
I never have been. I read slowly, plunking my way through several books at a time over months. I am perfectly happy to start a book and not finish it, or to read the same books over and over. I hated (repeat, hated) reading books for school.
I’ve never successfully been a part of a book club, and the few times I tried I ducked out after book #1. And there are countless books that friends of mine have read and raved over, but I found myself lost in confusion over why it just didn’t connect for me as it did for them.
As I’ve grown older, I’ve discovered that there is no one right way to be a true book lover or a good reader. I think the main goal is to read books. Read books you like, read books that inspire you, read books that seem to be writing your soul, and read books that challenge you.
For my personality, I have a little recipe of tips that help me to keep reading and keep learning, even when life is busy.
Chase After Your Curiosity
Curiosity and desire for more knowledge on something are the best embers to fan into flames of reading love. I’m always surprised at how quickly I can consume a new book just because it was a topic I was actually interested in, instead of a book I felt like I should be interested in (because it is popular at the time, is a classic, or a few friends recommend it.)
Interested in poetry all of a sudden? Start with the classics, and find out which authors you actually connect with (to my amazement, I really disliked Emerson, even though I thought he was a shoo-in, but I couldn’t stop reading Longfellow — here’s my favorite, perfect for this time of year.) Interested in a particular lifestyle or hobby? Poke around on Amazon and see what books seem interesting to you in those categories! Or maybe you need some spiritual teaching, counsel, or guidance with a particular issue. Look it up and see what you find!
Go to The Library
Libraries are slowly starting to open back up, and there is nothing like a leisurely perusal of the aisles to see which titles and topics stand out. The library smells good, feels so clean and reverent, and has this exciting sense of possibility! The most beautiful thing? You can check out as many of those bad boys as you’d like!
I recommend getting a couple of coffee-table-type topical books, like a cookbook or a book on design or homemaking (or whatever you fancy), and then one or two more word-dense books, like a novel or self-help book. The non-committal feeling of library books frees me up to keep reading what I like and to skim through the rest. I have actually ended up purchasing several books I originally found at the library.
Break Up with Books You Don’t Like
I think we’ve all been there. We pick up a book because it seems like something that will be good for us to read, or it’s the hottest book at the moment, or someone recommended it. And then we get a few chapters in, and it feels like trying to run through knee-deep mud. There might even be a hint of that icky “should” feeling (I should like this, I should be getting this), or even shame, when you look at the book. Pay attention to those feelings.
Did you know it is completely within your rights as a book lover to break up with books? Don’t waste your time or energy! I recently started reading a book about a topic I was interested in, but quickly found that the author’s approach grated against my personality and beliefs. The information she was giving was good, but not the best approach for me at that time. So, only after a few chapters, I took it back to the library and parted ways.
Sometimes certain voices or approaches don’t jive with your season or personality, and that is A-OK! Who knows? Maybe you’ll find the book again after a few years, and it will be the right time and will hit a different way. Or maybe you’ll try again and feel the exact same way as you did before. Thankfully, we are lucky to live in a country where we can find multiple voices on the same subjects, so you can always try another book with a similar theme.
Travel Up your Inspiration Family Tree
This is actually a concept from Austin Kleon, author of Steal Like An Artist (a fabulous little booklet, by the way, if you like to create things!) He says to start with people who directly inspire you. Do you love a particular author? Find out which authors and books have really meant a lot to them, and travel up the family tree by reading some of those. You can even find out the favorite books of your favorite musician or movie-maker or any other type of creator and go to their sources of inspiration for some of your own.
It’s a wonderful way to try new voices with similar ideals and themes.
Make it Like Vacation
Every time I crack open a book, I want to feel like I’m taking a mini-vacation, even if I’m sitting amidst very normal life. I want to feel comfortable, sitting in a cozy chair, laying in my bed, swinging on a hammock, or laying on a blanket in the grass. It helps if there is a fresh drink, like icy cold water with lemon, a hot cup of coffee or tea, or (my recent favorite) Blackberry Spindrift. (Or, in a non-pregnant time, an Old Fashioned or glass of red wine!)
I find that I can’t get too deep into a book in the morning, because I’m often thinking about what I need to do that day. Right now, nap times and after the baby goes to sleep are the most indulgent, vacation-like reading times for me. And there is nothing more relaxing than reading a few lines after you’ve gotten completely cleaned up and in bed before letting yourself nod off to sleep.
What’s your reading recipe like? Are you a voracious reader, making your way through the bestsellers lists? Do you wish you were more of a reader, but feel like you don’t have the time or interest? Talk to me!
Have you read anything wonderful recently? Please share below!