How to Read More Books

How to Read More Books

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Do you have shelves full of unread books? Does it seem like you never
have the time – or the energy – to read?

A lot of us want to read more – whether that's for work, education
or pleasure. But even if you love reading, it can still be tough to
find the time to sit quietly with a book.

If your books are gathering dust on the shelves, here's how to read
more this year.

!! Choose Books _You_ Want To Read !!

Perhaps you have a stack of books that you feel you _should_ read.
They might be books that friends have praised, books which won prizes,
books which are work-related...

The thing is, you don't _have_ to read anything. *Sure, there are some
fantastic classics out there that might change your life – but not
if you can't get past page ten.*

What really matters is that you pick books which _you_ want to read.
Not the books that "everyone" is talking about, not the books that'll
impress your friends. If you want to read the classics, read them for
good reasons [2] – not just because you're embarrassed that you've
never read them before.

How do you know what you want to read? Look for:

* Recommendations from people who like the same books that you like.

* Genres which you enjoy – science fiction, romance, historical,
etc. There's plenty of great genre fiction out there.

* Books written by authors who you're already familiar with. Perhaps
you've read their other books, or their blogs.

!! Give Yourself Time To Get Into A Book !!

Not all books grab you from page one. When you start reading, you
might know nothing about the subject matter (if it's non-fiction) and
you won't feel any particular attachment to the characters (if it's
fiction).

So give yourself time to get started. *Don't pick up a new book when
you've only got five minutes to spare.* It takes a while to get "into"
a book, but once you're engaged, you'll find that it's easy to keep
reading.

Conversely, if you're not enjoying a book after you've read 50 pages
or so, then consider ditching it. There's no rule that says you have
to finish every book you start.

!! Keep A Book Nearby !!

I've spent the past two weeks doing jury service, and I was very glad
I'd taken books along with me! There was a lot of sitting around,
waiting for things to happen – and I ended up finishing one book and
reading three more.

It's good to get into the habit of keeping a book near you*. Any time
you go out – particularly if you have an appointment or meeting –
pop a book into your bag.* If you end up waiting around for some
reason, you'll have something to do.

The same applies at home. Keep your book-in-progress on the coffee
table, or at the side of your bed – anywhere that you're likely to
see it and pick it up.

!! Try An Ebook Reader !!

I've loved books all my life. I like the smell of them, the feel of
the pages, the clear text on printed paper...

But last month, I got a Kindle, and I'm enjoying that too. Of course
it's different from a printed book, but it has a lot of advantages too
– I can highlight passages without damaging the book, I can carry
_lots_ of books in a single device, and I can get classic books for
free.

*If you've never tried an ebook reader, I'd encourage you to take a
look at a friend's, or try using one in a computer store.* You might
find that it's a much better experience than you'd expect – and you
may well end up reading more books.

_What are you reading at the moment? What books would you like to get
round to reading? Let us know in the comments!_

Links:
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[2] http://bemoreconfident.info/../improve-your-mind-by-reading-the-classics/