Reading as a Dummy
Reading is a recent hobby of mine, and whenever it's brought up I mention that I suck at reading. However, I think what I really mean is that I'm simply a slow reader.
When I read something, I feel like I have to speak each word in my mind in order to understand. This, matched with a reading-heavy career makes for quick exhaustion when trying to read recreationally for long periods of time.
But, since lately I've been making great progress on my hobby by actually finishing some books. I'd like to share some things that have helped me make the habit.
Portable Reading
While some people probably prefer classic book-in-hand reading, I've taken advantage of some of the luxuries that technology provides. Portable reading in the form of an E-reader, and audio-books both have done wonders for me.
In situations where I have maybe a few minutes before a meeting, or in the bathroom, or waiting in general, my e-reader has made it easy to get a few pages in. I have an xteink-x4 ($60) with crosspoint. (custom firmware) This is a super budget-friendly option that allows maximum customization and freedom, with regard to loading any obtainable Epub onto the device. It's small, lightweight, and in two months of owning it, it's still on 80% battery.
Otherwise, audio books have been great for me. Since I tend to read to myself in my head, audiobooks feel natural enough to digest and retain the book's information. Additionally, since I drive ~2hrs per work day through annoying construction and traffic, audiobooks have a calming effect on me since road-rage would distract from the reading. For this, I've just been seeing which books I'm already interested in that are on spotify.
What to read?
I've found it common for people to want to read, but not know where to start. From my very short-lived experience, here's the criteria I generally use when picking books in person:
Disclaimer: Most of what I read is nonfiction.
Cover/title Appeal: This is my vibe check. If the subject matter aligns with my interests, I'll typically pick it up and investigate further.
Table of Contents: If the main title is appealing, now I check the chapter's respective titles to get the gist of what is discussed.
Summary: If I'm not convinced by the chapter titles, or they're uninformative, I'll read the summary typically on the back of the book.
In general, if the title and content is interesting enough to me, and it doesn't cost a million dollars, I'll buy the book. If it's out of my price range, I may find it online for cheaper OR see if an audiobook exists for free on spotify. For in-person shopping however, I try to limit how many books I buy at once as well, this prevents the backlog from being so big that you feel that reading is futile.
Also, something I like about nonfiction specifically is that authors tend to mention other authors. For example, reading Kuhn you will definitely come across references to Wittgenstein, or reading Camus you'll likely see mentions of Nietzsche. This creates fun rabbit holes for us readers to explore certain topics more rigorously, through a body of works sharing references to one another. Since much of nonfiction explores the development of a certain idea, it's beneficial to interpret several sides of the conversation.
Lastly, I've found several online communities to be helpful in recommending people books based on what they've read recently. Forums like r/bookshelvesdetective come to mind, in addition to this blog's book club page if it interests you. Even talking with colleagues which share your interest can yield fruitful recommendations.
Closing Thoughts
As I start making more of a habit out of reading, I feel like each book admits me to a secret club of sorts. I start noticing certain patterns that signal to me that someone has read something I'm familiar with. For example, a neuroscientist with a book of M.C. Escher's works is likely to have read Hofstadter and so on. Additionally, reading has made me feel especially productive despite my recreational motive. Since my hobbies and career are relatively interconnected, I can apply things I learn while reading to my work, and it feels good.