How to read a book a week
What has and hasn't worked for me
I sometimes get asked how I’m able to read the number of books I do (call it ~45-50ish books finished a year and a similar amount started by not finished). Below are some of the things that have - and haven’t - worked for me.
How to read more: what works
Choose books you like and enjoy reading
This is the #1 thing you can do if you want to read more. If you find books that you like and enjoy reading, you will find time to read them. If you try to read books you’re not really that into, you might find time to read them. You likely won’t.
If you want to read more, you need to think less in terms of what you “should” read and more about what you want to read. I’ve tried to read The Brothers Karamazov about 1-2 times a year and just lose momentum. People like to talk about the importance of the Canon and Great Books - which I fully agree with - but you need to assess your own interests and mental bandwidth. If you are a working professional, you may have less mental bandwidth now than you did as a college student. You might not be accustomed to processing information that is not bullet points. You might not even care about “literature” anymore. That’s OK - there are likely still books for you.
When I was in grad school, I found myself able to read more difficult and esoteric books as I had more time and mental energy. As somebody with 2 young kids + a full-time job, I tend to stick to “easier” books. And I’m completely OK with that - I probably should be spending most of my mental calories on my family and work.
The converse of this is you don’t have to finish any book. If you read a chapter, even two, and aren’t feeling it, it’s OK - and good - to put it down. Forcing yourself to finish books will cause you to read less as you’ll finish your “required” books slower and spend less time reading overall as compared to if you chose a book you liked. For every 10 books I check out of the library, I probably finish 3 to 6.
Make reading a part of your routine and own the tradeoffs
The easiest thing in my opinion is to read before bed. Some people read with meals, others when they go on the treadmill, others on their commute. Without a routine to consistently you 1) read less, and 2) lose momentum with books, which makes you less likely to finish them. Like most habits, you don’t want to have to actively choose to read every time. You want it to be automatic, part of your routine
It’s also important to own the tradeoffs, in my opinion. Your reading time will have to come from somewhere - whether TV, work, or something else. You need to decide and believe that reading is something you’d rather be doing. To the point above, it’s really hard to read more if you don’t want to be doing it.
Figure out *why* you want to read more
Contrary to what I learned as an English major, there is nothing inherently magical / virtuous about reading in my opinion. It doesn’t make you a better person. So if you want to read more, you should probably ask yourself why. I read because:
I enjoy learning about new ideas and exploring new worlds and stories
It’s a healthier use of my downtime than being on my phone or computer
It gives me a way to connect with other people (through this newsletter and book clubs)
Your reasons might be different, but understanding them can help you 1) know if you really do want to read more and 2) figure out what to read
Gamify / quantify it
I put this lower because your mileage might vary. Some people find it motivating to list how many books they’ve read or list them (like Art Garfunkel). Other people enjoy seeing how much money they’ve “saved” by reading books from the library as opposed to buying them. This doesn’t really work for me, but it might for you
What doesn’t work (for me)
Cramming in 2 minutes of reading at a time on my phone / hyperoptimizing
I have the Kindle phone app and use it occasionally, but I find it hard to focus / retain information when I spend 120 seconds reading something on a subway ride. You might be different
Book clubs
While I love (and have organized) book clubs, I don’t think they are the best way to read more (though they are fantastic ways to hang out with people). Most book clubs tend to happen semi-sporadically (maybe 6-12 weeks) and are often rescheduled given how busy people are. And book clubs are primarily a social thing in my opinion - a chance to have a great conversation with interesting people about topics that may or may not include the book. There’s not really that much incentive / pressure to read the book. Better, in my opinion, to read something that you want to read.
Conclusion
Read books you enjoy and only books you enjoy. This will make it easier to incorporate them as a habit and make reading something you look forward to.
As put by someone much smarter than me:
