If you are anything like me, the summer is a great time for reading. There is warm weather if you enjoy sitting outside. And even if you want to stay inside with the air conditioning (and protection from bugs…), you probably have more sunshine. However, I think that even more of us are going to be spending our summer reading, with lockdown and social distancing and your 10 person bubbles. With stress coming from everywhere, reading can feel like a chore. So, I want to share my best tips for truly enjoying reading again, and making the most of this bookish summer ahead of us!
Make Time for Reading
For a lot of us, this is much easier said than done. Depending on how many commitments you have to family and friends, how much work you have to do, and just general life “things”, it can be hard to purposefully set aside time for reading. Overall, I do read quite a lot. However, I get into spurts where I am insanely busy with work or I have a bunch of things that I need to get done, and it slips. And once it slips for three or four days in a row, you get out of the habit pretty quickly.
Find a regular time that works for you to sit down and read. It could while you are drinking your morning tea or coffee, or on your commute to work (if you still have one?). Or maybe Saturday afternoon is for books. It doesn’t have to be every single day, but try and make it a regular habit for yourself. Like our bodies need regular exercise, our minds need consistent activity as well. (And by that, I mean non-work related activity.) I plan on posting quickly on Instagram stories to hold myself accountable this summer, and hopefully remind others to grab their book.
Don’t Be a Book Snob
I will repeat that, don’t be a book snob. Reading is reading is reading. Maybe you like to read literary fiction. Maybe you like to read the classic. Or biographies or women’s lit or cozy mysteries or history or whatever genre. None of them are better or worse than the others. I know that people will often look around before “admitting” that they are reading the biggest beach read for that summer or a romance or a quick mystery, like it is a bad thing. Whatever genre you like to read, it isn’t a bad thing.
I have the habit of thinking “I have to read worthwhile books.” Well, what deems it worthwhile? I would argue that an author spending an enormous amount of time, along with an editor and who knows how many other people is worthwhile in and of itself. And doubly so if you can recommend it to someone else. If a book interests you, pick it up. You might find your new favourite author, or a book that would be perfect for your best friend. Do not judge other people for reading any genre of book, and don’t judge yourself for it either! Read to read, not to impress others.
Book Club Pick:
I know that people still tend to bash women’s fiction (aka chick lit), but I love it. Sometimes it is a lighter read, but lighter isn’t a bad thing. I just finished reading the second book in Alisha Rai’s Modern Love series, Girl Gone Viral, and it was fantastic. She has an interesting way of looking at the specifics of modern culture, like going viral without knowing at the time, that stops and makes you think about the quirks we experience daily. If you are looking for a book to enjoy on a long weekend, or a few summer evenings, Girl Gone Viral should be at the top of your list!
Read Widely
I don’t know if you are like me, but I tend to get into ruts where I read four or five books in a row from the same author or genre, or even general topic. And I do typically enjoy it when I do, but by the last book, I’m worn out. Branch out, and read widely. Variety isn’t your enemy, and we can always grow. If you are interested in World War II history, perhaps try a historical fiction novel set during the war. Or stick in the same genre, and try an author that you never would have otherwise considered. Much like not being a book snob, you might discover a new hidden gem for yourself, or be able to recommend to someone who might love it.
Book Club Pick:
I am challenging myself to start reading more books by BIPOC authors, and about BIPOC topics, like I think many of you are. I normally read a lot of British history, so I have just started David Olusoga’s Black and British: A Forgotten History. Although I’m only two chapters in, it is wonderful. It is a slightly slower read for me, because it’s newer material to me and I don’t want to rush it, but so far, a fantastic reading experience.
Keep Yourself (and Others) Accountable
Like many other things, keeping yourself accountable can go a long way. Every once in a while, we find a book that just grabs us and we can’t put it down. However, that isn’t all of the time (or at least for me), but reading can be enjoyable even when it isn’t a book that makes you forget your life. If you are absolutely not interested in reading, don’t grit your teeth and turn the page, but if you only need a small nudge, find a way to keep yourself accountable.
Many of us track our runs and yoga and recipes and gardening, and who knows what else. Find a way to keep yourself accountable. Maybe it is just putting a checkmark in your planner on days that you read, maybe it is a Goodreads goal. It doesn’t need to be a specific page or book goal- it isn’t to put pressure on yourself to be a hyper-productive reader. Find an easy way to make reading a priority for you!
For me personally, I find it helpful to make a plan to discuss it with someone else. I enjoy book clubs because I have a finite date to finish it by. If it is an aforementioned can’t-put-it-down book, I don’t need a date, but sometimes I need a bit more of a push. It doesn’t need to be a book club per se, it could just be chatting with friends. I have a few friends that I chat books with all of the time- we aren’t even reading the same thing, but can discuss them all the same! If I know I’ll be talking to them soon, I take stock of what I’ve read since I last talked to them and get ready to discuss.
Book Club Pick:
If you are looking for a good book club pick, I have to recommend Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey. My own #AnHistorianReads book club is currently reading it, and are truly enjoying it! I find that even the most dedicated Austenites ignore it, when Northanger has fantastic social commentary that is still very relevant in 2020.
Do you enjoy reading, or does it feel like another chore to you? And what is on your summer 2020 reading list?
Cheers,
The Historian
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin’
