I’m just getting off a self-prescribed reading detox! For the past few months I only allowed myself to re-read books and it ended up being one of the best experiments I’ve ever tried.
i get so irrationally irritated (or maybe it's perfectly rational?) when people question re-reading books. why would you want to read that again, you know how it ends? makes me want to throw a/the book at them! (i wouldn't do that though, naturally) I wish I had the discipline to do this, it's a splendid idea.
if you're maximizing breadth of knowledge and gaining social capital, then yeah, reading as many new books as quickly as possible is the recipe for success.
but what i've found is that re-reading a book, knowing how it ends, adds another dimension which ultimately brings you closer to the authors themselves. you read with greater attention toward the steps that lead to the inevitable ending, which, quite possibly, is how the author might approach reading their own novels. the result is you pick up a lot more nuance, the characters feel more complex, and b/c we're no longer hyper-fixated on what's going on with the plot, we can better enjoy the life lesson that is sitting right in front of us!
I totally agree, and in re-reading (haha) my first comment, I phrased it all wrong! When I asked the question 'why would you want to read that again?' I was referring to other people who ask me this question - egads, my bad! I'm with you 100% on this, for me it's the life lesson that changes every time I reread something. The time, place and personal circumstances (your emotional state, even) also make a huge difference. I'm curious - what books have you found particular valuable rereading, or what have you reread the most? (for me, A Sheltering Sky, The Heart of the Matter and Master and Margarita come to mind)
I recently re-read History of Love (one of my favorite books, has multiple converging storylines which can get confusing, but reading it a second time allowed me to appreciate how beautifully the author ties the threads together) and When Breath Becomes Air (this was a surgeon's final piece of work as he was dying from cancer, eerily noticed that as I was progressing through the pages in the book, he was progressing through his cancer, and when there are no pages left, his life has finished)
There are a few books I've re-reas over the years and was surprised to find out new meaning as time had passed between my first reading and the second. It can be very enriching as an experience -it definitely was for me every time-, but at the same time I understand there are so many books to read that we feel we should move on with them instead of going back to one we've read before. It's a tricky balance 😅
I am what I would call a very fast reader and I also used to be a book blogger that got idk probably 50-80 books sent to me a month for a good 6-8 years or so and in that time I would reader a little over a 100 books a year, for reasons because I could and enjoyed it for that time but it was also legitimately profitable for me to do so (tho looking back it was pretty dumb because while profitable I didn't need the money and there was no direct correlation of number of books read + more $).
Ever since that phase passed me by I greatly enjoy being back to my pace of reading before that era. I still read very fast ofc but there is something to be said about reading only what you absolutely think you will love or are intrigued by and i think more importantly, when you are reading that many books you're not just reading the books but you're also in the grind of scheduling, knowing what's coming out, and you're oddly in the book business without being in the book business and having benefits and you start treating it like a job.
When you're on top of stuff like that I also think you lose a key component in life, not just reading, but maybe especially reading, and that's legitimate discovery. Discovery is beautiful. There's something about finding a book on the shelf or online, it hitting you, not everyone on the internet, not your friend group, but something spoke to YOU and you pick it up and then even after you read and if it's just okay or even not great, it's still yours and it makes the winners you pick up that, let's be honest, the right book can change your life if they catch you at the right time, and finding those types of books, my memories of that, are as strong as the first time I went to Bora Bora or something. It's a legit journey and adventure, it's art, not a factory line.
I can relate to your experience as a book blogger. I don't make much money from reading and don't get sent nearly as many ARCs as you did (thank god? I wouldn't know what to do with them 😂) but the pressure of scheduling content and being on top of new releases are definitely there, as well as the pressure to read everything publishers send to me. It doesn't leave much space for that discovery you mentioned, which is, by far, one of the best things about being a reader.
Yes, it was earlier days and I think publishers were just learning how to handle online publicity and at that time the rise of blogs. Like when we were doing it definitely felt very early and pioneering along with a handful of others (I’m not saying in any way we were pioneers with a Capital P just that we were in right place at right time and liked books and were online). So I’m imagining a bunch of people just hired in entry positions at publishers in digital marketing and just scouring the internet and doing everything they can to seem like they were doing a good job and many were. It was fun times for sure.
Beautifully said. Thank you for saying that more is not always better! I have seasons when I read (actually, skim) many books because I am searching for comp titles for my novel and I need to know what else is on the market. Right now, though, I am reading books from the 19th century and annotating them, because it’s the English major in me and I can’t resist. And that means reading slowly, which is what I prefer. I keep track of the titles I read but I don’t bother with reading goals, other than to read diversely.
Maybe the true literary flex is how slowly you can savour a single story!? I used to read super, super, super fast but when I made a conscious effort to slow myself down and really get into the storylines and characters, the reading experience became SO much better. I totally agree with this, and there are 100% some books that DEMAND to be read slowly and fully absorbed.
I earned a PhD in literature a few years ago, and my reading routine never recovered. I read so much in service of the degree (reqs & for teaching) that reading "for fun" kind if dissipated. Since then I read much less, more short stories, essays, etc.
This seems to be a common experience among people who studied literature; my English major friends have all gone through big burnouts and often have a hard time finding joy in reading again. It's really sad!
This is so illuminating and I have to confess: I keep close track of the books I read (I average 50-60/year), but I definitely don't do it in any 'hey, look at me!' way. It's purely for me (I enjoy the process much more than the final product), and because my memory is so shaky that I often forget some of the books I really enjoyed over the years.
BUT...for years and years I've had an informal resolution to 'read less'. My problem, like many others, is major reading FOMO, and I don't even read much contemporary fiction, and I'm mostly into non-fiction.
A few years ago, lying in bed during another sleepless night, I had a panic attack when I considered the average male life expectancy and calculated my average yearly book numbers and realised I wasn't going to have enough time to read all the books I wanted (and yes, it has been pointed out to me that a Gilmour Girls character said this, but I swear, I thought of it first!). Part of it is my indecisiveness, part of it is my curiosity - I tried to read as widely as I can.
I know plenty of people do this too, but I always have 3-5 books on the go at once. Sure they get jumbled up a bit, and mixed in with Substack newsletters and my regular media consumption, it's overwhelming. But there's also a strange pleasure in reading multiple books, and it depends on my state of mind and how fresh I'm feeling. For example, I'm currently reading 'Bad Taste' (Nathalie Olah); Angela Carter's fairy tales ('The Bloody Chamber'), 'Ex-Libris' (Anne Fadiman, this is a re-read) and 'How to Read Literature Like a Professor' (Thomas Foster).
I know what you (and Rory Gilmore) mean; I can't even think of all the books I'll one day leave unread. I'll just keep telling myself I'm immortal for now 😂 And I wish I could have 3-5 books on the go at once, my brain just won't do it! I must read one at a time, otherwise I'll get overwhelmed and fall into an inevitable slump.
And I sometimes wish I could just focus on one at a time, but my mood fluctuates so much. I didn't even mention rereading books either - I love rereading books, and that's just one more obstacle to deal with (I don't know if Rory said anything about this :))
Ex-Libris is actually the only book of hers I've read, I'm on my third re-read of it. Which of her other books would you recommend? (or is it all of them?)
I used to read a lot and I went through a period of reading very little, then picking up pace again to only struggle to focus when the pandemic arrived and finally embrace that reading is a dynamic and mutable experience. As you said, what matters is how we read. In 2021 I read almost 60 books and can't remember most of them. But this year I've read less than 20 -one of which a very interesting nonfiction book on Northern Ireland- and I've been thinking about them long after finishing the last page. The pleasure of reading and absorbing what we read is what I 'm here for. But of corse if there's an unexpected reading spree around the corner who am I to reject it?
Because I write and think a lot about books here on Substack and because I read so many literary newsletters, I feel like there's such an immense pressure to read a ton of books in a short amount of time—plus, because of the book recommendations, I keep adding more and more books to my list. I love your list of reasons for reading fewer books a year—I think resisting this pressure to read so many books all at once allows us to be more thoughtful readers and to retain a bit more of what we read.
also I'm so glad to see the Party Girl references—I love that movie!
I've definitely felt that pressure too; I feel like I always recommend the same 10 books while other people have all these new titles to talk about every month. But if those are my recs, then those are my recs. I'll take my time finding new ones 😊
couldn’t agree more!! as someone doing a phd in literature i often feel a bit inadequate that i’m actually really quite a slow reader, lol (like you said at the start). but i think allowing things longer to make their mark can only really make the reading experience richer :) learning to be ok with my slow-reading ways!! thanks for the validation!! 🥰
I never really understood why people make such a big deal out of how many books people read in a month/year. Like, it’s not that deep. Also, in the US, almost half don’t even read a book during the past year. So I think we should be celebrating the fact that you’re reading something at all.
I’d read a book a day for the last 5 years and this year decided to stop because I really wanted to savour each book. Reread sections. Underline. Annotate. I’m still at 200 books because I really love reading and I’m a fast reader, but so much of this resonated.
THANK YOU! Finally someone who ACTUALLY reads slower like me, and not slow as in “i only read 6 books this month, ugh… i am such a sloooow readerrr” way. This really spoke to me honestly. I sometimes feel a bit bad when i start a 400 page book that takes me about a month to read and i am like, “I can’t even read 400 pages? What kind of reader am i?”
I know!! It's that need to be productive and keep up with everyone else, I feel that way too. But you're no less of a reader for reading at your own pace, and there are many of us out there 🙋🏼♀️
Yes! Some books I quickly digest, I call them easy reads but once I crossed over to different genres like non fiction and literary fiction I wanted to take my time with reading, annotating, and reflecting. It’s hard not to get so caught up in book culture. Example, I enjoy spontaneously picking a book. I have a TBR but there’s something about walking into a bookstore or library and just picking your next read. Then I’ll just listen to a podcast or book tuber talk about their many reads and enjoy it that way.
There is nothing better than randomly finding a gem of a book at your local bookstore 🥰 It is one of my very favorite things. And I can absolutely relate to your need to change pace as you change genres - non-fiction book are always slow reads for me too!
Such a great essay and perspective, loved every minute of it! I think our "obsession" with performance and productivity can sometimes suck the joy out of things, especially when it comes to our hobbies or any activities we love. Everything becomes something that we need to excel at, or monetize in one way or another, which creates this unnecessary pressure around something that is suppose to make us feel good. So it's really great to go against that idea and slow down 🧘🏼♀️
Absolutely! Everything needs to be excelled at/monetized these days. I definitely fall into that trap all the time, so I have to kind of force myself to slow down and just enjoy my hobbies. Reading slowly (and doing it from a place of non-judgement) has been vital for my sanity 😅
I’m just getting off a self-prescribed reading detox! For the past few months I only allowed myself to re-read books and it ended up being one of the best experiments I’ve ever tried.
i get so irrationally irritated (or maybe it's perfectly rational?) when people question re-reading books. why would you want to read that again, you know how it ends? makes me want to throw a/the book at them! (i wouldn't do that though, naturally) I wish I had the discipline to do this, it's a splendid idea.
if you're maximizing breadth of knowledge and gaining social capital, then yeah, reading as many new books as quickly as possible is the recipe for success.
but what i've found is that re-reading a book, knowing how it ends, adds another dimension which ultimately brings you closer to the authors themselves. you read with greater attention toward the steps that lead to the inevitable ending, which, quite possibly, is how the author might approach reading their own novels. the result is you pick up a lot more nuance, the characters feel more complex, and b/c we're no longer hyper-fixated on what's going on with the plot, we can better enjoy the life lesson that is sitting right in front of us!
I totally agree, and in re-reading (haha) my first comment, I phrased it all wrong! When I asked the question 'why would you want to read that again?' I was referring to other people who ask me this question - egads, my bad! I'm with you 100% on this, for me it's the life lesson that changes every time I reread something. The time, place and personal circumstances (your emotional state, even) also make a huge difference. I'm curious - what books have you found particular valuable rereading, or what have you reread the most? (for me, A Sheltering Sky, The Heart of the Matter and Master and Margarita come to mind)
100%!
I recently re-read History of Love (one of my favorite books, has multiple converging storylines which can get confusing, but reading it a second time allowed me to appreciate how beautifully the author ties the threads together) and When Breath Becomes Air (this was a surgeon's final piece of work as he was dying from cancer, eerily noticed that as I was progressing through the pages in the book, he was progressing through his cancer, and when there are no pages left, his life has finished)
There are a few books I've re-reas over the years and was surprised to find out new meaning as time had passed between my first reading and the second. It can be very enriching as an experience -it definitely was for me every time-, but at the same time I understand there are so many books to read that we feel we should move on with them instead of going back to one we've read before. It's a tricky balance 😅
I am what I would call a very fast reader and I also used to be a book blogger that got idk probably 50-80 books sent to me a month for a good 6-8 years or so and in that time I would reader a little over a 100 books a year, for reasons because I could and enjoyed it for that time but it was also legitimately profitable for me to do so (tho looking back it was pretty dumb because while profitable I didn't need the money and there was no direct correlation of number of books read + more $).
Ever since that phase passed me by I greatly enjoy being back to my pace of reading before that era. I still read very fast ofc but there is something to be said about reading only what you absolutely think you will love or are intrigued by and i think more importantly, when you are reading that many books you're not just reading the books but you're also in the grind of scheduling, knowing what's coming out, and you're oddly in the book business without being in the book business and having benefits and you start treating it like a job.
When you're on top of stuff like that I also think you lose a key component in life, not just reading, but maybe especially reading, and that's legitimate discovery. Discovery is beautiful. There's something about finding a book on the shelf or online, it hitting you, not everyone on the internet, not your friend group, but something spoke to YOU and you pick it up and then even after you read and if it's just okay or even not great, it's still yours and it makes the winners you pick up that, let's be honest, the right book can change your life if they catch you at the right time, and finding those types of books, my memories of that, are as strong as the first time I went to Bora Bora or something. It's a legit journey and adventure, it's art, not a factory line.
I can relate to your experience as a book blogger. I don't make much money from reading and don't get sent nearly as many ARCs as you did (thank god? I wouldn't know what to do with them 😂) but the pressure of scheduling content and being on top of new releases are definitely there, as well as the pressure to read everything publishers send to me. It doesn't leave much space for that discovery you mentioned, which is, by far, one of the best things about being a reader.
Yes, it was earlier days and I think publishers were just learning how to handle online publicity and at that time the rise of blogs. Like when we were doing it definitely felt very early and pioneering along with a handful of others (I’m not saying in any way we were pioneers with a Capital P just that we were in right place at right time and liked books and were online). So I’m imagining a bunch of people just hired in entry positions at publishers in digital marketing and just scouring the internet and doing everything they can to seem like they were doing a good job and many were. It was fun times for sure.
Beautifully said. Thank you for saying that more is not always better! I have seasons when I read (actually, skim) many books because I am searching for comp titles for my novel and I need to know what else is on the market. Right now, though, I am reading books from the 19th century and annotating them, because it’s the English major in me and I can’t resist. And that means reading slowly, which is what I prefer. I keep track of the titles I read but I don’t bother with reading goals, other than to read diversely.
Maybe the true literary flex is how slowly you can savour a single story!? I used to read super, super, super fast but when I made a conscious effort to slow myself down and really get into the storylines and characters, the reading experience became SO much better. I totally agree with this, and there are 100% some books that DEMAND to be read slowly and fully absorbed.
🌻 Katie from https://vibesandvoicenotes.substack.com/
Absolutely! There is no one right way to read a book, but the reading speed definitely influences one's experience.
I earned a PhD in literature a few years ago, and my reading routine never recovered. I read so much in service of the degree (reqs & for teaching) that reading "for fun" kind if dissipated. Since then I read much less, more short stories, essays, etc.
This seems to be a common experience among people who studied literature; my English major friends have all gone through big burnouts and often have a hard time finding joy in reading again. It's really sad!
This is so illuminating and I have to confess: I keep close track of the books I read (I average 50-60/year), but I definitely don't do it in any 'hey, look at me!' way. It's purely for me (I enjoy the process much more than the final product), and because my memory is so shaky that I often forget some of the books I really enjoyed over the years.
BUT...for years and years I've had an informal resolution to 'read less'. My problem, like many others, is major reading FOMO, and I don't even read much contemporary fiction, and I'm mostly into non-fiction.
A few years ago, lying in bed during another sleepless night, I had a panic attack when I considered the average male life expectancy and calculated my average yearly book numbers and realised I wasn't going to have enough time to read all the books I wanted (and yes, it has been pointed out to me that a Gilmour Girls character said this, but I swear, I thought of it first!). Part of it is my indecisiveness, part of it is my curiosity - I tried to read as widely as I can.
I know plenty of people do this too, but I always have 3-5 books on the go at once. Sure they get jumbled up a bit, and mixed in with Substack newsletters and my regular media consumption, it's overwhelming. But there's also a strange pleasure in reading multiple books, and it depends on my state of mind and how fresh I'm feeling. For example, I'm currently reading 'Bad Taste' (Nathalie Olah); Angela Carter's fairy tales ('The Bloody Chamber'), 'Ex-Libris' (Anne Fadiman, this is a re-read) and 'How to Read Literature Like a Professor' (Thomas Foster).
That said, I'll give your idea some thought :)
I know what you (and Rory Gilmore) mean; I can't even think of all the books I'll one day leave unread. I'll just keep telling myself I'm immortal for now 😂 And I wish I could have 3-5 books on the go at once, my brain just won't do it! I must read one at a time, otherwise I'll get overwhelmed and fall into an inevitable slump.
And I sometimes wish I could just focus on one at a time, but my mood fluctuates so much. I didn't even mention rereading books either - I love rereading books, and that's just one more obstacle to deal with (I don't know if Rory said anything about this :))
Love, love, love Anne Fadiman!
Ex-Libris is actually the only book of hers I've read, I'm on my third re-read of it. Which of her other books would you recommend? (or is it all of them?)
Ex Libris is my favorite, but I also love At Large and At Small.
I used to read a lot and I went through a period of reading very little, then picking up pace again to only struggle to focus when the pandemic arrived and finally embrace that reading is a dynamic and mutable experience. As you said, what matters is how we read. In 2021 I read almost 60 books and can't remember most of them. But this year I've read less than 20 -one of which a very interesting nonfiction book on Northern Ireland- and I've been thinking about them long after finishing the last page. The pleasure of reading and absorbing what we read is what I 'm here for. But of corse if there's an unexpected reading spree around the corner who am I to reject it?
"reading is a dynamic and mutable experience" - couldn't have said it better. Embracing that is key!
Let the books and good stories come to us... slowly 😂
Because I write and think a lot about books here on Substack and because I read so many literary newsletters, I feel like there's such an immense pressure to read a ton of books in a short amount of time—plus, because of the book recommendations, I keep adding more and more books to my list. I love your list of reasons for reading fewer books a year—I think resisting this pressure to read so many books all at once allows us to be more thoughtful readers and to retain a bit more of what we read.
also I'm so glad to see the Party Girl references—I love that movie!
I've definitely felt that pressure too; I feel like I always recommend the same 10 books while other people have all these new titles to talk about every month. But if those are my recs, then those are my recs. I'll take my time finding new ones 😊
couldn’t agree more!! as someone doing a phd in literature i often feel a bit inadequate that i’m actually really quite a slow reader, lol (like you said at the start). but i think allowing things longer to make their mark can only really make the reading experience richer :) learning to be ok with my slow-reading ways!! thanks for the validation!! 🥰
I don't know why we ever equated reading faster with better; if we're reading, we're reading! and that's all that matters 📚💗
I never really understood why people make such a big deal out of how many books people read in a month/year. Like, it’s not that deep. Also, in the US, almost half don’t even read a book during the past year. So I think we should be celebrating the fact that you’re reading something at all.
Facts!!
I’d read a book a day for the last 5 years and this year decided to stop because I really wanted to savour each book. Reread sections. Underline. Annotate. I’m still at 200 books because I really love reading and I’m a fast reader, but so much of this resonated.
Nothing beats truly savouring a book. And gosh, I really wish I was a faster reader!
I often wish I could slow down to really drag out a great book
THANK YOU! Finally someone who ACTUALLY reads slower like me, and not slow as in “i only read 6 books this month, ugh… i am such a sloooow readerrr” way. This really spoke to me honestly. I sometimes feel a bit bad when i start a 400 page book that takes me about a month to read and i am like, “I can’t even read 400 pages? What kind of reader am i?”
I know!! It's that need to be productive and keep up with everyone else, I feel that way too. But you're no less of a reader for reading at your own pace, and there are many of us out there 🙋🏼♀️
Yes! Some books I quickly digest, I call them easy reads but once I crossed over to different genres like non fiction and literary fiction I wanted to take my time with reading, annotating, and reflecting. It’s hard not to get so caught up in book culture. Example, I enjoy spontaneously picking a book. I have a TBR but there’s something about walking into a bookstore or library and just picking your next read. Then I’ll just listen to a podcast or book tuber talk about their many reads and enjoy it that way.
There is nothing better than randomly finding a gem of a book at your local bookstore 🥰 It is one of my very favorite things. And I can absolutely relate to your need to change pace as you change genres - non-fiction book are always slow reads for me too!
Thank you for writing this, I hate that reading feels like a competitive sport. I'm doing well if I read one book a month at the moment.
Thank you for writing this! I'm on of those who reads a lot, but I've often thought about how beautiful it is to just dwell in one book.
Such a great essay and perspective, loved every minute of it! I think our "obsession" with performance and productivity can sometimes suck the joy out of things, especially when it comes to our hobbies or any activities we love. Everything becomes something that we need to excel at, or monetize in one way or another, which creates this unnecessary pressure around something that is suppose to make us feel good. So it's really great to go against that idea and slow down 🧘🏼♀️
Absolutely! Everything needs to be excelled at/monetized these days. I definitely fall into that trap all the time, so I have to kind of force myself to slow down and just enjoy my hobbies. Reading slowly (and doing it from a place of non-judgement) has been vital for my sanity 😅