How to read more books
Readers trade tactics for reclaiming attention from phones and social media in order to read more books, from deleting apps and logging out of accounts to carrying small e‑readers everywhere and building daily rituals around commutes, meals, or bedtime. Many emphasize choosing enjoyable or shorter books, giving up on ones that don’t resonate, and using tools like Readwise or note-taking to remember what they read. A major fault line runs over audiobooks and AI: some see them as powerful complements that turn “dead time” into reading time, while others argue that deep, undistracted engagement with text is irreplaceable.
Digital distraction, attention, and habits
- Many struggle to read due to toddlers, work, and mental fatigue; short “micro-moments” often get used to let the brain rest, not to read.
- Others report big gains by replacing phone use and social media with books (deleting apps, blocking sites, even router-level YouTube blocks).
- Some see the “read whenever you’re not doing something else” mindset as helpful; others find it extreme and argue it’s okay to have idle time and not optimize every minute.
- Regular slots (before bed, during meals, on transit) and modest daily commitments (e.g., a chapter or 10–15 minutes) help reading become automatic.
Audiobooks: boon or compromise?
- Many say audiobooks radically increased their “reading,” especially during commutes, exercise, chores, childcare, or insomnia; libraries and apps make this cheap or free.
- Several prefer audiobooks for memoirs/biographies and light non‑fiction; some also combine text + audio (“immersive reading”) to boost focus and speed.
- Critics argue listening is not the same as reading: lower retention, harder to pause/reflect/skim, and more distraction when multitasking. Some can’t follow audio at all.
- There’s disagreement on whether audiobooks “count” as reading; some call attempts to exclude them gatekeeping, others say the mediums are fundamentally different.
Tools, devices, and workflows
- E‑readers, small e‑ink phones, distraction‑free tablets, and even e‑ink phone cases are praised for making reading the default instead of scrolling.
- People use note‑taking systems (highlights, Obsidian, Zettelkasten, Readwise‑style review emails) to remember and integrate what they read.
- Automation tricks (auto‑opening a reader app on unlock, putting only a reading app on the homescreen) reinforce the habit.
Goals, depth, and purpose
- Some track books or time (Goodreads, spreadsheets, yearly goals) and credit this with re‑igniting reading; others say “book counts” led to joyless speed‑reading.
- Several emphasize depth over volume: multiple passes, reflection, notes, and slow engagement with dense works. Reading many books but forgetting them is seen as pointless.
- Motivations mentioned include entertainment, learning, understanding other people, and shared cultural reference points.
Choosing what to read
- Suggestions include starting with accessible “classics,” ignoring snobbery, and quitting books that don’t resonate, with the option to revisit later.
- Concerns about “slop,” especially post‑2023 and possible AI‑generated text, lead some to favor authors with a pre‑AI track record or older books.
- Others argue you always need to be critical anyway; quality is “self‑evident,” and AI authorship per se isn’t decisive.
Environment and the changing internet
- Quiet, cozy spaces, public transit, and long train rides are seen as especially conducive to reading; noise on modern commutes can make this hard.
- Some describe grief over the shift from a playful, niche internet to today’s algorithmic, addictive platforms, and turn to books as an antidote.