Reading is Fundamental...
Love It or Hate It...
Ever since I was a child reading has been a quiet way for me to escape all of the craziness that life often throws at me. Having taught English to first-year college students I know that not everyone enjoys reading as much as I do though. I also found that a lot of people have a good deal of childhood trauma attached to the idea of reading given that public school systems are usually understaffed and public school teachers are rushed to meet state guidelines. Under these conditions, it is very difficult for even the best teacher to give some students the individual attention that they need to become successful readers. Whether you love or hate to read though, reading is one of those life skills that must be mastered to be successful in your future endeavors. For those of you who hate it, I have a few tips to make it more enjoyable, and for all of my book lovers out there I have a few book recommendations. To get at these things though, you have to read on!
No Touchy!
When it comes to reading formats there are a lot of options. The first of these is the hardback version of any book. This format tops my list of formats when it comes to older books that I am adding to my collection of books that I categorize as look but don't touch. One of these is pictured here. This particular book is entitled The Lost Cause: A New Southern History of the War of the Confederates. It is by Edward A. Pollard, and the copy featured here is the first edition from 1866. You can see now why I look but don't touch. When using this book for my research and writing on Pollard, the Civil War, and the Lost Cause I have two other formats that I refer to depending on what I am doing. This is a great tip if you plan to get into book collecting but you also want to enjoy the contents of a book without destroying your early editions.
Hard or Soft Options...
For my daily reading, I prefer paperbacks to hardcovers. Yes, paperbacks can wear out easier, but they are also just weighty enough to appease my tactile needs without being too heavy to transport wherever I go. Paperbacks are also cheaper and easy to replace if they get lost or destroyed. If you are a little more tech-savvy, there is also the option to use a tablet or e-reader. Reading on an electronic device makes it easier to make and find notes in the margins later too which is a nifty trick when using a book for research and writing purposes. Electronic options also open you up to the world of audiobooks, and YES listening to audiobooks counts as reading. Electronic devices are easily transportable like paperbacks as well, but the audio or print versions of books can often be more costly than just buying a hard copy of the book you are reading. You should also consider that if your e-reader or tablet gets lost or destroyed the price tag to replace them can be exorbitant.
Purchase Power...
If you have ever wandered through a place like Barnes and Noble then it can seem like reading is an expensive hobby. Money should never come between you and your quest for knowledge though. Indeed, there are lots of great places to purchase books on the cheap if you know where to look. One of these is through the website Thrift Books. Amazon also has a used book option that allows you to browse through both condition and shipping costs, and last but not least there is always the thrift store to consider. If you are reading something that is in the public domain then Google Books and Project Gutenberg are also good places to look since both of these offer free copies that you can download and enjoy. Your local public library also has stacks of free books that you can borrow for free, or you can go to the Free Little Library site and find neighbors who have set up take-a-book-leave-a-book sites for their fellow readers to enjoy.
Cultivating the Habit...
Now that you have settled on a format it's time to get reading. The best way to do this is to cultivate the habit of reading by setting aside a specific time every day that is dedicated solely to this purpose. It can be as little as 15 minutes or as long as you want it to be. Just make sure that you do it every day. If you have a hard time with comprehension or you are dyslexic this can seem like an arduous task. In both instances though, reading can become more enjoyable by listening to audiobooks to help you get started. Once you have gotten used to the flow of the words in your head you can then add in the hard copy of the book you are listening to as a way to help your brain get used to the images of words on a page. Following the words on the page as someone reads them to you can help your brain start to make connections between the written word and the phonics and images that go along with the ideas being conveyed. If you find yourself feeling fatigued, or rereading the same passage over and over, then it is okay to take a break. Just make sure that you come back to it as soon as your eyes are rested and your mind is reset.
Great Conversations...
The best way to think about reading is as a conversation between the writer and the reader. The writer is trying to tell you a story and is counting on you to engage with it. If you find that you are having trouble engaging with the material then start looking for those places in the book that make you stop and think about something. This could be a point that you don't agree with or an emotion that you get after reading a certain sentence. Any place that you stop and think about what was written you should also note what that thought is in the margin. This is the beginning of a conversation with the author and if you are writing about the information in the book then this can also help you with thesis creation or argument points for your paper.
What to Read?
Sometimes you get to choose what you are reading and sometimes it chooses you. In either event, the same rules about cultivating a habit of reading and having a conversation with the author apply. If you are competitive like I am then setting yourself a reading challenge can help keep you on task. This year I have resolved to read a book a week if I can and no less than 40 books in the course of the year 2022. A pro tip for those just starting out as avid readers creating the habit of reading every day is to avoid most classic literature at first. Here is a list of ten of the best books (fiction and non-fiction) that even beginners can enjoy. They are in no particular order.
Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff ( fiction )
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (fiction)
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (fiction)
Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut (fiction)
The Myth of the Lost Cause by Edward H. Bonekemer III (non-fiction)
The Tenant of Windfell Hall by Anne Bronte (fiction)
Reconstructing Dixie by Tara McPherson (non-fiction)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix by J.K. Rowling (fiction)
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorthy Allison (semi-autobiographical fiction)
Here is a list of the 10 books that new readers (and even some seasoned ones) should avoid at all costs:
Moby Dick by Herman Melville (fiction)
Guns, Gems, and Steel by Jared Diamond (non-fiction)
The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells (fiction)
Shirey by Charlotte Bronte (fiction)
The South was Right by the Kennedy Brothers (listed as non-fiction but that is debatable)
Finnigans Wake by James Joyce (fiction)
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy (fiction)
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (fiction)
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (fiction)
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway (fiction)
Taking It Personally...
Did you agree with my choices? Do you have a few that you'd like to take away or add to each list? That is the beauty of the written word. It is a powerful thing and reading is one of those hobbies that is very personal. Often we take much more out of the experience than we took in. Sometimes a book can even change your life. I know that several on the best list did that for me. Grace Slick, on the other hand, is easily bored so she dreads seeing me grab a book. To see what else Grace and I do and don't enjoy feel free to visit us on our Instagram by clicking on any of the images in this post. Until next time, may a book bring you joy and expand your horizons!
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