How to become a better reader | Book number doesn't mean as much as you think

[@scottanthonyweidner8692]

I read voraciously from age 5 to age 23, then slowed down a bit from ages 24-27, then went many years without much fiction reading. I have been playing catch-up in recent years. My TBR is simply enormous. The tough part is dedicating a certain amount of time each day to steady reading. Fortunately (or, unfortunately with a silver lining), I have a surgery coming up in May that will give me many many hours of free time to read.

[@bekichan91]

I actually found a Storygraph challenge that I signed up for to try to help my with a reading goal I already had. It's for getting through my physical tbr, and it has category suggestions I wouldn't have thought of. It's working well so far. I'm just chipping away when I can, no pressure - every book enjoyed is a good book

[@curtis7124]

These tips are practical and doable, I've also felt that book number challenges shift the focus from quality to quantity. Especially when it becomes a social media trend. Your tip regarding finding an intimidating but interesting book to read struck a chord with me. I recently pushed myself by reading Crime and Punishment during quarantine.

[@Bookborn]

I'm so impressed you read Crime and Punishment! I want to eventually but...I'll be honest, I'm super intimidated by it.

[@readbykyle3082]

@@Bookborn Crime and Punishment honestly isn't that difficult! It is the "most digestable" of the classic Russian novels for sure! I've been putting off reading The Brothers Karamazov for YEARS due to the same reasons haha...but C&P I think gets "author trepidation" due to Dostoevsky being considered a difficult author.

[@samk7721]

That point about consistency is so true! I set a new years resolution to read everyday last year, and I've actually stuck with it (before I read maybe once a month, always meant to read more but could never be botherd) now I read loads and it's one of the highlights of my day

[@Bookborn]

Yeah I think it's surprising how little reading you actually have to do every day to finish a lot of books. Consistency is always key for me.

[@ABThompson-p9w]

This is a video chock full of good advice. The suggestion I like the best is to try a difficult or challenging work. Well done, BB

[@aliciaguzman]

💯 agree that number of books read should not equate to how much you love reading. This video resonated with me a lot!

[@Bookborn]

Especially once you become an adult and have way more responsibilities and can no longer sit in bed all day and read LOL

[@thatsci-firogue]

I stopped keeping track of "books I've read this year so far", largely by accident. Made a huge difference to my enjoyment. I might do a quick count at the end of the year out of curiosity but other than that I've no interest in keeping track anymore. Context: I use the Notes app on my phone to keep track of the books I've read and DNF'd in a given month. I don't have Goodreads.

[@JARHuygebaert]

I just read and read and read without a goal, but I do have a TBR that I try to follow (without success). Congrats on the 100 subs!

[@Bookborn]

Oh I think reading goals are super important! I have a huge TBR too (that again...sometimes is followed sometimes is not lol). I just think it's silly if number of books is your only metric. And thanks for the support! It means a lot!

[@goosewithagibus]

In the last year or so I've read 26 books. One took me 52 days (The Stand), one took me 2 days (Project Hail Mary). No shame. I just like numbers, so I keep track of my progress in my hobbies. Not to force myself to do anything, it to conceptualize my hobbies instead.

[@davidsbookreviews4983]

Really good video and thank you for making it. I usually read about four to five novels a month and for me, that's good. I do keep a reading challenge on goodreads but it's just for me to keep a record of how many I have read. I someone reads one novel a month, that's good because it could be a very long novel and people should read more, and not put off by people who read loads every month. It's not a race.

[@Bookborn]

I keep track of number too because it's def interesting and fun to do! But I don't challenge myself to keep a certain number and I think that makes it stress-free. I sometimes read 4-5 a month...other times 1. Just depends, and I think everyone is like that and it doesn't need to be a race, I agree.

[@giladsofer2692]

So (new here KZbin recommended your channel and it hit for me) obviously reading a lot for reading a lot sake is pretty stupid. However I, for the first time recording a reading list (basically whenever I finish a book I add it to the list) and it is satisfying to watch the list grow as the year progress (and the fact that it was a terrible year in everything else made it my best reading year ever as I had too much time in my hand and I couldn't go outside so what else can I do.

[@Bookborn]

Oh I totally keep a list of all the books I've read too in a year! It's super satisfying. I'm more talking about doing it JUST for the number - making sure you read so many in a year seems silly to me and it's just gaining so much traction. Thanks for the support!

[@michaelthomas3262]

you are so right :D change the way you read !

[@elizabethleah15]

I loved Radium Girls. That book was so shocking. Great advice!!

[@Bookborn]

It was SHOCKING. Especially when you realize some of the laws weren't changing into the 70s and 80s... honestly the book was a huge downer and pretty difficult to get through for that reason, but I found it fascinating.

[@elizabethleah15]

@@Bookborn I couldn't put the book down. I felt like the book did an excellent job bringing to light such a horrible atrocity. The things corporations got away with :0.... and still do today.

[@Bookborn]

Before lockdown I was trying to convince my book club to read it. I think it's such a good discussion book because it really brought to light ethics in business and I really thought like...is it any better today? let's be honest, no... it's a good discussion starter

[@elizabethleah15]

@@Bookborn I totally agree. It's a book everyone should read.

[@leac3721]

Really glad to have discovered your Channel ! Great video, looking forward to watching your videos about Fantasy Books 🌞

[@Bookborn]

Yay, thank you!

[@ReadByAndy]

I really benefitted from that video! Historical fiction is also my least favortite genre, AND all the HF books intimidate me, so according to 2 of your rules that should make me pick them up even more 😁 hehe I guess you are right, sometimes staying in my comfort zone of fantasy/thriller/contemporary just end up making me bored by everything I read... now unrelated thought but I hope someone has already told you how much you look like Sophia Bush 🌹!!!

[@Bookborn]

Try "Code Name Verity". That one was INCREDIBLE, and I also stay in my lane of fantasy/sci fi mostly lol. You're right about getting bored, recently I've been reading a lot of the same and it's blending together. I try to break out every once in a while. That being said, sometimes I read some HF and remember why I don't like it lol. And that's so funny, I've been told so many times throughout my life I look like Sophia Bush, but it's been a while since the last time!

[@ReadByAndy]

@@Bookborn I’ll check that one out for sure! 😊

[@danhenley9495]

Reading is like exercise for the mind. It strengthens the brain (the core), builds vocabulary (muscle mass), increases empathy (flexibility) and improves cognition (endurance). Literature is like food. The most important decision we make every day is what we put into our body and our mind.

[@Bookborn]

And to extend the metaphor...more isn't always better!

[@johnathanbanner3841]

little afraid to ask this question but what's your opinion on audio books? I havent read a physical copy of a book for like 2 years probably but lately I feel like I've kinda been missing out, and a big audible library is definitely not as cool as a full bookshelf lol

[@Bookborn]

I hate audio books LOL. But I know I'm in the HUGE minority. I am just NOT an auditory person. Even when I was in school, I'd take copious notes because reading was how I memorized/learned things. I like being able to read at different paces - speeding up when it's exciting, slowing down when I want to savor, or even going back quickly and re-reading a section because I'm like WHAT?

[@RivetingReads]

This was a great video! I personally still do like setting a goal for myself but I’m chill about it and am definitely still choosing books I want to read like Stephen King who has very long books! I love your attitude towards reading ❤️

[@Bookborn]

I set goals for myself too and I think it's really important! But I just get annoyed when it's competitive goals...I want us all to be a happy reading family lol I often feel left behind by others who have more time in their life to devote to reading than I do, and finally I just had to tell myself that it didn't matter what anyone else was doing.

[@RivetingReads]

@@Bookborn I totally agree it should NOT be a competition!!