I sat down to read a book I’d been excited about the other day but I couldn’t get into it and I didn’t have hours to read so I just quit. I do this often lately. I am not sure what’s happened but my reading habits have changed in a way that I don’t love. I have always loved being immersed in a book and living with the characters for a week or two. I’ve been reading books for as long as I can remember and I clearly remember living alongside Nancy Drew, Betsy, Harriet and others throughout my childhood. I loved reading a bit each night before bedtime so that the story lived with me until I could get back to it. And that continued until just a couple years ago.
Over the last few years, something has changed. I have become a kind of binge reader. I want to read for hours at a time–read a whole book on a weekend–or not start a book at all. And it makes no sense.
Over the last several years, I have read a lot-pretty much the same number of books as always-but I can’t say I am always reading something. It is something new I’ve just realized and I don’t like it. I like living my days in the midst of a story that I’ll get back to each day. I’m not sure what happened. It has been a slow process and I am just now realizing how much I miss always having a book and lingering with a book rather than rushing through.
I have started so many books over the last months, books I just didn’t have hours to read at one time. So, I just quit. That is not who I am (or who I want to be) as a reader. I am not sure when this speed-reading goal came about but I am going to work at getting back to it. It will probably mean putting down my phone at bedtime, finding different times during the day to read and being okay with reading a few pages at a time. I like a good binge read once in a while but I don’t want binge reading to be my whole reading life. We’ll see how it goes.
A(nother) Year of Reading 
I like your honest reflection of what you used to do and wonderings about why it is changing. You seem to start to figure out the whys at the end of this slice. This reminds me how reflective writing does SO much to solve our dilemna. One idea I have for you – try this book (if you haven’t already) – The Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett. I recommend this because it seems you want a book to read in a sitting and I devoured this book in one sitting. Another idea…you have read SO much in your life that know it is OK to be a book snob. So keep abandoning if it isn’t working and keep looking.
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It’s so interesting to read about your reading habits and how they’ve changed. I have noticed that mine have shifted as well. I now often have multiple books going and am much more likely to get 40-50 pages into a book and abandon it. That would have been inconceivable to me years ago. (The common denominators seems to be that either the book is stressful/anxiety producing or I can’t tolerate the main character.) One change I made about a year or so ago is to read while eating breakfast on school days, rather than lingering in word games on my phone. I’ve picked books that have small chunks/chapters or are collections of poems. I’ve loved this addition to my mornings! Still, it’s interesting to ponder what drives these overall changes in our reading habits. Thanks for pushing me to think a bit more about this and about whether I want to set a new goal to make another change.
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Your slice made me think about the shift in my reading habits, due to the stress & anxiety that’s present in my life. I used to devour mysteries, trying to figure out “who done it” before the ending. Now, if I’m able to read a mystery, I find myself reading the last chapter or two first. If I find out the main character survives, then I can read the book. I never used to do that!
It will be interesting to see if you are able to shift your reading life back to where you want it. Thank you for sharing.
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I wonder if like many things, our reading habits are cyclical. I’m guessing yours will come back to your more natural rhythm. What have you read lately that you loved?
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I was starting to feel this way, I do blame the phone a bit. I joined a book club and I am getting back at it!
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We change. Life changes. Ou reading life changes. I hope find your way back to the kind of reading you enjoy.
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Our reading lives has seasons and this is one of change for you (I think it was Donalyn Miller who first made this idea of reading seasons clear to me). Embrace this season for what it teaches you and make any tweaks you want to, but know you are always a reader and books are always here for you!
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have seasons (I wish I proofread comments I write!).
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“I like living my days in the midst of a story that I’ll get back to each day.” I am posting this on my wonder wall of words. Oh, I love what you’ve said. If only I could entice students more consistently that this joy exists at their fingertips!
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Over my lifetime, my reading life has had MANY chapters that are different and many unfinished books. Yet, reading has always been a part of it. There were many years filled with kids and work and travel sports and caretaking of parents and laundry when my readerly life was on one day of our vacation. There are also days now, when I can abandon life and finish the book. I guess it is like exercise. I no longer run, but I swim many miles.
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I enjoyed how you described the changes in your reading life. It is something I have experienced as well. I know I would get more reading in if I stopped mindlessly scrolling on my phone. Maybe seeing everyone else post how many books they read is part of my problem. I feel like I am slacking, become overwhelmed, and give up. You’ve given me a lot to think about.
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Thank you for writing on this topic. I have noticed changes in my reading life, too, and wondered if it’s age, phones, internet (scanning more than reading), or stress. I’ve also found that the pleasure of doing needlework has replaced some of the time I used to spend reading. It’s worth some time and reflection to figure out! I second Sally’s recommendation of The Probability of Everything! Such a good book!
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