I have never been able to read books on an electronic device. It just doesn’t seem the same as holding a real book in your hands. Obviously for reasons such as room requirements for storage, etc, electronic media might be preferable but…
I switched primarily to audio books. As a runner and a person with a commute to work, this is my way of staying “reading”. Otherwise I always buy a book in the airport. Sadly I am not traveling as much as I used to. This year I am on book 4. I typically stick to non-fiction while driving. For everything else I love mysteries and thrillers.
The pleasure of reading a real book is partly being able to escape a screen. I have a book or craft with me always. I used to take a book everywhere but the constant presence of televisions in waiting rooms has driven me to take a pin loom instead in those situations as concentration is difficult. Relaxing in a hot bath with a book and a glass of wine is one of life’s simple pleasures.
The biggest thing for me was changing the kind of books I read. When I was younger I read almost exclusively SciFi and fantasy. I don't know it if those genres have gotten worse or they just don't interest me but I can barely get through any SciFi and pretty much no fantasy books now. History is usually what I have no problem with. And since I'm a middle aged man, it's mostly WW2 history. (I don't think I've ever been more stereotypical).
I prefer hard copies, especially for nonfiction that I’ll take notes in. For lack of room to store them I get Kindle books.
Recently started audiobooks books for something I need to know but want to get through fast so I listen to it at 2x speed while commuting or door dashing.
Monthly I do a book review which is more “look at this cool book I read and these quotes stuck out and this is why.”
For me, deleting X on my phone has helped immensely. Now, instead of scrolling, I just start reading.
Btw (for whoever cares), Linux does not have a Kindle app but you can run it from a web browser. I never use it, though. The phone app works fine for me.
- Help from audiobooks for those of us with tired (computer weary) eyes or vision issues. Bonus is when actors / narrators use a range of accents for multiple characters.
- Join a book club to create a commitment to finish reading a book in time to discuss it intelligently. (The Phetasy book club is currently reading 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' and I've put myself on a disciplined schedule in order to complete it in time, so this is the end of my reply.)
This is all great advice. I also want to add, if you're having trouble getting off your phone, get a kSafe timed lockbox. It's embarrassing to admit, but sometime the first minute of being separated from my phone actually makes me anxious… but after a few minutes, my desire to be on my phone completely evaporates and it's easy to go pick up a book.
I jealously guard my reading time. In recent years I have delved more into non-fiction, historical and cultural genres. My challenge to change is, I have found that I stop a good book, in which I am seriously interested, in order to begin a new one that is brought to my attention. I need to discipline myself to finish a book before I order another. Today I ordered “The Queering of American Children”, reviewed by you, and now…here’s another I ‘need” to order. Get my drift?
Distraction certainly slows my progress through gigatons of books that I have in physical form, kindle books that I have, and even more that I’ve bookmarked. But I’ve also noticed that I’d begun reading fiction because it’s more fun. My history, cosmology, and other weightier subjects take a back burner because I have to slow down to think about the material. Reading something that you have to think through really slows you down. But worth it.
I have never been able to read books on an electronic device. It just doesn’t seem the same as holding a real book in your hands. Obviously for reasons such as room requirements for storage, etc, electronic media might be preferable but…
I switched primarily to audio books. As a runner and a person with a commute to work, this is my way of staying “reading”. Otherwise I always buy a book in the airport. Sadly I am not traveling as much as I used to. This year I am on book 4. I typically stick to non-fiction while driving. For everything else I love mysteries and thrillers.
The pleasure of reading a real book is partly being able to escape a screen. I have a book or craft with me always. I used to take a book everywhere but the constant presence of televisions in waiting rooms has driven me to take a pin loom instead in those situations as concentration is difficult. Relaxing in a hot bath with a book and a glass of wine is one of life’s simple pleasures.
The biggest thing for me was changing the kind of books I read. When I was younger I read almost exclusively SciFi and fantasy. I don't know it if those genres have gotten worse or they just don't interest me but I can barely get through any SciFi and pretty much no fantasy books now. History is usually what I have no problem with. And since I'm a middle aged man, it's mostly WW2 history. (I don't think I've ever been more stereotypical).
I prefer hard copies, especially for nonfiction that I’ll take notes in. For lack of room to store them I get Kindle books.
Recently started audiobooks books for something I need to know but want to get through fast so I listen to it at 2x speed while commuting or door dashing.
Monthly I do a book review which is more “look at this cool book I read and these quotes stuck out and this is why.”
For me, deleting X on my phone has helped immensely. Now, instead of scrolling, I just start reading.
Btw (for whoever cares), Linux does not have a Kindle app but you can run it from a web browser. I never use it, though. The phone app works fine for me.
A few of my own incentives:
- Help from audiobooks for those of us with tired (computer weary) eyes or vision issues. Bonus is when actors / narrators use a range of accents for multiple characters.
- Join a book club to create a commitment to finish reading a book in time to discuss it intelligently. (The Phetasy book club is currently reading 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' and I've put myself on a disciplined schedule in order to complete it in time, so this is the end of my reply.)
This is all great advice. I also want to add, if you're having trouble getting off your phone, get a kSafe timed lockbox. It's embarrassing to admit, but sometime the first minute of being separated from my phone actually makes me anxious… but after a few minutes, my desire to be on my phone completely evaporates and it's easy to go pick up a book.
I jealously guard my reading time. In recent years I have delved more into non-fiction, historical and cultural genres. My challenge to change is, I have found that I stop a good book, in which I am seriously interested, in order to begin a new one that is brought to my attention. I need to discipline myself to finish a book before I order another. Today I ordered “The Queering of American Children”, reviewed by you, and now…here’s another I ‘need” to order. Get my drift?
Distraction certainly slows my progress through gigatons of books that I have in physical form, kindle books that I have, and even more that I’ve bookmarked. But I’ve also noticed that I’d begun reading fiction because it’s more fun. My history, cosmology, and other weightier subjects take a back burner because I have to slow down to think about the material. Reading something that you have to think through really slows you down. But worth it.