Written by Tara Kehoe, Talking Book & Braille Center
We covered a lot of material in our session “The Joy of Reading.” If you attended and need clarification on anything discussed feel free to read this entire entry. If you are looking for further resources such as the websites I referenced, book/author lists, and ways to contact me please skip the end of this section.
Learning to Read for Pleasure
We discussed why we need to “learn” how to read for pleasure. Like all hobbies, reading takes practice. In addition, today’s busy tech-filled lifestyle makes it particularly difficult to focus on just one task without the interruption of phones, texts, emails, status updates, TV, radio, etc. Finally, many of us perceive reading to be something assigned to us (as was often the case while we were students). Therefore the experience of reading sometimes involves feeling obligated to complete a book, whether we are enjoying it or not.
The first step is the most difficult: find the right book for you. We explored both low tech and high tech ways to find books. Low tech sources for finding books include going to your local library for a recommendation. Libraries have some great book displays and suggestions around that you can check out passively. You can also chat with your librarian! This can be a simple conversation, but it would be helpful to provide some kind of guideline to start on the right track, such as the last book you read that you really enjoyed, some favorite authors, one particular thing you enjoy reading about for no clear reason (ex. boarding schools, circuses, etc.), and even a TV show or movie that you loved. You may want to think about what “genres” of books you enjoy (but do not limit yourself!) Without getting too “high tech” I suggest checking out the helpful genre guides that can be found on NoveList (a database available at the State Library and at home with your library barcode). Check out the “Keeping Up…. “ section on all major genres. Other ‘low tech’ ways to find books include bestsellers, what have people been talking about, what has been adapted into a movie or show, if the cover looks appealing, re-reading some favorites, starting on that list of classics you have been wanting to read, exploring some favorite authors to see if they have written anything else, and looking around at strange places like vacation rental houses—there are often books hiding around! As we got more ‘high tech’ in our book searches we discussed some of the many internet sources for finding books. Amazon is a great place if you have a title in mind but cannot remember the author or spelling, etc. You may also look online to read reviews from your trusted publications (this can be low tech as well: just read the paper!). Social media (such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Tumblr, and Pinterest) and blogs can be a good way to follow authors, fellow readers, reviewers, etc. and get alerted when something new is out there! Also check out public library websites for some great lists and read-alikes.
We also explored the reasons why people read for pleasure. According to research (Price-Cohen) people read for one of three reasons: to check reality, escape, and to learn specific skills and information. Think about why you read today. Many different aspects can be covered in one (good) book!
Obtaining Books
We discussed how to obtain books. I suggest having a good pile to start with (five or more titles on hand.) Some money saving advice: borrow from your library rather than purchase! Some folks hesitate to borrow because they don’t want to be confined by due dates. A few words of advice on late fees. Late fees happen, but they are generally really reasonable (for late books.) So if you accrue late fees they tend to be around $5-10 a year. Compare this to the average price of $12-17 to purchase a new paperback, or $25 for a hardcover book. You can also renew books and return books unread only to check them out again later. You can return a book you haven’t finished. If you really find something you want to buy consider buying used as it is much cheaper. Libraries usually have book sales and offer really good deals. Amazon has used books for sale. Small booksellers often sell used books. And consider sources for finding bargain books such as bookbub.com which emails alerts when books in your specified areas of interested are for sale. These are most often books in electronic format.
Ready to Read!
Next we get ready to read! A few tips just to make sure you are not interrupted: go to the bathroom, get comfortable, and do not be hungry. Be happy about your reading experience. Pick one title from your stack (do not overthink it). And make sure your distractions are away. This may mean leaving your phone in another room or putting it on “do not disturb” mode. This may mean a discussion with family members so they know you are reading for a specified amount of time and want to be alone.
Start reading! Some books take a while to ‘get good’ while others draw you in right away. Every reader has a unique experience with a book. Some people describe a book as a “page-turner you can’t put it down!” while others find it dull. When you read a book affects how you feel about it. Use your judgement on how long you want to read before deciding if you want to stick with it or put it aside (you can always read it at some other time). I have read 3 lines of a book and known I did not want to read any more. I have also read 300 pages of a book before coming to know that I did not want to read any more. Use your best judgement– there is no right or wrong way to do it. And it’s fine to stop reading a book you are not enjoying. It is reading for pleasure—if the book is not enjoyable to you: stop. Move on to something else.
Things to Avoid When Reading
Try to avoid pushy people who insist you read a specific title. You do not owe it to someone to read a book they recommend. You can try a recommended title if you want and should you chose not to finish it, simply return it and say “thanks.” Some folks feel like they should be reading something “classy” or “intellectual.” Otherwise, it will be embarrassing. I am here to tell you that anything you want to read and enjoy is awesome. No one should be judging your books, not even you. Not at any age. Another potential pitfall in the life of a reader is forgetting about your life. Keep in mind what is going on with you. You may be in the midst of a move, have just brought home a new puppy, have finals coming up, be running a marathon next week, or have any other major life event going on. This should influence what you chose to read. Is this the time for that classic you have always wanted to read? Or that light chic-lit title you heard of? Some people like to read certain types of books at certain times of the year as well, have fun with this. But do not forget about your life!
Making Time to Read
“I don’t have time to read!” You’ve heard it, you may have said it! We all have. It’s easy to feel like you do not have time for a time-consuming activity like reading. Note that researchers tend to agree that most of us do not get a lot accomplished while multi-tasking. It is better to completely focus on one task for a specified period of time then move on to the next. Use this model to structure your reading time. You may find that this practice focusing will help you in other areas of your like and work. And it’s likely that with a good book your mood and outlook will improve and this added joy in your day will help you feel less stressed. It is likely that you can find some time in your day to add in some reading time. Here are some tips to help you find room for reading.
Build in thirty extra minutes a day to read by:
Waking up 30 minutes earlier and dedicating that time to reading (you can bring your coffee)
Or
Watch one less sitcom (or other thirty minute segment) on TV
Or
Jot down your schedule (what you do when in as much detail as possible) then look at it with a pen in hand. What can be struck out? Where are you spending time doing something you could eliminate?
Take Advantage of Reading Opportunities
Always have a book on hand for waiting. Life is FULL of waiting. At a doctor’s office, the DMV, even long lines at a store are opportunities to catch a page or two. You will be happier. Read during your lunch hour (or half hour). Just bring a brown bag and your book and you are all set. Read during your commute: if you travel via mass transit, bring a book! If the noise bothers you, noise cancelling headsets can be very helpful. If you drive or walk to work listen to a book in audio format. Audio books in general are a great time saving way to read! And they are great fun. Listen to books while doing SO many other things: exercising, walking the dog, cleaning, folding laundry, cooking, filing, etc. Typically, I have at least two books going at a time: in print and in audio. One final thing to avoid is feeling guilty for taking some time to read. If you feel guilty for taking thirty minutes from your day to read chances are you are so busy you NEED that down time. Take it, and you will be happier during the rest of your hours. Reading improves your level of empathy for other. Reading teaches you history and makes you imagine things you never would have. Reading helps to build your vocabulary. You are not wasting time or being indulgent by reading. You are spending your times wisely and becoming a better person.
Consider Trying E-Books!
E-books are “electronic” books. Today books can basically be read on any of the many screens we live with. It is possible to access books on your smart phone, tablet, or computer screen. Well, you can but I do not really recommend reading anything on a back-lit screen longer than the length of a news article. This can cause eye strain, give you a headache, and disrupt sleep. Instead, I recommend reading on an “e-ink” reader (such as Barnes and Noble’s nook or Amazon’s kindle). This electronic format mimics the way a page looks. E-readers are useful because they are lightweight (lighter than a paperback even), you can fit many titles on one (which is great for travel), and you can adjust the font size for large print reading. You can borrow electronic books from the New Jersey state library and your local public library (using “e-libraryNJ” and “overdrive”). You can also get good deals on free or cheap e-books from sites like www.bookbub.com. Books that were published prior to 1923 are considered to be in the public domain and are available to download to your e-reader for free (sometimes you have to pay a small fee.) For ways to access free book in the public domain go to http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/ and http://books.google.com/.
Sites for Finding Books
General:
Goodreads
LibraryReads
Amazon
Stop, You’re Killing Me! (For Mystery)
SF Signal (For Sci Fi)
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books (For Romance)
Instagram:
Kansas City Public Library on Instagram
New Jersey State Library on Instagram
Reading Blogs:
New Jersey State Library Book Blog
Reading Rants!
RA for All
The Hub
Tumblr:
Disabilities in Kidlit
New Jersey State Library on Tumblr
Facebook:
Darien Library on Facebook
New Jersey State Library on Facebook
Twitter:
ReadAdv: The Reader’s Advisory Twitter Chat
New Jersey State Library on Twitter
Bargain sites:
BookBub
Public Domain:
Project Guttenberg
Google Books
Recommended Authors and Booklists
Adult-friendly Young Adult (YA) Authors:
Holly Black (Fantasy)
Alaya Dawn Johnson (Dystopia/Mystery)
Lockhart (Realistic)
Barry Lyga (Mystery/Horror)
Melina Marchetta (Realistic/Fantasy)
Lauren Oliver (Realistic/Dystopia)
Maggie Stiefvater(Fantasy/Paranormal Romance)
Markus Zusak (Realistic/Magic Realism)
Romance Authors:
Mary Balogh
JD Robb
Nora Roberts
Sandra Brown
Susan Wiggs
Amanda Quick
Janette Oke
Beverly Jenkins
Radclyffe
Sylvia Day
Fantasy Authors:
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Neil Gaiman
Lev Grossman
George R.R. Martin
Jasper Fforde
Ursula K. Le Guin
J.K. Rowling
Kristin Cashore
Mystery/Suspense Authors:
Gillian Flynn
Sue Grafton
Jo Nesbo
Louise Penny
P.D. James
Elizabeth George
Robert Galbraith
Walter Mosley
Tana French
Graphic Novels:
The Walking Dead series by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard
This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki
Persepolis: the Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
Watchmen by Alan More and Dave Gibbons
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
Maus I & Maus II by Art Spiegelman
Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things that Happened by Allie Brosch
Audio Books:
Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta and narrated by Jeffrey Cummings
Is Everyone Hanging out Without me? (And Other Concerns) By Mindy Kaling
The Tutor: a Novel of Suspense by Peter Abrahams and narrated by James Daniels
As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride by Cary Elwes
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart and narrated by Ariadne Meyers
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness and narrated by NickPodehl
Non-fiction:
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer
Nickel and Dimed: on (not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women’s Prison by Piper Kerman
Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the search for Identity by Andrew Solomon
The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae
Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Classics/Destined to be Classics:
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Three Junes by Julia Glass
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende
The Robber Bride by Margaret Atwood
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
The Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Quick Reads with Wide Appeal:
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Time-Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Trans-sister Radio by Chris Bohjalian
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
The Namesake: a Novel by Jhumpa Lahiri
The Dive from Clausen’s Pie: a Novel by Ann Packer
Life after Life: a Novel by Kate Atkinson
Book Trailers/Titles that were “Booktalked”:
In the Woods by Tana French
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Stiff: the Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach
Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Questions by Randall Munroe and narrated by Wil Weaton)
Galveston: a Novel by Nic Pizzolattto
Thirteen Reasons Why: a Novel by Jay Asher
High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
The Basic Eight: a Novel by David Handler
Ways to Keep in Touch:
E-mail: tkehoe@njstatelib.org
Connect on goodreads: Tara Kehoe
Follow on Twitter: @TaraKehoe1
Check out “The Hub” blog
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