This year I’ve been doing a monthly blog series with reviews and ratings of all the books I’ve read.
(January. February. March. April. May.)
People seem curious about how I find the time to read so much, and I thought my answer deserved a post of its own!
HOW DO I READ SO MUCH?
I’ve always been a fast reader. I wouldn’t call myself a speed reader, but I naturally read quickly and always have. Some of that is technique (more on that in a minute), but some of it is just…how my brain works.
Growing up, my mom was a “read every word” kind of reader; my dad and I have always been more of the “skim and devour” variety.
These days, I usually start books reading every word, especially if the writing really pulls me in. But as the book goes on — or if I’m getting a bit restless — I’ll start skimming. I take in a paragraph at a glance, catching key phrases and letting my eyes float over what’s less essential. I don’t do this with every book, and definitely not with ones I love, but it helps me move through stories that might otherwise stall me out.
Genre has made a huge difference this year. I’ve stopped trying to force myself through books that don’t work for me. I’ve (mostly) given up on:
- Heavy classic fiction (too dry)
- Modern romance (too explicit)
- Intense thrillers (too much profanity/gore — looking at you, Run by Blake Crouch)
Instead, I’m leaning into what I actually enjoy: nonfiction (particularly memoirs!), “mild” thrillers, and fiction that’s either uplifting or engaging without being disturbing. And now if I hit content that feels uncomfortable for one reason or another, I give myself full permission to DNF. No guilt.
WHEN DO I READ SO MUCH?
- I work part-time from home so I generally have more flexibility than someone working full-time outside the home.
- My kids are in their tween/teen years — long past the Goodnight Moon era (cheer + sob) — which means longer stretches where they leave me alone.
- I don’t like watching TV. That frees up a lot of time.
Here’s when I fit in the majority of my reading:
- Afternoons: If I can squeeze in 15 or 20 minutes after the kids get home from school, I will.
- Evenings: This is when most of my reading happens — especially before bed.
- When John’s away: I’ll sometimes read for hours at night. (I rarely watch TV when he’s traveling.)
- On the go: I almost always have a book with me. Doctor’s office? Soccer practice? Waiting in the car? I’m reading.
A hard lesson I’m trying to learn — I need to avoid fiction right before bed. THIS IS SO HARD. If I get hooked by a good story, I have zero self-control and will stay up way too late chasing “just one more chapter.” Now I always keep a book of nonfiction by my bed — usually memoirs or essays. They’re still engaging, but they let me wind down more gently. (Sometimes I can’t resist a fiction book and then all bets are off; my sleep always suffers as a result.)
WHY DO I READ SO MUCH?
I love it! Why wouldn’t I read? (It is incomprehensible to me that some people don’t enjoy reading books, but I suppose it takes all kinds.)
Reading also comes naturally to me. When someone says, “Think about what you loved doing as a kid,” my answer is reading. Always reading. (And not much else. I was a super fun teenager.)
Other reasons:
- I want to encourage my kids to read (admittedly their response has been lukewarm).
- I want to find entertaining activities that don’t involve screens.
- They expand my mind: stretch my imagination, teach me new things, and give me a wider window into the world.
- This blog!! So many of you are avid readers, and your recommendations have turned my once-sluggish reading life into something thriving again. For context: I’ve read nearly as many books in the first five months of 2025 as I did in all of 2024.
On that note…my TBR list is completely bonkers, but I love it. And hey, I’m supporting my local library like a champ.
Bottom line: I make reading a priority. I put books on hold. I read reviews. I toss a book into my bag whenever we leave the house. I carve out little pockets of time — waiting in the car, sitting at orthodontist appointments — because I want to read. And it feels like a habit worth keeping!
I’m done. Now it’s your turn…
- How, when, and why do YOU read?
- Best book you’ve read so far in 2025?
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Oh I love that Read Me First sticker. I normally just get a very stern “There is a very long waitlist for this book…” from the librarian. My problem is I use big city library system and small town library system – so sometimes it takes me a bit to get back to big city system. My kingdom for a centrally located dropbox – the train station, my husband’s workplace, etc.
I buy quite a few books – I’m a sucker for the new and shiny – but also make very good use of my library holds, and order quite a bit off world of books. Currently strategically managing my holds ahead of our holiday. Waiting on one graphic novel for T, which of course came in this AM, when I was there returning books yesterday.
I’m similar in volume if not in content – I tend to read 100+ books a year – and read at night, when commuting, in lieu of tv. I’ve also been trying to read a bit in the AM as part of a softer start. I tend to read literary fiction and 20th-century classics, with a foray into mysteries (I love Louise Penny’s books, and although I’m a bit more neutral on Kate Atkinson’s, I’ve somehow managed to read all six Jackson Brodie books this year). Weirdly, I don’t have a ton of my books at home – I tend to pass them along, donate them. When we host our cinnamon bun party – I had a big pile out and encouraged people to take books home (including cookbooks I knew I wouldn’t cook from) and bring a book to share, donating the leftovers.
T is a bit more of a reluctant reader. I worry sometimes we’ve spoiled him with audiobooks – which are easier and more engaging. But all reading is good reading, and I’m going to really hone in on it over the summer when he’ll have more free time.
Getting paper books back to the library is a whole “thing” and I guess that is one major advantage of e-readers. But I still prefer to hold a paper book in my hand.
I have a post coming next week about audiobooks. Stay tuned…
I don’t have a pat “why” for reading. It’s just something that I do. Like breathing. You and I are absolutely twins with the skimming. I’m not trying to be fast, and if something is very engrossing then I will slow down and take it in word by word, but the rest of the time, my eyes are trucking over the page. I know that I miss a lot of details when I get “skimmy” but that’s just the way that my brain works.
There have been chapters in my life – lol see what I did there – where I’ve read less and ones where I’ve read more. I didn’t read very much in my 20’s to early 30’s, and then it took off again. My reading spiked sharply when I met my stepsons, because they were in grade school and there was so much downtime for homework and waiting around at kids’ activities. I never left home without my kindle in my purse.
Right now I’m in the same boat as you in that I hear about SO MANY GOOD BOOKS from the people that I hang out with. I hear about way more books than I can ever hope to read, so I don’t keep a TBR. It gets too long too quickly, and ends up being a long meaningless list of books. What I do is when I hear about something good, I try to read the preview in Libby to see if the first few pages grab me. If there is a long wait I’ll go ahead and put it on hold. If I finish a book and there’s no new hold coming in, then I’ll see what I can remember from the constant book chatter that I have going on and pick whatever title sounds good.
Best book of 2025? You know I’m not going to pick just one! My “three cats heart eyes” emoji books so far this year are: Blue Castle, We Were the Lucky Ones, Sky Daddy, and Gone With the Wind.
Hubs and the boys are all readers. Stepson #1 reads A LOT of books and likes longer ones. Hubs and Stepson #2 are here for quality and not for quantity, and they both take their time.
Last but not least – I don’t have anyone IRL who has my reading tastes or that I can talk about books with. Thank goodness for the Cool Bloggers!
Totally agree – it’s just something I’ve been doing and retreating to for as long as I can remember!
We really are twins. I could write these exact sentences word for word to describe me: “I’m not trying to be fast, and if something is very engrossing then I will slow down and take it in word by word, but the rest of the time, my eyes are trucking over the page. I know that I miss a lot of details when I get “skimmy” but that’s just the way that my brain works.”
One time in an adult Sunday school class, the teacher said something that has always stuck with me. He had been in the military and if they were given something to do and hadn’t done it, they weren’t allowed to say they didn’t have time. They had to say, “it wasn’t important enough to me.” As in, we make time for the things that are important to us. In your case, reading!
I am the same way with skimming. I probably miss pertinent details sometimes, and occasionally do have to go back to reread a section if something isn’t making sense, but most of the time I miss a lot of fluff that doesn’t impact the storyline 🙂
This is me exactly: ” I probably miss pertinent details sometimes, and occasionally do have to go back to reread a section if something isn’t making sense, but most of the time I miss a lot of fluff that doesn’t impact the storyline.”
I think Laura V gives similar advice and it’s a helpful reframe. Most of us do have time for what truly matters most to us (though, I suppose sometimes we crowd out the important with the “urgent” but that is another topic for another time!)
“Not having time” is such a weak excuse. When people ask me how I have time to read, I sometimes ask them how they have time to watch teevee. That’s sort of like when people ask me how I have the patience to knit, I ask how they have to patience to NOT knit.
It’s all about priorities. THAT’S what Laura V says. Now I remember. She talks about how when we say we don’t have time, what we really mean is “it’s not a priority for me.”
Admittedly, reading is something that can ebb and flow with how much free time we have and different life phases tend to lend themselves to having more or less time to devote to reading.
Argh. And this reminds me that I really wish I could knit. And I know I could learn, but I don’t want to learn. I want to already know how to do it. Is that too much to ask??
I read everywhere, anytime. Right now, on summer break, I have at least two books going. I’ve always been a reader- going to the library with my mom when I was little, reading every Readers digest condensed my dad subscribed to, filling in the teen years with mysteries, romances, and literature. ( I read most of Shakespeare’s plays one summer in HS.) Now I read mostly mysteries and nonfiction – as I’m not in school anymore, I can read anything I want.
I’m trying not to read before bed, as that usually means I’ll stay up too late- just one more chapter!
Best book? I’m not good at picking one! Best book I didn’t expect to like : Gone with the Wind.
Best book recommended by blogger people: How to Read a Book
Best Reread: either Ngaio Marsh or Murderbot Diaries.
I forget a lot of books, so I don’t know how many I read a year. Let’s go with lots….
I’m also a multi-book reader. I like to have at least two on the go (fiction and non-fiction).
I have How to Read a Book on order from the library. I’ve heard a lot of good things.
Who is the author of your “How to Read a Book”? There are several by that title listed on GoodReads.
I’ve ordered in the book by Monica Wood.
I am more like your mom, a ‘read every word’ reader. I don’t want to miss any thing and if I find an incredible paragraph I have to read it twice! This makes me a rather slow reader, I manage about four books a month. Like you, I don’t like TV. It makes me nervous with all the stimulation, lol. I have a lifelong love affair with books, like all the women in my family before me. I used to be like my grandmother and plow through to the end, no matter how dull a book might be. But I have changed my thoughts on that. In the last couple of years I have abandoned maybe three or four books. Life’s too short! I do have a full time job so most of my reading is done before bed. In winter, that means 6:30 pm until maybe 10:00 or 11:00 if the book is un-put-downable.
I can’t believe you’ve only DNF’d 3-4 books in the last few years. I give books less and less chance the older I get, which maybe isn’t fair? But there are just so many books and so little time.
Winter reading is my favourite! Warm, cozy evenings spent around a fireplace with a book and a fluffy blanket on my lap = perfection.
I’ve been a huge bookworm since childhood. Reading a good book is so comforting. But I’m an every word reader. If I’m skimming, it’s either nonfiction or turns into a DNF for me. I read while eating my breakfast and lunch, which is my alone time. My lunch stretches to an hour, as I savor tea and nuts afterwards while reading. I get through two books a week on average. I’m currently reading Playworld (Adam Ross) which is 500 pages, so only one this week! My top faves this year have been Mary Jane (Blau) and Bite By Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees.
I sometimes read while I eat, but I find the logistics tricky. Maybe I just don’t eat right? I do it, but it always feels awkward. Maybe I need to buy one of those page weights so I can leave it open more easily.
500 pages is a commitment!
Ah I was a read every word person until I went into graduate school and learned the hard way it would be impossible to read everything in detail. Now I’m very comfortable skimming but I worry that it is diminishing my engagement level with fiction. Sigh, I feel like Goldilocks. My favourite book this year is called The Folkloresque
Reframing Folklore in a Popular Culture World. Read for work it has provided me with a way to move a piece of research forward.
I can’t remember when I stopped reading every word. Definitely before university, but I think some of it was just watching how my dad read and I wanted to emulate him. Being able to skim was an INCREDIBLY useful skill when it came to higher education. I know what you mean about engagement, though, and can sometimes feel the same way.
A post about reading- I love it!!! I’m definitely a “read every word” type of reader, so I go slower than some people. But I really prioritize reading- like make sure I have my book with me if there’s any chance of downtime- and I read a lot in the evenings. Like you, I don’t like watching TV. I love reading in bed, and yes- it does keep me up too late sometimes.
My son went through a phase- pretty much all of high school- where he didn’t read. But now he’s becoming a reader! He’ll tell me that he stayed up way too late reading, or recommend a book to me that he couldn’t put down. I love it so, so much!!! Now, my daughter is the one who doesn’t read- but I’m hoping she’ll get back into it as well at some point.
Best book of 2025 so far would have to be Gone With the Wind.
My kids aren’t big book fans (don’t let the pictures of Indy fool you; those instances are few and far between). I don’t want to fight about it, so I don’t…and I realize my parents never had to talk to me about reading EXCEPT to tell me to put down a book and listen to them. I spent so much of my childhood reading.
My kids know HOW to read, so I guess that’s the most important step and maybe they’ll mature into avid readers like their mother?
After some significant effort this year, my husband and I are now reading after dinner instead of turning on the TV. We read until 8:00pm or so, then watch one episode of TV before bed. And that’s it- 23 hours a day of no TV leaves plenty of tiime to read. 🙂
Favorite book read this year so far would be ‘Horse’ by Geraldine Brooks. Beautiful writing, compelling story.
This sounds like a wonderful routine! A little bit of TV sprinkled in can be nice, but you’re right – that leaves a lot of time free for reading.
Laughing at your “I was a super fun teenager” comment. Like you, I have always been a reader. I have always had a book with me and I remember reading on the school bus and getting curious looks from the other kids. WHY do I read???? To escape, to learn, to experience things outside myself, to see myself in others’ words. Reading is THE BEST. I am both a slow and fast reader. I can certainly slam through a book in a day, but it definitely requires focus and ignoring all my responsibilities/family members. Audiobooks have been my best friends since I moved, and now have two hours a day in the car. I wish I could be consuming a book at all times, but again, my wonderful family sometimes demands my attention instead!
Suzanne, I was such a bore as a kid. Awkward, unfunny, and a bookworm.
A few weeks ago John was trying to ask me something and I was in the middle of SUCH A good book and I was very snappy about responding. Argh. I felt awful afterwards because my fictional book is not important in comparison to my flesh-and-blood husband, but it is so addictive and gripping when you’re in the middle of something riveting.
You’ve helped me discover more love of reading although, I am more naturally an audiobook person (my version of skimming). Fun to get more inspiration about your process!
You know I have tried – to no avail – to become an audiobook person. I am jealous!
I love chatting about books with you.
I read all the time like you do when I was under 40, but as I’ve gotten older I read less. Bifocals + Dry Eyes + Age = Less Reading. Or maybe I should say I allow myself to sometimes skim what I’m reading instead of consuming every word which makes it seem like I’m reading less.
I read to learn about how other people, fictional or real, handle the unfairnesses of life. Plus to observe the author’s style so that I can become a better writer.
“I read to learn about how other people, fictional or real, handle the unfairnesses of life.” Gorgeously put, Ally.
And this: “Plus to observe the author’s style so that I can become a better writer.” While my kids don’t read as much as I’d like, I read to them for years and years and they listen to audiobooks daily. Sometimes they’ll read me a fictional story they’ve written and I’m blown away by the vocabulary and then I think about how they’ve definitely picked that up by absorbing the writing of others.
Another thing I notice is how they are SPONGES for facts. Indy likes the I, Survived series and The Boxcar Children (which in later books are often set in different parts of the world). They have learned a lot of geography and about major world events through books. Love the passive learning and expansion of their knowledge and understanding of the world.
I read while waiting at appointments. I sometimes read at night. Honestly, I should probably do more night reading in place of internet reading/scrolling.
I’m not sure which book was the best so far this year, but I just finished Blame It On the Brain, which was excellent! Review coming in my next book stack post.
Internet scrolling is so much more passive and, some days, it’s all I can handle, too.
Looking forward to reading your review!
Hey Elisabeth, did you crawl into my mind? Or are we twins separated at birth (and by 25 years)?? You have exactly described my reading life, habits, methods, and preferences!
I am currently rereading Gail Godwin, a Southern writer who can put words together like no one else, telling gentle stories that are completely captivating as you become acquainted with her characters.
Ha! Surprise. I’m an AI bot mimicking your every move. I guess I shouldn’t joke about that. *Shudder* it’s feeling more and more feasible.
Anyhoo. I’m glad to hear we overlap in this part of our lives, too.
P.S. Because I read so much, I try to not buy books. HOWEVER, last night I stayed up too late chasing things around the World Wide Web where I encountered Emily at ButterBeliever.com (http://butterbeliever.com/) and ordered her book called The Sleep Solution, which will never be at my library.
AND a favorite podcaster named Annie B. Jones ((https://www.fromthefrontporchpodcast.com/) which is all about her independent bookstore The Bookshelf and what she is reading in Thomasville, Georgia) wrote a book, which I KNOW will never be available at my library, so I ordered it.
PLUS, I won Anne Tyler’s latest book from GoodReads!!
My sister sent me home with her Gail Godwin book Evensong. I love it so much that I will probably keep it.
I am so weak-willed.
So many happy book things this week. I’m curious how you win books from Goodreads? I know you’ve mentioned this before.
To win books on GoodReads, go to the Browse tab and then choose Giveaways. There are sometimes over 100 books listed, along with a description, the genres, and the format. (I skip anything that says romance, horror, sci fi, dystopia, and several others, and only choose actual paper books.) Sometimes I go through and enter to win as many as ten at a time, but only every 6 months or so. This is the second book I’ve won. Each non-winning entry brings an email saying “Sorry, but you can always buy it” or something like that, to which I think, “Nope, I’ll wait for the library copy”.
Noted, thanks!
When people ask me how I read so much, I say many of the same things. I have limited screen time when I’m not at home – tv shows and movies don’t interest me for the most part and I try to avoid scrolling if I can. And I read all the time. I’m either reading or listening to an audiobook (when I’m walking the dog or working out, which are my only other “hobbies” outside of reading – and can they really be called hobbies?). I read like I breathe. I think it’s weird when people don’t read, to be honest.
Right now I am reading to escape from the hard things. There are a lot of them and I’m finding myself unable to focus much except on fictional worlds. And that’s okay for right now. Someday the hard things will be in the past and I can read for pleasure or to learn new things, but in the mean time, it’s just escape.
Gone with the Wind is probably the best book I’ve read this year, although I’ve read some really great ones!
Wait…do you listen to audiobooks when you do things like weights and yoga??
I know you have a lot of hard things going on, Engie, and I’m proud of you for embracing the extra car time to make room for audiobooks. It’s smart to recognize this as a really hard, awful phase and be gentle. And that includes turning to fiction that brings you comfort. Books have always been part of my emotional processing (and healing).
Everyone is talking about Gone with the Wind. I haven’t read it yet and I’m secretly hoping you do this for the next CBBC so we can discuss as a group, but I know it’s long and lots of bloggers have just finished reading it.
I come from a huge family of readers, and had parents that encouraged us to read from the minute our eyes were open, till the minute they closed at bedtime. And then, even under the covers by torchlight. They also took us regularly to the library for 1-2 hours at a time, and let us take any and all books out. I cannot think of a day where I don’t read. That’s like not breathing. Duh! Not gonna happen.
Like you I use to speed read, and read a lot of this and that. Especially as I needed to for the kind of work I did. But these days, I take my time and am a fussy reader. I’ve been DNFing books for a long time. There’s just too many good ones out there to bother wasting time on the bad ones. I mean, why? Just dump it and feel no guilt.
My taste in genre has narrowed too, to those I find joy and or entertainment in. Cosy mysteries, no violence, no explicit details (I mean, really, what’s the point? You really want to shock people?) To me, reading should be a pleasure, not a struggle.
Oh, and the best book I read so far this year? It’s a fantasy, THE TAINTED CUP by Robert Jackson Bennett. The world building, the characters, the setting, the dialogue. Thoroughly immersive. But, I know, probably not for everyone.
For some reason the term “fussy reader” is hilarious to me. But I agree. Life is too short to keep reading bad books. And also life has been long enough for me to realize that what works for one reader won’t necessarily work for me.
YES! I want it to be fun and enjoyable, not hard work. Though maybe that’s part of our overall social decline? We aren’t used to chewing on big, weighty topics? Still…sometimes I just want fluff.
It isn’t so much I want fluff, as a good story. I’m past reading heavy weighty topics. There’s enough stuff going on in our daily lives that I don’t want to read about it as well. Reading is my escape time.
Reading is such a part of my life that I can’t imagine not doing during the course of my day. I wonder how long it’s been since a day didn’t include reading. It is probably 10+ years ago, maybe even longer? I have to read to wind down at the end of the day which is annoying when I go to bed later than my usual bedtime. I read in small pockets during the day and always have a book to read on the kindle ap so I will read while waiting in line, at the doctor, in the car, etc.
So far Paul is a reader but I am prepared for that to change at some point. He has been preferring to read to himself before bedtime but lately he wants me to read to him. We just started a mystery my parents got him that is sort of a scavenger hunt through national parks. I think we will both love it!
Favorite books of 2025 are The Story of a Heart, Ghosts, and Heartwood.
Wow! That blows my mind that you’ve read from a book every day for over 10 years. I bet there have been entire months where I haven’t lifted a book.
I need wind-down time at night, too, which is harder as the kids stay up later and later with age and that means I’m up later and later which pushes my wind-down time later and later. My biggest problem is reading fiction before bed. I got caught up in Crow Mary this week and it was horrible for my night’s sleep. (BUT SUCH A GOOD BOOK!!)
Ooh fun post!! For the past ~5+ years I’ve been around 50 books/yr. I think I read medium speed. I actually DO like some TV too (but unless I’m in the middle of a series I’m super into, I generally choose reading if I’m on my own). I am pretty happy with this number/cadence! This year I’m more skewed to fiction but that is not always the case (sometimes more 50/50). If I wanted to read more, I’d have to do less of something else. My scrolling/checking is down to a pretty decent/lowish level these days so I’m not sure what else I’d want to cut out!
I think I like books that are a little dark and subversive. Faves this year: The Wedding People, Annie Bot, and Margo’s Got Money Troubles
John and I watch documentaries on the weekends and I enjoy that a lot. But when he’s away, give me all the books!
Ironically, I always seem to read the least during the summer. I don’t like reading at the beach (generally) and I think the cold, cozy, dark months in Canada are just more conducive to curling up with a book?
The bulk of my reading is done in bed before I go to sleep. I also have a book on hand whenever I know I will have waiting time like a doctor’s appointment, riding public transit etc. One of the great pleasures of motherhood for me was reading to my daughter. She also loved it and this activity lasted until she was 12. The last book I read to her was The Diary of Anne Frank. She is also an avid reader and we now share our book selections.
My favourite reads so far are Moon Road by Sarah Leipciger and Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan.
I spent many happy years reading to my kids, sometimes for hours in a day. I do miss that phase (most of the time). I used to read to them at the end of mealtimes and before bed. A huge bin of picture books was a staple in our living room for a decade. And then poof it’s all over!
I just put a hold on both of those books! Thanks for the recommendation.
Oh, reading! I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t reading: it’s like breathing, it’s a thing I do as part of being alive. I’ve always loved it, and read far more than most people seem to, but for the last year my book count has been even higher than before. Not that I count for the numbers, but I do like to keep track of certain stats about my reading, like if it’s a first time or re-read, from the library, etc. Most of the TV Mom and I watch is hockey games, and I often read while paying half attention to the game. I also read in spare moments: I almost always open the Kindle app on my phone while riding the elevator, for instance (hey, those minutes add up). And waiting for an appointment, I’m either reading or knitting. I mean, what else are you supposed to do? Just sit there?
Like you, I’ve just…always been a reader. Some of my earliest memories are of my parents reading bedtime stories to me. Sometimes they would close their eyes (being tired parents) and start to make up the words and I would get very offended and correct them (since I had all the words memorized).
As you can imagine Canandian fans are in mourning right now. Edmonton. How could you??? Argh. Moving on…
I don’t read books on my phone very much, mostly because I’m terrible at actually reading and not getting distracted by scrolling. I think that’s why I tend to defer to paper books – no temptation to slip on to BBC news to read the latest depressing headlines.
This is so interesting. I was not a reader as a kid. I’m the opposite of you – always have and forever will be a very slow reader. I cannot skim. Nope. My sixth grade teacher noticed that I was saying the words (to myself) but moving my mouth when I read, and I was told to stop doing that. Still, I just read slow. My mom made us read as kids, and I did like the Happy Hollisters (I think it’s equivalent of the Bobbsey Twins), but I never really fell in love with reading. It wasn’t until I was out of college and living on my own and working, that I felt like I had time/interest in reading. When the kids were really little, forget it. I read a book whenever I had a newborn, because I was sitting nursing a baby and people sort of had to leave me alone. I read a book at the pool when Curly was maybe like 4 or 5, and a woman came over to my chair to say that she was so happy to see me relaxing. “You don’t know me, but I’ve watched you chase those kids around this pool for years. I’m glad to see you’re finally relaxing.” Ha. Anyway, now I like to read, but I usually only read when I crawl into bed, or if I’m traveling, or if it’s summer and I bring a book to the pool. Like you, I bring my book wherever I go, but I often read blogs while I’m waiting for a doc appt or something.
I think we would have been great friends as kids, Elisabeth, as I was also that boring bookworm who was always reading! I was at the library every Saturday morning for a new stack of books for the week. Reading is part of my identity and there hasn’t been a time in my life when I HAVEN’T been an avid reader. What reading has given me the most is an open mind. I grew up very conservative, evangelical Christian and had a lot of ideas of what it meant to be a good person, and reading opened my mind up to different cultures, religions, and ways of living that may be different from my own but are no less valid or good.
Gosh, my favorite book of 2025 is probably All in Her Head, which I read in January! It was such a well-written nonfiction book.
How have I not heard of All in Her Head? Wait…have I already ordered this from the library after hearing about it from you?
I didn’t but have ordered it now!
I think my favorite books this year have been The Nightingale (Kristin Hannah) and Remarkably Bright Creatures (Shelby Van Pelt)
I mostly listen to audiobooks, except at night, when I’m in bed. I don’t like screens or sound, so I have a real book. Like you, I usually read a memoir before going to sleep as it’s generally easier to put down.
Honestly, fellow bloggers have helped me to get back into reading as I’d fallen off the wagon for a few years. 🙂
I was thinking of you when I stopped by a thrift store the other day and picked up two great books for just $1.75! What a deal.
I am proud to know you, as my mom would say. Great work on the thrifted book finds!!
I have tried – and failed – to get attached to audiobooks. They just don’t “do it” for me.
I had to laugh at this, because I was that kid, as well. Why didn’t we know each other way back when?
Also, I’m in the middle of a project to get rid of my bulky and never-seen photo albums by removing the photos and (eventually) scanning them. Ah, memories. Including more than one picture of me doing something else with a book in my hand. The classic? Brushing my teeth. I still do it! Old habits, etc. 😉