Here's a little tip to help change your reading patterns:
When I want to read but feel I don't have the time, I listen to an audiobook instead. This has helped me close the gap a little, and usually, after I finish an audiobook, the next book I pick up is a physical one.
It’s absolutely ridiculous but last year after I had to have this eye surgery it was really hard to read or at least to focus for more than a few minutes. So, I started listening to the audiobook while following along in the book and it’s pretty awesome! It’s like having someone read to you. I feel like I retain a lot more when I can physically see the words but I didn’t have to work as hard for it. I still do it sometimes with denser books.
If you need any help let me know! I've tried a couple times to get a book club going for the project but I think it usually ended up being just my Dad and I 😂
Carolyn, I'm with you 100%...of course the irony, here I am reading your writing on Substack. In January my 11 year old granddaughter set a goal to read 25 books in 2925. She invited me to be her reading partner and we have surpassed that goal. Even though I have shelves of books, it's been a long time since I've read one. Hazel and I have read The Hunger Games series, the Divergent series, The Book Thief and stacks of YA novels--we read and discuss them on FaceTime (she lives 900 miles away). Honestly, it's been pure pleasure to get lost in these stories. Hazel keeps a reading journal, tracks her progress on Story Graph and loves owning and caring for books. As plagiarism and AI writing infiltrate "content" I'm thinking I'll stick to physical books that I can hold in my hands and be much more selective about what I read and how much time I spend on Substack. Thank you for your thoughtful writing. It matters.
I love this so much. What a beautiful and joyful way to rediscover the power of reading. And thank you for the encouragement, Sandra—it means more than you know!
Thank you so much for this post! I recently landed on Substack, and while it sure is still digital content, I’ve definitely come across pages worth reading, like yours.
This felt timely to me, as I used to be an avid reader and over the past few years I lost touch with books, couldn’t get myself to sit down and read with no purpose other than enjoying the read.
This summer, the first one after a major career shift, I am going back to reading, carrying a book anywhere I go (the beach, or even just another room), and I am loving it. I feel it’s nurturing my mind in ways bite-sized, algorithm-friendly content just can’t do.
And it’s helping me raise the bar for the content that is actually worth setting my book aside.
I love the idea that reading is an act of rebellion! It’s funny. If you asked me about 4 years ago this would have been me. I didn’t really read. Didn’t like reading. Not sure exactly what happened but reading is now one of my favorite things to do. I even stayed up late last night finishing a book 😂
When I read this line, "I’ve started to think of reading books as one of the last remaining acts of cultural resistance," I immediately thought of Bradbury and laughed aloud when I realized that's exactly where you were going with the thought. I'll be finishing the Illustrated Man tonight, and his short stories have led me to similar thoughts you mention here. Books have sparked social change at the macro level throughout history, and transformed individual lives. And yet, even as a book lover with a literature degree, I've had a major attention problem lately that is absolutely connected to, or maybe caused by, social media. Your message really resonates and reinforces what I've been gradually processing. Oddly, I found you through LinkedIn while doomscrolling, and I'm so glad that I clicked your post. :)
YES YES YES! All of this! ME TOO! The books I read shape my sense of self and place in the world. Always important, they’ve been nothing less than critical after losing my infant daughter and mother in a two year span. I’ve been saying lately, “Books are my social media!” 🥰
I’m so sorry for your losses, Nicolle. Books were such a solace for me too after going through two major losses one after the other. They are truly a warm hug. I think books are my social media too!
Makes me think of a famous Annie Dillard quote, from The Writing Life, which begins: “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” Thanks for the excellent post! 💖
Death contemplation is certainly a good idea. We should constantly be reminded of our mortality; then we will do only what is needed and not waste a single moment TikTok-ing or making reels on Insta.
Fantastic piece, Carolyn. I have always been a bookworm and reading has shaped my life and my sensibility. Thanks for writing about this topic. Looking forward to reading more from you...
Although the emphasis on the use of AI focuses on writing, I think the harm to reading may be worse. I have always been a reader and still love the quiet and focus of reading a book. At my local library, there is a once-a-month gathering called "Silent Reading Club" where people gather and just read their own books but together. I feel as if I'm sitting with a vanishing tribe. One of my favorite quotes about reading comes from Virginia Woolf: "When the Day of Judgment dawns and people, great and small, come marching in to receive their heavenly rewards, the Almighty will gaze upon the mere bookworms and say to Peter, 'Look, these need no reward. We have nothing to give them. They have loved reading.' "
We can get beyond this snare of content consumption, but it will require some intention and self-discipline.
I’ve always been a voracious reader of every genre. And over the past 15 years, it’s turned into something of an eating disorder - with so much more available to ingest, so much more fast food that’s constantly before me, cheap or even free. A buffet of reading matter. And I became too bloated by it to have room for books. So. I carved out a schedule, spaced my meals out over the day at regular times. Mornings, 1.5 hours in Substack. Afternoons, an hour of non-fiction books. At night/bedtime, fiction novels for 2 or more hours. A balanced diet that includes nourishing reads is possible. But you must put away your phone and delete all social media apps installed on it. Try it.
Maybe we should do a Hello, Mortal book group! 👀
Here's a little tip to help change your reading patterns:
When I want to read but feel I don't have the time, I listen to an audiobook instead. This has helped me close the gap a little, and usually, after I finish an audiobook, the next book I pick up is a physical one.
I’m definitely in for a book group!
It’s absolutely ridiculous but last year after I had to have this eye surgery it was really hard to read or at least to focus for more than a few minutes. So, I started listening to the audiobook while following along in the book and it’s pretty awesome! It’s like having someone read to you. I feel like I retain a lot more when I can physically see the words but I didn’t have to work as hard for it. I still do it sometimes with denser books.
What an interesting way to read! I’ll have to try this. And I love the idea of a death-themed book club! Maura, let’s make this happen 💀
If you need any help let me know! I've tried a couple times to get a book club going for the project but I think it usually ended up being just my Dad and I 😂
I've done that before, too (listening to audio, while reading), and it also helped me focus more.
Glad you're up for the book group!
Carolyn, I'm with you 100%...of course the irony, here I am reading your writing on Substack. In January my 11 year old granddaughter set a goal to read 25 books in 2925. She invited me to be her reading partner and we have surpassed that goal. Even though I have shelves of books, it's been a long time since I've read one. Hazel and I have read The Hunger Games series, the Divergent series, The Book Thief and stacks of YA novels--we read and discuss them on FaceTime (she lives 900 miles away). Honestly, it's been pure pleasure to get lost in these stories. Hazel keeps a reading journal, tracks her progress on Story Graph and loves owning and caring for books. As plagiarism and AI writing infiltrate "content" I'm thinking I'll stick to physical books that I can hold in my hands and be much more selective about what I read and how much time I spend on Substack. Thank you for your thoughtful writing. It matters.
I love this so much. What a beautiful and joyful way to rediscover the power of reading. And thank you for the encouragement, Sandra—it means more than you know!
Thank you so much for this post! I recently landed on Substack, and while it sure is still digital content, I’ve definitely come across pages worth reading, like yours.
This felt timely to me, as I used to be an avid reader and over the past few years I lost touch with books, couldn’t get myself to sit down and read with no purpose other than enjoying the read.
This summer, the first one after a major career shift, I am going back to reading, carrying a book anywhere I go (the beach, or even just another room), and I am loving it. I feel it’s nurturing my mind in ways bite-sized, algorithm-friendly content just can’t do.
And it’s helping me raise the bar for the content that is actually worth setting my book aside.
I love the idea that reading is an act of rebellion! It’s funny. If you asked me about 4 years ago this would have been me. I didn’t really read. Didn’t like reading. Not sure exactly what happened but reading is now one of my favorite things to do. I even stayed up late last night finishing a book 😂
I’m with you. I stopped reading for a long time but now I savor my evenings in bed with a book!
When I read this line, "I’ve started to think of reading books as one of the last remaining acts of cultural resistance," I immediately thought of Bradbury and laughed aloud when I realized that's exactly where you were going with the thought. I'll be finishing the Illustrated Man tonight, and his short stories have led me to similar thoughts you mention here. Books have sparked social change at the macro level throughout history, and transformed individual lives. And yet, even as a book lover with a literature degree, I've had a major attention problem lately that is absolutely connected to, or maybe caused by, social media. Your message really resonates and reinforces what I've been gradually processing. Oddly, I found you through LinkedIn while doomscrolling, and I'm so glad that I clicked your post. :)
YES YES YES! All of this! ME TOO! The books I read shape my sense of self and place in the world. Always important, they’ve been nothing less than critical after losing my infant daughter and mother in a two year span. I’ve been saying lately, “Books are my social media!” 🥰
I’m so sorry for your losses, Nicolle. Books were such a solace for me too after going through two major losses one after the other. They are truly a warm hug. I think books are my social media too!
Amen! Our book group, which had been going for 18 months, dwindled from 12 people to 3 people and has now just ended. “No more time” they all said.
But I’m not stopping, onward we go.
A true act of resistance! 💪
Makes me think of a famous Annie Dillard quote, from The Writing Life, which begins: “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” Thanks for the excellent post! 💖
I love this! Amen.
I am here for every word of this post.
Death contemplation is certainly a good idea. We should constantly be reminded of our mortality; then we will do only what is needed and not waste a single moment TikTok-ing or making reels on Insta.
Fantastic piece, Carolyn. I have always been a bookworm and reading has shaped my life and my sensibility. Thanks for writing about this topic. Looking forward to reading more from you...
Thank you for reading! Happy to connect with a fellow bookworm 🐛
Outside of the mother thing, this post could have come directly from my head.
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who feels this way!!
Carolyn,
Although the emphasis on the use of AI focuses on writing, I think the harm to reading may be worse. I have always been a reader and still love the quiet and focus of reading a book. At my local library, there is a once-a-month gathering called "Silent Reading Club" where people gather and just read their own books but together. I feel as if I'm sitting with a vanishing tribe. One of my favorite quotes about reading comes from Virginia Woolf: "When the Day of Judgment dawns and people, great and small, come marching in to receive their heavenly rewards, the Almighty will gaze upon the mere bookworms and say to Peter, 'Look, these need no reward. We have nothing to give them. They have loved reading.' "
Wow—I love this quote! And I equally love the idea of a silent reading club. Sounds like something we could all use more of :)
This is excellent! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for reading, Steve!
We can get beyond this snare of content consumption, but it will require some intention and self-discipline.
I’ve always been a voracious reader of every genre. And over the past 15 years, it’s turned into something of an eating disorder - with so much more available to ingest, so much more fast food that’s constantly before me, cheap or even free. A buffet of reading matter. And I became too bloated by it to have room for books. So. I carved out a schedule, spaced my meals out over the day at regular times. Mornings, 1.5 hours in Substack. Afternoons, an hour of non-fiction books. At night/bedtime, fiction novels for 2 or more hours. A balanced diet that includes nourishing reads is possible. But you must put away your phone and delete all social media apps installed on it. Try it.