Next Year, I’ll Read Slowly

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reasons why I am reading slowly and less next year.</p><h2 id="0114">Respect to the writer</h2><p id="9725">Rushing through a book feels like disrespecting its writer. Imagine the time, effort, and thought-process the story went through before it gets published. It’s not that we owe the writer anything, but rushing is kind of similar to taking their words for granted. As a writer, wouldn’t you feel good if readers took their time reading your work? Hmm, I bet you would.</p><h2 id="8f95">About time to read the thick ones</h2><p id="fa47">This is my way of punishing myself for cheating. But not really. The standouts in my 2020 reads are thick ones like Hermann Hesse’s <i>The Glass Bead Game, </i>Alex Haley’s <i>Roots, </i>and Charles Dickens’s <i>Great Expectations. </i>The storylines are solid, and the length of the books allowed the characters to develop more. I would hate Pip less if <i>Great Expectations were</i> short.</p><p id="ab97">The he

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fty books on my shelf were set aside because they wouldn’t help me finish my goal. So, I’ll welcome the new year with John Steinbeck’s <i>East of Eden </i>to be immediately followed by Margaret Mitchell’s <i>Gone with the Wind. </i>Ambitious.</p><h2 id="a71c">Abandon bad books</h2><p id="c4f4">I am not the kind of guy who abandons a book. Many people affirm that it’s okay to stop reading a book that you don’t enjoy. I just can’t get myself to do it. No matter how bad, they’d still count as a “read book” in the end. But they are right. It’s a waste of time. I gave two-star ratings — I’m too kind to give one star — to at least ten books and the only reason I finished them is that I needed them to count in my quota. So, here’s to abandoning bad books next year. Hooray!</p><p id="ecae">In 2021, I will read at least one book a month. That’s twelve books a year — a drastic low from my 70-book quota this year. I am excited already.</p></article></body>

Reading 78 books in a year has a downside

Image: Author

The year is not yet over but so far I have read 78 books out of the 70-book quota.

I promise that this is my Goodreads account. I just love my dog. He’s Captain, by the way.

I’ll tone down the bragging and admit that I am not proud of this “accomplishment.” Of the 78 books finished, ten of them are plays, and many are short stories. I think I rushed. I think I cheated. And it did not feel good.

While reading a lot can be good for you, this story is about the opposite. Here are my reasons why I am reading slowly and less next year.

Respect to the writer

Rushing through a book feels like disrespecting its writer. Imagine the time, effort, and thought-process the story went through before it gets published. It’s not that we owe the writer anything, but rushing is kind of similar to taking their words for granted. As a writer, wouldn’t you feel good if readers took their time reading your work? Hmm, I bet you would.

About time to read the thick ones

This is my way of punishing myself for cheating. But not really. The standouts in my 2020 reads are thick ones like Hermann Hesse’s The Glass Bead Game, Alex Haley’s Roots, and Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. The storylines are solid, and the length of the books allowed the characters to develop more. I would hate Pip less if Great Expectations were short.

The hefty books on my shelf were set aside because they wouldn’t help me finish my goal. So, I’ll welcome the new year with John Steinbeck’s East of Eden to be immediately followed by Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind. Ambitious.

Abandon bad books

I am not the kind of guy who abandons a book. Many people affirm that it’s okay to stop reading a book that you don’t enjoy. I just can’t get myself to do it. No matter how bad, they’d still count as a “read book” in the end. But they are right. It’s a waste of time. I gave two-star ratings — I’m too kind to give one star — to at least ten books and the only reason I finished them is that I needed them to count in my quota. So, here’s to abandoning bad books next year. Hooray!

In 2021, I will read at least one book a month. That’s twelve books a year — a drastic low from my 70-book quota this year. I am excited already.