Reading should be a joy and not a chore. If you're not in the mood or can't find just the right book, it's okay to take a break. I've never been a constant reader. We all have our own unique relationship with books. And, books are always there when you're ready for them. - ThreadSky

retired-librarian.bsky.social • 76 days ago

Reading should be a joy and not a chore. If you're not in the mood or can't find just the right book, it's okay to take a break. I've never been a constant reader. We all have our own unique relationship with books. And, books are always there when you're ready for them.

Comments

actanonverbame.bsky.social•76 days ago

Or consider audio books. I can't say enough about how much I love, need, enjoy, and depend on them for entertainment, sanity, escape, and peace.

patart00.bsky.social•76 days ago

I have taken to falling to sleep to audio books rather than old time radio shows. Most I never finish, a few have led me to authors whose books I want to try.

actanonverbame.bsky.social•76 days ago

I use my timer. If I fall asleep before it's over, I just have to back it up to where I remember the story. I have a bedtime book, a walking book and sometimes a third book all going at the same time.

patart00.bsky.social•75 days ago

I sometimes do that, mostly just find something else to listen to. Though I must finish alen Dean foster's the thing adaptation as lot more in it than the film

jordo86.bsky.social•75 days ago

I enjoy reading but I really have to be in the mood for it I also tire of things quickly so it’s gotta be a book I’m really into right now I’m reading Shawshank redemption by Stephen king

grandmadeer.bsky.social•76 days ago

When I was growing up books were one of the hopes of my future

grandmadeer.bsky.social•74 days ago

For me they were my survival

josol16.bsky.social•76 days ago

I have gotten to the point where if I start a book and can’t get into it, I move onto a new one. So many wonderful books out there- I just choose a new one!

booknblues.bsky.social•76 days ago

Unlike you, I always need a book that I am reading. As soon as I finish, I choose the next.
If it doesn't do the trick, I DNF

roygregory.bsky.social•76 days ago

one can actually be too tired to read. this is where the audiobook comes in handy, though dozing off may require some 'rewinding'

bluegrapes122.bsky.social•76 days ago

Also you can get important take aways, thoughts and ideas from fragments of books. Reading a whole book can give a good feel of accomplishment but reading excerpts has its value too.

t-shirtnshorts.bsky.social•76 days ago

I wish someone taught me to love reading as a child. Shout out to my librarian in 2&3 grade, she was kind and compassionate to this kid who was unkept and uncared for. I still recall her teaching me how to wash my hands🥰

markfla82.bsky.social•76 days ago

You know it's the right book for you, when you can't put it down. You have to know what happens next.

jzephyr538.bsky.social•76 days ago

Thank you for saying that. Sometimes I feel there's pressure from myself to read or to finish a book, especially when I'm in between books. But I remember that I can come back to them when I feel ready to continue the story again.

qua12.bsky.social•76 days ago

Read when you feel like it👍

jameswatsonwrites.bsky.social•76 days ago

Can't read the dictionary real fast anyway...

catherinesnook.bsky.social•75 days ago

Fortunately, this is not a problem I'm faced with. 😊 My problem is which book to choose from when starting a new one! Do I go with the next in a series, or do I change pace & go in another direction altogether!
All in all, a problem I prefer than the one you've described!
#LibrariansRule

caseycake.bsky.social•76 days ago

As a teacher, I needed this reminder. I every so often take a reading vacation and get frustrated with myself because I’m not reading anything at home but then I realize I’m reading all day at work. And then I’ll read three novels in a weekend.

origamilady.bsky.social•76 days ago

Yup, read what you want, be it YA or Romance. Also, come to that, read it how ever the heck you want to. I read A LOT - love my Kindle and Kindle Unlimited- I also listen to a lot of audiobooks. It all works and is all valuable however it is done.

troutfishinginneb.bsky.social•76 days ago

Reading Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian is not so much a joy as it is an exercise in putting the book down, exhaling, then picking it up again with anguished pleasure.

retired-librarian.bsky.social•76 days ago

Even anguished pleasure could be considered a joy. Joy is complex, I think.

howardbeale.bsky.social•76 days ago

people suffer from lack of reading stamina. this type of limited interaction doesn't help.

cmpk33.bsky.social•76 days ago

BookClub forces me to read stuff I wouldn’t know to read. Good or Bad - indifferent - always read to the last page. You will always learn something new.

wenelda.bsky.social•76 days ago

Being auDHD and unable to medicate the ADHD it’s really difficult for me to read or listen to audiobooks. Recently I really got in the mood to read Chuck Wendig’s book Black River Orchard so I set aside 30 minutes a day to start. I take breaks & today I read for almost two hours!

judy3t.bsky.social•75 days ago

My eldest sister has begun using audiobooks along with reading the same book at the same time. She says her mind has started to wander and this helps her stay focused. In case it helps you. It would drive me insane.

wenelda.bsky.social•75 days ago

Hm, now there’s an idea. I’m willing to try just about anything at this point so I’ll give it a go! Thanks for the advice!

tennis-art1.bsky.social•76 days ago

Yes, we all have our own unique relationship to books. One thing, out of many, that makes it sacred.

lizmcacurtis.bsky.social•76 days ago

I love to read. It’s an escape. Who doesn’t want to escape?

judy3t.bsky.social•75 days ago

*raises hand* I don't want or need to escape. It took me 70 years to build the perfect life. I want to live in it for a time, please.

charliehorse1.bsky.social•76 days ago

When I can’t find a book I’m interested in I read The Sun Magazine. I especially like the readers write section, plus all of their magazines are archived on line .

elizabethspring.bsky.social•76 days ago

Also, it's ok to read graphic novels or web comics or whatever else in the meantime during a reading "slump" - it's still reading, and maybe you just needed some variety

judy3t.bsky.social•75 days ago

You left out cereal boxes and the back of dog treats, and I would recommend reading the backs of the dog treat bags. Brilliant writer.

beyourhero.bsky.social•76 days ago

Just like puppies!

desertharper.bsky.social•76 days ago

I haven't enjoyed sticking with a physical book for years now. I finally told myself reading ebooks isn't lazy or cheating. So... I'm 416 pages in Sanderson's "Mistborn" in 4 days. (yes, I read fast.)

magentabyfive.bsky.social•75 days ago

Be care mood readers, this is how we end up reading twenty books at the same time

supersara.bsky.social•75 days ago

So you’ve never had to read a contract or anything important?

jonesro.bsky.social•76 days ago

And if you are not a proficient reader for whatever reason (dyslexia, ADHD, poor eyesight, etc.) then public libraries also have audiobooks you can check out and listen on your own device. I have listened to hundreds of books in the last 20 years that I would never have had time to sit and read.

cosmicfairiex.bsky.social•76 days ago

Book burnout just like anything else, is a real thing. It happens to me every now and then. I focus on my other hobbies until the feeling passes.

matuadom.bsky.social•76 days ago

Yeah I cancelled my Goodreads challenge last year because I wasn’t having as much time to read as I needed and it meant whenever I read one I was skimming and not enjoying. Reading should never be a chore ❤️

stabatha.com•74 days ago

I typically read a little north of 400 books each year, and, with the exception of my tenure in academia, always have... but there's days, even weeks, where I don't read at all. (then I take a week off and binge a couple dozen books)

timothybatesona.bsky.social•76 days ago

I have a TBR list that's insanely long, so if a particular book becomes a chores, there are hundreds more waiting to be picked up. I often have 4-6 books on my current reading list as a result.

dedamc.bsky.social•76 days ago

Also, I once believed I had to finish every book I started. Now, if I start a book and just can’t get into it, I go to something else. Life is too short to read books that you don’t enjoy. Especially when there are so many options.

judy3t.bsky.social•75 days ago

There is joy in throwing a bad book against the wall.

dedamc.bsky.social•76 days ago

That is so true. I belong to a book club. I do a lot of reading, but I get burned out occasionally and take a break….go a few weeks without reading. Overall, I read many books a year.

realezra.bsky.social•76 days ago

And if you have lost the love of reading or can no longer find the time, it might be your life that is at fault, not the book

judy3t.bsky.social•75 days ago

The point of the post is that it isn't a fault at all. To call it a fault is to imply it is somehow "wrong". Nothing is wrong. After 150 "boy meets girl, boy gets girl" novels, one is allowed to say "I'm done with that plot line, give me something new." There are only 9 plots. Happens often.

imbluntasfuck.bsky.social•76 days ago

Read a couple at a time

angrywrenchspeaks.bsky.social•76 days ago

I've been reading since 1965. After I got out of school and college, I read when I WANTED to. And actually read (mostly fiction) even more.

Read what you like, when you like. And HOW you like: ebooks and audiobooks are also "real books".

gainesay1.bsky.social•76 days ago

I like to keep on hand a few options for short-commitment reading, like anthologies, or non-fiction books with discreet chapter sections (e.g. A World Lit Only By Fire) that you can come back to whenever you want, and ignore whenever you are not into it.

asha-k.bsky.social•76 days ago

I'm seeing a lot of suggestions to listen to audiobooks, but even then I need a break sometimes. It isn't just the actual physical act of reading (although I do have chronic dry eye so strain happens), but rather I sometimes need a break from the mental and/or emotional element.

northwyndewhisper.bsky.social•76 days ago

Or at least until your local library is forced to enact the modern version of Fahrenheit 451.

meganmcl.bsky.social•76 days ago

Thanks for this. It was feeling like a chore so I left my book club. I was baffled and still am but have decided not to worry about it.

sherhoar.bsky.social•76 days ago

Spent yesterday afternoon at Barnes and Noble buying gifts for kids in the family. Did not buy books for me. It’s ok to not add another one to the stack

judy3t.bsky.social•75 days ago

You only get one at a time? WOW! I get them by the boxload as my family has a bad habit of all hitting publication dates within the same month. I donate them to fund raisers and only read the signed first editions.

marcietomasello.bsky.social•76 days ago

My reading problem is that my favorite authors don’t write fast enough. I’ve read 3+ books per week as long as I can remember. Currently re-reading Dean Koontz’ Jane Hawk books 1-4 before I start book 5.

judy3t.bsky.social•75 days ago

You just need more favorite authors.

kingwelder.bsky.social•76 days ago

Audible 👍

deeksbro.bsky.social•76 days ago

So true! I took 20 yrs off reading fiction after college! Only read non fiction for years. I’m now having fun w wide range of both!

wenelda.bsky.social•76 days ago

I was an English major in college and completely stopped reading for years afterwards thanks to all the crap I was forced to read. Then it hit me about 10 years after that *I could read whatever I want* and then it was just the ADHD that was the issue.

scot-free.bsky.social•76 days ago

Yeah/Nah. Not in America!

kinsmanwrites.bsky.social•76 days ago

This. So true! Reading is supposed to be a fun thing you do because you want to, and in many cases even a safe space for people after a rough day. It's not supposed to be a boring chore that tires you out. Just enjoy yourself!

jefe315.bsky.social•76 days ago

Decided to do MASON & DIXON - Pynchon, on Audible. Definitely the wrong medium. I have the attention span of a gnat. 20-hours in and I’ve retained 10-minutes of it

sharebear72.bsky.social•76 days ago

My daughter once said “I have to go read my book”(she’s out of school). I said “do you have a book report due?”. Then she realized she didn’t HAVE to read as a chore.

amp-h.bsky.social•76 days ago

Yes, I keep seeing posts about people wanting to read every moment, or agonizing over their TBR pile, or buying loads of books and not having time to read them. You don't need to perform reading to prove your intelligence. School is over; no one's going to give you a free pizza for reading anymore.

judy3t.bsky.social•75 days ago

And you what, keep judging them as somehow living their lives incorrectly??????

teewa11.bsky.social•76 days ago

Well said......books are for the brain as food is for the body!

harbingerofspring.bsky.social•76 days ago

I sometimes like a little struggle though. I burn myself out but I like to be challenged.

nyteshado.bsky.social•76 days ago

610 days straight on Kindle. So far.

sarcasmrules.bsky.social•76 days ago

I just spent $60 in gift cards tonight at a local bookstore (stocking stuffers) for my grandkids ❤️

rae53cr.bsky.social•76 days ago

So very true, I love to read, but sometimes I have to just step back for a minute. I think it allows me to love reading even more.

darkreader.bsky.social•76 days ago

Blasphemy!

chrisoquist.bsky.social•75 days ago

Can't agree more, but took me a long time to not feel guilty about leaving a book unfinished. Eventually you realize that one day, that book you've been unable to fall into 3 or 4 times is exactly what you need when you need it, and that day the pages won't stop turning.

emmerson60.bsky.social•76 days ago

My two friends (avid readers) experienced the loss of their ability to read anything for a long time. Unable to focus and retain. Grief is rough. Takes time.

mancandlovingit.bsky.social•76 days ago

I will spend hours looking for a book to read that appeals to me. If I don't like it after starting it I will always read it to the end. I think the writer deserves at least that respect.

scicommic.bsky.social•76 days ago

If I can’t get into the book by pg 50, it goes in the DNF pile.

Of course, sometimes it’s an advantage to wait to read a work. “Travels With Charley” sat on our shelves for 20 years and 4 houses before I finally opened it.

I honestly don’t think I would have appreciated it as much before I was 50.

judy3t.bsky.social•75 days ago

I don't think you understand that some of us MUST READ. It's a compulsion. If there is nothing in the house to read, I read the backs of cereal boxes and dog treats. Though, to be fair, the author of the dog treat bags is simply brilliant! So funny.

retired-librarian.bsky.social•75 days ago

I do understand. Everyone is different. No one should judge.

davidac64.bsky.social•76 days ago

And feel free to lay it down if it’s not the right time. I’ve laid a book down, but picked it up later and loved it.

thequantummechanic.bsky.social•75 days ago

🌌 🦋The Quantum Mechanic: Butterfly Effect 🦋🌌
Dive into a thrilling multiverse adventure where choices shape realities! Sci-fi excitement awaits!💙📚🪐

🎄📖🎁 Grab your copy now: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DQJDNYVT

#SciFi #QuantumMechanic #AdventureBooks

janet-40.bsky.social•76 days ago

Loving my audiobooks since my eyes get tired.

yodamom.bsky.social•75 days ago

My sons were avid readers as tweens. Our summer rule; read 30 min before screens. HS honors English req summer reading. The boring reqs dulled the love. Later, my older refound the joy; the younger hasn't yet. If I had a redo, I'd skip them taking Honor Eng. I'd prefer they always love reading.

gaylaworrell.com•76 days ago

I set a completely unrealistic goal for my Goodreads challenge this year but then I took a two month break where I didn't crack open a book. Now I'm back in & reading more than I want to catch up because I don't want to let myself down. But it is an odd feeling to see reading as a chore.

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply