Help Me Read

[giramomma]

One of my new years goals this year was to read four books.

I've had a fair amount of down time...reading is still a no-go. My preference is needlework, atm.

I've checked out books of authors I used to like. Not doing anything for me. I tried reading a book I've been meaning to. Got 1/3 through it..and then I was done...bored, actually.

So, if you've gotten away from reading...how do you get back to it without it feeling like some sort of chore?





 

[Chocolate Lover]

Who did you used to like and what was it that you don't like now? Non fiction? Fiction?

I'd read the phone book if I got bored enough. I made myself stop reading when my oldest was little because I would not want to put my book down and feed him. I didn't have a hard time getting back into it though. 

[busymom]

Maybe start small.  If you're too busy to read a book, how about a good magazine?  


I'm a reader, but the last several years I can't remember the last time I was able to finish a book without "life" interrupting.

[Lizard Queen]

Audiobooks are a great idea.  

Why force yourself to read if you don't want to?  Isn't it supposed to be for enjoyment?  It's okay to change what you're doing to what you currently like.  You may enthusiastically go back to reading sometime in the future, when the pace of life changes for you.

[Deleted]

I used to be a voracious reader and then I think the combination of two kids and my eyes going on me got me out of the habit about 6 years ago.  The past year and a half or so, I've started up again.  What I did (besides getting glasses!) was set aside time for it.  I started going out to my van at lunch at work and reading then, also when younger son was in his piano lessons I would bring the Kindle.  Both of these are just half hour blocks, but eventually, I started getting into books again.  I am still not a fast reader, and sometimes I will go long stretches without picking one up (I have been reading the 6th Game of Thrones book since like December )  but then I'll find myself binge reading for 2 or 3 hours sometimes now too when I get into a part. 

I do keep the Kindle in the van all the time so it's with me.  I would keep it in my purse if I didn't have such a tiny one.

[sesfw]

I was an avid reader until my DH#1 died ....... I was in such shock the habit was broken and it's never really returned.  My concentration is one of the things that died with him.

It's now almost 19 years later and the only time I can sit and read is during my lunch break at work.  I usually read things that doesn't require a lot of thought, although I've been surprised a couple of times.

Right now I'm reading Paul Harvey's 'The Rest of the Story'.  Just finished 'The Screwtape Letters'.  Before that was 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (again) and 'The Kite Runner' (this one was tough to read)

It's whatever catches my eye at the local thrift store.

I can usually tell within about 3 pages if I can read the entire book.  'Scarlet' was a chore from beginning to end.

[siralynn]

If you decide to give an audiobook a try, check out Underground Airlines. Holy crap. SO. GOOD. The narrator did an amazing job setting the mood.

I have lots of other audiobook recommendations, but agree with a previous poster that it would help to know what authors you used to like.

[Chocolate Lover]

I've listened to a few books, and one radio show from the BBC (Cabin Pressure, I recommend it), but I still mostly read. Kindle almost exclusively because it's lighter and easier on the wrists for long stints. 

[empress of self-improvement]

I'm very hard of hearing so audio books don't really work for me although "Harry Potter" and "Chronicles of Narnia" were really good when I listened to them years ago.
 Right now, I'm working my way through authors who have series at the library. My job is so friggin' boring since the heating season is pretty much over and most people actually sleep through the night. So, I have 40 hours a week of reading time right there. I'm down to the last 3 books by Robert Crais, mystery author. I'm going to the library tomorrow because I will have at least one book finished tonight. Yay me.

[Pants]

Gira- I stopped reading when DD got very ill last year and I'm still not where I used to be.

Have you tried changing genres? I find the easiest things for me to read are romance novels. Silly but fun - fast, easy and everyone ends up happy in the end. Short stories as well.

[giramomma]

I can't do audiobooks...I tune them out. I also can't read too much before I fall asleep, because I can't remember what I read.

I like fiction. I used to really eat up the Ladies' Number 1 Detective Agency books, Nelson Demille, and Phillipa Gregory. I love historical fiction-especially Tudor England., but I could not read Wolf Hall. I've read Margaret George in the past..but now.

I do enjoy reading the Junie B Jones books..But, that's not quite what I'm looking for.

I like the idea of short stories-besides F. Scott Fitzgerald, do you have any other suggestions?

[zibazinski]

Apr 18, 2017 15:04:31 GMT -5 sesfw said:

I was an avid reader until my DH#1 died ....... I was in such shock the habit was broken and it's never really returned.  My concentration is one of the things that died with him.

It's now almost 19 years later and the only time I can sit and read is during my lunch break at work.  I usually read things that doesn't require a lot of thought, although I've been surprised a couple of times.

Right now I'm reading Paul Harvey's 'The Rest of the Story'.  Just finished 'The Screwtape Letters'.  Before that was 'To Kill a Mockingbird' (again) and 'The Kite Runner' (this one was tough to read)

It's whatever catches my eye at the local thrift store.

I can usually tell within about 3 pages if I can read the entire book.  'Scarlet' was a chore from beginning to end.

That makes perfect sense. I could barely color a coloring book and reading was impossible. I actually read a book again so I feel I've turned a page. It wasn't easy and I'm still unable to write my stories but I'm a work in progress.

[Chocolate Lover]

I read a few books by Amanda Carmack, they were mysteries in Queen Elizabeth's time, solved by one of her musicians. I liked them enough to read all 5 of 6 of them.  

Helen of Sparta by Amalia Carosella was good but ends on a cliffhanger & I'm not sure if the follow up is out yet. (I got it as a Kindle First book a month ahead of release a while back and was so bummed that it would be forever before I saw how it worked out)

Another one that is the first of a series is A Murder in Time by Julie McElwain, I'm still waiting on the next book. It should be out soon. 

I tend to read "cozy mysteries" when I want something easy and distracting. Stephanie Plum (Evanovich), Sarah Boothe Delaney (Carolyn Haines), those kinds of things. 

[empress of self-improvement]

I tend to read "cozy mysteries" when I want something easy and distracting. Stephanie Plum (Evanovich), Sarah Boothe Delaney (Carolyn Haines), those kinds of things.

I read a LOT of those. There are all the food-based ones with recipes and stuff in them. I like Laura Childs - Teas Shop Mystery series and the Scrapbook series. I also like the Coffeehouse mysteries by Cleo Coyle. Donna Andrews has a good series with animal themes running through. And I do like the mindless Harlequin romances although sometimes I just want to beat one or both of them by the end.

[Happy prose]

I read through authors also. There's a great website- fantasticfiction.com. You can put in the author's name, and it will list the books in order, and by series. I've been reading Elin Hilderbrand. All her stories take place at the beach, which relaxes me. 

[billisonboard]

Apr 18, 2017 14:23:01 GMT -5 giramomma said:

One of my new years goals this year was to read four books.

I've had a fair amount of down time...reading is still a no-go. My preference is needlework, atm.

I've checked out books of authors I used to like. Not doing anything for me. I tried reading a book I've been meaning to. Got 1/3 through it..and then I was done...bored, actually.

So, if you've gotten away from reading...how do you get back to it without it feeling like some sort of chore?





 

Tuck into the back of your mind that if you are getting close to the end of year and haven't met your goal that you can go to the Doctor to get it done

SPOILER: Click to show

[giramomma]

Apr 18, 2017 17:32:03 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Apr 18, 2017 14:23:01 GMT -5 giramomma said:

One of my new years goals this year was to read four books.

I've had a fair amount of down time...reading is still a no-go. My preference is needlework, atm.

I've checked out books of authors I used to like. Not doing anything for me. I tried reading a book I've been meaning to. Got 1/3 through it..and then I was done...bored, actually.

So, if you've gotten away from reading...how do you get back to it without it feeling like some sort of chore?





 

Tuck into the back of your mind that if you are getting close to the end of year and haven't met your goal that you can go to the Doctor to get it done

SPOILER: Click to show

I used to have that memorized after DS1.

Thankfully DD2 is not interested in Dr Seuss.

[sesfw]

If you need something more in depth ........ try 'Oh The Places You'll Go'

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Apr 18, 2017 14:23:01 GMT -5 giramomma said:

One of my new years goals this year was to read four books.

I've had a fair amount of down time...reading is still a no-go. My preference is needlework, atm.

I've checked out books of authors I used to like. Not doing anything for me. I tried reading a book I've been meaning to. Got 1/3 through it..and then I was done...bored, actually.

So, if you've gotten away from reading...how do you get back to it without it feeling like some sort of chore?





 

Have you tried changing genres?  I used to read far more than I do now, but one of the things I have noticed is that when I get bored, I'll shake things up.  I just finished reading The Residence, and before that a book about the Medicis.

[Lizard Queen]

The worst I encountered was Fox in Socks. Make sure you read it out loud! 😋


But seriously, the pomodoro method for getting yourself to read stuff when it's hard to concentrate.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I signed up for book of the month club. I just don't have time to browse online.

There are no local bookstores anymore and lately the library's selection of new material had left me feeling meh.

Book of the month gives me five books for the month. That's much easier and they provide really detailed reviews.

I've liked the first two books. I haven't gotten to my third book yet.



I think I might keep it. I paid $30 for a three month bundle. It's $14.99 a month after that. Cheaper than most books.

It has shaken me up because they aren't books I'd normally gravitate to.

[Lizard Queen]

BTW, Think and Grow Rich has a free Kindle edition right now.  ( You just need the free kindle app, don't need to own a kindle.)

[Artemis Windsong]

I have actually not finished at least 3 books that I started.  I get about 200 pages in and want to be finished or lose interest.

When I'm reading I will read during the commercials on TV.  I can also read and watch TV.  Neither need to be remembered.

I will set a goal of 100 pages per day to get through quickly.

A lot of books I will read on long trips.

I am in a book group and will keep track of characters and areas of the discussion questions.  I preread the discussion questions.  The most annoying for me is comparing characters in thoughts or why they acted in such a way compared to the other character.  Other times it is easy.

Outside magazine has very well written outdoor articles.  Someone who taught literature told me how well written they were. 

[thyme4change]

I have a hard time reading.  It just isn't a habit for me.  I did, however, really enjoy reading The Help (before the movie came out), Water for Elephants (before the movie came out) and The Orphan Train.  They were good stories, but not difficult to read.  A few characters that I could keep straight, a clear uncomplicated plot, not a lot of words I didn't know, etc.  I don't know what you like to read - but sometimes simplicity is best.

[tcu2003]

Are you into biographies/autobiographies at all? I recently read Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction by Elizabeth Vargas and thought it was well written and an interesting read.

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon was another good one. There is so much about RBG that I didn't know, and how much of a pioneer she is, all the way back to her law school days.

If you've never read the Harry Potter series, I love those books. If you have read those and enjoyed them, I also recommend the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.

[empress of self-improvement]

Apr 18, 2017 21:06:17 GMT -5 tcu2003 said:

Are you into biographies/autobiographies at all? I recently read Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction by Elizabeth Vargas and thought it was well written and an interesting read.

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon was another good one. There is so much about RBG that I didn't know, and how much of a pioneer she is, all the way back to her law school days.

If you've never read the Harry Potter series, I love those books. If you have read those and enjoyed them, I also recommend the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.

I second the Harry Potter and Rick Riordan. I've been reading some of his series. I like the Kane Chronicles and I may go back and reread the Percy Jacksons. I never saw the Lightening Thief when it came out. Anyone know if it was any good? I think I'll hit the teen room at the library tomorrow for the Heroes of Olympus ones. That and see if there are any Nancy Drews I want to reread. They take about 5 minutes to read but I love them.

I will admit I'm a reader like no other. I read the last chapter of the book most of the time to see if I really want to bother with reading the rest of it. Drives DH absolutely batshit. I can't help it. I like to go from right to left, not let to right. Maybe it's a lefty thing?

[giramomma]

I've done Harry Potter a few times, actually. I thought about reading them again. But I'm like meh. DS has some of the Percy Jackson books. I could just raid his room.

I found a couple of books made of short stories that I checked out and downloaded to my kindle. I'll give those a go.

I also like to read the end of the books...to see how they end.

[beergut]

 I read voraciously, so I'm not the best person to talk to about 'starting up again'. 

 I do find myself getting bored sometimes with a series, and I'll stop on a book, but I'm usually reading three or four books at once. 

 I am constantly trying to read books that the 17YO is reading so we have something to talk about.

 Recently read "13 Reasons Why" after watching the series on Netflix. Even if you have no interest in the series, read the book.

 If you have teenagers (especially girls) at home, definitely read the book. It's a quick read, only a few hundred pages. 

 If you want to get started again, I would suggest something from a genre you like, and see if the story grabs you in the first few pages. 

[Deleted]

Apr 18, 2017 16:02:35 GMT -5 giramomma said:

I can't do audiobooks...I tune them out. I also can't read too much before I fall asleep, because I can't remember what I read.

I like fiction. I used to really eat up the Ladies' Number 1 Detective Agency books, Nelson Demille, and Phillipa Gregory. I love historical fiction-especially Tudor England., but I could not read Wolf Hall. I've read Margaret George in the past..but now.

I do enjoy reading the Junie B Jones books..But, that's not quite what I'm looking for.

I like the idea of short stories-besides F. Scott Fitzgerald, do you have any other suggestions?

Flannery O'Connor is good.  You can find a complete collection of her short stories for about $12 on Amazon.  I got my Kindle version for $2.99, but it was one of those daily deals.  You can also find a lot of these posted online.  Here's the link to "Good Country People," which is one of my favorites.  link

If you like to go browsing in thrift stores or used book stores, look for a college anthology of literature.  It will have a good selection of quality short stories.   

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Apr 18, 2017 22:28:27 GMT -5 empress of self-improvement said:

Apr 18, 2017 21:06:17 GMT -5 tcu2003 said:

Are you into biographies/autobiographies at all? I recently read Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction by Elizabeth Vargas and thought it was well written and an interesting read.

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon was another good one. There is so much about RBG that I didn't know, and how much of a pioneer she is, all the way back to her law school days.

If you've never read the Harry Potter series, I love those books. If you have read those and enjoyed them, I also recommend the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.

I second the Harry Potter and Rick Riordan. I've been reading some of his series. I like the Kane Chronicles and I may go back and reread the Percy Jacksons. I never saw the Lightening Thief when it came out. Anyone know if it was any good? I think I'll hit the teen room at the library tomorrow for the Heroes of Olympus ones. That and see if there are any Nancy Drews I want to reread. They take about 5 minutes to read but I love them.

I will admit I'm a reader like no other. I read the last chapter of the book most of the time to see if I really want to bother with reading the rest of it. Drives DH absolutely batshit. I can't help it. I like to go from right to left, not let to right. Maybe it's a lefty thing?

If you can accept the fact that the movie only shares the same title and treat it as a stand alone you will be fine.   It's even less faithful than the Harry Potter movies are.

I tried watching Sea of Monsters that one strayed even further from the novels and I couldn't stop comparing long enough to get into it.

I do think they got the casting down to a T.   Logan Lerman looks EXACTLY like I picture Percy in my head.

I didn't like the Kane Chronicles as much as his other books.    I have pre ordered the second Trials of Apollo book and I am waiting for the third Magnus Chase book to come out.