Reading books is a rare indulgence these days, a luxury even. Not because the publishing industry is in trouble - quite the opposite - but because the one-dimensional, totally non-interactive experience of just reading seems less and less everyday, less conventional. Something to savor.
Even avid readers sometimes go through inexplicable ‘dry spells’; books take dedication and time and these are not easy to whip up off-hand, casually. Once you get back to it, however, a wonderful reading journey can resume. You break the dry spell! And then you can’t stop! I’ve been on such a journey for the past year. How did I do it? Tracing my steps, I arrived at a sequence of simple steps. Here they are:
Even avid readers sometimes go through inexplicable ‘dry spells’; books take dedication and time and these are not easy to whip up off-hand, casually. Once you get back to it, however, a wonderful reading journey can resume. You break the dry spell! And then you can’t stop! I’ve been on such a journey for the past year. How did I do it? Tracing my steps, I arrived at a sequence of simple steps. Here they are:
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- Start with a funny, light read. Guilt and bucket lists are readers’ foes, especially if you haven't held a book for a while. Stressing about that serious masterpiece must-read can be paralyzing, so start deliberately light. Something campy, something hilarious, a page turner- now that's your perfect starter. Mine was Friendship by the hip and talented author Emily Gould. This book is balancing act of wit and social commentary and you’ll be through it in a heartbeat.
- Next, move on to something talked-about (but easy), like Sloan Crosley's The Clasp - a first fiction novel by a promising essayist, packed with essential of-the-moment ingredients: millennials, money and romance.
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- Right after, go for a book of essays. Essays are short, sweet and inspirational - guaranteed to get your reading juices flowing freely by the third book. A personal favorite is In Praise of Messy Lives by the one and only Katie Roiphe, chosen for its acerbity, wit and sharp observations. You might hate on this one specifically, but the essay format is definitely a good choice for a third post-dry-spell read.
- Book number four calls for something sexy. I found lots of passion, intrigue and old-school eroticism in Mrs. Hemingway, a book I borrowed from a woman sitting next to me on a plane and immediately felt compelled to purchase. It's historic and educational appeal rivals its sultry charm, not to mention all the roaring 20s gossip! Just the book to keep you motivated to read on.
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- By book five, you’ll feel incredibly well-spoken and sufficiently addicted to reading, so it’s time for a big novel. Celebrate your victory by picking a well-written, elevated modern bestseller, such as the wonderful Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Set between Nigeria, U.S and London, it's intelligent and hefty, but also really fun to read. I devoured it in a week, crawling into bed early each night and staying up way too late. Isn't this what the joy of reading is all about? Right after, repeat the cycle: a favorite 'easy' read of late was How to Be Parisian, a glorious manifesto about a life you'll probably never have, but it's sure worth dreaming of.