Getting Back Into Reading (The Fun Way)

There's something peculiar about how we've elevated books to this sacred category where every page should teach us something or contribute to our betterment. Meanwhile, we consume movies, podcasts, and YouTube videos purely for pleasure without a second thought. When did society decide that books had to earn their place through educational merit alone? For many students, this discourages them from reading at all.

To be clear, I'm all for educational books and they've definitely impacted my life (technical guides, personal development, popular science...). What I don't think we give enough credit to, though, is how much learning and satisfaction we can get when we start to read fiction for the thrill of it.

The Norrington Room in Blackwell's Oxford

I've recently noticed how different I feel after reading a book I genuinely enjoyed versus one I felt I "should" read: the characters and themes stick with me, for months or even years afterwards.  Of course, I also read much faster and am more likely to pick up another book. Light reads can also serve as perfect breaks between heavier material without breaking the reading habit.

So how can you find books that are fun to indulge in? A good way to start is what some like to call "airport reads": books you'd find in a small airport bookshop because they're usually popular, engaging, and easily digestible. There are many online lists of airport reads and even a Wikipedia article about them. Notable authors that may fit in this category include:

• Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games
• Not exactly in "fun" in a lighthearted way, but all the books in this series are engaging and thrilling with the exception of Mockingjay.
  
  
• Lee Child - Reacher (action/crime)
• Big buff ex-military man solves crime and beats people up!! (Yes, it's awesome).
  
  
• Michael Crichton - Jurassic Park and other science fiction
  
  
• Dan Brown - The Da Vinci Code and other mystery thrillers
• Often dismissed by critics but incredibly entertaining page-turners.
  
  
• Stephen King - IT, Pet Sematary, and a quadrillion of other horror/thriller books
  

Of course, you don't have to stick to these well-known authors; there are tons of engaging writers, and also a whole world of romance novels...

Personal Recommendations

Beyond the airport novels, here are some books that captivated me when I was in a slump:

• The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov (~220 pages)
• A fun yet deep mix of the detective and sci-fi genres where a New York City detective and humanoid robot learn to work together to solve a crime.
• The whole series was my gateway to the more serious Foundation series.
  
  
• The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (~250 pages)
• A vain young man makes a deal to stay beautiful forever while his portrait ages instead.
• Witty!
  
  
• The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells (~150 pages per novella)
• A partially robotic "SecUnit" hacked itself to gain freedom... it also has anxiety and loves watching entertainment media.
• Got into this thanks to the new Apple TV series and it's so endearing! The mix of action and humor is very compelling.
  
  
• I, Robot by Isaac Asimov (~250 pages of short stories)
• Robot stories that explore what it means to be human, and each one reads like a clever puzzle.
  
  
• The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
• The ultimate revenge story and so satisfying to read.
• I read and loved the abridged Bantam Classic edition (500 pages) but I've heard that the 1200-page unabridged version is just as fun to read.
  
  
• Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (~300 pages)
• A mentally disabled man undergoes an experimental surgery that turns him into a genius.
• This book isn't fun at all but. it's a deeply engaging and impactful read that made me want to read a happy book immediately afterwards.
  
  
• Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne (~250 pages)
• The eccentric Phileas Fogg bets half his fortune that he can circumnavigate the world in 80 days.
• Jules Verne is a master of imagination and adventure!

Another great way to get back into reading is to find a library or bookstore with a comfy reading area - it's much more fun when you get to walk around and judge books by their covers.

Hopefully this post has given you some inspiration if you're struggling to find anappetite for reading, and if you have any favourite picks yourself then please share them in the comments!

Until next time,

Ana