I have forgotten how to read books

[BabCNesbitt]

I haven’t forgotten how to buy books - I have stacks of them, hard copies and digital, all of which seemed incredibly intriguing before and at the time of buying them. They’re in all genres, classics, recent releases, quick reads, more challenging reads, fiction, non-fiction, poetry. I look at my shelves and I feel slightly oppressed rather than excited by them.

But in the last six months, my attention span has been shot to pieces. A combination of a new but long distance relationship and the UK then US elections has had me glued to my phone for an embarrassing amount of time a day. I miss reading. I miss the way that books feel like a second life I carry around in my head. And I’ve tried the tricks - leave your phone in another room, just read ten pages, just read for ten minutes… none of it works. I’m starting to feel like reading books has gone forever from my life. Has anyone else been through this and rediscovered their love of reading?

Personally I’d avoid book challenges, as I’d view that as a chore.

One person's chore is another person's kick up the arse incentive.

It's easy to set yourself a challenge though.

Two things have worked for me. 1. Joining a book club which keeps me accountable for reading at least one book a month - even if I'm not enjoying the read it keep the discipline - bit like weight watchers! 2. Reading via the kindle app on my phone. I resisted doing this for ages as it felt so un-readerly but actually it's perfect for snack reading which soon adds up

Also, if getting distracted by your phone is the problem, I have found a solution! I set a 1h limit on Chrome. I used to override it continually and I averaged 5 hours a day at the beginning of the year. 🫨 I have now set a 1 hour limit but crucially only dd14 has the pin - and she is unshakeable!

I got an advert about Januread today, the Scottish Booktrust's scheme to encourage reading. Might be worth signing up for a bit of encouragement.

Yes, I agree. Listening to Stephen Fry read Sherlock Holmes and P. G. Wodehouse is one of the joys of my life.

Also, do you remember any favourite chapters or passages from books you once enjoyed? Why not try just re-reading those bits? I often do this – out loud. I may look and sound weird, but it cheers me up. I often read P G Wodehouse out loud (I do a mean Jeeves and an even better Bertie), and also favourite bits of dialogue from Wilde's Dorian Gray, or Waugh's Brideshead Revisited.

My attention span is awful.

Jan 1 I will return to my lovely Nokia 105. I have WhatsApp and Facebook messenger on my laptop and would prefer to go out without multiple apps and so on.

I can pay for transport with bank card rather than app.

I did this years ago so surely I can manage again.

I really am addicted to my phone, news apps, Mumsnet, WhatsApp...

I re read my Malory Towers and St Clares then worked my way up to frilly Xmas fiction hoping to improve in 2025 🤗

As mentioned audiobooks help - I don't bother with TV these days and the eyesight isn't brilliant either (can still read), I find a good book - especially one where the narrator performs more than reads is excellent entertainment (Fantasy tends to be my pick).

I got to a point where I was thinking "god I hate books and I hate reading!"😱😱 "what is wrong with me?!!?!" Then it dawned on me that a large part of it was I was actually just not reading very good books. Hmmm. So I try to keep reading only books that I'm enjoying. To stop stressing about it. To make a mental note of books that I start and think might be worth coming back to; on another occasion.

It's not (wholly) me. It's the books!!!

I feel the same, I’ve recently started a distance university degree so I feel that all I have read since September are text books.

Determined to make more time to read for pleasure in 2025, instead of wasting what free time I have scrolling mindlessly on my phone.

I need to work out a way of using my phone for essential stuff only, eg I need it for podcasts, GPS locator when out hiking, plus banking apps and loyalty cards. I don't chat on WhatsApp, so can be trusted not to waste time on that.

I could go out with a GPS device, mp3 player and carry around all my loyalty cards, plus a basic phone in case I did ever want to message/call people but a smartphone is just so damn convenient.

@Bjorkdidit
It is very difficult. I've been trying Screen Zen on my Android phone which is very good for blocking apps when I'm at work. I've also put my phone into "bedtime mode" all day so the screen is greyscale although I have the option to pause this and have full colour for 30 minutes. It is actually working (tried various blocker and minimalist apps with little success) and my work output has increased significantly.

Also I use my phone for reading news, politics and science articles so it's not like I'm zombified on Facebook - far from it. My critical and analytical thinking has developed so much. Nonetheless I cannot actually read a book anymore which is heartbreaking.

I hear you too op. I can sometimes pick up an easy read and enjoy it but I don't feel nourished by it, if that makes sense.
I want to read a book that's rich and has depth and colour. The only genre I don't like is historical fiction so I'm not even that fussy. I just can't click into reading.
I vow to try on Jan 1st.

Similar experience here this year what with elections and too many podcasts etc. You just need a book with a good enough hook 🪝 though, that will get you back into reading. Anything at all as long as it grabs you. You’ve created a dopamine loop or something in your brain and the longer you go without the phone habit, the easier it will be to break it. You could try novellas ? So many authors make their books too long now, 400 pages as standard and we wonder why we cba finishing them when often they’re just not good enough to merit the length.

Oh hello me!

I made the mistake of trying to do the 52 book challenge one year, found it a total chore and knocked it down to 26 and did fine with that. Or so I thought; the following year I think I only read about 6, and this year is an embarrassing 3 (and 2 of those were on holiday).

Got around 15-20 in my main pile and same again dotted around the house. Going to do something about it in 2025!

Absolutely, some better known authors could do with a lot more editing.

Having said that, one of my favourite books of last year was Carlos Ruiz Zafon's Labyrinth of the Spirits, which was 800 pages - but I just kept wanting to turn them!

I've just ordered a set of 5 Kristin Hannah books for £16. I really like the sound of The Great Alone.

Always good to see recommendations! JK Rowling seriously needs a better editior. (Based on the one Strike novel I've read and just looking at the size of recent ones!🙄)

Are you perimenopausal/menopausal? Tracy Thorn describes how she lost the will to read going through the menopause, just easily distracted. But she got back into it. It can be done.

I am, yeah! And the new relationship I mentioned in my first post has just broken up, so I’m feeling less focused on reading than ever. But onwards and upwards for 2025, I guess 😬

This is a good book, she's not really my thing but I've heard so much about her I had to try it out after seeing it in a charity shop and it was a great read