It’s New Year’s Eve, and I’m ending the year having finished 13 new books.
It’s not a massive amount, and I’ve heard of other people completing dozens more, but those 13 books represent an important goal.
Around March, I started tracking my reading habits, setting out to read a few minutes a day, every day (news articles and Reddit threads didn’t count). I quickly finished a book that had been on my virtual shelf for at least a year: David Goggins’ Can’t Hurt Me. Then I tackled one that I had purchased even longer before that, Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art, and kept going, even adding in audiobooks for long drive’s or when I felt like relaxing.
What helped me achieve this was, surprisingly, reading on a tablet. While the younger me loved buying books and growing my personal “library,” the older me — who has moved a few times and needed to make the most out of space in a small apartment — can’t log around bulky books anymore (save a few special ones).
Reading on a tablet and Kindle allowed me to read in bed at night or in the morning
But reading on a tablet and Kindle allowed me to read in bed at night or in the morning. It eliminated the need to switch on a light or stand up for anything else. There was little friction between me and the book, making it easier to want to read.
Three of the books I finished were audiobooks — General Hospital star Maurice Bernard’s Nothing General About It, Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, and Neil Strauss’ The Game. This was my first time listening to audiobooks, and one thing I learned is it’s not like listening to music. Instead, you need to give it your undivided attention, just as you would a traditional book.
I also relied on my two library cards and the app Libby, which lets you borrow ebooks from your local library, similar to a physical one. You can read them from the Libby app or transfer them to your Kindle or Kindle app. I’ll still be using it in the new year.
So, what should my goal for this year be?