Is anyone else in a reading rut? What I mean is, does every book you crack feel like a million pounds, like an obligation, like a thicket of vines with no nearby machete? Does the doomscroll hold more allure than the pages of a novel? Does your brain feel like a butterfly in a bell jar? Does Netflix win every time?
I have felt this way for the first part of the year. It’s not that I haven’t read any great books this year – I have suggested them to you in our monthly recs – but on the whole, reading has not entranced me the way it usually does.
I’m starting to work my way out of the rut, as I’ve really connected with a couple recent stories. Helping matters, I am in two book clubs full of creative and vibrant Type-A women who keep me on the stick.
Reading ruts befall us all, so I asked those book club compatriots for their thoughts on breaking out of the intellectual pits. Here’s what they said, plus tips that have worked for me.
Revisit a favorite. A favorite author, a favorite book, a favorite series. Anything you know will reliably hold your interest, even if it’s a third read. “How many times have I read Sally Rooney’s oeuvre now?” offered one member. “As many times as I’ve been horrifically depressed. And you know what? It works.”
DNF. That stands for “do not finish,” and it's not something to be feared. If a book isn’t holding your attention, remember, your life is finite. It’s fully acceptable to put it down for later or… for never. You can hit eject even if the book in question is a bestseller that everyone loves. Disagreement is spicy.
Go somewhere. Easier said than done, of course; who is flitting off to constant vacations in this economy or ever? But I'm never a more efficient reader than when I’m on an airplane. I purposely don’t get Wi-Fi so I have no choice but to read or sleep awkwardly on the headrest. As I mentioned last week, I gobbled up “Heart the Lover” on flights in two sittings.
Memoirs! They tend to be linearly told, so they’re easy for an addled brain to process. They’re by nature intriguing, like gossip from a friend about another friend. Reliable memoir categories for me include celebrities and people who have broken out of religious fundamental groups. Right now I’m listening to “In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man” by the journalist Tom Junod, and it’s holding me. I suggest the audiobook; it’s all about his father, and only he can do those vocal inflections.
Check out an author event. Participating in a live discussion about a book can spark the fire to read, especially if you get insider tea about the formation of the book. There are so many places to meet authors, from Oxford Exchange in Tampa to our local libraries. The always busy Tombolo Books in St. Pete is hosting Caro Claire Burke for her hot tradwife-gone-wrong novel "Yesteryear," which I'm reading for both book clubs. The event is sold out, but a gal can always hope for more seats to open.
Go easy. Read something chill and accessible, whatever that means to you. One book club member calls these "dessert books" and said her child's teacher encourages the kids to read them between the required stuff.
Ask around. Read reviews on Goodreads, scroll BookTok for ideas or ask trusted friends what they’re loving. You’re friends for a reason.
Join a book club! This can be a big time commitment but also a big reward. The fact is, I don’t just love a deadline, I need one in order to get anything done. And I’ve met so many wonderful people through book clubs, people who also lead busy lives and will not get irate if I show up for wine and snacks and say, “Honestly, I’m in a rut and did not read the book at all. Pass the cheese?”
