Today's youth are reading more than ever; more than older generations. 1 We not only read more, 2 but we also read books! Paper ones! 3
...Although not everyone knew how to read just sixty years ago, 4 now reading has become a skill similar to eating. Maybe even at this moment you are eating and reading?
I set a goal for one year read 75 books a year.
I read 77: long, short, scientific, poetic, funny and heartbreaking. I read every week. Practically every other day.
And I learned this and that...
Renewed!
The first challenge was in 2016 - to read 50 books. I read 58 that year. The challenge you are reading about here is from 2017.
Later in 2018, the challenge was to read 200 books and I only read about 49 of them. 5 The following year, I didn't have the challenge at all because I got depressed and didn't want to read anymore. And in 2020, already after the depression, I still haven't renewed the book challenge.
Some of the most common questions and my answers to them:
"Why?'
And why are you reading these letters? And you live?
"But reading is for enjoyment, isn't it?"
Do you think I'm so demented as to read something that doesn't bring pleasure?
"But who cares about that amount of books?"
Me. And to a few more of my friends, with whom I participate in book reading games and we compare the lengths of our bookshelves.
"Couldn't you have made better use of the time?"
I could But I didn't want to. I'm not interested in traveling or rescuing kittens, I'd rather read books to learn something and then share.
"Why not movies or series?"
Because reading is more fun for me. Also, it's easier to skip the uninteresting parts while reading, and bad acting in books doesn't exist.
"Are you doing speed reading?"
No, although I have read a book about this science, 6 I never managed to learn it. But as I read, I gradually learned to read faster and memorize better.
"That's the best way to learn to read a lot is…?"
Aha, just a lot to read. You won't put this secret under a catchy headline on a news portal, 7 but that's all there is to the mystery.
"You must have always read a lot?"
Partially. I read practically all of Eridan's fantasy books as a child, but I spent my teenage years playing video games and my early adulthood in the arms of girls. 8
"So now you've paid for two years and won't read again?"
No. I will continue to read, but the goals will be different - not quantity, but content.
"Are you angry today?"
No, I'm just learning to write shorter.
So how did reading books go in 2016? What did you experience?
Something like this: 9
The year, as always with challenges, started with a bang. Seven books in two weeks! ...Then followed long months of slow reading until I realized in October that I needed to try.
October was probably the most interesting month - 29 books in it.
About one every day. That month, I read everywhere - in the toilet, in the kitchen, in bed, next to the bed, next to the closet, in the parking lot, in shops, while waiting for the bus... It was a complete book sutra.
But I'm done! At the end of the year, I read a few more books that I hadn't finished reading since 2013.
...Then, in 2017, I tried to read even more.
I set a goal of 75 books and reached this one on October 31st:
I am quite satisfied. The knowledge gained from reading books helps me to work in my profession - writing. It's good for me.
But let me share some tips.
"How can I read more books?" Can it be learned?'
First: Reading is not mandatory.
For example, to my knowledge, Marijonas Mikutavičius almost no longer reads books. 10 Does this mean that he is a bad person, untalented, or something else? No. It just means he doesn't read books.
...And such a boatman I know even claims that it is better even before starting to read - understand what the hell you are reading. I agree with that.
In short, what I'm saying:
If you don't want to, don't read it.
And if you want to read, but don't know what:
- See what is recommended hundreds of Lithuanian book reviewers;
- Just pick books randomly from TOP10 bookshelves in bookstores until you find your genre;
- to follow my Goodreads and "Knygų marozo" account;
- Asking a friend for advice and hearing a suggestion for that book take and read, dammit. No excuses.
Enjoy! 🤓
Second: Challenge yourself to read books.
- For example, join the Lithuanian one "Summers with a book".
- Or a year-long challenge, which is organized annually by Goodreads.
- Or choose a number and write it down in yours "Crazy Goal List".
- Post your goal here in the comments below.
- Or you just don't want to...
With a goal, it is always clearer what you are aiming for, which helps you not to stop.
Third: Take a look at reading (and memorizing) techniques.
P.S This is my first time making such a video. 11 So, if you have comments and criticisms - I'm happy to wait. 12
Fourth: Sometimes you just have to pick it up and read it.
How that in this In the 24 hour reading challenge (aha, I tried to read without sleep, around the clock), which I put together with @lithuanianpoetrylover.
...And as you? Will you join the reading challenge? 📚
As noted by the PEW Research Center in the US and Western Europe.↩
Text on the Facebook wall is also text.↩
Visit the Book Fair or your local bookstore. At the moment, publishers release everything in a row - because we buy!↩
It is likely that if not everyone in the world read it, it was similar in Lithuania/USSR as well. However, if you have seen the statistics from USSR Lithuania - share please!↩
After a few months of reading every day... I was burnt out. I didn't want to look at books at all.↩
"Personal Growth Guru Reveals His Fast Book-Reading Secret!" Find out now."↩
Information taken from my Goodreads account, where after reading the book I characterize it.↩
Yes, if I remember correctly, he said during an Instagram Q/A in 2018.↩
Recorded in 2014.↩
Go ahead, the comments below are open to absolutely everyone. If you are embarrassed, you can write me a letter. I'm not a sadomasochist, but I like comments where I can learn.↩
Hey! Last year I set a goal to read 100 books a year. I read 50. This year the goal is the same, only I have read 33 so far, but according to my calculations I will reach 65 books by the end of the year. Yeah, I might not make it to triple digits, but it's still better than nothing, right? I realized that if I only work for one goal, there is a small chance that there will be no time, and maybe motivation, for other goals/activities/hobbies. This is one of the reasons why next year I will reduce the number of books I want to read to... Probably 70.. 🙂 In addition, then I will be able to read "harder" books that have become classics. I won't have to panic like this anymore, and I shouldn't lose the joy of reading. 🙂
PS Good luck in achieving your goals, Debesyla! 🙂
Hey, but still very good! If you don't set a goal at all, chances are you won't even reach half of it. As my guru Ignas Bakkei says - a percentage is more than zero :)) Don't stop!
Thanks for the encouragement!
Hello clouds.
First of all, it's nice to see people interested in a conscious lazy lifestyle. Being able to choose what is really important, and not work on whatever comes to hand. Over the summer I had taken on a book reading challenge. Unfortunately, I didn't go all the way, but I was satisfied with the result (I read 5 books in a week). I was personally very surprised. In addition, I noticed that reading too many books discourages me from taking real action. I don't know what else to add. Good luck to everyone and may your heads (and bodies) become cloudy (if they haven't already)
Thanks Eric!! <3
What is the point of wisdom if the information read is not used dust on the shelves? Yes, I was able to move on to self-help blogs after the test. But this is the same information that the crammed brain refuses to think itself to accept another portion.
Thank You, Debesyla. Once upon a time, I also called myself Cloudy, because I am not practical and always fly in the clouds. And I can't find my niche on this site. After almost 13 years, I left under the agreement of the Ionian countries. from work. I don't care anymore. But now - with weaker hearing, I don't drive, I don't speak, I don't communicate in English (although I passed the exams at school and university, and I keep dreaming that I ran away from English lectures, exams and how I will have to pay for this record to get a diploma 😀 ), the specialty is no longer asked - after all who needs economists over 50 now; I'm already starting to "panic", because the towers of illusions that I will be able to earn from handmade products are collapsing like houses of cards... The chances of defeating the cheap flow from China are very small (but I respectfully bow my head to the Chinese industriousness).
I am proud of your, Debesyla, enthusiasm and perseverance in finding your niche. So on and good wind, Your Cloud Ship!
Regards, Jole
Ah, thanks, Jole! And I'm sure you'll be fine, I really am! It is also important not to stop, please 🙂
If I remember correctly, the first book I read was Beauty and the Beast. Story books helped me learn to read. Since then, I read everything, novels, love stories, detectives, fantasy books, scientific books (if they are interesting and I want to know something), psychological, self-help books from the topic "what to do to be/achieve/could...". The number of books read per year varies between 20-40 books. If the books are thicker (Game of Thrones, The First Woman), the number of books is smaller. This is my reading experience 🙂
Indre, I see you are a bookworm like me! :)) My first one that I remember is probably Liar's Tale, which my godparents apparently gave me when I was still quite a few years old. Then I didn't stop either... :))
By the way, I also read the Primordial Woman books. Wow these are engaging!
It's a pity that there are an infinite number of good books that you want not only to read, but also to read, but not only one, but two lives are probably not enough for all the books you want :)))
1. "Information taken from my Goodreads account, where I rate the book after reading it." Participant, participant. In other words, not "after reading I excel", but "after reading".
2. "It's also easier to skip uninteresting parts while reading" - if you skip, it means you haven't read the whole book.
3. I miss meaningful fiction on the list. 🙂
What literature would you include, Žydrūnas? 😛
Hi Daniel! 🙂
Can you share a list of books you read?
Or would you recommend one or the other that influenced you the most? 🙂
Here are my recommended ones: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/10598918?sort=rating
Hi Daniel.
I am contributing to the ranks of readers of about 40 or more books already read this year, plus audio and several e-mails. books.
I am very pleased with the treasures of books and self-education.
Where do you save your read books? What podcasts do you use to convert text to audio?
Thank you.
Oh, how cool, Egle! 😀
If the book is really good, I keep it in hard format, on the bookshelf/shelf at home. It now has only 12 books left in the last 4 years - really the best I've read and you'll want to open it again because of the quality and abundance of information. If I don't read it again, I just give it away. I think books need to be gutted - take the best parts, use or tell someone, and immediately publish them. I share it, for example, on Instagram, Facebook.
And I don't listen much in audio format, unless otherwise there is simply no book or it's hard to get. I hear from http://audioteka.lt/. It is very difficult for me to remember what I hear in words, I value words... Maybe that's why I write 😀
Indeed, there are definitely voiceovers in English. I saw it online. I had never heard of tokas in Lithuanian. Is there? I don't know 😮
I don't listen at all. I have only read a few electronic versions. Still, the paper traditional book is the sweetest. I cured myself of the disease of buying new books all the time. The most important thing is that before I started reading, I don't remember if I had already read it, so there are several copies that were bought during "promotions". It's just that those read books are resting on the shelves. That's enough, the electric spinner will be used and the most valuable books will be put on a small shelf, and the others, after using the advice, I've already started giving them away, maybe I'll use them as a karma point 🙂
Hehehe. Thanks Justina!! 🙂
Hello Debesyla,
during the past academic year (9 months) I read 82 books, that is 102,000 thousand. page and for this achievement of mine I thank you.
Ooooooo!!! Go for it, Migle!! How absolutely amazing!!
What did you mean, what did you think about reading books? I have no idea how to force myself to read when there is a phone and a computer. I read for grades, not for pleasure, I'm good at studying, but I still really want to read more.
Hello, I would like to ask about the benefits of reading, how do you understand it? What benefits does it serve you in life? Is it true that books shape character, expand our worldview, knowledge, a person who reads is a thoughtful, lively person, always an interesting conversationalist, and even from a dream he seems to be happier... in words, I think this is an indescribable benefit! Do you agree with that?
Hello Debesyla, I really liked your thoughts in this video, in which you spoke very eloquently and just impressed me that the books came from your mouth, this is a good sign I would say, I myself started reading books from a very young age, so I can't stop without reading them, so I read always and everywhere, I carry books with me and everywhere, sometimes it happens that I spend the whole day at the computer playing computer games, which also fascinate me, I wanted to ask how to read books better and faster so that they are useful?