On Sunday August 2, 2015 I finished reading my friend Amber Haines' excellent memoir Wild in the Hollow and promptly entered it into my book log next to the number 1000. Then I sat back with delight.
It was the 1000th book I've read since I started keeping a book log.
(And yes, I did put some thought into which book would be #1000. I cannot imagine a better choice than Amber's book, her lyrical prose sweeping over me like poetry. 5 stars all the way.)
Ever since I was a young girl, people have commented on how much I read. I learned how to speed read in 3rd grade, thanks to an actual lesson plan.
In April 2005 I started wondering exactly how much I read from month to month and year to year. I bought a blank 8x10 journal and on April 15, I entered the first book: Little Altars Everywhere by Rebecca Wells.
This is how many books I've read each year since:
April 15-December 31, 2005: 42
2006: 55
2007: 107
2008: 77
2009: 80
2010: 100 (a goal for 31 Things Before Turning 31)
2011: 71
2012: 102
2013: 140
2014: 133
January 1-August 9, 2015: 95
Since tracking my book habit, I've learned the more I read, the more I read. I've also learned I read more in times of stress, grief, and transition. Lord knows I've had more than my fair share of each of those things this past decade. Clearly I'm on target for besting last year's number, thanks to the stress and transition of 2015.
Reading is a sacred and essential part of my self-care routine. There's nothing like losing yourself in the pages of a good story or learning something new. While not every book has received a Pulitzer or advanced society, I believe I'm a better, smarter person for all the reading I've done. Even if I'm not always sure how to pronounce my new vocabulary words.
The biggest reason I've read 1000 books boils down to my love of reading but I realized I have 3 practices in place that helped me reach my goal.
Here's how to read a 1000 books:
1. Read more than one book at a time.
I try to have at least 4 or 5 books going at once in a variety of genres that are read at different paces and different times. Right now my primary book is Peace Like A River. My bus book (new category!) is Housekeeping. Nonfiction/thoughtful reads: Jesus Land and Spinster. Backburner: Embracing the Body (this one is so good that I want to digest it slowly.) Usually poetry book is in the mix but I forgot to set one aside before my books were put in storage.
Primary books are to be consumed. If for some reason, my primary book isn't especially gripping, I'll start something else. For instance, Peace Like A River is really good but the slower pace makes me think it might be best to save it for the bus, even if I'm at risk of crying while riding. I want to read it but I don't necessarily want to pick it up when I get home from work. The whole trick is surrounding yourself with books you both want to read and will read.
This strategy accounts for why some days show me as having read 2 books. In most cases, I'd started reading them days before. Although I have been known to read a novel in a day. What can I say? Speed reading + book nerd...you do the math.
2. Read every day.
No matter what's going on in my day, I try to at least read 30 minutes before I turn out the light. (I don't read fiction right before I go to bed, unless I want to risk staying up all night trying to finish it.) Riding the bus, if I manage to find a seat, also provides me with some built-in reading time. I also tend to read for longer chunks of time on the weekends.
This is a matter of figuring out what works best for you. Some of my friends listen to audiobooks while cleaning the house or running errands. I can't focus on audiobooks so my pre-bedtime routine ensures I'll always have at least a little time each day.
3. Always keep a book with you.
There are so many hidden opportunities to read! I keep a book in my purse at all times because you never know if a friend will be running late to meet you for coffee, how long you'll sit in the waiting room, or what the line will be like at the post office. The times I haven't had a book with me, I've regretted it. A more worthwhile way to wait instead of scrolling through your phone.
If you haven't started a book log yet (or don't use Goodreads regularly), it's never too late to start. Here's the next 1000!
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