Why Read?

Starting to read for fun when it has always been a chore or a lesson can be hard. From the second we step foot in school, reading stops being something our parents do for us before we go to sleep and instead becomes your first piece of homework. Separating our idea of reading from work and letting it be something pleasurable isn’t easy, but overall, it is a great way to let go and relax.

I have been a reader my entire life. I started with The Magic Key and Judy Moody and am now more into books like Malibu Rising and A Game of Thrones. Whether getting lost in fantasy worlds or love stories, the emphasis is on getting lost. Allowing your brain to wonder from the stresses and anxieties of everyday life and linger on something far away is a form of escapism not easily replicated. Movies, TV shows and video games are all forms of escapism, but few allow you to slow down and concentrate to the extent of books.

Reading versus Television

Personally, I am a great lover of TV shows. I have the inane ability to binge a seven season show in a single week and rewatch my favourite episodes on repeat while never growing tired of them. I love few things more than I love to spend my evenings relaxing in front of the TV and letting the screen do all the work for me. However, after binge watching a Netflix or Disney programme, I often feel relaxed but I usually don’t feel as good as I do after I have sat down and read.

Reading comes with the added sense of achievement after you have turned the final page. In a world of short attention spans and immediate gratification, the feeling of waiting and working for the satisfaction of knowing how a book ends is a pleasant change from the world we are forced to live in on the daily. It is a way of taking time to look after yourself and keep exercising your mind while doing so.

A Versatile Hobby

Another great thing about books is that you can take them anywhere! Sometimes, just getting out of the house and reading in the sunshine can change the trajectory of an entire day – it is an excuse to get outside while doing something you love. At the same time, you don’t have to leave the house at all if the weather is awful. Sitting cuddled up in a blanket with a warm drink in a mug is just as remedying as seeing the world with a book in your bag.

Not only can reading be something you do anywhere, but it can also be something you do with other people or an activity you do by yourself. Whether you’re an introvert, extrovert or ambivert, reading will accommodate. If you know where to look, there will always be people to discuss your favourite reads with. Firstly, book clubs are happening everywhere. From celebrity book clubs to clubs at your local library, there are many places and many people who enjoy reading the same book and talking about it after the fact. They can be good ways to find out what is popular at the time and to try out genres that you wouldn’t have tried otherwise. Secondly, there are apps such as StoryGraph and Goodreads which are made for readers to track, log, and rate their books. These apps are great ways to see what other people are reading, but also to get an overview of your own taste and what you’ve enjoyed or haven't enjoyed.

Where to Start

An important thing to remember about reading is that it can come in many different accessible forms. Physical books can sometimes be hard to get your hands on – not to mention often expensive – but there are other ways to read a book that don’t require going to a bookshop.

If the thing that is stopping you from getting into reading is finding time to sit with a book, then maybe audiobooks are the thing for you. Not only can they help people who have problems with their sight, but they are also a way to read a good book without taking time out of your day that you’d usually use for completing chores or other projects that don’t require too much concentration. Sometimes it’s nice to listen to an audiobook in the background while doing the washing up or making the bed. It’s a way to relax without having to worry that there are still things you have to do and you’re running out of time to do them.

If it’s space that is stopping you from buying books, then E-books might be more up your street. A kindle is an easy way to store all your books in one place and a compact way to take multiple books with you wherever you go. When I was younger, I used to go on week-long beach holidays with my family and read a book a day. The space and weight those books took up was an excessive amount, and had I had a kindle to take with me I’m sure everyone would have been much happier. Kindles can be quite an investment for readers, but often E-books can be cheaper than print books, and it can be easier to scour an electronic space for discounts on books than looking through a bookstore.If it’s the money element of reading that stops you from getting into it as a hobby then there are many free or cheap alternatives to buying books brand new. The first, and possibly the most obvious, is getting books out from the library. Not only does this support an important institution in your local area, it also allows you to take home books and read them for free.

Another way to get cheap books is to buy them second hand. This way isn’t completely free, but it is a lot cheaper than buying books that have never been read before and this way you get to keep them where you wouldn’t if you got them from the library. Most high street charity shops have a book section, and some charity shops are solely dedicated to selling books. If it isn’t easy to leave the house to buy books second hand, then there are websites that sell them cheaply, such as Ebay or World of Books.

Ready, Steady, Read!

So, if you’re thinking of getting into reading as a hobby, do it! Not only is it a perfect way to relax through escapism while allowing your mind to keep growing and learning, it can also be affordable and accessible if you know the tricks of the trade. So, grab a book and a drink of choice, curl up under a blanket or bask in the sun, and enjoy wherever the words may take you.