This is one of those posts that I've thought about addressing here off and on since I created the blog. What does reading look like, what kind of books count as reading, and how should you read? But, I always talked myself out for this reason or that reason. The biggest reason was no one ever bothered me much about my reading. It was just a thing I did, and people either thought it was weird or didn't think about it all.
Most people usually got too tied up with how many books I read part. The rest just sort of slipped their minds.
Recently though I was talking to a coworker about how I read so much because she wants to get back into reading. I was just giving her some tricks I use: shorter books, comics, audiobooks, that sort of thing. When another coworker asked if those really counted as reading.
In the year 2023, we're still doing this?
Yes, it's reading. Not everyone can sit down for hours on end to read. So smaller books make sense. Easy to finish in a day, easy to walk away from, and pick back up. Now you've read a book on your day off. Some people have a hard time reading words on pages, which makes graphics and comics an easy answer. Those stories as just as good as a novel any day. I will die on that hill.
And, audiobooks are great for a mountain of reading. Those who can't read books due to sight problems. Those who work long and unpredictable hours. I listen to them at work while I open and it's just me and my prep cook. I listen to them while I do laundry, clean, and on my short commute home.
It's still reading, it's still taking in a story that someone else wrote. ALL READING IS READING! No matter if it's physical or ebook, laptop, or whatever. Manage, novella, young adult, or nonfiction. It's all words on pages that give you a small escape from the world around you, and maybe it'll teach you something new.
And yes, I count my cookbooks as reading! Not just the one's that come with stories and histories, but the ones that are just recipes. I'm learning while I read those, and I'm growing as well sometimes. So they count.
Also, not every genre is for everyone. I draw a pretty heavy line at any kind of romance or smut book. They are a hundred percent not for me. But, that doesn't mean they still aren't reading. They are still books that people enjoy. In fact, I'm pretty sure I saw an article about how they made a pretty portion of the book sales last year. So clearly they are being read. Which makes them read!
You see where this endless loop is going. If you find it on a library shelf, on your e-reader of choice, at a bookstore, or wherever you buy books. Then it's reading.
Even magazines! I don't care, reading is reading, and the next person who tells me if audiobooks count then they're going to start counting the shows they watch. I'm going to take the biggest book I own and show them what reading isn't.
Okay, did I clear that up? Makes sense. Read what makes you happy, in the way that makes you happy. And no matter what it is, I always want to hear you fan-squee about it. Even if it's a smut book. Another coworker loves the fairy smut, and I know too much about those books now. But, I adore that she loves them, and thanks to this community I've been able to give her some recs on other books. So a win for me!
So yeah, if you have any questions, comments, or books I need to read, my comments are open. Unless you missed the point of this, then Bog Off!
HAPPY READING!!
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