Issue 76: Longing to Read

A pep talk + some very practical tips to help you get back into reading

I write about books. It's a simple statement, but one that often elicits a particular response. A flicker of something—regret, perhaps, or a wistful longing? I really want to get back into reading, they say, the words soft, almost confessional.

I understand the weight of this admission. It's a universal desire, this yearning to return to a past self, a past pleasure. I feel it too. The gap between the reader I am and the reader I want to be yawns wide, filled with unread books and good intentions. In the past, reading slumps would leave me feeling sad and desperate. But with age, I've realized this cycle is natural. Instead of spiraling into shame, I now return to my tried-and-true strategies:

• Trying to get screen time under control

• Making sure I have a physical book on me AT ALL TIMES, literally.

• Reading tiny books to regain focus and create momentum

Nothing revolutionary, but all stuff that works for me.

Curious about others' experiences, I invited some of my favorite Substack readers an…