As adults, reading somehow slips onto the backburner as more “important” daily chores take precedence. We have no idea how to get back into reading habits which we had. I used to love reading when I was younger and still in school but then college came around and the only thing you read is textbooks. I think it kind of ruined the entire experience I had with books. And then, of course, you start your career and your focus shifts onto that and the only books you want to think about is how to get ahead in your career but you don’t really have the time to read.
Audiobooks were a huge help with this issue because then we could multitask and listen to a book while cleaning the house, working out at the gym or travelling. Book summaries also helped us get ahead in life by giving us the core ideas and key learning points from the books we were interested in; but do you ever wish you knew how to get back into reading habits? Well, this article will tell you how and recommend the best books for you to start over with.
How to get into reading
If you haven’t read our article about how to enjoy reading more, here is a quick recap of things you could do to get into reading again:
- Start small – there’s no need to dive into the deep end immediately
- Choose a book based on your interests – choose a genre that you know you will enjoy starting with
- Make time to read – schedule the time, if you don’t you will keep pushing it back
- Try book summaries – you get the main ideas in the friction of the time and you can figure out if you want to spend money on the book before purchasing it
- Join a book club – sometimes a social push is what you need
- Try Audiobooks – time-savers indeed, audiobooks allow us to find the time to listen to books.
- Try eBooks – eBooks make it easy to have a book with you wherever
Now that you have a plan more or less how to get back into reading habits, let’s take a look at some of the best books to start over with.
Books to get you to start over
Most reading lists you will find will give you a complex list of popular books for you to start your reading journey. In reality, these books are great to impress people but they are not going to be easy reads. The whole point of getting back into reading habits is to build up to that place where you start wanting to read those books for yourself.
The best recommendation to get you back into reading habits is to start with something easy which will hold your attention. So, believe it or not, young adult and children’s novels are written to get you hooked. It might seem like a strange thing to start off with, but this is to get you back into reading habits, not gain the most impressive reading list (I’ll work on one of those later!).
So, let’s take a realistic look.
- Brand New in box. The product ships with all relevant accessories
- J. K. Rowling (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 07/01/2009 (Publication Date) – Scholastic Inc. (Publisher)
As an adult, reading Harry Potter may seem childish to some but the fact is the books are popular for a reason. Many people grew up reading these books and the nostalgia alone will get you excited to read it. If, however, it is your first time, you will get to forget reality for a little while and delve into the magical world which JK Rowling has created. Also, if you have kids, you can read it with them and get them into reading habits as well! Bonus!
- Audible Audiobook
- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (Author) – Magda Allani (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 03/08/2018 (Publication Date) – Slow Burn Publications (Publisher)
This book is great no matter what age you are. It is an easy read for you to begin with and will easily get you into reading again. It will also ignite your imagination and give you all the feels with its engaging storyline. It’s also quite short which will give you a sense of accomplishment and get you ready for a new book!
- Audible Audiobook
- Barack Obama (Author) – Barack Obama (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 11/17/2020 (Publication Date) – Random House Audio (Publisher)
This book is if you don’t care for children’s and young adult books. I know some of you want to start with something current, so this book is for you. It is written well and will hold your interest as only Barack Obama could. He also narrates the audiobook which will make completing this book an easy task given his voice.
- Audible Audiobook
- Tiffany Shlain (Author) – Tiffany Shlain (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 09/24/2019 (Publication Date) – Simon & Schuster Audio (Publisher)
This book will not only contribute as a book to get you back into reading habits it will teach you how! Filled with humor, the author explains how to step away from our screens for one day a week to give yourself time to do other things. It may seem extreme, but sometimes technology is the biggest distraction which takes us away from reading. This could be exactly what you need to get back into reading habits!
- Audible Audiobook
- Tina Fey (Author) – Tina Fey (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 04/05/2011 (Publication Date) – Hachette Audio (Publisher)
Tina Fey is no stranger to the comedic world. However, it wasn’t always like that. This book tells her journey from a nerdy kid to the women we know and love today. Filled with humorous stories, this book will keep you entertained and hooked for sure.
- Audible Audiobook
- Paulo Coelho (Author) – Jeremy Irons (Narrator)
- English (Publication Language)
- 12/26/2004 (Publication Date) – HarperAudio (Publisher)
Okay, I know I said we not adding popular books just to make your reading list impressive but this book is an amazing read in all its simplicity and wisdom. It is not long and drawn out and will get you reading in no time. Filled with life lessons, this book will definitely get you craving more books which can teach you a thing or two about life.
Reading habits are not something which we are born with. It is taught and developed throughout our lives. We sometimes lose it due to our busy schedules, but just like riding a bike, you can jump back in. You just have to find the right books to start over with. This list will not cater to everyone’s personal tastes even though I tried to vary it quite a bit. You can always check out our other reading lists and book summaries to find books which might be more suited to you. Either way, I hope you get back into reading habits soon!
