It is fascinating to me that the “read less” resolution is such a thing this year! For me it is connected to everything we’re hearing and reading about attention—how valuable our attention is, how it’s being exploited, and how much it’s suffering because of that. I want to be really intentional about where I place my attention this year AND I want to exercise my deeper more focused attention. I’m curious to hear your thoughts on why this has become so prominent this year!
I also wonder if some of this has to do with the treadmill of "newness" with there being so many releases. I know I sometimes feel pressure to read the buzzy books to be in on the ground floor as opposed to letting public opinion settle a bit and figure out from similar-to-me readers if something is worth my while. So, the quality of books isn't always there. I was really excited to do a "loop back" reading quarter in Q4 and read some beloved books I missed or classics that were holes in my cultural literacy (although admittedly that got a bit blown up by the election, after which I wanted comfort reading). That said, it definitely feels from this comment section that this feeling extends beyond just book creators for whom reading is somewhat entwined with their job.
On the topic of attention, I just finished a re-read of STOLEN FOCUS, and found it really interesting that a cultural decline in reading was one of the causes of our decreased attention. Not to say you, as an already avid reader, should read more. But just that reading itself is already combatting the shortening attention span. But I hear you on being more selective with what deserves your time.
And Petya - very excited to read the piece you mentioned!
Yes, there is something about the water hose of new releases that is starting to feel eerily similar to the endless scroll of my social feeds. I think you’re onto something there! Whether or not people are in the book world professionally, we all just know a lot more about the books coming out and quite simply know OF a lot more books coming out. And that can get exhausting!
I agree, Sara. It's more than just the pressure of more. I think we are yearning for a qualitatively different reading experience. I have a piece coming out on Thursday on why everyone one Substack seems to be reading the Classics all of a sudden and I think that's a different side of the same story.
I overdid it with the books and my reading was not even that high ( I read 48 books last year). I am craving slowness and substance and immersing myself in the book vs just binging through a book.
On the same page with you re: Onyx Storm! And it’s all I can think about now since I finished it yesterday. I’ve been like Cady Heron, spending 80% of my day talking about OS and the other 20% waiting for people to bring it up!! (All this to say: I support a spoiler-filled chat thread.)
I'm just trying to be more intentional about what I'm reading this year. I saw someone do a granny square based on each book cover they read, so I'm doing that, and the idea of physically making something based on a book I didn't really care about made me want to put more thought into picking books. I decided on doing a version of the 25 in 25 challenge where I chose 25 books that I've always wanted to read, and put holds on them so hopefully I'll always have one of those at the ready whenever I'm looking for something new to read. Just having a whole backlist year!
I totally know what you mean about the goal of reading less! I’m always shocked when I see people with reading goals over 200/year and feel like it must be difficult to fully understand and digest what they’ve read. I’ve always tried to set my reading goals with the intention that I want to make sure I set aside enough time from the hustle and bustle of life to spend time reading. I’d imagine that looks different for everyone quantitatively!
I feel good about my reading goal. It’s been the same number for the past seven years and I generally read a few over each year. I know what a comfortable pace is for me and since reading really is my primary hobby, I like seeing my commitment to that hobby in numbers.
I mentioned this in the Geneva group, but I set my Goodreads and StoryGraph goals for the year to 1 book. That way, I feel no pressure to meet a goal and I just start a new book when I feel like it
I want to read more next year because I only read 10 last year (first full year with a baby) but I feel this sentiment in terms of focusing my attn on reading books I really want. I want to be less distracted by new releases and what other people say I should pick up and more in tune with genres and recommendation sources that work for me, plus other reading goals (like reading a book or two of nonfiction). our time and attn is limited! I really feel that.
I decided to set a reading resolution that was focused on reading 30 minutes every day instead of reading a certain number of books a year. I'm reading a lot more and actually enjoying it without the pressure of checking books off a list.
Really enjoyed this reflection on reading goals. Another detrimental aspect I’ve found to setting a numerical reading goal is the fact that it can lead me to books I know I’ll finish quickly. There were so many good books I was overlooking simply because they were longer! One of my top books from last year was Collected Works by Lydia Sandgren and I would have never read its 800+ pages if it wasn’t for distancing myself from the numerical reading goal.
Yes! I cringe at the end of every year seeing people look for novella recs just to hit an arbitrary goal. Reading 40 v 50 books does not matter! Find books you love! (Not yelling at you, just yelling into the reading goal internet crevasse)
Thanks for sharing about Easy Plant! I too have killed a snake plant but would love to get more greenery in my house and this seems like the perfect way
I way overdid it on reading in 2023 - I was dealing with a divorce and a kid who was diagnosed with an illness that completely changed our lives. My goal in 2024 was to read less and I did and felt really good about it. I have a similar goal for 2025 although this month has…not helped.
I have so much respect for however many books anyone reads, but for me it was a coping mechanism that wasn’t feeling great anymore.
I initially decided not even to crack open Onyx Storm because I had *just* finished Iron Flame and was so exhausted - I found it to be such a slog, like you. But reading your bullet points here of what made the book actually work for you now has me reconsidering. Appreciate this list!!
OH MY GOD, you're actually the only one of us in a perfect position to read Onyx Storm and know who TF all the side characters are!!! This is your moment!! And yes, it moves much faster and was overall much more interesting IMO.
I overdid books in 2023, so last year, my goal was to just enjoy my books and not count them or work towards a goal. I allowed my self to stop any book for any reason that wasn't a good fit at the moment, and so 2024 was a fantastic year for reading! I'll definitely be doing this for 2025 also---counting and tracking books just stressed me out, so I really like letting it be more of a flow. For example, I read and enjoyed the first 1/3 of Stolen Focus during Jan's book club and then I stopped feeling interested in it, so I quit. I thought it was interesting to hear that you and Olivia liked the first 1/3 of the book best anyway! I've put down a lot of books in the past year, but I've also enjoyed reading more than ever.
This sounds very similar to my own approach - no numeric goal and DNFing liberally (life's too short for books you're not enjoying). Glad to hear it's working for you, too!
It is fascinating to me that the “read less” resolution is such a thing this year! For me it is connected to everything we’re hearing and reading about attention—how valuable our attention is, how it’s being exploited, and how much it’s suffering because of that. I want to be really intentional about where I place my attention this year AND I want to exercise my deeper more focused attention. I’m curious to hear your thoughts on why this has become so prominent this year!
I also wonder if some of this has to do with the treadmill of "newness" with there being so many releases. I know I sometimes feel pressure to read the buzzy books to be in on the ground floor as opposed to letting public opinion settle a bit and figure out from similar-to-me readers if something is worth my while. So, the quality of books isn't always there. I was really excited to do a "loop back" reading quarter in Q4 and read some beloved books I missed or classics that were holes in my cultural literacy (although admittedly that got a bit blown up by the election, after which I wanted comfort reading). That said, it definitely feels from this comment section that this feeling extends beyond just book creators for whom reading is somewhat entwined with their job.
On the topic of attention, I just finished a re-read of STOLEN FOCUS, and found it really interesting that a cultural decline in reading was one of the causes of our decreased attention. Not to say you, as an already avid reader, should read more. But just that reading itself is already combatting the shortening attention span. But I hear you on being more selective with what deserves your time.
And Petya - very excited to read the piece you mentioned!
Yes, there is something about the water hose of new releases that is starting to feel eerily similar to the endless scroll of my social feeds. I think you’re onto something there! Whether or not people are in the book world professionally, we all just know a lot more about the books coming out and quite simply know OF a lot more books coming out. And that can get exhausting!
Oh! And I will check out STOLEN FOCUS. I’m also interested in Chris Hayes’ THE SIRENS’ CALL after hearing him do the podcast rounds.
Oh that one isn't on my radar. I'll be looking forward to your review of it!
I agree, Sara. It's more than just the pressure of more. I think we are yearning for a qualitatively different reading experience. I have a piece coming out on Thursday on why everyone one Substack seems to be reading the Classics all of a sudden and I think that's a different side of the same story.
Can’t wait to read that, Petya! I agree these trends are very connected!
I overdid it with the books and my reading was not even that high ( I read 48 books last year). I am craving slowness and substance and immersing myself in the book vs just binging through a book.
On the same page with you re: Onyx Storm! And it’s all I can think about now since I finished it yesterday. I’ve been like Cady Heron, spending 80% of my day talking about OS and the other 20% waiting for people to bring it up!! (All this to say: I support a spoiler-filled chat thread.)
Wish granted! Will start one now.
I love your newsletters! always so well researched-- they leave me in high spirits 🥰
Just like this comment did for me!
I'm just trying to be more intentional about what I'm reading this year. I saw someone do a granny square based on each book cover they read, so I'm doing that, and the idea of physically making something based on a book I didn't really care about made me want to put more thought into picking books. I decided on doing a version of the 25 in 25 challenge where I chose 25 books that I've always wanted to read, and put holds on them so hopefully I'll always have one of those at the ready whenever I'm looking for something new to read. Just having a whole backlist year!
Oh that's such a cool idea re: book quilt (I think I also saw this in the Geneva group, maybe that was you?). I can't wait to see it.
I totally know what you mean about the goal of reading less! I’m always shocked when I see people with reading goals over 200/year and feel like it must be difficult to fully understand and digest what they’ve read. I’ve always tried to set my reading goals with the intention that I want to make sure I set aside enough time from the hustle and bustle of life to spend time reading. I’d imagine that looks different for everyone quantitatively!
I feel good about my reading goal. It’s been the same number for the past seven years and I generally read a few over each year. I know what a comfortable pace is for me and since reading really is my primary hobby, I like seeing my commitment to that hobby in numbers.
Same here, exactly!
I mentioned this in the Geneva group, but I set my Goodreads and StoryGraph goals for the year to 1 book. That way, I feel no pressure to meet a goal and I just start a new book when I feel like it
I want to read more next year because I only read 10 last year (first full year with a baby) but I feel this sentiment in terms of focusing my attn on reading books I really want. I want to be less distracted by new releases and what other people say I should pick up and more in tune with genres and recommendation sources that work for me, plus other reading goals (like reading a book or two of nonfiction). our time and attn is limited! I really feel that.
I decided to set a reading resolution that was focused on reading 30 minutes every day instead of reading a certain number of books a year. I'm reading a lot more and actually enjoying it without the pressure of checking books off a list.
I love that! So much more in your control!
I have really loved seeing all the "read less" posts and resolutions! I'm definitely here for focusing on quality over quantity.
Really enjoyed this reflection on reading goals. Another detrimental aspect I’ve found to setting a numerical reading goal is the fact that it can lead me to books I know I’ll finish quickly. There were so many good books I was overlooking simply because they were longer! One of my top books from last year was Collected Works by Lydia Sandgren and I would have never read its 800+ pages if it wasn’t for distancing myself from the numerical reading goal.
Yes! I cringe at the end of every year seeing people look for novella recs just to hit an arbitrary goal. Reading 40 v 50 books does not matter! Find books you love! (Not yelling at you, just yelling into the reading goal internet crevasse)
Thanks for sharing about Easy Plant! I too have killed a snake plant but would love to get more greenery in my house and this seems like the perfect way
It really has been as Easy at it claims so far.
I way overdid it on reading in 2023 - I was dealing with a divorce and a kid who was diagnosed with an illness that completely changed our lives. My goal in 2024 was to read less and I did and felt really good about it. I have a similar goal for 2025 although this month has…not helped.
I have so much respect for however many books anyone reads, but for me it was a coping mechanism that wasn’t feeling great anymore.
I initially decided not even to crack open Onyx Storm because I had *just* finished Iron Flame and was so exhausted - I found it to be such a slog, like you. But reading your bullet points here of what made the book actually work for you now has me reconsidering. Appreciate this list!!
OH MY GOD, you're actually the only one of us in a perfect position to read Onyx Storm and know who TF all the side characters are!!! This is your moment!! And yes, it moves much faster and was overall much more interesting IMO.
I overdid books in 2023, so last year, my goal was to just enjoy my books and not count them or work towards a goal. I allowed my self to stop any book for any reason that wasn't a good fit at the moment, and so 2024 was a fantastic year for reading! I'll definitely be doing this for 2025 also---counting and tracking books just stressed me out, so I really like letting it be more of a flow. For example, I read and enjoyed the first 1/3 of Stolen Focus during Jan's book club and then I stopped feeling interested in it, so I quit. I thought it was interesting to hear that you and Olivia liked the first 1/3 of the book best anyway! I've put down a lot of books in the past year, but I've also enjoyed reading more than ever.
This sounds very similar to my own approach - no numeric goal and DNFing liberally (life's too short for books you're not enjoying). Glad to hear it's working for you, too!