So, you made it this far and you are still skeptical. You are thinking, Books are long and intimidating and honestly, I haven't read for the fun of it since I was a kid! Before I lament how tragic that is, let me reassure you, its ok! We have books for that! Keep reading for some outside-of-the-book-ideas.
Really though you should give yourself the gift of reading, you won't regret it.
Can you hear me now?
Audiobooks! As an adult at least half of the books I read, I listen to. This is why:
Who doesn't love being read to?
An audiobook is a perfect companion for your commute, laundry day, waiting in line, and any other activity that doesn't require a ton of cognitive effort.
Guilt-free reading when you have a long to-do list.
Some authors read their own books for audiobook versions and it is amazing to hear their words, well, in their own words.
So THAT is how that name is pronounced...
Download the Libby App and access tons of free audiobooks through your local library.
Audiobooks even have their own awards program and some of these performances are first class!
Find audiobooks like Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book that have been performed with a full cast, making the stories come to life in a unique way.
Short Stories
I may have mentioned, that I almost always have of book of short stories on my nightstand. These collections are great for bedtime reading. They are lovely little bite-size stories that you can start and finish in an evening or two. You can pick them up and put them down and get back to them without losing track of the plot. Also, there are so many to choose from! Short stories come in every genre.
Look around, your favorite author may have some short stories published either as a collection or as part of one.
If you are a fan of fantasy or science fiction, there are many sources of short stories and short story collections to choose from, including The Year's Best Science Fiction collection that gets published every year or any one of many serial magazines.
There are several places online to read short stories for free, just ask your favorite search engine.
Read the entries to Reedsy's weekly short story contest!
Check out Wattpad to read stories from up-and-coming writers.
Here are some of my favorite short story collections:
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage: Stories by Alice Munro
The Tent by Margaret Atwood
Little Gods by Tim Pratt
Exhilation by Ted Chiang
Read This and Tell Me What It Says by A. Manette Ansay
Waifs and Strays by Charles de Lint
Essays and other Creative Non-Fiction
Looking for short stories with more truth than fiction? Many memoirs such as David Sedaris are written in a short story/essay format. Poet David Whyte's Consolations is a literary and philosophical look at everyday words. A must-read for any bibliophile. Here are a few from my bookshelf:
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (I love all his books, he is a master of the format)
Little Weirds by Jenny Slate
Essays After Eighty by Donald Hall
Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words by David Whyte
Dictionary of the Undoing by John Freeman
Bird Songs of the Mesozoic by David Brendan Hopes
What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures by Malcolm Gladwell
Magazines
Magazines, like books, come in every conceivable flavor. Most of us have a favorite magazine we gravitate towards in airport bookstores. Magazines are great for quick reads and you have the option to subscribe to them. I always like having something to look forward to in the mail. The periodical nature of the magazine is also a great excuse to sit down and read for a bit.
If you think bookstores have a lot of magazine options, just wait till you see the variety and diversity of online publications! Find one you like and try it out. Then reward yourself with a subscription if you like it! Don't forget the multitudes of literary publications out there too! There are publishers for every genre and every interest. Some even publish stories online for free.
Poetry
Is not for everyone. But IF like me, you are a fan, poetry books are great to have around for a quick literary fix. And if you haven't sampled poetry since high school English class, it may be worth a new look. Here's why:
Poetry has moved beyond the classics. The diversity of style and topics of contemporary poetry have no bounds. If you look around enough I promise you will find something you relate to.
Many novelists, like Barbara Kingsolver and Margaret Atwood, also write poetry. See if your favorite writers have done the same.
It's my favorite section in independent and used book stores. Here you can find self and locally published works that you won't find on most chain bookstore shelves. Poetry books can be great souvenirs when you travel.
Bookstores are great places to spend some time exploring poetry. With hundreds of authors at your fingertips, you might like what you find!
Taste in poetry is generally personal, and I have too many favorites on my shelves to recommend here, but if you are uncertain poetry is for you, below are some accessible selections that may change your mind.
I Hope This Finds You Well by Kate Baer
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur
Yesterday I was the Moon by Noor Unnahar
Plays
This is a format that most of us haven't delved into outside of English classes. I love the theater and have always enjoyed the plays that I have read, so I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me to seek them out for myself. Plays offer everything you love about more literary works but are usually quick reads. I am committing this year to read more plays. I no doubt will keep you apprised of my progress. Here are a few that are making their way towards me as I write. Then came highly recommended and are on my TBR list:
Top Dog / Under Dog by Suzan-Lori Parks ( I read her play Venus for a class and loved it)
Top Girls by Caryl Churchill
Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett
The Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov
Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
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