As the New Year settles in, so do New Year’s resolutions. For many, getting into the habit of reading is a priority for 2023, but it can seem daunting knowing where to start and, most importantly, how to stick to it. Luckily, I have some tips on how to keep up the popular hobby, and recommendations for the best reads to get stuck into.
Firstly: the classics. If you want to consider yourself an avid, well-read reader, there is always a pressure to devour all of the most notable works of fiction from the 19th century onwards. However, this does not have to be the case. If you want to maintain a love for reading, you have to read what you love, not just what you think seems intellectually superior. Therefore, unless you have a dying wish to do so, don’t jump in at the deep end and attempt to plough through James Joyce’s Ulysses or tackle the 17th century Don Quixote. Instead, I recommend turning towards easily digestible and equally as compelling classics like The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. At just over 200 pages, this book invites you into the glitz, glamour, and tragedy of 1920s America and keeps you hooked, wanting to learn more about the interconnected lives of the characters.
Moreover, it is important to know what you want from a book. For example, if you want a novel filled with different, unique characters, Bernadine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other is the one for you. However, if you want to dive into the mind of one character who will provoke thoughts on society and justice, Albert Camus’ The Outsider is most appropriate. You will develop your love for different styles of writing through experience, but starting with the basics of genre is always best. For example, if ghost stories are your thing, pick up Laura Purcell’s The Silent Companions, a chilling tale of a crumbling Victorian manor filled with lifelike figures. Or, if you’re eager for romance, glitz and glamour, Taylor Jenkins Reid’s fictional celebrity world is perfect. Both The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones and the Six are brilliant, both which are soon to be brought to the screen!
Lastly, it is important to make time for reading in order to keep it up. Allotting 10 minutes a day for reading will drive you to reach for your book more often. If you’re struggling to find the push to do this, I recommend unique but easy to understand reads which may encourage you to keep up the habit. Maggie O’Farrell’s award-winning Hamnet is an enchanting and engrossing read, as well as Madeline Miller’s mythological retelling Circe, which has recognisable but far from boring characters.
Overall, I hope this has sparked some ideas for how to make 2023 the year you start reading more and given a few suggestions of where you can start with this goal. Happy reading!
