I’m in the middle of reading a great book, Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto, and it struck me, why don’t I read more? I often tell myself I’m too busy – despite the fact I could have read several books in the time I spend scrolling the ‘Gram.
I’m loving physically having a book in my hand again. I bought a Kindle Christmas 2019 but it took me two years to put anything on it. I hankered for the tactile experience of reading, moving my eyes across the page, sentence after sentence. Although, once, while reading on an iPad I did lick my finger to turn the page. Sign of the times.
I used to read all the time, devouring book after book. I’ve mentioned my love of the Discworld novels and the Red Dwarf series many times. But I read a bit of everything, even the odd John Grishham thriller (until I realised it was essentially the same story over and over again).
On holiday I’d finish a book in a day. Way back when, I even tried writing one but ended up getting distracted by a messy sock drawer.
When I started drama school, however, I stopped reading novels because they insisted we read every play ever written. Well, they didn’t but that’s how it felt. And so I set down my beloved novels to dive into theatre literature instead. Not gonna lie, as great as plays are, I found them kinda boring to read. It’s like staring at an architect’s blueprint instead of going to the actual house.
Around the same time I also began reading personal development and self-help books. Despite what cynics may say, they can be really useful. You just have to find the one that speaks to you. I remember reading, Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway and realising it is possible to go for the things I thought were impossible. The Power of Now gave me countless insights into what it really means to be a human being. My most recent read from this genre though, is The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck. I’m sure that one will speak to a lot of folks.
I’ve enjoyed some great comedy autobiographies too, among them Richard Pryor’s Pryor Convictions And Other Life Sentences, which plots this great performer’s remarkable history and Frank Skinner’s first (simply titled Frank Skinner) which is one of the funniest and most-touching books I think I’ve ever read. Non-fiction is a wonderful way of experiencing life through eyes wiser or more worldly than our own.
A new favourite of mine in that field is Malcom Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point and Outliers – he writes fascinating socio-anthropological studies that basically look at why things are the way they are.
There’s so much hidden between the covers of a book – fantasy worlds, history, personal transformation or simply great, big, belly laughs. Whatever you’re looking for, you’re sure to find it. Sometimes people think books are an elitist thing and it puts them off but trust me, whatever your pleasure, there’ll be someone who not only shares it but has written a book about it too!
And if you do decide to dive into a new book this week, don’t forget to support our fabulous indie bookstores too. They need our support now more than ever.
Drop a comment and let me know what you’re reading at the moment?
First published August 2014
Pre-order (out Feb 4th) my debut novel, Asking For A Friend at WHSmith, Amazon, Waterstones or support your local bookshop at Bookshop UK
