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Ask HN: How much do you read and what do you get from it?

by oliverjudge on 4/15/21, 8:29 AM with 20 comments

• by wirthjason on 4/15/21, 12:56 PM

  When I was a young college student my professor said “there’s one book, and if you read it, it will change how well you do in college. It’s called ‘How To Read A Book.’”

  I was shocked. Of course I know how to read a book. I made it to college after all. Curiosity got me and I checked it out from the library and read it. Turns out, I didn’t know how to read a book. :)

  If you’re looking to get back into reading that book is a good start.

• by threlfall on 4/15/21, 12:14 PM

  I like to read in the morning, as I drink my coffee and before I go up to bed. Some evenings, now that the weather where I am is really nice, I take a book outside and set up so I can read after dinner. Very relaxing. Insofar as breaking out of the habits you describe, it takes some work, but a bloody good book is a great way to get out of the loop ;).

  Keeping the book close to my usual places where I would sit and start watching TV helps. It might sound silly but to begin with, I also began to just ... sit in a different spot, a reading chair in the same room not just on the couch, in-front of the tv where the automatic action was to reach for the remote or my phone. (which I try to keep in a drawer).

  My reading drops off in winter, which is odd, since it seems to complement the season better, but I do love to read outside.

  I like to keep a couple of books on the go, a blend of fiction and non fiction, and I just go with whatever I feel like. It's rare for me to read something from the same genre back-to-back unless it's part of a series. I used to be pretty rigid about only reading one book at a time, and being sure to finish it, even if it sucked but that lead me to read far less often when it became like work. But, I read and complete more books now that I don't constrain myself to reading something that isn't the right vibe.

• by legacynl on 4/15/21, 2:18 PM

  Maybe you should ask yourself if you like reading in the first place?

  We should really stop making reading the holy grail of sophistication. It's not inherently better than any other type of media.

  Unless you're actually trying to learn about new stuff and read non-fiction, it's not like books will 'give you' anything that watching movies can't give you. For relaxing it's most important that the thing actually relaxes you. Feeling like you have to read books sounds a little backward.

  If you want to force yourself to get in the habit of reading, it's best to plan a time for it (outside of your relaxation time!). Maybe plan to do it each day for 30mins after dinner. This way after you finish you still have time to unwind your day (without having to worry about having to read books).

  edit: for fiction I recommend the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, any of the Murakami books, Nausea by Sartre, or Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance. For non-fiction: I recommend picking any topic you're interested in. Skip the biographies and self-help/guide books, they'll only guilt trip you

• by bwh2 on 4/15/21, 5:18 PM

  I read one book per week, all non-fiction. For me the keys to successful reading are:

  * Read 2-3 books concurrently, spanning multiple topics. This helps me match book to mood.

  * Use a highlighter for active reading. This makes it more like data collection than data processing.

  * Find a consistently good recommendation source with with variety

  * Binge on Saturday or Sunday morning. In a good morning, I will cover +150 pages which makes up for days I take off.

  * Give yourself permission to bail early. The opportunity cost of a boring book is too high.

  From my blog about reading: https://www.briansnotes.io/article/how-i-read-50-nonfiction-...

• by giantg2 on 4/15/21, 1:41 PM

  I mostly read to gain new knowledge or skills, or out of necessity. It's not all books though.

  Lately I've needed to do a lot of reading of statute, code, case law, and professional standards (found on state-run/official sites). I've also recently read some studies on PubMed related to a medical condition. So both of these are done out of issues I'm facing in life.

  Books that I've read recently are also nonfiction, but more related to hobbies and skills. Stuff like Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms, Natural Pest and Disease Control, and Defensive Tactics.

  Maybe if you want to start reading more, you can pick shorter material. If you like technology and nostalgia/unoffical history, then you might like the articles in The Best of 2600.

• by ElectricMind on 4/15/21, 3:58 PM

  I am not scared of someone who reads 200 books a year. I am scared of someone who reads 1 book again and again and digest one great idea , write about it, talks about it add his/her own ideas, make it even more powerful and spread it like wild fire.

• by jeffreportmill1 on 4/15/21, 1:52 PM

  I am a bit of an introvert, even though I know from common sense and past experience that it is good to exercise the social muscle. Two years ago I got the idea that if I read out loud, it would be great practice for socializing. I have been doing it steadily for 30 mins each morning and I think it has helped in many ways.

  The first is that I have learned how to read again. It is amazing how much the iPhone, internet, youtube and binge TV has wrecked my attention span. I'm not back to my old ability to spend hours with a book, but I'm much improved. I think the 'win-win' nature of being entertained while practicing a skill has upped my perceived value of spending time this way.

  The second is that I feel much more confident in social situations now, because I know I am at least adept at using my vocal cords to communicate complete sentences. My vocabulary has also improved - I think for years there have been plenty of words that I knew but was subconsciously afraid to use. Now that so many advanced words feel more comfortable coming out of my mouth, I find they come to me easier in conversation.

  Another thing is that I feel smarter and sharper. That is probably because I am back to reading books again. I also feel like this is a virtuous loop, reenforcing the other benefits and the overall habit.

• by shivenigma on 4/16/21, 6:35 AM

  I read around 30 pages every day. I don't limit myself to either fiction or non-fiction. I always try to read a healthy mixture of the two.

  Also in non-fiction, I don't limit myself to only programming, I like to read on totally unrelated topics too. I don't have a rule that all books should be finished, so I sometimes close books if I don't like them at the moment.

  For what I'm getting, I take notes while reading. If the book is really good, I go through the notes and try to summarise the book. I started summarising only a few months ago and I feel like it helps in retaining more of the book.

  https://vikky.dev/the-top-5-books-i-read-in-2020

  https://vikky.dev/book-notes-on-writing-well-by-william-zins...

  But I would recommend you to try to enjoy reading first, once you've started enjoying doing the act, reading the hardest book will be easier.

• by mevorah on 4/15/21, 4:06 PM

  Slow reader here - I’ve picked up reading much more in recent years after always wanting to build a habit as well!

  Some ideas that have helped build that habit:

  - The Pragmatic Programmer (great book) recommends reading one technical book per quarter to invest in yourself. If you read one book per year, you’re still doing better than most . With that, I try to read a “professional” book every morning (I’ve gotten a ton of recommendations from https://leadership-library.dev). I’ve also found that when it comes to topics like leadership, I get a lot more depth through books than blog posts online.

  - At night, I like clearing my mind before going to bed. Podcasts with a sleep timer used to do the trick, but became prohibitive after moving in with my partner. I’ve found books have the same effect - I’ll usually read something lighter (fiction or non fiction).

  - Regarding audio books - I used to be pretty against audio books - the whole adage “Oh can you even call that reading?”. But I’ve come to learn, yes! I think you have to be pretty engaged to get the most out of them (I.e you can’t be browsing the internet while listening). Audio books on long runs have been a really great way to pass the time! What keeps me coming back is the idea that some reading is better than no reading at all!

  - Use the library! Before last year I would buy Kindle books - super expensive and difficult to try new books. This made me force myself to read books even if I didn’t really like them - not great! Instead, check out Libby to check out books from your local library. You can register for a library card without leaving your home! https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby?

  - Continuing on my previous point, if you’re not enjoying a book, just drop it and move on. It can take time to find the right book, but you will find one that you enjoy (take it from someone who has at times felt helpless in this area)! I’ve found a couple through - https://apps.npr.org/best-books/#view=covers&year=2020

  All in all, books are great and you should read them! Just be sure to find the time(s) that work best for you (don’t feel pressure to replace TV with books), and find the books that interest you in the moment!

• by poletopole on 4/15/21, 5:14 PM

  I'm reading mostly CS and mathematic textbooks, although I am reading the Kybalion too. The first half of the secret is finding a good book which is a problem you would think would be solved by now. The second half is learning to take good notes and how that's done is subjective, but I typically write as if someone else will be reading my notes. What I get out of it all isn't always clearcut but for example, after I read a textbook on logic, I almost didn't notice that it altered how I thought. Ultimately, for me, reading is about leveling up.

• by iamwpj on 4/15/21, 2:33 PM

  I was an avid reader for a long time, but college took a lot of that out of me. I read when I want now. Usually about 30-45 minutes before bed, but I'll go through spells where I just watch YouTube instead. I get book fatigue so reading back-to-back books is harder than it used to be. I typically read a book a month, but that can vary greatly. Right now I'm reading Obama's A Promised Land, but typically I prefer fiction. I read because it's nice and keeps me from being bored and watching stupid crap on TV or YT.

• by richjdsmith on 4/15/21, 2:11 PM

  Every single evening for about 15-30 minutes before I go to bed. Buying a kindle and being able to have a backlight (along with syncing to my phone so I can read on the go) has been a game changer. I read a lot more now.

  I only read fiction before bed. It's entertainment and I love it. I have been on a great binge of historical fiction lately and find myself pulling up wikipedia a lot more lately.

  For what it is worth, for non-fiction, I have mostly shifted to audiobooks. I drive a fair bit for work and listen to only non-fiction books.

• by dyeje on 4/15/21, 12:10 PM

  I find audiobooks easier to get through. I listen when I'm working out or walking somewhere. I read about a book month, all fiction. I just like a good story.

• by jdmoreira on 4/15/21, 12:04 PM

  I mostly listen to audiobooks nowadays which is less than ideal but much better than not "reading" at all I would say.

• by approxim8ion on 4/15/21, 8:40 AM

  My speed varies greatly depending on my mental state. I've read anywhere between 0 and 200 books in a year. Nowadays it is very slow, maybe a book a month. I read whatever I can get my hands on, except self-help kind of stuff. Mostly for entertainment.

• by sunstone on 4/18/21, 12:27 AM

  Warren Buffet says he spends 80% of his time reading and what he gets from it is going to bed every day a little smarter than the day before.

• by probinso on 4/15/21, 8:35 AM

  I'm very slow to read text, but audiobooks and podcasts have completely consumed my free time.

• by blackcats on 4/15/21, 9:07 AM

  1-3 books a month. Exposed to different ideas and new insights