5 Simple Ways To Fully Appreciate Reading

This is a guest post by Jamie. Find out more about Jamie at the end of this post!

After being invited to write a guest post on Eleanor’s brilliant blog, I thought that I would talk about the thing I spend most of my spare time doing – reading!

Nothing beats sitting down with a book, immersed in its landscapes and fascinated by its characters and what they’re getting up to.

As someone who has taught English for quite some time, I have often noticed that readers fall prey to just reading for the sake of it, or even just to get to the punchlines of stories.

Many times in the past, I have rushed through novels, trying to get to the bits that everyone had been talking about.

The trouble is, when you do this you can find yourself missing other vital details, cleverly written gems and even miss the whole point of a story, therefore judging it harshly, based more on assumptions than facts.

So I want to give a few simple ways that might help you to enjoy reading even more. If you take a little time to fully appreciate a book, it can heighten your relationship with that story and may make you even more of a book lover.

I’ve put together 5 simple ideas about how to fully appreciate reading

There are so many ways to appreciate a good book, including:

  1. Talk about it
  2. Make reading a treat
  3. Interact with other people
  4. Compare a book to its film version
  5. Read somewhere comfortable

Let’s take a look at each of these ideas in a little more detail…

1. Talk About It

Luckily for me, I have a close friend who loves reading too. We regularly buy the same book and discuss it as we go along.

If either of us gets ahead of the other we just let the other one know and make sure that we read our other books for a bit until we are both literally ‘on the same page’.

The benefits of reading alongside a friend or relative are that you can natter about each and every chapter, compare perceptions and have fun making predictions.

Currently, Emily and I are reading ‘Apples Never Fall’ and savouring each and every part of the story as it unfolds.

2. Make Reading A Treat

There have been times when I’ve just wanted to get through a book quickly and squeezed in a couple of pages here and there. Everyone does this.

Lately, though, I have tried to ensure that those small bursts of reading are uninterrupted, quiet and enjoyable. The reality is, I don’t finish a book if it drags along.

I used to force myself through to the end but these days I only read what feels right.

That way, my ten minutes of reading at break time is nothing but pure pleasure, and I can fully appreciate my reading time.

3. Interacting

Blogs are really good ways to get into books. Recently I have picked up books by unknown authors purely because I read short reviews of them on blogs.

Bloggers are clever and can describe the essence of a book alongside an honest perspective. Every time a book blogger has recommended a story and I have sampled it, it has turned out to be great.

‘The Dragon of Ynys’ is one such example, and I reviewed this book on my blog.

Using resources provided for book clubs can also be interesting. For instance, Joanne Harris provides questions and prompts for reading groups on her author site.

Whether you are part of a club or not, answering thought-provoking questions by a writer can often really get you engrossed in a book and its setting.

4. Compare A Book To A Screen Version

I do this one all of the time!

I read Harry Potter long before the film came out and enjoyed comparing the visuals that I’d built up in my head with Chris Columbus’ interpretation of Potter, Granger and Weasley.

On the other hand, I watched Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson in the film ‘Sense and Sensibility’ before trying the Jane Austen version out.

I surprised myself by discovering I could read and love an ‘older’ book.

Although occasionally one version tends to be weaker than the other, in my experience, it has been satisfying to appreciate a book on paper AND as a TV show or film.

Case in point would be ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ which was amazing as a book and stunning as a series.

5. Read Somewhere Comfortable

Many of us like to take our reading on holiday with us. I am not one for sunbathing but if I ever do, I tend to be lapping up a contemporary novel at the same time.

More likely, you will find me devouring a narrative as I sit in a train carriage, whizzing across Europe.

When I see people on Instagram sitting high up in a beautiful mountainside retreat or nestled under a tree, absorbed in a book, I totally appreciate how great that must feel.

Books are sources of pleasure and should be treated as such.

If you want some time with your imagination, nothing is better than opening a story in a place you feel both comfortable and safe.

So there we have it! I hope that my five ways to fully appreciate reading resonated with you a little, and I would love to know your own thoughts on this matter.

Thank you so much to Eleanor for including me as a guest blogger on her lovely site, I have really found this a fun blog post to write.

About the Author

This blog post was written by Jamie, a writer and blogger who has a keen interest in books, entertainment and the environment.

Take a look at Jamie’s blog or connect with him on Twitter.

How do you make sure you fully appreciate a good book? What do you think of these tips to appreciate your favourite hobby? What are your recommendations for fully appreciating a good read?

Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below 🙂

Happy reading x

72 thoughts

  1. I love the idea of reading the same book as a friend and discussing it as you go. That’s such a fun idea! I’ve loved lending my favourite books to friends and having them enjoy the stories and talk about them with me. I agree on the book bloggers note too. I have a TBR list specifically because I’d come across so many interesting reads on book blogs 🙂

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  2. I really appreciated this information about finding a cozy place and really enjoying reading. Sometimes I forget about it being a pleasure as I try and fit some reading into my day. Great post! Thanks for sharing.

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  6. Unfortunately, due to my dyslexia, I don’t think I’ll ever fully appreciate reading because it’s quite the chore for me. I don’t always process what I’ve read and I can get to the end of a page and have no idea what happened, so I have to read it again. But I’m sure these will help others enjoy reading more

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  14. I love this so much! I love to read as well but I do view it often as a treat because I am so busy. So when I have time to sit down and actually enjoy a book, I treasure it!

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  15. I would love to sit under a tree with a good book and soak up the story and atmosphere all at once, that’s definitely something I will look at doing when the weather gets warmer. Love the idea of reading the same book as a friend so you can both discuss the story! Some great tips here from Jamie!

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  20. I really appreciate this post and the tips you’ve shared! I love reading but I do have a low attention span and do find myself getting distracted so I’m defiantly going to try and appreciate it more. Thank you so much for sharing lovely Xo

    Elle – ellegracedeveson.com

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  21. This is a great reminder. I really need to starting again. Sometimes, I like to compare the book to the film or tv programme. When I read a book, I picture a character and then I am to see if the character is similar or not to my thoughts. Thank you for sharing this post.

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  22. Wonderful post! Taking your time and finding a comfortable space makes your reading experience that much more enjoyable. I also agree with having conversations. When you discuss the story with another person, you can sometimes pick up on things that you might’ve missed. Thanks for sharing Jamie and Eleanor!

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  24. I think it is fantastic to have a friend who can read the same book as you at the same time. There are times I am really excited about a book I read and I need to talk to someone about it.
    I have also started reading a book after having seen a play based on it. This was really interesting since you appreciate a book in a different way.
    Loved reading Jamies suggestions to appreciate reading!

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  27. Lovely post! I’m not a big reader, but when I do I go out onto my balcony and sit in my egg swing chair and curl up to read. It’s so comfortable and it makes reading really enjoyable out there.

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  32. Great post.

    Unfortunately I’m guilty of cramming in a few pages a day, just to say I’ve read something.

    I love books so much and need to get back to being excited about the story.

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  36. I love the idea of reading the same book as friends and having a mini book club as a catch up afterwards. I used to always read before bed, but have fallen out of the habit…it is something I should start again!
    Thanks fro sharing 🙂
    Aimsy xoxo
    Aimsy’s Antics

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  37. My new year resolution is to read at least one book a month. I am terrible at reading, I just can’t focus for long enough. But I figure if I start off small and keep it to say about 10-20 pages a day, I should be able to put my focus into it for long enough.

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