I rely on WikiHow often; it is my go-to site for how to properly wash laundry and wrap presents. However, there are some things that cannot be enumerated in a "How To" list. This article is a prime example of when a list of items to be checked off fails to describe an activity as broad as reading. I found the article pretentious, overreaching, and even a little insincere. The writer is more interested in playing the part of a well-read scholar than in becoming a life-long lover of books. I don't consider myself well-read because there are certainly more books in publication than I will ever read. Moreover, there are inevitably more books in the universe than I am interested in reading. I agree that readers should challenge themselves and diversify their bookshelves, but The Aeneid is definitely not for everyone. Reading doesn't have to be linear or a bore. After all, reading should act as a reprieve from dull or upsetting days, not just one more thing to get done. I like the advice of listening to an audio book, and I'm interested if experiencing a book in a different medium makes it more or less enjoyable. The author doesn't mention libraries in detail, but one of the best ways I find books is to browse a section I like and randomly select a title. I was surprised that some of the books listed are ones I've read and loved, such as Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies. I think of myself as a fairly lowbrow reader as most of my favorites were under the "popular fiction or nonfiction" category. I already make goals for myself (my New Year's Resolution is to read 52 books) and use Goodreads constantly, but I've never written a book review before because I know a really negative or positive review completely sways my experience of a book. I do like that writing a review would force me to think about the broader meaning of the book.
A good book is a book that challenges me to become a more introspective thinker. It is a book that engages me emotionally to the point where I don't want to close it. It can be a classic, but it doesn't have to be. I'd be lying if I said I didn't notice Oprah's seal of approval or the little blurbs on the inside jacket. Reading is my "me time," so I'm more interested if a book will let me escape, if only for an afternoon. Award recognitions have significance, just not end-all, be-all significance.
A good book is a book that challenges me to become a more introspective thinker. It is a book that engages me emotionally to the point where I don't want to close it. It can be a classic, but it doesn't have to be. I'd be lying if I said I didn't notice Oprah's seal of approval or the little blurbs on the inside jacket. Reading is my "me time," so I'm more interested if a book will let me escape, if only for an afternoon. Award recognitions have significance, just not end-all, be-all significance.