How to Overcome Book Fatigue by Tyler Cowen

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Reading should always be a fresh activity, full of surprises. But how can you keep it so? Sometimes that means another reread of your favorite classics, other times you can just dip into the long pile you've had sitting on your table --in my case the floor -- for months.

But I have another suggestion, namely that you should, every now and then, radically rethink what kind of books you read.

So often we read books which are geared to our identities, professions, and interests, rather than just reading for fun or reading for "viewquakes." Most of all I love the surprises I can earn from reading. So here's my advice.

Go to new sections of your book superstore, especially if you have never ever been to that section before. The reality is this: the best popular book on geology, gardening, or basketball is very very good, whether or not you like or care about the topic. Try to find those books and read them.

Stoop or stretch to slightly uncomfortable levels, so your eye alights on books you wouldn't normally notice. Look at the book return cart at the public library; those are books that other people have found valuable. Take advantage of what they know.

Email a relative stranger, or a total stranger, and ask him or her what single book you should read.

If you're going to keep reading fresh, it's up to you. The key point is the simple realization that there are many things you can do. Beware the tyranny of routine!

Tyler

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