Books

How To Read More Books

Summer is a great time to develop a better reading habit.  I am an avid reader.  I read about one book a week.  It is always interesting when people ask me how I find time to read like it’s this major accomplishment.  I don’t think of reading many books as an accomplishment, as much as I just make reading a part of my daily routine.

However, all the content overload like streaming movie services, music downloads, and podcasts have created mental distractions from reading.  This happens to me a lot too.  Just the other day, I noticed that Prime Video has all five seasons of Six Feet Under.

I just wanted to watch one episode… Six hours later, that one episode turned into an afternoon binge! So I understand the struggle.  But, nonetheless, I still make time to read, and here are some suggestions on how to do it.

  1. Read what you like: I think a lot of people feel that they have to read “serious” books to be considered a “serious” reader.  I think that reading any book regardless of the subject is more important than reading no books.  I have a friend who only reads romance and erotica novels, and she read two or three books in a week!  Trashy romance isn’t my jam, but that’s cool. Different strokes for different folks.  I’m the type who likes reading non-fiction books about politics and history, and who reads A People’s History of the United States at the beach. Reading should be a pleasant experience for you, not something that should feel belabored.  So read what you like!
  2. Stop reading what you don’t like: I think it is okay to stop reading a book if you are not connecting to it.  I do this all the time.  Sometimes, you are intrigued to read the book because it has such great reviews or you just liked the cover art.  I have a 20-page rule; if you are not feeling the book after reading the first 20 pages, move onto another book.
  3. Embrace different book formats: Luckily, in the new technological era, there are so many ways to enjoy a book – hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook – that can fit into our lifestyles.  As much as I love the smell and feel of a printed book, I find it easier to read and enjoy books on my iPhone Kindle app or Kindle Paperwhite.  Since I don’t have a car, it is easier for me to not have to carry a physical book with me and listen to an audiobook while I am walking or taking public transit.
  4. Make time to read: This is the most important point when you take into account the first three points.  If you can find time to do social media, watch Netflix, listen to podcasts and music, you can find time to read a book.  I try to read at least 30 minutes a day, usually either first thing in the morning or before going to bed at night. One of the things I really like about the Kindle Paperwhite is that it is lightweight, you can increase the font size for easier reading, and it doesn’t have the blue light issues which make it easier on your eyes at night.  You can also find time to read while waiting in a line, in between TV commercials, commuting on public transit, during your kid’s nap time, not paying attention to a teleconference, etc.

If you have the time (when you are not reading a book), here is a 30-minute video on better reading habits.

Why Book Access and Information in Prisons Matter

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Censorship and the suppression of reading materials are rarely about family values and almost always about control about who is snapping the whip, who is saying no, and who is saying go. – Stephen King

As many of you already know, Washington State Department of Corrections recently quietly made a policy change basically banning prison book donations from nonprofits like Book to Prisoners.  The policy would have limited books already approved for prisoners from donations from nonprofits, local libraries, and other programs that offer educational opportunities for inmates.  The prison system claimed that this was done because of limited staff to sort mail as well as funding and support from the Washington State Library (WSL).  However, WSL claims they were not notified of this new policy.

Of course, outrage ensued and after 12,000 people signed Books to Prisoners’ Change.org petition, Washington Department of Correction is now reconsidering this new policy and working with Books to Prisoners again.

While this is a good step in the right direction, please keep in mind, this policy change was done quietly on purpose.  This happens more often than we think around the country.  Giving prisoners access to books and information provides opportunities for them to improve their lives both inside and outside prison. Ex-offenders are less likely to re-offend when they have more access to opportunities to better themselves.  It is in everyone’s best interest to support prison literacy programs.

However, because many prisons are now privatized and are big money makers, it is not in the best interest of prisons to have an inmate population that is educated and their recidivism rate goes down…

Please consider learning more about and donation to prison book programs here.

Learning From Generational Knowledge

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I stumbled upon this great conversation from 1971 between Nikki Giovanni and James Baldwin. This has been a crummy Black History Month filled with blackface, nooses, racist newspaper editors, and Jussie Smollett.  But this conversation between two literary legends is a great way to end the month on a high note.

I won’t say anything else; just watch it.

Book Review: Looking For Lorraine

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I recently read Imani Perry’s new book, Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry.  This is the first book in a long time that gives a comprehensive look into the life of the black playwright.  It is packed with essays, photos, and letters that have been never seen publicly before.

Although her life was cut short by cancer at the age of 34, her play, A Raisin in the Sun, has left a lasting impression in black history, and in particular black theater.  A lot of her theater work was informed by her social activism, starting with her brief time in Mexico, where she immersed herself in the intersection of the arts and activism.  This was followed by her time in Harlem writing for Freedom, a social justice newspaper founded by actor Paul Robeson.  During her tenure there, she wrote about the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya, women’s rights, and how racism, classism, and imperialism negatively affect people of color around the world.  I think it is also important to note that there were other great women reporters working at Freedom during Hansberry’s tenure, including Vicki Garvin and Alice Childress.

On a separate note, according to this book, Nina Simone, one of Hansberry’s close friends, was a lesbian apparently.  It is news to me, but I guess this was common knowledge?  The book also delves into Hansberry’s homosexuality based on some of her incognito writings for The Ladder, a 1950s  lesbian magazine.

The book also goes into detail about the infamous meeting Hansberry had with Bobby Kennedy in 1963, which I wrote in detail about recently.

I highly recommend the book, as well as the documentary, Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart.

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