The joy of reading (and listening)!
I love books. I love the feel of a book in my hand and the smell of seasoned books when I open them. I am filled with joy and curiosity when I wander the aisles of a bookstore or library. There are so many ideas and stories just waiting to be explored. Before starting my doctoral program in 2017, I consumed several books a month, often reading two or three books simultaneously. When I started the program, though, I resigned to using all my available time to read journal articles and reference materials. Trying to be a student while working full-time meant sacrifices had to be made.
Not reading books didn’t stop me from buying books. I created a massive pile of books to read, “when I finish this PhD.” As I neared my defense date, I told everyone who would listen how much I looked forward to reading for pleasure again. When that day finally came, a funny thing happened. I could not read. Obviously, I still knew how to read, but I couldn’t concentrate on the words in front of me. The letters were blurry, and I lost my place over and over. I assumed this was the fatigue. The fog left over from the intense push to complete the dissertation. Give it time, I thought. But months passed, and the piles of unread books kept growing.
Some believe that listening to an audiobook is inferior to reading a book. I would have agreed with this a year ago. My love of physical books notwithstanding, I could not imagine having the same level of engagement with audio as I do with text. But in my desperation to begin reading again, I turned to Libby, the app that allows you to access audiobooks from your local library. If I couldn’t read the text, I would try to listen instead. It was just the breakthrough I needed. Since the start of the new year, I have read – well listened to - more than 30 books. I am an eclectic reader, so the books range from sci-fi to self-help and everything in between. I am rediscovering the joy of disappearing into a rich narrative, discovering a new concept, or learning a new historical fact through the words and voices of these talented authors.
Now, lest you think I have abandoned physical books, let me reassure you that this is not the case. In fact, listening has allowed me to return to print. I still find that I can concentrate longer with an audiobook, but text no longer evades me when I sit with a book in hand. The learner in me is relieved to have found my way back to books and to now have a new way of consuming them. I am a believer and excited to continue my reading adventures in this new format. If you are looking for a good audiobook to get you started, here is a list of the books I enjoyed most. Happy reading!
Fiction
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Banyan Moon by Thao Thai
Trust by Hernan Diaz
Sci-Fi
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull
The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
Self-Improvement
Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner
Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky with Connie Burk
Compassionate Accountability by Nate Regier
10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-help That Actually Works – a true story by Dan Harris
Find Your Unicorn Space: Reclaim Your Creative Life in a Too Busy World by Eve Rodsky
Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg
History
For All The Tea In China by Sarah Rose