I'd Rather Be Reading

Added thoughts from reading the text after listening to the audio

Reading the text helped me get more out of the book. Bogel's writing is quick and moves quickly. I like that, but I find I follow better when reading it rather than hearing it read. And, for the record, this is the first time I've read a book twice back-to-back. Usually this is because as a slow reader, reading is a time commitment. In this case, the book is on the shorter side and it reads quickly. Having listened to the audio helped as reading the text filled in gaps I missed while listening and I could hear her voice in my head while reading. Now back to the original review.

I recently discovered Anne Bogel's podcast and have enjoyed her approach in helping people find books they will enjoy. Her demeanor is gentle and inviting and shows genuine interest in people. Learning that she had written a book and that the audio was on Libby with my library, I jumped on it.

Bogel reads the book, so it has the sound and feel of her podcast, minus the guests. The book in one part feels like the podcast where she puts herself in the guest position, telling her story of becoming a reader. The book goes into thoughts about being a reader. From personal expectations to the way we choose to manage our reading lives.

What I really like about this book is that Bogel's message is to liberate people to be themselves in their reading life. Ideas are presented without being definitive answers. However, there are ideas for readers of all stripes.

She hit one of my nerves when she described how many more books will be published than is possible for her to read, even at a fairly fast rate. (I'm a slow reader, so that is compounded with me. She says she read Harry Potter series in ten days, it took me ten months. No judgment, just reality.) I admit I felt grief over the loss of not being able to read so many books that I might love. This was an important message for me to hear and to address my reading FOMO.

The one struggle I had with the audiobook was the speed at which it is read. I think this is likely a reflection of her natural speed, but my first thought was that I had bumped the playback speed on the app up by mistake when it was at normal speed. I have acquired the ebook version and have started making my way through it to help fill in the parts that I didn't quite follow. This book is of such interest to me that it is worth investing reading it right after listening to it. I'm definitely feeling a reader's high on this book.

To finish this up, I'd like to thank Anne Bogel for writing a book that helps take away some of the self shaming thoughts I've had about books I enjoy and encouraging me as a reader to enjoy the journey in my own way.