When a reporter suggested that Trump never reads a book, everybody had a comment ready why that is really bad.

At that time I realized that I don’t read books anymore. Of course I read, but mainly articles, essays, research and blogs related to my work. I read many books as child but somehow, in growing up, I lost that.

I was even defending my not-reading as being something good. Didn’t I learn faster from abstracts and experts summaries of complex topics? Why waste 10-15h on a book, when an infographic is giving me all I need?

You and I know that is just an excuse.

But what is the problem? In my case it turned out to be a lack of book-holding-time. Between family and work there was nearly no time to hold a book. All there was left, are the gaps between those activities. The 15 minutes to prepare breakfast, the 20 minutes walk to the office, the cab ride, the flights, …

Long story short, I am on my 31st book for 2018. Thanks to Audible and the AirPods I was able to get back into “reading”. I even finished an entire book (Shoe Dog about the Nike founder) while hiking with a friend thanks to the iPhone loudspeakers.

Reading an entire book gives a broader perspective than the abstract. You should sleep 7+ hours, but why? Benjamin Franklin was an inventor and travelling at light speed is not possible. Really? But most of all, it leaves a deeper impression, an emotional memory when you read an entire story. Try not to cry during the final race of The Boys in the Boat!

Here are a couple of things hat helped me. Get inspired by other readers, plan and track your reading in Goodreads, adjust the speed in Audible to 125%.

Now back to 31st about the Wright Brothers.