I mean everyone is entitled to their own shit sandwich opinions, but we're talking about one of the best adaptations of the past decade. What didn't you like about it?

Get an audiobook and connect listening to it with a physical activity that wouldn't allow you to read an actual book. Take a study break, go for a walk and listen to something for pure entertainment. And return refreshed and with better ability to concentrate.

All The Bright Places did this to me. I'm still in a book hangover but at the same time it's now my favorite book by far and is HEAVILY annotated so Idk what that says about me.

The irony here is palpable.

I read The Sympathizer lately. I liked it. The prose was good. It wasn't in the way of the story and wasn't very purple by my reckoning.

[removed]

Yes, a genre is just a collection of tropes and conventions that allow readers to find books that are similar to other books they have liked. As fashions come and go, new genres and subgenres appear. For example, within fantasy, we have relatively recent subgenres like litRPG, progression fantasy, "cozy" fantasy (like "Legends & Lattes")....

Another idea might be (and this I'm basing on your wanting to read but doing other things in your free time instead) to start with very short books - a novelette or short story collection or, at most, a novella. They may not be the books you're currently interested in reading but may help to form a habit and will give you that 'reward' of finishing a book quickly which could help all by itself, giving you that feeling that you've done it once, now you can do it again.

This. It providing the book in a different format may also do wonders because it's then not the same as a university book which is on paper/screen.

You just gave the example of Stephen King?

well best is to pick something good, something you cannot put down from the genre you like. You can go to r/suggestmeabook where people can recommend books according to what you would like to read.

I will also suggest listening to audiobooks when you are doing something mundane like chores, commuting etc. Audiobooks help me a lot to get through something boring, I no longer hate chores because of it.

Have you tried audiobooks? They might help you transition to reading for pleasure because you can listen to them while you do other things

Thriftbooks.com is really good!

> into a voluntary choice which validates it

Yeah, I get it, people feel like you wanting to improve yourself means you're putting them down (since it's in human nature to be competitive). Or that you are too egotistical and should stay in your lane. So I guess not reading books might come from having a closed mind which could be solved by reading. It's a closed cycle. I wonder what would force such a person to get out of it and try to learn instead of using ignorance as a shield.

Julio Cortázar! One of my favourite writers.

Never missing an opportunity to say that Project Hail Mary (Weir's third book) is possibly the best book I've ever read and definitely has the same vibes as The Martian. If you liked the movie, you will love both books!!

Yes. Good book and had lots of fun technical aspects to it

I started Lord of the rings three times.

At some point I "got" the language and loved it from then on in

Similar to the Patrick O'Brian Aubrey/Maturin books - hard to get into but so worth it

I'd probably just read Project Hail Mary to start with. It's very much the same tone with a fresh new plot.

If it works for you, then I'd go back and read The Martian. I enjoyed both, personally, but you might as well get the one that has plot twists (for you, having seen the movie) rather than the one where all the main beats are going to be familiar.

Read it last week for the first time. Brilliant book! It’s in my top 10.

Also whats NYRB?

For real. I listened to the audiobook in 2 sittings (driving across the country) and couldn't imagine how the character talks in the book. I recently picked up a physical copy and flipped to one of his chapters and was kinda disappointed to be honest, but it was still about as expected

Mine is Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles. It was pitched as The Phantom of the Opera meets the Night Circus. But it's not!!

The main character is a poor representation of Feminism. More like feminism where women are great, but men are douchebag. She pissed me off so much!! There is even a part of the story where the character thinks men are ganging up on her because she is a woman. But she didn't follow the rules. It's a freaking contest!! A teacher won't excuse you for being late in the exam just because you always get an A. Even late paper submissions get deductions, or worse, not accepted. But this main character thinks she's awesome and she deserves straight As no matter what. That's where I DNF the book.🤣

I think it helps to create like a timeslot for reading time. For me, it started with my bedtime routine, because I noticed that reading helped me fall asleep faster as opposed to watching something. So I started to block at least 30min before going to bed just for reading.

You could also use your commuting time (if you are not driving of course) :)

Hope it helps!

"The best book ever" That is my thought. I'm re-reading it, and enjoying it more and more.

You will find references to it everywhere else in literature, either to events in the book, or characters or themes. Keep looking for them.

For me, it is my answer to "which 3 books would you take to a desert island?" In search of lost time and another 2 (well, no, the 2nd would be the complete works of Borges, but the 3rd I don't care so much)

I did the same and found audiobook the best out if three if them