より多くの本を読むためには…

『ハーバード ビジネス レビュー』オンラインで、8 Ways to Read (a Lot) More Books This Year (by Neil Pastiche) を読みました。

私も去年に比べて、より多くの本を読んでいます。The article title caught my attention because I wondered: Am I doing some of the same things as this author?

So, what does he suggest? Let’s look at his 8 pieces of advice.

First . . .

Centralize reading in your home.

テレビが誘惑になってしまうので、テレビを片付けて、そのcentral spaceに本棚を置けというアドバイスです。

I’ll admit, when I was in graduate school back in the States, there was a time when I put the tv in the closet. I would drag it out once a week to watch “24,” and then I would dutifully put it back in the closet.

I don’t do that now. But if you think you might spend too much time watching tv (how much is “too much”? that’s up to you), then I’d recommend following Roald Dahl’s advice in his poem “Television”:

So please, oh please, we beg, we pray
go throw your TV set away
and in its place, you can install
a lovely bookshelf on the wall.

Second . . .

Make a public commitment.

I’m sure this works well for some people. Personally, though, I’m a little too “private” for this.

もちろん、「今読んでいる本」について、家族や同僚、また生徒さんと分かち合うこともありますが、自分の読書リストを全部公開しようなどとは思っていません。But if it works for you, by all means!

Third . . .

Find a few trusted, curated lists.

言うまでもないことでしょう。Yes, I do this. I definitely enjoy seeing people’s reading lists. I especially enjoy seeing syllabi for college courses.

“Curated list”とは少し違いますが、最近は本屋大賞に興味があります。

Fourth . . .

Change your mindset about quitting.

In my case, I suppose I don’t intentionally quit reading books as much as I simply abandon them and never go back. So I sort of do this.

Whatever the case, I think this is good advice.

Fifth . . . 

Take a “news fast” and channel your reading dollars.

“News fast”というのは、「ニュースの断食」という意味ですが、私は正反対のことをやりました。

In January, I subscribed to a Japanese daily newspaper. It has helped me increase my daily amount of Japanese reading, so I plan to keep my subscription for now.

Nevertheless, I think it’s generally a good idea to cut down on news consumption, especially online news.

Sixth . . .

Triple your churn rate.

確かに、我が家の本棚は去年に比べてとても「ダイナミック」になっています。しかし、それは図書館から借りてきた本と購入してきた本の話であって、自分の古本を全然処分していません。It’s hard for me to get rid of books! Maybe I’ll try to do that soon.

Seventh . . .

Read physical books.

気持ち分かります。I love physical books. And in fact, I’m reading more physical books than before. But I’m also reading as much on my Kindle and iPad as I’m reading from old trees.

Do what works for you, and I’ll do what works for me.

Eighth . . .

Reapply the 10,000 steps rule.

The idea here is to keep a book with you at all times and to read during “minutes hidden in all the corners of the day.” Good advice.

I don’t take this to the extreme. スティーヴン・キングみたいに決して極端なことはしていません。But I do keep a book or two, or a thousand (on my Kindle), with me pretty much at all times.

– – –

This is all good advice, but in the end, I don’t think there’s a 1-2-3 point list of suggestions that will work for everybody.

Perhaps the simplest advice is to stay curious. Or to find ways to get curious. The more curious you are, I can almost guarantee, the more you’ll read.

How about you? Do you have any other suggestions besides these? Or any favorite book lists?


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