How to read more books: C.S. Lewis

A simple rule from the creator of Narnia

C.S. Lewis has a nice little rule for how to read more. He writes:

“It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between.“

I really like this advice. Alternate between new and old books. And make time to revisit your old favorites. Choose the ones that remind you of who you are and why you read. Or pick up an old book you’ve been meaning to read but haven’t.

Above all, treat yourself to a comfort read. We all have books that we love to read again. Whether it’s Harry Potter or Pride & Prejudice, sometimes the act of reading is about relishing that familiar pleasure of a personal favorite.

This can also include childhood favorites. For example, C.S. Lewis wrote that he used to feel embarrassed about reading fairy tales, but that in adulthood he realized that he could read whatever he liked. As he put it:

“When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty, I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.”

Above all, I think it’s important to read what you enjoy. And like your favorite album that you play on repeat, there are always some books that you pick up when you want to be cozy and relaxed. Reading should be a treat we give ourselves, and sometimes the familiar allows us to get back into the habit of reading and therein encourages us to read more.

And so hopefully this will encourage you to pick up an old favorite of yours. Crack open one of your favorite books and just take a moment to enjoy the pleasure of the familiar. The best kind of reading is often re-reading. Books that feel like a part of us, and that we continue to return to. That is the best way to begin reading again.

Julian

Ps: let me know in the comments what some of your favorites are! Personally, I like to revisit Tolkien, P.G. Wodehouse, and Proust, but also my favorite manga and some comics. These books remind me of who I am and why I love to read.

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