The Pleasure of Getting Lost in a Good Book

I can't remember the last time I sat down with a book and completely lost track of time. The kind of reading where you tell yourself you'll finish one more chapter, only to look at the clock and realise an hour has passed.

I used to do it all the time.

These days, it's a little different. There's always something that needs doing, something I've forgotten about or a phone within reach that's far too easy to pick up.

And the funny thing is, I still love reading. I love wandering around bookshops, looking at beautiful covers and reading the first few pages to see whether something catches my attention. I've bought books with every intention of reading them straight away, only for them to sit patiently on the shelf for months.

I'm fairly certain I'm not alone in that.

Lately, though, I've been thinking about how much I miss getting properly absorbed in a good book. Not because I think I should be reading more, but because I genuinely enjoy it when I do.

Remember when reading felt effortless?

I think back to when I was younger and reading was something I did without giving it much thought. I'd pick up a book and disappear into it for hours. There was no particular routine, no reading target and certainly no feeling that I needed to finish a certain number of books each year.

I just read because I wanted to know what happened next.

Some books stayed with me long after I'd finished them. Others I've probably forgotten entirely, although I remember enjoying them at the time. And that was enough.

Somewhere along the way, reading became something I had to make time for rather than something I naturally did.

I suspect our phones have a lot to answer for.

It's so easy to spend twenty minutes scrolling through things that we won't remember tomorrow. Yet finding twenty minutes to sit down with a book can somehow feel like a luxury.

I find that quite strange when I think about it.

The books that make you forget everything else

There's a particular feeling you get when you find a book that really draws you in.

You start reading and, before long, the room around you seems to disappear. You're imagining places you've never visited, getting to know people who don't exist and becoming far too invested in what happens to them.

I love that.

A good novel can transport you somewhere completely different without you having to leave the sofa. And sometimes, that's exactly what you need after a long day.

I'm also drawn to books that make me see familiar things differently. The kind where you read a paragraph, stop for a moment and find yourself thinking about it later while you're making dinner.

That's one of the things I enjoy about reading. You never quite know which books are going to stay with you.

Sometimes it's the ones you least expect.

Finding your kind of book

One thing I've noticed is how easy it is to get caught up in what everyone else is reading.

You see the same books recommended on Instagram, mentioned in articles or displayed at the front of bookshops. Before long, you've convinced yourself you need to read them too.

And sometimes they're brilliant.

Other times, you get halfway through and wonder what everyone else is seeing that you're not.

I've started to think that finding books you actually enjoy is far more important than keeping up with whatever happens to be popular.

I like a mixture. Some days I'm in the mood for something thoughtful that makes me question the way I live. Other times, I'd much rather read a story that has absolutely nothing to do with my own life.

And I think that's perfectly fine.

Not every book needs to teach us something or change our perspective. Sometimes a really good story is reason enough to read.

The unfinished books on the shelf

I've always found it difficult to give up on a book.

Even when I'm not enjoying it, there's a little voice telling me I've already read half, so I might as well finish.

But why?

There are thousands of books I'd probably love, and I'll never have time to read them all. It seems a shame to spend weeks struggling through something that hasn't captured my interest simply because I feel I should.

So I'm trying to be a little less precious about unfinished books.

If I'm not enjoying something, I can put it down. Perhaps I'll come back to it another time. Perhaps I won't.

I also think we sometimes choose the wrong book for the mood we're in.

A book that feels heavy going after a tiring day might be exactly what we want on a quiet Sunday morning.

There's no reason to force it.

Making room for reading again

I've seen plenty of advice about creating the perfect reading routine. Wake up earlier, read for thirty minutes before bed, always carry a book with you.

Some of it is genuinely useful, but I've learnt that the moment I make something too structured, it starts to feel like another obligation.

And that's the last thing I want reading to become.

I'd much rather leave a book somewhere I can easily pick it up and read when I feel like it.

Perhaps that's ten minutes while I'm waiting for something in the oven. Or half an hour on a Saturday afternoon when the house is quiet.

I'm also trying to get out of the habit of automatically reaching for my phone whenever there's a spare moment.

It's surprising how often I do it without even realising.

And although I know I won't suddenly stop scrolling altogether, I'd quite like to spend a little less time looking at a screen and a little more time turning actual pages.

There's something lovely about a bookshop

As convenient as it is to order books online, I still love going into a proper bookshop.

There's something about wandering around without knowing exactly what you're looking for. Picking up a book because the cover catches your eye, reading the back and discovering something you hadn't heard of before.

I particularly like independent bookshops where the shelves feel thoughtfully put together and there's no rush to leave.

I could spend ages looking through the travel and interiors sections alone.

And while I do sometimes leave with more books than I intended to buy, I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. There are worse things to collect.

Although I probably should finish a few of the ones I've already got.

Reading doesn't have to be another achievement

One thing I've never been particularly interested in is counting how many books I've read.

I know some people love setting themselves reading challenges, and I can see why. There's something satisfying about working towards a goal.

But for me, I think it would take away some of the enjoyment.

I'd start worrying about how quickly I was getting through a book rather than whether I was enjoying it.

And that's not really the point, is it?

Some books deserve to be read slowly. You might find yourself going back over a page because something has stayed with you, or putting the book down for a while to think about what you've just read.

Others are the kind you race through because you simply can't wait to find out what happens.

Neither is a better way of reading.

I think the pleasure comes from allowing yourself to enjoy the book in front of you, without worrying about what you should be reading next.

A little more time between the pages

Perhaps what I miss most about reading is that feeling of being completely absorbed in something.

There aren't many moments in everyday life when our attention isn't being pulled in several directions. Even when we're sitting down, there's often something going on in the background.

But when a book really captures your imagination, everything else can wait for a while.

And I think that's a lovely thing.

I've got several books sitting on my shelf at the moment that I've been meaning to start. Some have been there longer than I'd care to admit.

Rather than buying another one, I might actually pick one of those up this evening.

Make myself comfortable, put my phone somewhere out of reach and see where the first chapter takes me.

And if I only manage ten pages, that's fine too.

After all, the best part of reading was never about how quickly we could finish a book.

It was always about getting lost in it.

Explore The Book Edit

If you're looking for your next read, we've gathered a selection of books that have caught our attention in The Book Edit.

From novels you can disappear into to thoughtful books about everyday life, there's a little inspiration for whatever you're in the mood to read.

And perhaps a reminder to revisit that book that's been sitting on your shelf for months.

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