illustration by Nathan W Pyle
C.S Lewis, in his book The Reading Life: The Joy of Seeing New Worlds Through Others' Eyes shares some great advice for finding joy and getting the most out of reading books. I am listing the ones I found most interesting here
Feel free to skim over chapters that you think are not providing value to you
Reread your favorite books at least once every 10 years
Reading is not a passive activity, it's an active hobby. Try to take notes, underline key points, and map what you've learned to books you've read in the past.
The more up to date a book is, the sooner it will become dated.
Talking about a book is as important as reading it. Have discussions, and even arguments, about what you're reading.
New doesn't necessarily mean better
Enough advice from C.S Lewis and time for one of mine - When you are reading nonfiction, look up online for a nice summary of the book so that you can
a) Decide to read something else if you think the material does not bring enough value
b) Prepare for the key topics discussed in the book to increase the absorption rate.
"Read good books not to get through them, but so they get through you" - C.S Lewis