How to make studying enjoyable once more?

In this essay I share ten concepts that made studying enjoyable for me as an grownup. I used to be in a studying droop for a very long time earlier than I attempted a few of the concepts I explored on this essay. I additionally wrote this essay to doc and share my love for studying as a private and social exercise.

Recently I used to be having a dialog with my buddy in regards to the historical past of the subcontinent. He talked about that there was a ebook printed in 2025 that made the declare that within the 1920’s the Indian subcontinent or Indian empire included 12 international locations together with India, Yemen, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan and Oman. By 1971 all of them turned impartial nations. It was this line of pondering that despatched me down a rabbit gap to find and research the impartial histories of every of those international locations. I grew up and spend the primary twenty years of my life in Bahrain and spent most of my twenties in India. So my historical past was really intertwined with this random reality. I then spent 3-4 hours watching movies, listening to podcasts, studying articles, following hyperlinks, shopping for ebooks, studying ebook critiques and extra. I lastly determined to learn these books in regards to the partition of the Indian Empire. The first ebook was titled, Shattered Lands: Five Partitions and the Making of Modern Asia (2025) by Sam Dalrymple and the second ebook was titled, The Book of Everlasting Things (2022) by Aanchal Malhotra. One was non fiction and the opposite was fiction. One ebook had quite a few info in regards to the division of the Indian Empire into 12 impartial nations. The different ebook had a easy story of a younger couple divided by partition. I wished to grasp the bigger historic and political image but in addition wished to grasp its impact on the person. This was the genesis of my first studying experiment of mixing fiction and nonfiction across the identical theme of partition of South Asia.

I’m a part of a small ebook membership hosted by the Mumbai Literary Club. This membership is run by Malliketh and Bhumika who set up ebook swaps and ebook discussions for readers within the metropolis. In July 2025, they determined to do a double learn of the basic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) by Mark Twain with the alternate perspective of James (2024) by Percival Everett. The first ebook is a have a look at life within the 1840’s within the southern states of America from the angle of a white youngster and a black runaway slave. Both these characters resolve to flee their tough lives and go on an journey on the Mississipi River. This story was instructed from the angle of Huckleberry. The second ebook was a retelling of the American basic from the angle of Jim. They meet good and unhealthy individuals alongside the best way and so they each have very totally different goals from this journey due to what’s at stake for every considered one of them. Jim is apprehensive about being caught and enslaved once more. Huckleberry is apprehensive about being caught and despatched again to his alcoholic father. Both these books acquired me curious in regards to the civil rights motion in America and acquired me excited to research and analysis the historical past of that nation from 1776 to 2025. This ebook challenged me to learn for tone and to grasp that the identical story might imply very various things relying on whose perspective you learn it from. This was the genesis of my second studying experiment of studying the identical story from the angle of two very totally different characters.

In 2023, I made a decision to problem myself to learn one ebook each week. By the top of the yr I learn 52 books. I created a short video review of each book I read in this playlist. You can discover the list of books I learn that yr at this link. I believe I wished to discover the thought of consistency as a reader throughout this yr lengthy studying experiment. During that yr, I additionally realized that I’m fairly moody as a reader. If I learn a heavy historic non fiction ebook, I have to stability that with a lighter romantic comedy for my subsequent learn. If I full a sports activities biography about an athlete whose profession I adopted intently I might then observe that up with a literary fiction ebook the place I acquired to discover the internal depths of the thoughts and pondering patterns of a single character. During the yr, I additionally acquired to discover the thought of writing and sharing ebook critiques within the textual and video type. It was a technique to share and develop my expertise with different readers of the identical ebook. You can discover the top of yr video from that problem under. This yearly studying experiment helped me perceive essential insights about my manner as a reader.

I take pleasure in writing and studying critiques on Goodreads. It is a social media platform for readers.

There are a number of issues you are able to do as a social reader on these platforms like:

1. Write and browse ebook critiques.

2. Create a listing of books you learn and books you liked in numerous genres.

3. Get updates out of your favorite writer.

4. Find associated books by looking lists and critiques from different readers on the platform.

5. Join on-line ebook golf equipment and ebook dialogue rooms.

6. Follow different readers and mates who additionally do the identical issues.

I nonetheless assume Goodreads can do a significantly better job with their interface. There are options in platforms like Fable and Storygraph. But utilizing a social media platform to doc and share your studying expertise is an effective way to make studying enjoyable once more. I spend hours every week writing and studying ebook critiques/notes from my reader mates on the platform. I discover a few of my finest reads by this course of. They additionally publish an annual list of the best books in each genre decided by the votes of readers on the platform (one other nice technique to uncover new books). The different enjoyable options on Goodreads embody the flexibility to avoid wasting quotes and save ebook notes/highlights. You can discover me on Goodreads at www.goodreads.com/abhireads.

I joined a silent studying neighborhood within the metropolis of Mumbai in late 2024. It was known as Juhu Reads and was based in 2023. It is mainly a gaggle of people who come collectively to learn silently in a park. You can observe chapters round India and the world like Cubbon Reads, Bandra Reads, Lodhi Reads, Hyderabad Reads, Kuala Lumpur Reads, Boston Reads and Dubai Reads. Through my participation on this silent studying neighborhood, I acquired an opportunity to carve out time only for studying each weekend. It was one thing I appeared ahead to at the beginning of every week. During the session you learn quietly within the firm of nature and different readers. At the top of the session you do a ebook stack and click on a gaggle picture the place you might have the choice to debate what you’re studying or share suggestions. There is a no strain to socialize or interact in small discuss in these conferences. It can be a terrific alternative to spend extra time in nature. If you can not discover a reads chapter near your private home, you possibly can seize a mat, go to your native park and begin a brand new one. Here is a bookstack picture from the 103th meeting of Juhu Reads.

Another enjoyable exercise is to swap books with different readers in your metropolis. The White Crow Bookshop in Mumbai organizes one such occasion each month.

As described within the picture above each month about 20 to 30 readers are invited to the ebook retailer to swap a ebook from their non-public assortment. Each reader presents a brief 1 minute pitch about their ebook after which provides it to the bookswap bookstack. At the top of the assembly you get an opportunity to swap the ebook you might have offered with one other reader. This is moderated by the wonderful of us on the Mumbai Literary Club. I like listening to the ebook pitches. Every reader has a singular world view and I discover it fascinating to grasp which a part of their studying expertise they’ve chosen to spotlight within the pitch. I make a listing of no less than 4-5 books at each occasion that go onto my TBR checklist. Inspired by this occasion, I additionally began a non-public ebook swap initiative known as Book Bond Books the place readers throughout the town of Mumbai can trade and swap books with one another by creating digital lists of books from their dwelling libraries.

Bookstagrammers are a gaggle of readers that all the time assist me soar out of a studying droop. They are readers that create Instagram posts in regards to the books they’re studying. Their posts usually embody brief reels or brief critiques in regards to the books they’ve not too long ago learn. They additionally do a terrific job creating lovely visuals and carousels round these books that get you much more curious in regards to the books they’re studying. Here is a listing of some bookstagrammers I observe and collect suggestions from as a reader in Mumbai. You can discover their publish archive for critiques and in addition discover different bookstagrammers by trying on the individuals they observe and collaborate with as a creator. You may also see evaluate samples and a pattern publish linked under.

1. sonofarjuna (for detailed ebook critiques and evaluation) + Review Sample

2. bookswithchaipai (for ebook carousels, ebook occasions) + Review Sample

3. prachie.lit (for literary fiction suggestions) + Review Sample

4. litwithneha (for thriller ebook suggestions) + Review Sample

5. saqib_bookstafied (for love ebook suggestions) + Review Sample

BookTubers are content material creators on YouTube who deal with books by discussing them, reviewing them, and sharing their studying experiences. They usually publish longer movies in regards to the books they’re studying and in addition usually have theme primarily based advice lists. I additionally added a hyperlink to 2 nice Booktuber movies that will help you pattern this world of ebook creators.

1. Jack Edwards + Book Recommendation Sample

2. Kitaabi Cabins + Book Recommendation Sample

3. Books on Toast + Book Recommendation Sample

4. Slaggy Book Club + Book Recommendation Sample

5. Bound India Books + Book Recommendation Sample

I usually discover nice suggestions from digital ebook golf equipment run by different artists, creators and journalists. I like listening to different individuals speak about books they beloved studying. I added a video hyperlink to the interview of the writer, Ocean Vuong by the founders of two totally different ebook golf equipment. Browsing by the posts of those digital bookclubs made me notice that everybody has their very own studying fashion or studying preferences. Some individuals love studying mysteries whereas others love studying romances. However every individual has a singular technique to interpret the books they learn primarily based on their previous experiences and private associations. I’ve added a video interview by a few of my favorite digital ebook golf equipment with a hyperlink to their Website, Youtube channel or Instagram Handle:

1. Oprah’s Book Club – Website, Instagram, Youtube

2. Twinkle Khanna’s Tweak India Book Club – Website, Instagram, Youtube

3. Dua Lipa’s Service 95 Book Club – Website, Instagram, Youtube

4. Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club – Website, Instagram

5. Sonali Bendre’s Book Club – Instagram, Youtube, Facebook

6. Jimmy Fallon Book Club – Instagram

The finest technique to make studying enjoyable is to spend plenty of time in your native bookstores. I continuously go to these shops to browse their cabinets and discover my subsequent favorite learn. Often conversations with bookstore house owners are the nice methods to assist me discover a ebook that I might by no means have thought of earlier than. I usually enter these shops with no agenda and are available out with plenty of nice reads. Here is a picture of my favorite bookstores within the metropolis of Mumbai adopted by hyperlinks to their Instagram accounts.

Another technique to interact with these bookstores is to observe them on social media and attend ebook themed occasions, ebook membership conferences and ebook launches they set up for readers and ebook lovers of the town. They usually share nice lists of books to learn of their social media posts. They put loads of effort and time into their social media handles and are actually devoted that will help you discover your subsequent nice learn. I might suggest making an identical checklist of bookstores in your metropolis and giving extra of your enterprise to them (slightly than ecommerce websites). Here is a listing of bookstores in Mumbai which have performed an essential position in making studying enjoyable for me once more together with a hyperlink to their social media accounts.

1. @teltrilogy
2. @book__garden__
3. @granthbookstore
4. @kitabkhanabooks
5. @fictionarybooks
6. @crosswordbookstores
7. @thewhitecrowbooksandcoffee
8. @paperback_prithvibookshop

I attend the ebook membership discussions of the Mumbai Literary Club on the Crossword Book Store located at Krishna Curve Mall in Santa Cruz Mumbai. I additionally attend the ebook membership discussions hosted by Madiha Hasan Khan on the White Crow Books and Coffee in BKC Mumbai.

Both these golf equipment have their developed enjoyable methods to debate and rejoice books. In one membership every reader will get 2 minutes to speak in regards to the ebook and that is adopted by some actions associated to the ebook on the finish. In the opposite membership it’s an open dialogue in regards to the ebook moderated by the hosts and it contains debates, robust opinions, detailed interpretations, in style tradition references and extra. I study one thing new in regards to the ebook I learn in every assembly of those golf equipment and it’s an effective way to develop and construct a neighborhood across the ebook you’re studying. I usually stroll away from these discussions with 15 to twenty totally different views on the identical ebook. Many of those views problem my very own studying of the ebook. Some of those views construct on my associations and serious about the ebook. But it’s such a phenomenal human expertise to have a passionate prolonged dialogue a few ebook you learn and devoured collectively. Here is a hyperlink to some posts about current ebook membership conferences from each these chapters in Mumbai.

There are a number of different concepts to make studying enjoyable once more that I want to discover in a future publish. Some of those embody attending a literature pageant, following writer web sites, following writer social media, following writer web sites, exploring ebook award lists, listening to ebook podcasts, watching ebook diversifications, utilizing audiobooks and possibly even writing your personal ebook.

Thanks for studying this version of the Education Coffee. If you loved this essay you might also take pleasure in studying different editions linked under.

On Small Bookstores in Big Cities

Last night I got here throughout this picture whereas looking by Instagram. For some purpose it held my consideration. It was not the individuals. It was not the colors. It was not the humorous drawing on the signal on the bus cease.

Until subsequent time,

Keep Learning

Abhishek Shetty