How to Create a Reading Ritual
What I'm reading this season and a few tips.
At around this time of the year, I tend to read more. I always go through phases with reading. Some months, I read only a few pages, while others I go through a couple of books. I don’t have any specific reading goals, like reading 50 books (even though I would love to read that much one year), but I have my own non-negotiables:
Read a mix of non-fiction and fiction.
Have multiple books in your rotation for all your different moods.*
It’s okay if a book takes you months, or even an entire year, to finish.
Try to read something you’ve had on your list for years.
Magazines count, and so does paging through large books that are primarily visual.
Reading is a form of leisure. And leisure is important.
*Even with multiple books in the rotation, I still have one “main” book that I’m spending more time with. This is just what works for me!
What I’m Reading This Season
I love everything I’m reading at the moment, so let’s pretend you’re coming over to my apartment and I’m showing you my current reads.
Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelley
Every year, I try to read at least one classic book. This year, it’s Frankenstein, and it’s currently my “main” book. I’m about halfway through now, and while I probably won’t finish it in time for Tuesday (I’m seeing the new Frankenstein movie that night), it’s okay.
Empire of the Elite: Inside Condé Nast, the Media Dynasty That Reshaped America (2025) by Michael M. Grynbaum
I read Graydon Carter’s When the Going Was Good (also about the golden era of magazines) earlier this summer, so of course, I needed to read this one. It’s a deep dive into Condé Nast’s history. A must-read if you’re curious about the media space and how it came to be.
Nest Magazine: Fall Issue (2000)
I encourage you to go to eBay right now or a magazine’s website right now and purchase something from the archives. Nest was a quarterly interiors magazine with the most interesting stories. I was intrigued to pick up the fall issue and now I need more! They also come in the most incredible packaging.
Santa Fe Design (1990) by Elmo Baca and Suzanne Deats
This book was a gift (such a good gift!!!) and it’s quickly become a favorite. I’ve been wanting to go to New Mexico—and the desert in general—for a long time, so this is my sign I need to go over there soon. If you have any recommendations, please let me know.
The Book of Disquiet (1982) by Fernando Pessoa
I’m taking my sweet time with this one because I don’t want it to end. I get the urge to highlight or underline every single sentence. There’s no plot, it’s fragmented, and the Paris Review said it’s perhaps not even a book at all. It’s perfect.
How to Make Time for Leisure Reading (and Other Suggestions)
Read in the bathroom—maybe??? I ended up on this Wikipedia page and watched this Seinfeld clip. A polarizing act, I guess!
Have a stack of books next to your bed. You might not always reach over to read a book, but that’s okay. Having them there is a good start, especially if you’re still new to the habit of reading before bed or when you wake up. Start small.
Always bring a book with you. Whether you’re waiting for your friends to arrive for dinner, or you’re on a train with an unexpected delay, or you’re at the dentist's office, stay ready.
Pick up something unexpected. As much as I tend to judge literal books by their cover (who doesn’t!), I’ve been pleasantly surprised when I picked up something unassuming.
Take the pressure off reading. There’s no rush to get through the book in one sitting. Take your time. Read for 5 minutes if that’s all you’ve got. Reading just one paragraph is better than reading nothing. And if you don’t read 52 books this year, it’s not the end of the world.
Get comfy. I can’t read if I’m not comfy. Find your favorite corner, make sure you’ve got back support, and grab a blanket.
Shop secondhand or go to the library. Try to buy your books secondhand as much as you can, or from your local bookshops. Or check a book out from the library. One of my small pleasures is buying old books and seeing the sweetest inscriptions on the first page. <3
Get an old magazine. Look for old issues of the Paris Review, World of Interiors, Vogue, or any other magazines that suit your interests. You never know what you’ll find on eBay. If you’re lucky, you might also come across a stoop with old magazines (this is how I’ve found a bunch of mine).
Set a reading ritual. Maybe you can’t go to bed unless you’ve read at least one sentence. Or every Friday morning, you go to the library. Or you treat yourself to a book every time you get paid. Or you make it a mission to go to a new bookstore every month in a different neighborhood. Set a non-negotiable reading ritual for yourself that you’ll want to keep.
For Your Leisure
There are only a few days left until I randomly select this month’s book giveaway winner. I’ll be gifting The House Book by Terence Conran (plus another little surprise, too). Paid subscribers are automatically entered every month. <3
Gap Factory has the most amazing cotton sweaters!!! I went to the outlets earlier this month and got this one in a few colors. And it’s on sale for $34.99.
Speaking of outlets, these chocolate brown suede mules are my new walking-around-the-neighborhood shoes. The chocolate brown color is exactly what I needed.
I went on a Hikerkind brand trip to Storm King a few days ago (my dream day trip). I got to meet other incredible Substack writers and wear new pieces from Hikerkind’s collection. More to come.
I’m watching Blue Moon later this week. Have any of you seen it?
I urge you to go on a walk around Brooklyn Heights/Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens this week. And Park Slope, too.
Thank you for being here! It means everything to me. If you love reading Small Pleasures and want to further support my writing, please like this post, leave a comment, share it with a friend, or upgrade to a paid subscription.
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Happy to share that I took the "have a stack of books by your bed" advice and it worked! I've been reading before bed more often and giving myself grace when I don't!
I'm a daily reader and have actually been thinking about how to read LESS because I do it at the expense of other things I should/could be doing, like making art or sewing something, or cooking something delicious, etc :) Audiobooks do help, in that regard, but still... sometimes I think I need to have more empty brain time.
I am putting that Santa Fe book on my list! We had the best time when we road tripped out west with our kids a couple of years ago. Favorite places in New Mexico included: Ten Thousand Waves, staying at Taos Goji Farm, Farmhouse Cafe and Bakery, visiting the Taos Farmers Market, visiting an Earthship (would love to stay in one next time), Dolina Bakery and Cafe, Taos Taproom, Cafe Pasqual's.