August 14, 2026
For a few years I kept a running count of books finished. It was motivating at first, then it quietly started choosing books for me: shorter ones, easier ones, ones I could finish on a weekend.
This year I dropped the count. I have read fewer books, but I have reread passages, taken notes in the margins, and finally finished a long novel I had abandoned twice.
The small rule I keep now: one chapter, then a short walk, then decide whether to go on. It turns out most books are better with a little air between the pages.