10 Ways to Make Reading Fun

Lately, I have been trying to add more whimsy to my life. Not everything has to be productive or serious, especially not reading for pleasure. Reading can be an experience, a ritual, and a little adventure. So why not make the most of it and have some fun?

Here are 10 ways to make reading more enjoyable while adding a little child-like whimsy to it all.

Build a theme around it
This is what I mostly do with the books I read. For instance, I first read The Picture of Dorian Gray, where Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet plays a significant part in the story. So after that, I read the play. Once I had finished it, I continued with Hamlet and then went on to read Hamnet. The plan was to watch the movie afterwards. Unfortunately, other things got in the way, but maybe I will do that in the future.

Read seasonally
Another thing I try to do is read seasonally. Books that give me that warm summer feeling, or adventurous stories, I save for the summer months. Cozy books that I want to read in a dimly lit room with a cup of warm tea, I save for autumn and winter.

Have a project book
Choose a book that you would like to dive into on a deeper level, maybe a thicker book that you can imagine spending a longer time with. Read one chapter a day for the rest of the year or over the next couple of months.

Explore other genres
If you want to have fun, read books outside the genres you are accustomed to. If you mostly read science fiction, try reading historical fiction. If you like romance, try a thriller. Maybe you will be surprised by what you end up enjoying.

Recreate a meal described in the book
Maybe you read a chapter that describes a grand feast with all kinds of delicious food. Or perhaps you read about madeleines in Proust’s novel. Whatever it might be, try recreating that dish.

Combine the book with the movie or TV show
This one is easy. Read the book first, then watch the movie or TV adaptation. May I suggest Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen together with the BBC adaptation starring Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy?

Visit the places described in the book
This one is very self-explanatory. Visit the places described in the book. It can also be a wonderful way to prepare for a trip you already have planned.

Summarize the story as a poem
Try writing a poem about what you have just read, whether that is after each chapter or once you have finished the book. What was it about? How did it make you feel? You might be surprised by which parts of the story stayed with you enough to find their way into your poem.

Revisit your childhood books
Or simply discover new children’s books. If you want to find whimsy and that child-like sense of wonder, this would be my best recommendation. Last summer, I read The Chronicles of Narnia and absolutely loved it.

Read books by non-European and non-American writers
Go abroad and look beyond your own continent. I have found great joy in reading books by authors from outside the Western world. I am quite certain you will too.

I usually post every week, but over the next few weeks I may be posting a little less frequently because of summer holidays. In the meantime, you’re very welcome to join The Classics List community chat, where we also host a monthly book club. Our July book club pick is Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan.

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