KEEP CALM AND READ A BOOK

Social media posts, advertising e-mails, newspaper articles, powerpoint presentations at work... We are reading a huge amount of words per day, often without internalizing them fully. What a nice alternative to sit down and consciously escape into the fictional world of a good book!

Since Gutenberg printed the first mass-produced book in 1455, the popularity of this medium has not even slightly decreased. For a lot of people, reading a book is like a hobby, it can bring relaxation and is our best companion on vacation or a rainy sunday afternoon.

Nowadays however, with less and less leisure time and a simultaneously increasing amount of information calling for our attention, curling up on the couch with a free mind and a good book can almost be considered as luxury. All the more important becomes the question which genre and format to choose. Here are some suggestions:

1) Ink on paper

The traditional printed version with a pretty book cover as well as a unique smell and handling can hardly be replaced. According to a study by Google, there are currently about 130 million books on the market - with rising tendency. There are clearly some bestsellers you should not miss, but after that, where to start? Since the answer to this question depends on your personal taste, we can only recommend to pay a visit to your local bookstore. Take your time, let your eye wander and get inspired by the marvelously versatile range.

If you simply cannot decide or don't want to spend all your money on books, there is an easy solution called "library". They might not have an equally large selection as the bookstore, but the annual membership fee usually pays off after the second book and in case the content is not as good as expected, you can simply give back the book with a clear conscience.

2) Travel light

Cross your heart: a hardback is and remains the one and only "real" book. However, an electronic version can indeed be useul. Especially when traveling, in can be quite cumbersome to transport one or several heavy books. It also means that you have to choose which one to take. What a nightmare! An e-reader can provide remedy in this case. Not only is the e-book usually cheaper than the printed version, the small electronic companion also allows you to take up to 20,000 books with you at once (depending on the memory). This means way less weight for way more content, while clearing a lot of room in your bookshelf to let in some air and minimalism.

However, the degree of eco-friendliness of your e-reader depends on your reading habits. If you can manage to read 20-30 books before your e-reader needs to be replaced, you will at least counterbalance the CO2 emissions of its fabrication.

3) Close your eyes...

...and listen! When your eyes are exhausted after a working day in front of the screen, there is almost nothing more relaxing than to listen to an audio book. You don't have to look for your reading glasses and turn on the light, you don't even have to sit down and focus, if you have other things to do. I know that my aunt usually turns on an audio book while cleaning - that's how you kill two birds with one stone!

You can find some free audio books on YouTube, otherwise there are countless apps providing different kinds of books. The most popular one is probably Audible, which is connected to Amazon and offers almost any book you can imagine. Another (free) option is LibriVox, where copyright-free books are read by volunteers. Or you simply ask a friend with a lovely voice to read a book for you. ;)

4) No time?

There is a book that everyone is talking about but you simply don't find the time to read it in peace? There is a solution for your problem! Apps such as Blinkist or Joosr offer a very special service. They create a summary of the desired literary work, so that you will be able to know the content of a weighty tome within 15-20 minutes only!

Both apps are rather focused on non-fiction books and companions, so they cannot replace the cozy Sunday afternoon break. It is however a great option to get an insight of a book and decide if it is worth reading it in whole or not. A summary of 15 minutes usually gives a broader overview than the blurb that you can read in the bookstore. It is also a good assistance for any kind of research, for example in the process of writing an essay. Like that, you will be able to grab the basic concept without looking for it yourself.

5) Exchange!

Have you just finished a book and you need new inspiration? Or is the book you are currently reading so good that the world needs to know about it? Don't hesitate to talk to your friends and colleagues (or us) about literature and books. Maybe they can reommend you something to add to your reading list, or maybe you can make them happy by giving them a book that you liked but don't want to keep in your shelf anymore.

A lot of cities also have so called "book sharing" locations, usually shelfs on the sidewalk or in a shop, where you can leave your read books and even take a new one if you like. Moreover, a book is always a great and safe gift idea for any occasion, no matter if used or brand new. So treat yourself or a friend with well written, funny or interesting reading material.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE BOOK?