The Lazy Genius Podcast - #370 The Ins and Outs of Summer Reading

Episode Date: June 17, 2024

This episode is for those of you who would classify yourselves as readers and those of you who would not. I want us to look at the aspects of summer reading that are all over the Internet right now and decide if they are in or out for us as Lazy Geniuses. Are we paying attention to the best things? Are we telling ourselves the kind truths? Reading has some weird layers, and we’re going to address those today. Helpful Companion Links Pre-order my new book The PLAN or ask your library to consider carrying a copy once it releases in October. Episode #319: 21 Books for Your Summer Reading Episode #267: Find Your Summer Reading Rhythm Episode #213: Create a Summer Reading Club Sign up for the Latest Lazy Listens email. Grab a copy of my book The Lazy Genius Kitchen or The Lazy Genius Way! (Affiliate links) Download a transcript of this episode. This podcast is hosted by Kendra Adachi and executive produced by Kendra Adachi, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Please sit and enjoy. Please sit and sit. Play, post, taste, view, and enjoy, via rail, love the way. Hi there, you're listening to the Lazy Genius Podcast. I'm Kendra Adachi, and I'm here to help you be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. Today is episode 370, the ends and outs of summer reading. This episode is for those of you who would classify yourselves as readers,

and those of you who would not. And here's why. I want to look at two things in this episode. First, I want us to look at the aspects of summer reading that are all over the internet right now and decide if they are in or out for us as lazy geniuses. Are we paying attention to the best things? Are we telling ourselves the kind truths? Reading has some weird layers and we're going to address those today. Second, I'm going to share the ins and outs or the mechanics of how I am personally approaching summer reading in my own life this year. If you're new here, reading is my favorite hobby and books are my favorite decoration. I think about how, what, where, and when I'm going to read all throughout the year, but particularly in summer.

If you have similar leanings, maybe my approach might spark an idea for you. But really the first part of this episode is where I want us to spend the most time. So last week, Leah Jarvis, my director of content, she said something when we were thinking through this episode and it stuck with me. She said, reading is not virtuous. Reading is not virtuous. What is your reaction to that? So a virtue is something that indicates high moral character. And while you can certainly learn things that help deepen and grow your character from reading, reading itself is not virtuous. It doesn't make anyone better or worse than another. Someone who reads is not morally better than someone who doesn't. But do you live like that's true? If you're not a

reader, do you see that aspect of yourself neutrally? I hear people all the time, especially women, who are frankly carrying a lot on their plates already, say things like, I should read more, or I feel bad that I'm not more of a reader, or I just don't enjoy reading that much. And I know that's probably terrible, but I just don't. There is some secret shame, and maybe not so secret, attached to whether you read or not. And I wonder if it's because somewhere in our thinking, we have internalized that reading is virtuous. Instead of seeing reading for pleasure as a virtue, let's just see it for what it is. It's a hobby.

Reading, at least in the way we're talking about, which is just personal enjoyment, is a hobby. It's just one way to leisurely spend your time and feel like yourself. If you choose it as your primary hobby like I do, awesome. If it's just one hobby of several and it's not always front and center, awesome. if it's just not one of your hobbies at all. Awesome. Reading is not virtuous, y'all. Yes, it can open your eyes to aspects of human nature and other lived experiences, but so can conversations and relationships. You don't have to read in order to grow as a person or be a person. Reading is just one way you can do that. So in light of that, what's in and what's out for us as lazy geniuses when it comes to summer reading in particular?

There are a few things I see floating around the internet this time of year, and I want us to look at them through a lazy genius, non-shaming, reading itself is not virtuous. Let's just have fun lens. Ready? So first up, reading plans. When I say reading plans, I mean like a list of books that you'll read in the summer or a certain kind of goal, like a number of pages or number of hours or something. Any intention at all toward your summer reading would be a reading plan. So are reading plans in or out? I don't think you're going to be surprised by this or any future answer at this point, but reading plans are in if you want a reading plan and they're out if you don't. You get to decide. Because people who love to read as a hobby and that hobby tends to pick up in the summer, they're going to be really passionate about summer reading. And if you're not passionate, you might feel badly about that. You think, I should probably have a summer reading plan, right?

I mean, that's what people do. only people who want to be a genius about it because reading matters a lot to them. If it doesn't matter to you, be lazy about our summer reading plan. That might mean reading just one good book before August is over. Or that might mean releasing the shame you have around not reading at all and just enjoying the water or the park or your gardener or your couch or your other hobbies instead. Reading plans are in and so fun for people who love reading and they are absolutely out for people who don't have the care or energy right now.

and that phrase right now deserves a little attention before we move on. Something that was in for you for a long time might be out in this season or vice versa. The ends and outs of your personal reading life will likely change over time based on what season you're in. So notice that. If you're struggling to adjust your perspective on what, how, or even if you read, maybe it's more about your season than you think. Okay.

next thing we see a lot right now, summer reads. There are lists of summer reads everywhere, books set at the beach on a tropical island during a summer, like a hot summer, you know? Maybe it's a summer read because it's an escape and in another world entirely. A summer read might be one that does not require, like a lot of your brain, it's just easy, breezy. A summer read might be something that's really long that requires an entire summer to really get into. there are so many ways to look at what a summer read is. So is that in or out? As lazy geniuses, what do we think about summer reads in particular? Again, it's up to you. If you like saving frothy romance novels for summer, do it. If you want to read Anna Karenina on the beach,

do it. If you want to read a novel set in the snowy winter, even if it's hot outside, do it. Basically, if you love the idea of summer reads and look forward to reading them during the actual summer, enjoy them. Save them up, savor them, fly through those pages, enjoy the way they make you feel. But if that is too heavy, a lift for you, and you just don't even understand why everyone's making a big deal about summer reads, read whatever you want if you even want to, right? We all get to choose. Now let's pause a minute, and I want to talk about some boundaries around reading. I need this message more than anyone. The person who reads a lot might have the tendency to try and get someone who doesn't read as much to read more.

They or I say things like, well, what do you like to read? I'll help you find something. Or I bet you would love this book. It's right up your alley. But if that person just is not interested and is trying to be nice and also might have some of that non-reading shame I'm injured earlier, all I'm doing is being annoying. The person who loves to read doesn't necessarily need to try and convince the person who doesn't love to read to change their mind.

And then on the flip side, the person who doesn't read a lot, doesn't need to poo-poo on people who geek out over summer reading lists, right? Before we became lazy geniuses and we learned that people who love order are not hiding something or think they're better than other people, and that people who are a self-defined hot mess are not necessarily more real and more vulnerable, before that, we might have thought that people who don't read are struggling with something and they just need the right motivation. or that people who read all the time think they're better and smarter than everyone else. That's the water we used to swim in, especially as women.

So much judgment, so much comparison, so many assumptions about how a person actually is because of one particular behavior. I haven't talked about that aspect of being a person in a while, mostly because we've moved past that in this community. And even though talking about it in a reading episode is a bit wild, it matters here. If reading is not virtuous, a person cannot be labeled as, virtuous or not based on whether or not they read. That means we need to see reading choices as neutral and let people live. There is no judgment if someone geeks out over books and there is no judgment

if someone doesn't read books at all and everything in between. We all get to choose. The ride that steals the spotlight every time it hits the road, that's the Volkswagen Tiguan. Its sleek exterior makes a first impression you can't ignore. Step inside to find available full leather seats and wood accents. Under the hood, the available 201 turbocharged horse power engine gives it a fun to drive edge. The refined Tiguan, you deserve more style. Visit vw.ca to learn more. SUVW, German engineered for all. Aw, isn't something we need to travel for. It's something waiting for us in everyday life, whether in a city street or a moment with a work of art. I'm Dr. Keltner, host of the Science of Happiness podcast.

Join me for Cities of Aw, a special series on how our public spaces can spark awe, wonder, and enhance the quality of public life. You can find us wherever you listen to your podcasts. Our next thing to determine if it's in or out, family reading. This one I think is pretty close to like the,

wait, isn't reading Virtuous Camp? There's already enough pressure on those of you who have kids to be good parents. We all know there is a lot of judgment around raising kids, and reading does not escape that. And in the summer, when your kids are likely home, reading might be a big piece of the puzzle, at least in conversation. You're trying to figure out how to motivate your kids to read. They always have to read before screen time.

Maybe there are incentives, you know, that kind of thing. Lots of potential decisions. And while all that's great, I think it sometimes can feel like the only, option that you have to do really organized family reading. So is family reading time in or out? You already know the answer, but it depends on what matters to you. For some families, for some kids, for some ages, for some seasons, reading is going to take on a different shape that is normal and okay. It can be something that is of the highest value in your family. And you can also go through an entire summer with your kids and never go to the library or read together as a family one time.

We used to do family reading time in the summer because I wanted to model how I value reading, but I also wanted everybody to be quiet for 20 minutes and not ask me any questions. So for years, family reading time was for survival as much as anything, for my survival. But I've slowly shifted how I see it, how I see family reading. Because I love reading, I think it's natural to want my kids to live. reading, you know? And in general, they do. Ben, my middle kid genuinely loves reading. Like, he takes a book with him most places. He is as content as he can be. He uses my audible credits more than I do. That child loves listening to Percy Jackson. Now, Sam, my oldest, actively says he

hates reading because he's 14 and he actively says he hates most things. But when he gets into a book, he will not do anything else. Like his posturing about it is a bit more due to his age and development than his actual feelings about reading. But deep down, he doesn't actually hate it. So I kind of have to nurture that a little bit. And then Annie, my youngest, she likes being read too, but she had a lot of anxiety early on in learning how to read. Now that is starting to fade,

but we're still trying to move into the phase of independent reading for her. And I know that will come with time and exposure and practice. Something I would like to provide for her in a non-pressured way. Even after that, if she doesn't love reading, reading as much as I do or Ben does, that's okay. We all like different things and we engage in different hobbies over time. But it does matter to me to give her the tools to try so she doesn't miss out on a hobby she might love. So I say all that to say, I'm personally in on family reading, but I also hold it much more loosely than I used to. I think it's valuable to have reading in

your life, but I don't want to unintentionally communicate to my kids that reading and readers are more virtuous, right? Because I don't believe that's true. So when it comes to family reading, whether it's in or out this summer is up to you and in whatever way. Now, I could list out any number of other summer reading concepts and then ask if like, are these in or out, but you already know the answer. Are they in or out? It's up to you. So remember these last few minutes, whenever you feel like little, little niggling in the back of your brain, like reading shame towards yourself or reading judgment towards someone else, even in the last. Even in the last, like a totally benign way. Reading is not virtuous. And being a reader does not automatically make you

a virtuous person. Reading is a tool. It is a hobby. It is a neutral thing that can be used in powerful, enjoyable ways. But it is not more worthy of your time and attention than something else that brings you joy unless you just genuinely want it to be, right? Okay. Now we're going to take a super strong turn and I'm going to tell you what's in and out this summer for my own reading. This will be less like philosophically heavy, I promise. I just want you guys to have for to like not be so stressed out about summer reading. I just don't want that. Okay. Now, it is likely not surprising that what is in for me are summer reading plans, summer reads, family reading, reading hours for myself, all the reading things. Like I said, reading is my favorite hobby.

And I want to make as much time and space for it as I can. All of those things might look different than in summer's past, but they still matter to me because I love reading. If you get the latest lazy letter, my monthly newsletter, you already know that because I share all my book reviews in that. And it's usually 10 to 12 a month. As I thought about my summer reading plan and how I wanted to approach it, I knew that I needed to start with what matters. Shocker. But in some ways, that felt weirdly challenging this year. Like so many things could matter about reading. But also, isn't the thing that matters that I just read a lot? Like, what matters is that I read as much as possible and I like what I'm reading. That's honestly my goal all the time, though. So what makes it different

during, you know, the sparkly summer reading season for me? When I think back on my favorite reading memories, there is always some kind of context. I read Jaber Crow by Wendell Berry in the early days of the pandemic, mostly on my front porch swing. I remember finishing the book on that swing, like holding it to my chest as the wind blew and being just so gratefully content for my life, in the midst of all this pandemic loneliness and chaos we were all experiencing. I read the hunger games, like the whole trilogy in this one corner of my couch over two days in November. I barely got up. But who cares? Because it was November and it was cold outside and it was perfect to stay put. I read Malibu Rising and people we meet on vacation and Project Hell Mary during the same stretch of

weeks and one of the hottest summers ever. And that was before we joined a pool. Those settings in those books helped me feel like it was summer without my having to be outside in the aggressive heat. I read the entire Akatar series on my Kindle in less than two weeks, the entire series in less than two weeks at the pool and in my house while I was cooking dinner and while I brushed my teeth and literally everywhere. Certain reading experiences are connected to certain contexts. And I think those contexts matter. We don't have to make every single book match our lives perfectly and know what we're walking away with some kind of like formative reading experience. That's just not how life works, nor do I want it to. That's just too much pressure on my reading life to make every book count in the

moment. But I do love being thoughtful about what I'm reading and how I'm approaching it, especially in unique seasons. And summer is a unique season because of the time, the vibes, the weather, the permission to read more or to read differently than in other seasons. So I want to approach this upcoming summer with a little bit of that intention. And I'm doing that in three ways. Okay. First, I am naming where and when I usually read so that I can be aware of like where and when I'm in those places and actually choose reading while I'm there. Does that make sense? Like I can look forward to it. Second, I have five summer reading. house rules for myself and my family. And then third, I have a summer reading queue with books that I feel

like fit the summer well. I'm not trying to force the context too much, but I'd like to at least give myself a chance. So let's start. I'm just going to explain like the naming where and when piece of this of where I usually read in the summer. Like this is such a, this is such a basic question, you guys. But I think the basic questions are actually weirdly helpful. Where do I read? I read at home, at the pool and in the car. Those are the three main places. If Kaz is driving and we're going somewhere that takes longer than 10 minutes, I'm probably reading.

If I'm at the pool and I'm not in the water with my kids or talking to my sister or a friend, I'm probably reading. And if I'm home and not talking to someone, I'm probably reading, either with a book in my hands or a book in my ears. It's just what I do. But knowing those main times and places that I do read, it was weirdly helpful for me to name. it gives my reading choices context. So if you look at the summer as like one big season,

you might not be as intentional about when you want to read in that season. So think about your own context, if it would help. Look at the places you normally are and decide when you'd like to read in those places. Like it's not a hard and fast rule. I must read at the pool every time. It's just shining a light on your life so you can see how reading can better fit. fit in to where you already are. Okay, so that's the first thing that I thought about. Home, pool, carp. Now, house rules. Set house rules is one of the 13 lazy genius principles that I highlight in

my first book, The Lazy Genius Way. I love set house rules. House rules are my favorite. They are rules that everyone in the house follows, but not for the purpose of control. House rules keep life in rhythm and they support what matters. If you know that things fall apart because this particular thing happens and then that thing knocks down like all the metaphorical dominoes after it, make a house rule involving that first domino. See if you can keep it from falling. It's like last week's snack episode. Have a house rule about how often kids can snack or whatever so you don't get asked and then get frustrated and then get mad and then yell and then have to repair. Now it's an hour later and you lost your reading time because you were too busy apologizing about goldfish.

House rules are great. Okay, so I have five summer reading house rules this year. Three for me and two for everybody in my house. Let's start with a three for me. First summer reading house rule, always bring your Kindle along. I do read on the Kindle app on my phone, but recently I've had a much harder time than usual staying on that app instead of sneaking over to Instagram or my email. or a game or something. Now, none of those three things are bad.

But I would rather read. I would rather read. Reading matters more to me. But still, the addictive nature of my phone in my hand, it makes it easy for me to succumb to what I've been sort of programmed to do, you know? Like those dopamine hits from that stuff, they are addictive. The world we live in messes with our ability to focus. And that impacts how much I can stay on my Kindle app without going somewhere else for a

minute that turns into 20 minutes. So I read now on my actual Kindle. That's not actually a house rule, but I suppose it is without my realizing it. Like I do now kind of have a loose rule to read on my Kindle instead of on my phone. That's funny. But the real Summer House rule is to take my Kindle with me. If I'm going somewhere, I take the Kindle. Even if I'm going to another room, I take my Kindle with me.

I want to have access to quick reading that does not require me to hold an entire book or fit a book in my purse or whatever. The Kindle is like a little bird that purchase on my shoulder at all times. It just follows me around. Flying from room to room, errand to errand, staying with me. Always bring the Kindle with me. House rule number two. Bring the Kindle and a book to the pool.

We will go to the pool a lot this summer, and I do love reading at the pool. I love it so much. And sometimes it's too hot to not get in the water. But when I'm in the water, I'm not always playing with a kid or talking to a friend. sometimes I'm by myself and I'm reading. But I learned the hard way that reading a paper book while standing in the pool, no matter how hard you work to not get it wet, will result in the book getting wet. It's just what happens.

So the Kindle is for being in the water. But when I'm sitting in a lounge chair or like up in the shade of the grass at my pool, I would rather hold a paper book. So my house rule is to bring both a book and a Kindle as often as possible, as often as I remember, to the pool so that I can enjoy my reading experience in that context. Okay. House rule number three, stick to my cue. As I say that, it has me in a bit of a pickle because I do like reading by mood. Maybe it's because I was an English major and was told what to read for four years, but I'm always resistant to reading from a list. I'm not much of a

rebel, but I am in that way. Still, choosing specific books for specific seasons has almost always worked for me, and it usually very much works for me in the summer. So I really do want to stick to my summer reading queue, you know, like these are the books. I definitely want to read the summer. Now, the reason I feel a little sticky about it right now, though, is because I haven't chosen all the books yet. So there's nothing to be excited about because I don't exactly know what I'm going to read. I have a handful of things in my summer queue, but I'm still working. on building it. But one thing I have thought about, though, is the format. I read about 10 to 12 books a month, and those are a mix of physical books, digital books, and audio books. However,

I collect the first two kinds and not the last. Audio books are mood choices. It's whatever is available on Libby or it's a deal on chirp or something. So those, I'm just going to take them as they come. I don't hoard audiobooks. But for physical books and digital books, I have quite a few. And I would like to set aside some specific titles to read this season when I think the context will matter. Okay. So since I read 10 to 12 books a month, I think setting aside four to five titles a month seems reasonable because I can leave the rest for audiobook and mood. So that's two physical and two digital options a month. So that's a summer reading queue of six, we're looking at three months, six physical books, and six digital books. And they're all

already ones that I own. So once I pick those, which will probably happen this week, I will be sure to put them in the latest lazy listens email that accompanies this episode. You can sign up for those emails with the link in the show notes. We'll see how many, how many I decide. I just feel like really resistant to it right now. It is, it's okay, though. I'm going to be patient. However, it is important for you to know that because it's summer, I'm recording this episode a couple of weeks before it actually releases. You're listening in the middle of June and I'm recording it at the very start. I don't think that matters that much, but in case some of you are worried that I'm trying to cram four books into the next two weeks when you're listening.

I will probably read four books in the next two weeks anyway, but I've already read them. So there's no need to be concerned for me. Podcast timing is weird. Okay. The final two, House rules involve my kids, not just me. House rule number four, read every day. I mentioned this a couple of weeks ago when I shared my summer playbook this year, and we are doing a new thing this year rather than having a list of things each kid needs to do in order to get screen time that day, which is the thing they ask for the most. They have a list of things they need to do in order to get screen time the next day. We've been doing it for a few days already. It has been so great. Like the jury's still out, but the kids having the entire day to do their list on their own time without it impacting

today's rhythm and especially today's screen time options, it has really been great. But one of the things that will be on that list every single day for everybody is to read. I might be specific and how long, what book may be a new format to try, but a house rule for us is within reason and when it makes sense, we read every day. And house rule number five, we go to the library about every two weeks. If we make it part of our rhythm like we have in summer's past, eventually the kids get to a place where they know where things are. In the library, they get used to choosing something. And they always read in the car once we leave. Y'all, it's the sweetest thing. It's like so quiet. Everybody's reading their books. And I always take like a very roundabout way home, like a very long way home from the

library. Our library is like six minutes from our house. And I drive probably 25 minutes before we get home. because they're just like reading the whole time. They don't even think about it. It's so cute. Now, also part of this library every two weeks house rule is to prevent the dominoes falling of late books and book storage and all of that. It's just nice to know that we have a built-in rhythm to return books that we're done with, right? I also really love our local branch that's six minutes away, but we do have a lot of libraries

in our county. So part of this rhythm might be to explore other branches of the library too. We'll see if that happens. but ultimately going to the library a couple times a month, it's going to be a great house rule for us. Okay. So in summary, reading is not virtuous. At least I don't think so. And not on its own. Now, some of you listening to this might disagree with me in the particulars of that statement. But I'm fairly confident that all of you believe that people are good even when they don't like to read. We all know people we love dearly who just do not enjoy reading, no matter how good we might think we are recommending books to them.

So let's just let everyone make the decisions they need to and approach summer reading the way they need to. And we leave our judgment and comparison and shame behind. Anything can be in or out depending on what matters to you. Now, if you're looking to be intentional about a summer reading rhythm, think about where and when you usually read or would like to prioritize reading. That context really helps. And then consider if there is a house rule or two that would help you keep that priority at the forefront. For me, it's to bring my Kindle with me, to bring a Kindle and a physical book to the pool, reading for my summer reading queue so I can enjoy those summer reading, summer books on purpose,

to read every day as a family, not necessarily together, but that everybody reads every day, and then go to the library every couple of weeks. Now, that might seem like a lot for some of you, and then not nearly enough for others. Everyone gets to choose how to approach summer reading, what's in, what's out, and then we can all choose to be kind to ourselves and others about those choices. And those are the ins and outs of summer rating. Okay, before we go, let's celebrate the lazy genius of the week. This week, it's Beth Keith.

Beth writes, I keep two boxes of Giradelli brownies in my pantry at all times as a way to show up for people in various ways. I've made them for a neighbor having a bad day as a dessert to a last minute dinner gathering and an easy potluck contribution or even as a treat for my family. The brownies are easy and quick to make with ingredients. We always have on hand. I like to have two so I can scale up to a double batch if needed. And I can always add toppings or a side of ice cream if I want to be fancy.

Beth, I love this and I do this too. I get the mix from Costco even. We have six bags at a time. They really are such good brownies. Also, you guys, if you would like to amp up these brownies a bit, I don't know if this works necessarily with like all box brownies, but with these Kirodelli ones, I add a healthy pinch of salt to the batter. because of course I do.

I also add a half a teaspoon or so of instant espresso powder, which just makes the chocolate taste more chocolatey, not more coffee-e. And sometimes I add a little dash of vanilla. If I'm not in too much of a rush, I use milk instead of water, and I always add an extra handful of chocolate chips. Or when they're in season,

a few of those chocolate dipped peppermint jojos from Trader Joe's, you chop those up, put them in a brownie. Holy moly. But yes, having a favorite boxed brownie mix around, it really is like one of the easiest ways to add some sparkle to any day, especially a summer one. So thank you for this, Beth, and congratulations on being the lazy genus of the week. This episode is hosted by me, Kendra Adachi, and executive produced by Kendra Adachi, Jenna Fisher, and Angela Kinsey.

The Lazy Genius podcast is enthusiastically part of the Office Ladies Network. Special thanks to Leah Jarvis for weekly production. Thanks y'all for listening. And until next time, be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don't. I'm Kendra, and I'll see you next week. Have you ever felt like you were living just a B or B plus life? It's so dangerous to live that. More dangerous than a B minus or a C plus life?

Because when you're living a B or B plus life, you don't change it. You think it's good enough. Is it? I'm Susie Welch. I host a podcast called Becoming You. People think, okay, an A plus life is not available to me. But there is a way. We are all in the process of becoming ourselves.

Listen to Becoming You wherever you get your podcasts.