Reading a book
When did you last read a book?
When did you last read a book? GlenMyu Estate is a perfect place to spend some downtime and get back into the habit of reading a book.
One of the reasons I was happy to move to Sri Lanka was so that I would have more time to do things that I enjoy like reading a book. I often hear the questions “when did you last read a book?”, “what book are you reading at the moment?”, “what book would you recommend?”.
A busy life in London with lots of distractions meant that I had lost the habit of reading for pleasure. As a part of my role at work, I would read lots of technical papers, business books and self help publications to help develop myself and my career.
We brought a lot of books over from the UK and I also have many downloaded on my kindle app. The guilt that I am not reading enough is still with me and I’m sure that it always will be.
I want to read more, but as we experienced in the West, things get in the way.
I think back to when I was a child and I had a voracious appetite for reading and how much joy and pleasure it brought me. Every so I often I would have the opportunity to delve into some fiction and I really enjoyed the experience. However, it was difficult to get back into that habit.
Reading a book - My intentions were good.
I have so many books! Unfortunately I appear to have become a collector, thinking that I may get around to reading this one or that. When the number of books you have that you intend to read is daunting, then perhaps it’s time to declutter and sieve out the ones that you are really going to read.
The good thing about having a surplus number of book for us at GlenMyu Estate, is that there are always plenty of books that can be borrowed whilst you are here.
Distractions that stop you reading a book.
There are many distractions around you that puts reading for pleasure at the back of the queue.
It is so easy to spend too much time on social media scrolling through Instagram reels after reels, YouTube shorts after shorts after ‘Big Bad Brother” has hooked you into a rabbit hole.
The game is to keep you there longer and longer with the hope that the subliminal advertising will impregnate your imagination and create the desire to buy the product that they want to sell you.
We were hooked on TV series when we were living in the UK. An essential diet of “Strictly Come Dancing”, “Who do you think you are?”, Graham Norton’s Friday night chat show and so on stole our time. Sure, we enjoyed it, but if I had my head in a book, would it have been better?
There are so many distractions in everyday life. I wonder what are yours?
Holidays are a perfect time to start that reading habit.
Going on holiday is a great time to release yourself from the rate race and hamster wheel and spend some time with your nose in a book. We find that lots of our guests at GlenMyu Estate are able to relax and start reading a book after a day of adventure seeing the local sights.
Pick up a book at the airport
It’s easy to pick up a book that takes your fancy at the airport. There are rows of eye catching books in WH Smith (and other good book retailers) which are great to take your mind away from home.
Download on you Amazon Kindle or e=book reader.
Maybe you want to pack lighter and take less things with you on holiday due to luggage space and weight restrictions. Downloading some books on your kindle or tablet is a great way to carry your reading matter.
What book should I read?
There are plenty of bestseller lists that you can scour before you travel to see what you would like to read on holiday.
There are lots of recommended reading from celebrities and business leaders that are released very year such as Stephen Fry, Bill Gates, Barack Obama ( I’m not sure whether Mr Trump releases his reading recommendations).
Podcast book recommendations
Several podcasts regularly recommend books. There are some podcasts that do book reviews which may give you some pointers.
At GlenMyu Estate, I like to listen to podcasts Flats and Shanks (ex professional rugby union players: David Flatman and Tom Shanklin), Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewarts: The Rest is Politics, who regularly recommend books to read.
Josie Long’s podcast “Your Booked” will also provide you with plenty of ideas on what is an interesting read.
Books of the year lists, prizes and so on.
Every year there are lists published of the most popular and recommended reads of the year.
There is the Booker Prize, Nobel Prize for Literature, The Bookseller/Diagram award for the Oddest Title of the Year, Franz Kafka Prize, European Union Prize for literature, America Award and many more.
Time Magazine has “The 100 Must-Read books of 2023” (There’s a challenge!) and The Guardian “The 100 Bbest books of the 21st Century” and so on.
Don’t feel guilty about not reading enough books.
According to Wordsrated the total number of new book titles released annually is around 4 million.
It can be estimated that between 500,000 to 1 million of these new titles are published through traditional publishers.
At least 1.7 million self-published titles each year are considered to be produced.
However, as many self-published authors do not use a trackable ISBN, this number would be increased further.
So you have no hope of reading anywhere near a small percentage of the number of books published a year, so don’t feel guilty!
No TV’s at GlenMyu Estate creates an opportunity
I don’t know about you but whenever I travelled abroad I really didn’t enjoy watching television. All this adverts we’re irritating and out me off. Before we left the UK we either watched programmes on catch up is we avoided adverts. Our favourite programs on the BBC had no adverts so we didn’t have to deal with the bombardment of adverts for things we were never going to buy.
We left the UK before the global pandemic and therefore missed the window for binging on Netflix Series. Honestly, at GlenMyu Estate, we don’t think we have missed anything at all.
Now you live in Sri Lanka, how much do you read?
Well, disappointingly, not enough. In life so many things keep getting in the way – or is it just an excuse?
I love reading
Reading brings back memories of joyous times as a child where i would get lost in a book. Time was not important and I entered into a wonderful world which was good fir the imagination and the soul. I am too old for the Harry Potter generations, but I envy the kids that were able to immerse themselves into that world. It must have been the same for readers of Tolkien, Pratchett and King.
The joy I had when my nieces in Colombo were fixed in a book desperate to find out what the next page had in store. I yearn for those times again.
I know that I won’t be able to read as many books as I would like, but I’m determined to allocate more time and try.
How can I increase the number of books that I read?
There are lots of different avenues that you can go down to get the discipline and habit to read more books.
Reading a book - The Book Club
My mother is part of a book club where a book is chosen by one of the group. At the end of the month the book is critiqued and discussed by all. This is a great way to be disciplined into reading a book a month at least.
Taking a tip from a neighbour who has years of experience
One of our friends and neighbours sets aside an hour every evening to read in his balcony. A bachelor, he is accompanied by his dogs while he sits and finds it a good way to end the day.
I admire his discipline and will try to follow his example and discipline.
Time to get some discipline into my life!
What I need is some discipline that will create the habit of reading books again. A goal needs to be set and the first step needs to be taken.
When should I start reading a book?
There’s no better time than the present. Turn off the phone, set aside one hour and get on with it.
Now I am off to pick up a book. Hopefully you are too!
Take some time out to read on holiday in Sri Lanka.
GlenMyu Estate is located in five acres of the Sri Lankan Hill country.
There are lots of places to sit and take time out to read a book whilst surrounded by nature.
Find out more about GlenMyu Estate by visiting our website.
Stay at GlenMyu Estate to explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country
A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country and see sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.
We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.
The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,
GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.
