The Lost Art of Reading for Pleasure: Reclaiming Depth in a Digital World

I’ve come across several articles recommending how to read more books using behavioral science. But there is more than quantity in making reading a meaningful experience. Several apps summarize bestsellers so that users can grasp the key ideas in, mostly, non-fiction and self-improvement books without actually opening the pages. But really, how self-improved will people actually be if they “hack their learning” by not reading the books at all?

As you can probably tell, I am not the biggest fan of this trend.

This is symptomatic of a culture that is too focused on productivity. I usually don’t care much about this trend in other areas. It’s fair to be more productive at work (and, in fact, this usually involves taking breaks). But I love books. I love literature, to be precise. I believe those aspiring to become avid readers would benefit more by focusing on reading for pleasure rather than simply increasing the amount of books they read. After all, quickly scanning a text or even entirely skipping sections is not a sign of having an enjoyable experience with a book.

This trend is taking its toll. The data backs up the declining frequency of reading for pleasure among younger generations. For instance, in the US, only 17% of 13-year-olds read for fun almost every day in 2019, compared to 35% in 1984​.³ That’s quite the drop.

Unfortunately, this means that thousands of students are missing out on the benefits of enjoyment-focused reading. According to a recent longitudinal study on more than 10,000 students, children who start reading for pleasure at an early age performed better in cognitive tests evaluating verbal reasoning, memory, and speech development, compared to children who start reading for pleasure later.⁴ The same study also found a positive correlation between reading for pleasure and improved mental health.⁵ Consistently now for years, PISA data has shown that students who like reading are better readers.⁶

Hopefully, this plethora of research is enough evidence to support why reading pedagogy—including and especially behavioral science tips—should focus on pleasure, not efficiency. 

Reading for pleasure all begins, of course, with choosing the right book.

According to Google Books, there are about 130 million unique books in existence.⁷ It would take you 267,000 years to read them all. This task is, of course, impossible. If you are an average Canadian, you read 17 books per year.⁸ If you read 17 books per year from your teenage years up to when you’re 80, you’d read about 1,100 books during your lifetime. That’s only 0.0008% of the books in existence.

Enough of the book math. You get the point: there’s a myriad of books and you’ll be dead before you can read a mere speck of them. So you might as well choose your books wisely. And luckily, behavioral science can help!

There is a classic concept in behavioral science literature called libertarian paternalism. It was coined by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein in their classic book, Nudge. Libertarian paternalism is all about guiding people's choices in a way that promotes their well-being (hence, paternalistic) while preserving their freedom to choose (that is, libertarian). The idea gained popularity as an approach to designing public policies and behavior change interventions without restricting people’s choices. We’ve all heard of examples of having smaller plates to eat less or placing vegetables at the beginning of a buffet to leave less space for dessert at the end. 

I think we need a bit more libertarian paternalism in what we read in our leisure time. Instead of simply pushing people toward popular best-sellers, we can help nudge them to make more meaningful reading choices by curating personalized suggestions, making diverse genres more accessible, and promoting a variety of authors and perspectives. This way, readers are guided toward books they might not have discovered on their own but still have the freedom to explore. Let’s unpack this a bit more. 

When in the grand pursuit of the perfect novel, there are unfortunately many cognitive biases and heuristics that can slip into play, steering us toward generic (and thus, suboptimal) reading choices. Here are three biases in particular that you should keep an eye out for—and how you can overcome them to personalize your literature and find a book that’s best for you.

Availability heuristic

If you want to increase the value of your reading experience, you should probably start by venturing beyond the bestsellers section. If everybody else is reading that book, how tailored can it be to you? 

We’re more likely to pick books we’ve heard of before due to the availability heuristic. This is when our brains take shortcuts to facilitate decision-making by going with familiar facts and images that left an easily recalled impression on our minds. For instance, when browsing at a bookstore, we might remember the beautiful cover we saw at the entrance on hundreds of copies of the same book, next to a big poster advertising that exact image. How could you not be tempted to check it out? This heuristic drives us to overlook valuable older works or lesser-known gems hidden in bookshelves. 

The solution? Intentionally diversify your book selection process. Instead of relying on what's most visible, seek out recommendations from specialized sources like cultural magazines or expert-curated lists, which help you sidestep the pull of the mainstream. 

There’s one game I like to play, too: going through the bookshelves at a store and reading all of the titles. Sometimes, titles are so good that they pull you in. Let yourself be pulled in. Then, read the description at the back and if it sounds interesting to you, go for it. This is how I found one of my absolute favorites Panza de burro (literally translated, it would be, Donkey Belly). What an image, right? So powerful. Such a vulnerable part of the body of a noble animal… Do you see what just happened there? By actively engaging my System 2 brain—which is slow, deliberate, and conscious—I was able to take my time and stumble upon a book that actually had personal meaning to me, rather than making a quick and snappy choice based on what first came to mind. 

Social Proof

There are lots of book influencers on social media now. Although for some, this can be a convenient way to learn about new releases, remember that these influencers are either paid to recommend specific books or limited by the same book math (that dreaded 0.0008%) as us.

However, when we see the same book popping up on multiple channels or articles, we may subconsciously think, If everyone else is reading it, it must be good. For instance, Obama compiles a famous list each year with his favorite reads, and many rush to buy these books without a second thought. After all, if Obama is reading it, it’s got to be worthwhile! This natural inclination, due to a phenomenon called social proof, may prevent us from discovering books that resonate more deeply with our personal interests. Recognizing this bias can help you resist the lure of the Obama list and instead, focus on what genuinely intrigues you.

A better strategy is to read more than one list—such as the specials that cultural magazines produce every year with longer selections of the best books in each genre. Oftentimes, these include input from multiple editors across the country or even around the world, helping to cater to a more diverse perspective. However, bear in mind that these lists usually only include recent releases. So, it’s also helpful to look elsewhere to avoid the recency effect. Personally, I suggest reading the classics. I don’t mean only the Western Canon or Greek Classics, but also the books considered central in each culture and country. 

Status Quo Bias

Finally, go out of your comfort zone. Avoid the status quo bias—the tendency to stick with the familiar—which can limit our reading experiences. To counter this, deliberately read something you are not sure you’ll like and is somewhat new to you. Expose yourself to other genres, or authors from other countries. There is evidence that reading a wide variety of books can enhance your empathy and amplify your understanding of the world.⁹ I have never been to Japan and cannot think of many similarities between Japanese and my own Colombian culture, but I absolutely loved Junichiro Tanizaki’s In Praise of Shadows. It actually helped me understand a lot about Western culture in contrast to Tanizaki’s observations of Japanese traditions.

In a world that seems to value efficiency above all else, the simple act of reading for pleasure is now almost rebellious. With screens demanding our attention, we are turning reading into a superficial exercise. 

By focusing on reading for pleasure, we give ourselves the gift of a richer, more meaningful experience. This boosts our cognitive skills and keeps us mentally healthy, but also allows us to find joy and expand our horizons. So next time you reach for a book, don’t just grab the latest bestseller because everyone else is reading it. Pick something that speaks to you, something that might challenge you, surprise you, or even change the way you see the world.