Netflix recently advertised for someone to binge watch its shows, films and original content and give it ratings, which set everyone of as screen slaves, film enthusiasts and lazy twats alike all started vying for this coveted position.
However, whilst binge watching continues to be a popular pastime for many, few expostulate on the benefits of binge reading. After all, there is nothing so fun as setting aside a few hours to devote to making a dent in that stack of books that you’ve been meaning to check out for an absolute age.
Recently, someone asked me on Twitter if I chose to binge read or read one book at a time. However, to my mind these are not opposites. Whilst I understand what they were asking, that being whether I read one book at a time or have several on the go, I believe that binge reading is something completely difference. Binge reading is reading several books in quick succession, engrossing yourself completely in each then carrying straight on, the way many might choose to read a particularly engrossing series or the all the books by their favourite author.
I myself indulge in this practice on occasion, and I think it should become more popular. The Easter bank holiday gave me a chance to really get my teeth into a number of books that have been in my ‘must read’ stack on my bookshelf for a while now. With May, AKA ‘the month of two bank holidays’ coming up, what better time to stock your shelves and settle in a for a couple of days of binge reading?
After all, whilst binge watching is an easy, lazy pastime following a hectic day at work, people often forget that binge reading is just as good a way of relaxing and unwinding. Whilst people often think that reading is harder than watching, in reality the benefits outweigh the negatives, as reading may be slightly more laborious but it is more stimulating for the brain and many often remember things better when they read them rather than ingest them through a screen.
Also, I often find it is a great day to make myself check out new books, authors and genres that I would otherwise not bother with. Over a couple of recent long weekends I’ve had I have checked out a number of books that are not my typical reading material, including memoirs, non-fiction and even a comic novel.
In the end, with extra time on your hands in May and the Summer holidays rapidly approaching, I would thoroughly recommend grabbing a load of books, shutting yourself away from it all and indulging in a little binge reading. You never know, it might become a new favourite pastime!
The Dorset Book Detective 