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When does trying to 'read more' books become a problem? Is counting books really the best way to measure reading success? In this video, I share my personal journey from obsessing over reading more books to feeling overwhelmed—and how I found joy again by embracing slow reading and mindful reading. If you've ever felt pressured by reading goals, book counts, or the endless TBR pile, this video is for you! 📌 Timestamps: 0:00 How I got overwhelmed 7:33 Existential dread and wanting to read all the books 12:43 Reading vs finishing books 14:10 Slow reading and reading mindfully 15:59 How I read more joyfully and how I measure reading success 18:40 The Age of Book Devouring 📚 Mentioned in This Video: ▶ Four Thousand Weeks & Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman ▶ David Bowie on book collecting & existential dread: “I'm a real self-educated kind of guy. I read voraciously. Every book I ever bought, I have. I can't throw it away. It's physically impossible to leave my hand! Some of them are in warehouses. I've got a library that I keep the ones I really really like. I look around my library some nights and I do these terrible things to myself--I count up the books and think, how long I might have to live and think, 'F@#%k, I can't read two-thirds of these books.' It overwhelms me with sadness." --David Bowie, quoted in the Daily Beast in a 2002 interview with Bob Guccione, Jr. ▶ Research on reading habits: Booktalk Dilemmas (Katarina Eriksson, Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research) http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0031383022000024570 ▶ Why tracking everything (like step counts & books read) can make us unhappy: Duke University Study https://www.fuqua.duke.edu/duke-fuqua-insights/etkin-counting-steps#.VnhQMqZXbdt 🔖 Topics Covered: Reading success, reading goals, slow reading, mindful reading, book habits, reading more vs. reading better, booktube, bookish discussions, intentional living, reading anxiety, and the joy of books. If this video resonates with you, don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more bookish joy! 💛 #readingjoyfully #readingmindfully #slowreading 🛒£££ ONLINE DISCOUNT CODE£££ Use my ‘Books Please’ affiliate code SPREADBOOKJOY at checkout for 5% off your order: https//booksplea.se/ 🤍 FOMO Book Club https://youtu.be/pEfDuPJQnS8?si=BCs66Y9wq-ZU5JZO 🤍 Reading the Globe YA https://youtu.be/jn1eS6RUiXQ?si=ydCiitoYV9CQ2gBA 🤍 Picture Book Reviews: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsDbySfTdpmgO1TA62MOuiMK09Q6WGd63&si=KakyeQwYajEfG7QB 🤍 Middle Grade Reviews: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsDbySfTdpmiG2l9EqiQaE3ixFF5R0J28&si=ZO7saocTd78DI2oR 🤍 Teen and YA Reviews: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsDbySfTdpmjx6wwIdJtMbJsnCFMI01Yx&si=DjnE1rsHftRb51wP ❤💌🗨 WEBSITES / EMAIL/SOCIAL MEDIA: All the links you need can be found in my bio and channel banner, including links to both the Discord Server and Goodreads Group for the FOMO Book Club 💌WANT FREE LESSON PLANS, TEACHING RESOURCES AND CHILDREN'S BOOK NEWS? Join my mailing list! ☕If you feel so inclined, you can now buy me a Kofi - all donations go towards the running of Spread Book Joy where my mission is to promote great books to get kids reading, so any donation is gratefully received! I also have an Amazon wish list if you ever feel like sending me a book! Link in bio!🤍 *DISCLAIMER: I sometimes use Bookshop.org affiliate links and codes. Should you purchase anything from these, I get a small percentage at no extra cost to you! This just supports me to make free videos and resources. If you use my affiliate code for Books Please, you will also get a 5% discount. The links to books on Bookshop.org do not give you a discount, however, Bookshop.org supports local bookshops who are also given a percentage of the profits at no cost to you. Thanks in advance ❤

Live discussion for the January-February pick for the FOMO Book Club which was the 20th century classic, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Join me and @GemofBooks at 10am GMT Sunday 16th of March! 🛒GET THE BOOK*: £££ ONLINE DISCOUNT CODE£££ Use my ‘Books Please’ affiliate code SPREADBOOKJOY at checkout for 5% off your order: https//booksplea.se/ 🤍 FOMO Book Club https://youtu.be/pEfDuPJQnS8?si=BCs66Y9wq-ZU5JZO 🤍 Reading the Globe YA https://youtu.be/jn1eS6RUiXQ?si=ydCiitoYV9CQ2gBA 🤍 Picture Book Reviews: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsDbySfTdpmgO1TA62MOuiMK09Q6WGd63&si=KakyeQwYajEfG7QB 🤍 Middle Grade Reviews: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsDbySfTdpmiG2l9EqiQaE3ixFF5R0J28&si=ZO7saocTd78DI2oR 🤍 Teen and YA Reviews: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsDbySfTdpmjx6wwIdJtMbJsnCFMI01Yx&si=DjnE1rsHftRb51wP ❤💌🗨 WEBSITES / EMAIL/SOCIAL MEDIA: All the links you need can be found in my bio and channel banner, including links to both the Discord Server and Goodreads Group for the FOMO Book Club 💌WANT FREE LESSON PLANS, TEACHING RESOURCES AND CHILDREN'S BOOK NEWS? Join my mailing list! ☕If you feel so inclined, you can now buy me a Kofi - all donations go towards the running of Spread Book Joy where my mission is to promote great books to get kids reading, so any donation is gratefully received! I also have an Amazon wish list if you ever feel like sending me a book! Link in bio!🤍 *DISCLAIMER: I sometimes use Bookshop.org affiliate links and codes. Should you purchase anything from these, I get a small percentage at no extra cost to you! This just supports me to make free videos and resources. If you use my affiliate code for Books Please, you will also get a 5% discount. The links to books on Bookshop.org do not give you a discount, however, Bookshop.org supports local bookshops who are also given a percentage of the profits at no cost to you. Thanks in advance ❤

Booktube’s picture book readathon which aims to promote adults reading and enjoying picture books returns for a fourth year! Purpose: To celebrate picture books: they are for everyone! To enjoy the simple pleasures and appreciate the artistry of picture books. To explore something new or gain a fresh perspective on something familiar. What are picture books? Books where illustrations are an integral part of the story. We’re not talking about the comic book format, so graphic novels or comics do not count for this readathon. This year, we are remembering our wonderful friend, Alice, who was a huge fan of picture books and always an enthusiastic participant of the Picture This readathon. Sadly, Alice passed away last year and we want to pay tribute to her with our selection of prompts. If you did not know of her channel, Alice and the Giant Bookshelf, we have linked some of her wonderful picture book content below as well as a livestream discussion that she took part in with us for Picture This 2024. Hosts: Jack at Spread Book Joy Shelly @Shellyish Mentioned in this video: @lindysmagpiereads @novelideea Buy bookmarks from @CharlieBrookReads https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CharliesBookishGifts?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1847084490&from_page=listing Check out Shelly's announcement video: https://youtu.be/9vqztw29zDE?si=D_0jI9iRP3Gg21OR Alice - or variations of e.g. Alison, Al, Ally etc Cats Mystery Giant Dark - (Jon Klassen) Blue Extra challenge: illustrator deep dive. Both of the hosts love to explore illustrators in depth and gain so much from doing this, going down delightful rabbit holes of discovery, so we invite you to do the same if you can. Please use the hastag #picturethis2025 Alice @AliceandtheGiantBookshelf - watch some of her videos for inspiration: Picture This Wrap Up 2023 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC8PAMncfdo Picture This TBR 2022 https://youtu.be/qByy61GQ-aY?si=EguHVBggUaA9hHoJ Picture This Book Tag https://youtu.be/0d7kHY6RDyo?si=sYyjG03P1k8xmV10 Previous content: Picture This Live 2024 with Alice, Lindy, Deea, Jack, and Shelly https://youtube.com/live/CmjmNNf2_lQ Picture This 2024 Playlist: https://youtu.be/ugh48eF2Alg?si=mq_yk4gEbJGWlBEw Picture This 2023 Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsDbySfTdpminCp4SLuWS06vgABgj3MVA&si=nJd0kf_IWRCevzn3 Picture This 2022 Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsDbySfTdpmirkR4wi7EFtF2enePMNBsV Picture This 2022 Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsDbySfTdpmirkR4wi7EFtF2enePMNBsV “Picture Books: Who Are They For?” Shaun Tan’s Essay https://youtu.be/A1SHG3UiHTY If you have a youtube channel and make any content, please ensure that you tag us and use the hashtag #picturethis2025 so that we can see your content. We will also be making a playlist of content for this year as well. “Picture This Book Tag” which we created in our first year - the prompts are below and we would invite anyone who has not completed it to do so: Shelly’s Picture This Tag video https://youtu.be/7mj5iEGOAmQ Jack’s Picture This Tag video https://youtu.be/9HrTAmEByv4 🛒GET THE BOOK*: £££ ONLINE DISCOUNT CODE£££ Use my ‘Books Please’ affiliate code SPREADBOOKJOY at checkout for 5% off your order: https//booksplea.se/ 🤍 FOMO Book Club https://youtu.be/pEfDuPJQnS8?si=BCs66Y9wq-ZU5JZO 🤍 Reading the Globe YA https://youtu.be/jn1eS6RUiXQ?si=ydCiitoYV9CQ2gBA 🤍 Picture Book Reviews: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsDbySfTdpmgO1TA62MOuiMK09Q6WGd63&si=KakyeQwYajEfG7QB 🤍 Middle Grade Reviews: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsDbySfTdpmiG2l9EqiQaE3ixFF5R0J28&si=ZO7saocTd78DI2oR 🤍 Teen and YA Reviews: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsDbySfTdpmjx6wwIdJtMbJsnCFMI01Yx&si=DjnE1rsHftRb51wP ❤💌🗨 WEBSITES / EMAIL/SOCIAL MEDIA: All the links you need can be found in my bio and channel banner, including links to both the Discord Server and Goodreads Group for the FOMO Book Club 💌WANT FREE LESSON PLANS, TEACHING RESOURCES AND CHILDREN'S BOOK NEWS? Join my mailing list! ☕If you feel so inclined, you can now buy me a Kofi - all donations go towards the running of Spread Book Joy where my mission is to promote great books to get kids reading, so any donation is gratefully received! I also have an Amazon wish list if you ever feel like sending me a book! Link in bio!🤍 *DISCLAIMER: I sometimes use Bookshop.org affiliate links and codes. Should you purchase anything from these, I get a small percentage at no extra cost to you! This just supports me to make free videos and resources. If you use my affiliate code for Books Please, you will also get a 5% discount. The links to books on Bookshop.org do not give you a discount, however, Bookshop.org supports local bookshops who are also given a percentage of the profits at no cost to you. Thanks in advance ❤