06 September,2026 10:11 AM IST | Mumbai | MT Rizvi
Many readers experience guilt and FOMO, which has an adverse effect on their reading experience. PIC/ISTOCK
How many books can a person read? If you were to read one book a week, as demonstrated by the late Carl Sagan in an episode of Cosmos, you would have read only a few thousand in your life. That's a fraction of the books available.
I think about this a lot. Especially on days when I am not flipping pages, and the books in my quaint room start haunting me. "You only have so many years on this earth," they whisper, "Are you content shuffling off that mortal coil without giving us a read?"
To voracious and casual readers alike, the question can be a tricky one to answer. There are so many books out there: a fact that can breed either consternation or excitement, depending on your philosophical leaning.
For me it used to be the former. I felt racked with guilt. For not reading every day, or not reading the latest books because I was stuck on older ones, most of all for abandoning a book midway.
Reading preferences often shift with age. PIC/ISTOCK
Sometimes I would feel dumb for not reading enough classics and non-fiction. Such feelings are not exclusive. "So many people feel guilty about not reading enough or not reading the right books," says Evelyn Grace, who runs That Bombay Book Club and sees fellow readers struggle.
Before you search for it, you must ask a very basic question: why do you read? Some readers are looking to lose themselves in strange worlds, while others are looking to learn something. To scratch some itch. Some want both. The preference often shifts with age.
"As a kid, reading was just pure pleasure," says Grace, "I read because it was fun, because it took me somewhere else. Now as an adult, I find myself reading to learn. There's so much I don't know, so much I want to catch up on. But I have to be careful, because when I read only to learn, it starts to feel like work. So I think the point of reading is whatever you need it to be at that moment."
The Bombay Bookclub has grown into a vibrant community women and queer readers
With changing reasons, your choices must change accordingly. So how do you choose, moment to moment?
Ask yourself these questions when you pick up a book:
What am I looking for right now, pleasure or something specific?
The book you're picking should cater to your needs. A slow week may demand a thriller, while a restless one may require something that can bring you peace. Naturally, you won't be able to fully enjoy your experience if you read Ulysses in the former and Casino Royale in the latter. The problem arises when you pick up the book without realising the nature of your needs and hoping that you'll be able to get through.
How did I stumble on to this?
Ask yourself if this book is something you discovered yourself, or is it one of Bookstagram's aesthetic recommendations?
Social media has developed a habit of promoting the same books and making them out to be great. Not to say that it is wrong to heed recommendations on social media, but to do so without doing your own research doesn't yield the best results. Just because a book sounds cool on a reel, doesn't mean that it's right for you.
If you were to read one book a week, as demonstrated by the late Carl Sagan in an episode of Cosmos, you would have read only a few thousand in your life. That's a fraction of the books available
Is this something I want to read, or is this something I have been told I should?
Beyond the internet, socialisation and FOMO often influence what you read. Teachers will tell you reading a writer is a must. You might see all your peers reading a certain book or genre, and relent to a barrage of recommendations from them.
Ask yourself whether you truly want to read those books. You must respect every recommendation and opinion, but use your precious time as per your own taste.
Not doing so can keep saddling you with books which you end up slogging through and ultimately not enjoying the experience.
What does the first page tell me?
Never judge a book by its cover. That's never been truer than in this age of book marketing. But it's perfectly prudent to do so by the first page. It tells you all that you need to know about the language and writing style and whether you are likely to enjoy it. If the first page is able to entice you, the rest will too.
Does the length match the time I actually have?
Ask yourself if you will really be able to pull through that 600 page book, or will it slide into the abandoned pile in a few days?
Evaluate the time and energy you will be able to put in and whether a sporadic reading schedule will end up stifling your interest. Only then commit to a book.
These questions can't only help you choose better, they can also help you avoid the "wrong" ones. That's just as important. To steal and morph from a certain German philosopher and writer Arthur Schopenhauer - "if one is to read the right books, they must make a point of avoiding the wrong ones".
Only four months remain in 2026. That may be a little less time if you want to make a dent on your TBR, but more than enough time to read well, and to find your peace in books. It doesn't matter if you don't get to read everything under the sun. As long as you choose books which can help you derive value and grow emotionally or intellectually, you need not worry.
To steal and morph from a certain German philosopher and writer Arthur Schopenhauer, âIf one is to read the right books, they must make a point of avoiding the wrong ones'
