Last year only, there were 240 billion mobile app downloads. And this number is only here to increase, which says a lot about this century. Why?
Because digital media is here to solve our problems and make our lives easier, today we are talking about how this can help you substitute your time- and effort-requiring book reading.
Books are supposed to bring two things: knowledge and entertainment. What to do when book reading repels you, and you don’t want to miss out on those two things either?
Here are nine best alternatives to book reading to help you with this:
1. Book summaries
This works for all the people out there, minus those who are there to relish and delve into the actual slow process of book reading. Then who are all the people:
Those who don’t find reading that much enjoyable. Duh!!
Those who are super busy keeping pace with this busy world. And there are a few books that they want to read as well.
Those who are ardent seekers of knowledge. They want to read everything and anything for the sake of knowledge. And this one life cannot afford them the wisdom of this whole world.
Those who enjoy reading stories but are too impatient for the additional details of a novel.
People who have a very literature-prone circle and they want to sound informed and cool among them, that too in no time!
Reading book summaries instead of the whole book is an excellent and efficient shortcut for all of the types mentioned above. You get a very to-the-point summarization of everything that the book has got to offer.
2. Theater
If you are the type of person who enjoys literature of any civilization, instead of reading a whole book and boring yourself for hours, you can watch a play.
This idea works even better for those interested in old-school writers whose language has become outdated. Visiting a theater and watching a play can be is a great way to enjoy that sort of novels, plays, and short stories.
The bonus point with theatre plays comes with company. You get to spare some time with a loved one, a break from routine, and at the same time, you get to know your favourite author, literature, language, old times, and characters.
3. Podcast
There is this recent concept of “podcast trumping book,” which is getting famous every day. And to be honest, it’s pretty much just.
What is a podcast?
A podcast is a digital audio file, available for downloading as well. Just like the theme of a book can be and about anything in the world, a podcast can be an interview or a documentary, in fact, anything in the world.
Podcasts ARE trumping books in a myriad of ways:
You are getting the gist of the main ideas while running errands or doing your daily chores—no need to spare extra time and attention.
Podcasts allow you to not only read and learn from the author on the table but also the critique and reviews from the expert who is delivering the podcast. So, you get to have several dimensions.
The podcast is the answer to the difficult-to-understand writers on your side-table. Listening to the podcast is like taking help from an expert to get more out of it.
Generation Z knows it all!
4. Audiobooks
The fun and privilege of having someone read out a book for you are unmatchable. This again is an excellent way for those who don’t find it fun reading books. But, of course, books themselves ARE fun for them!
You just need a pair of quality noise-cancelling headphones to have a good time with an audiobook.
The notion that reading and listening are not the same wait for it!
5. TED Talks
“TED is a non-profit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks (18 minutes or less)”
This platform knows no bounds. From successful CEOs to social workers and philanthropists, industry and world leaders to artists, TED has brought them to one platform and their inspirational, priceless ideas and journeys to you.
You can sign up to get personalized suggestions and recommendations. Or you can simply go to YouTube to have a fun piece of time with unique, life-saving ideas.
It’s free of cost and time!
6. Bring Together People with the Same Interests
This suits the people who like to be around people and have not much time left for self-learning or book reading.
You can bring the initiative of bringing people together who have the same interests as you, that is, seeking ideas and knowledge. This can be done at a social media website or a coffee place, or a park nearby.
Several people will come together once a week and share a certain amount of knowledge or book summary or whatever it is.
This way, you actually have a great time discussing and sharing opinions and ideas without having to read a relevant book for that purpose!
7. Spoken word/Poetry Reading
A few words of poetry can parallel a hundred pages of prose!
You might be thinking of skipping this because it sounds pretty much like reading, but it is not. If you are the type interested in getting to know a culture, knowledge of literature is essential.
And with the poetic works available, you don’t need to spend your brains understanding old-school language and mannerisms, not to mention the lengthy, heavy books.
8. Documentaries
Documentaries are a better option.
It condenses the message of the book into a 2–3-hour film, and the visuals do help in the retention factor. This way, you get the basic idea quicker, and you can continue if you like it, rather than spend days reading a book and not learning what you sought out to learn in the first place.
9. Study groups for Course Study
If you are a university or college student, and at the same time have problems with reading books, you can study in groups. You may feel like the suggestion is repeating, but the point is: course books are course books. There’s hardly any alternative more effective than them.
But you can help yourself by studying in groups. One person makes an effort once a week rather than daily, and all the others, including you, get what the book has to say.
Are Reading and Listening Different? Which one is Better?
What does Science have to say about this?
People often feel guilty of cheating with books and book reading if they ditch actually reading the book and instead of listening to it. People siding with book reading talk about the experience and the feel of being with the book, and stuff like that.
But really, are they different?
A study conducted by Rogowsky put these assumptions and feelings to the test:
One group in the study listened to a nonfiction book about World War II.
Another group read the same parts on an e-reader.
A third group was made to both read and listen at the same time.
Afterwards, everyone took a quiz designed to measure how well they had absorbed the material.
“We found no significant differences in comprehension between reading, listening, or reading and listening simultaneously,” Rogowsky says.
Concludingly, if you are not fond of reading books, that doesn’t have to mean you don’t get to enjoy the wisdom and entertainment offered by a good piece of writing.
Why don’t you Like Reading Books?
Let’s have a comprehensive view of common reasons:
Reading books takes time. One has to take a break, sit down, read, and understand. Nobody got that much time in this century!
You feel like reading, but you aren’t sure about what to read or where to start. So, you don’t risk researching, purchasing, and then starting to read any book. After all, doubt is not worth this much effort.
You fear the commitment of starting to read a book. Or you are fearful the next book you’ll read will bring the same disappointment that the previous one did.
Book reading never became a habit for you. You never enjoyed reading books in the first place. It makes you feel exhausted and bored.
Can you Skip Reading if you Apply the Aforementioned Alternatives?
The nine alternatives above are purely meant to help the people out of the continuous loop of want to read’ and cannot read’. So, yes. You can skip reading if you apply and employ these suggestions.
Although these alternatives are good enough to replace the reading, still they aren't a complete a solution to what a book reading provides.
Conclusion
Opinions are there that nothing can replace book reading. No doubt, it is a gem of an experience. But the opinion that people who don’t enjoy reading books or haven’t got enough time to do so are not allowed to have what books have to offer by ways other than reading: not so good.
Consider these alternatives and read books without actually reading them!
