Read a book in one day

Can you read a book in a day? Yes, and it sounds like a lot, and then you start and realise you haven’t looked up for two hours. The trick is a book that pulls you along and a day when nothing else is asking for you. It’s one of the most relaxing things you can do on a free Saturday or Sunday in fall.

Pick the right book

This choice matters more than anything else. For your first try:

• Choose something short. A novel of 200 to 300 pages is realistic, and a novella is easier still.
• Choose something gripping. Mysteries, thrillers, love stories and fast-moving fiction are easy to keep reading. A book with short chapters helps too, because “one more chapter” is easy to say.
• Choose something you want to read, not a book you think you should. If you’ve been putting off a book for months, the day isn’t the time.

If you’ve got a library card, borrowing a book is free. You can also reread a favourite, which is a very good way to spend a rainy day.

Don’t choose a book that’s heavy going. Long, dense or slow books are better spread over weeks.

Set up the day

1. Clear the day. Tell people you’re busy until the evening, so no one expects a reply.
2. Charge your e-reader or put the book next to where you’ll sit.
3. Put your phone in another room. Not on silent, in another room. It’s the single biggest help.
4. Get the food ready. Make a pot of tea or coffee, and put snacks, a water bottle and a blanket within reach. Make something easy to eat for lunch, like soup or toast, so you don’t lose an hour cooking.
5. Make the spot comfortable. A lamp, a pillow behind your back, and socks.

Work out your pace

Time yourself for the first 15 minutes and count the pages. Multiply by four and you have your pages per hour. Divide the book’s length by that to see roughly how many hours you need. Most people are surprised that it’s less than they feared.

You don’t need to read without a break. Reading for 90 minutes at a time and stopping to stretch and eat works better than forcing yourself to go on while your eyes are tired.

Keep going

• Move around. Start on the couch, move to the bed, then the bath if you like. Changing position keeps you comfortable and awake.
• Use a break to eat and stretch, not to check messages.
• If you hit a slow part, keep going for a few more pages. If you still don’t want to, it’s all right to skip ahead or switch books. The aim is to enjoy the day.
• Stop when you’ve finished, or if you’re close, finish in the evening with a cup of tea.

When it doesn’t go to plan

• You get sleepy. Take a short walk or get some air, then come back.
• You don’t like the book. Put it down. Choose another, shorter one.
• You don’t finish. That’s fine. Reading most of a book in a day is still a good day. Finish it tomorrow.
• You get distracted. Notice what pulled you away, and move it out of the room.

Afterwards

Write down the title and a line about how it felt in your notes or a journal. A day like this is a good one to remember. If you loved it, you’ll want to pass it on to a friend or to a book club.

What to eat and drink

Choose food that’s easy to eat with one hand and doesn’t leave your fingers sticky. Toast, soup in a mug, cheese and crackers, fruit, nuts and something sweet are all good. Drink water as well as tea, because it’s easy to forget when you’re absorbed. If you read in the bath, keep a towel nearby and your book somewhere it can’t fall in.

Reading on a screen or on paper

Either works. Paper is easiest on your eyes and has no notifications. An e-reader lets you change the text size and light, and keeps a whole library in one place. If you read on a phone, turn off all notifications first, because they are the quickest way to lose the thread.

Make it a fall evening

Wake up with no plan, make a big pot of tea and start reading before you check anything else. Light a candle in the afternoon when it gets dark, and finish with the lamp on and a blanket over your legs. Rain on the window helps.