How to cultivate reading habit

hi, sriram.s ! i'm glad to hear that you want to read more. rather than looking for suggestions from others, why not first think about what might interest you : politics , science, a good novel, travel, humour ... the list goes on-and-on.
do you have a public library in your community ? if so, why not just drop in, look around, pick up a few books that might interest you, speak to a librarian.
if you do not have a library in your community, perhaps consider buying a few second-hand books - they shouldn't cost you much - or visit a friend who might have a few books.
personally, i usually have a few different books on the go, some may be books i've read before, others i may have borrowed from the library, still others i buy second-hand ... couldn't be without a book for long.
let us know how you are making out in this endevour. hbg

hi again : since you live in london, you probably have the best libraries in the world at your doorstep. why not check out this site and see if you find anything interesting. good luck ! hbg

...THE BRITISH LIBRARY...

Thanks Ham for the suggestions.
I shall definitely keep you posted on the progress I am making on this.
Ayan Ryands' Fountain head is what I am reading currently.
Will read more and other things.

Actually I have moved back to my country (India) last week.
London is not safe now. Ha ha.
There are some good libraries around as well.

Regards
Bhairavan.

glad to hear from you, bhairavan : i'm sure you have plenty of good libraries in your home country. london is a nice city to visit - we particularly enjoyed the museums and the theatre - , but right now we are happy to live in a small city in canada on lake ontario. right now i'm reading some travel guides to prepare for a cruise from rio de janeiro to lisbon in april next year.
happy reading !
hamburger(my "original" hometown in germany before coming to canada many years ago)

Hamburger is right about reading to your interests.

Light fiction is good for building up reading speed and comprehension. Wanting to know what happens next in a story is powerful motivation.

To cultivate reading habits:

1. Turn off the TV
2. Make associative habits--on the train, after dinner, get into a routine.
3. I'd start with classics that have complex characters but are really easy reading: Catcher in the Rye, The Sun Also Rises, A Confederacy of Dunces, Slaughterhouse Five...

I'd also add that you want to make sure you pick books that suck you in. Rand's Fountainhead is a great book, but somewhat daunting, and at times I found it difficult to plow through stretches that just seemed inane.

Find something that piques your interest, and sit down at your library or bookstore and read the first few pages. If you find yourself captivated by the author's style and cadence, it's a good bet you'll at least be able to read the book, if not enjoy it. If you find yourself easily distracted after every few sentences, or can't stand the way the author words their writing, you're probably better off moving on to another selection.

If you can post something about your interests we might be able to come up with some recommendations--not that there's anything wrong with what you're reading now. I just know that even as an avid reader, I made it halfway through The Fountainhead before putting it down. I didn't finish it until almost a year later when it grabbed my attention again.

Hi,

I find all suggestions useful and interesting.
I am a lot interested in Human Life, philosophy and the like.
My wife reads a lot of books and I feel so embarrassed that I missed so much in life all these years.
Sometimes I feel that I can't stand in front of her.
I have other good qualities in me but the one I missed out has given me a lot to think about. I can't match my wife in reading , but atleast I should gain some knowledge.
All suggestions and tips are welcome.
I will try to choose the best of everything.

Bhairavan.

Your wife might have some excellent suggestions for your new reading life. I have more time to read and pursue "what's out there" in the way of books, than my husband, and he often asks me for something to read. I'm always looking for books I can offer him, and I bet your wife would like to compile a reading list for you as well. Have fun!

Vicki