Every Day I Read

Welcome friend! Last year, while curating new book releases, I happened upon Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Hwang Bo-Reum, and Shanna Tan (Translator). I love books about reading and the format of short essays appeals to me as I don’t often get long periods of time to read anymore.

I read this book during the holiday season in 2025 and was glad to have something short to read with my feet up and jot down some quick thoughts to return to. It didn’t take long to recognize a kindred spirit in Hwang Bo-Reum. The more essays I read, the more I felt seen. This is exactly the kind of writing I strive for in TBR Tales.

As reviews of many special books, this one has been months in the making, collecting all my thoughts, favourite quotes, ideas I will explore more in various blog series. For a long time, I felt at a loss – I did not know how I was going to share this fantastic book with you! In the end, short concise thoughts is what I went for. Here are 53 thoughts from my notes. You can find the book synopsis and Goodreads link at the end of the post.

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Every Day I Read: 53 Ways This Book Brought Me Closer to Reading

A Reader Recognizes Another Reader

1. This book felt like it was written for me. Essays about reading and books are already my favorite form of conversation.
2. I kept thinking how wonderful it would be to sit in a café with Hwang and talk about books all afternoon.
3. Our reading habits felt uncannily similar at times.
4. I imagined a friendship built on coffee, books of all sizes, and long discussions about characters and life.
5. I loved how seriously she thinks about reading—it mirrors the kind of reflection I crave about books.
6. The essays reminded me how readers often recognize each other across languages and continents.
7. Reading about someone else’s reading life made me look more closely at my own.

Why Reading Matters

8. Reading, unlike TV or video games, asks for time before it gives its reward.
9. The joy of reading runs deep partly because it grows slowly over years.
10. Reading transforms a life gradually, almost quietly.
11. Sometimes a book simply arrives at the right moment in our lives.
12. I loved her reflections on timing—how books appear when we need them.
13. Hwang had underlined this line from Michel de Montaigne: “We must learn to suffer what we cannot evade.” I would have done the same.
14. Reading can guide us away from paths we do not need to take.
15. The attention we give to a book is attention we are not giving to something else—sometimes something harmful.
16. Books are small decisions that shape a life.

Building a Life Around Books

17. Hwang grew up reading from her parents’ and sister’s bookshelves.
18. That made me think about my daughter growing up with access to my books.
19. Without realizing it, I have been curating a library for her for a long time.
20. One day she might inherit books from me the way Hwang inherited from her sister.
21. Reading life moves across generations.
22. Books quietly pass from one set of hands to another.
23. A home with books is already an invitation to read.

The Library and the World of Books

24. The book introduced me to many titles I would love to read.
25. Some of them don’t exist in English or at my library, which makes them feel even more mysterious.
26. It reminded me how large the world of books truly is.
27. Every reader’s life contains books we may never reach.
28. A library visit still thrills me—the sheer volume of stories available.
29. Sometimes I stand there thinking: I could read all this?
30. Going to the library will become a family ritual for us.
31. The act of choosing books together might become one of our shared memories.

The Realities of Reading

32. I appreciated Hwang’s honesty about not finishing every book.
33. “If I am no longer curious about what happens next, I won’t hesitate to close a book.” This is such a good way to identify when it’s time to let go.
34. Leaving a book unfinished can be an act of respect—for the book and for our time.
35. I liked her reflections on different book lengths.
36. A small book invites quick entry.
37. A thousand-page book asks for patience and strategy.
38. Sometimes reading is simply steady progress, page by page.
39. Hwang talked about translations and how not all are good. I read a translation of her thoughts and wondered what she thought of it.

Reading in a Distracted World

40. The book made me think about how easily the internet steals my attention.
41. I often pick up my phone without meaning to. Do you?
42. Reading requires a different kind of focus than scrolling.
43. Hwang suggests asking ourselves where we truly want to spend our time.
44. If the answer is not reading, that is okay too.
45. I liked her suggestion of using a timer to protect reading time. I use this strategy when I feel like I am not getting enough time to read. I have found a friend on FocusFriend.
46. Protecting attention might be the most important reading habit today.

Rituals of the Reading Life

47. I loved the essay about reading at night, under a lamp, with the world temporarily set aside.
48. Bedtime reading feels like stepping out of society for a little while.
49. One line stayed with me: “Tomorrow I can replace my worries with a book.”
50. Holidays feel like the perfect time to read deeply. How do you read during the holidays?
51. Reading itself has become a ritual in my life.
52. When I read, I feel the urge to create something of my own.
53. Checking with family and friends what they have been reading is its own personal book club ritual.

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Books about reading always leave me with the urge to write. While reading Every Day I Read, I realized that the short essay format is something I would love to explore more myself. Perhaps this book was my quiet introduction to thinking of myself as an essayist.

I closed the book with an idea – what if I recorded one bookish thought each day of January? A simple way to stay in conversation with reading, even on days when I don’t pick up a book. It would also be a way to keep writing — a few lines at a time.

It is now mid-March, and I am still recording a thought a day. I’m curious to see what patterns the year will reveal.

It is September end when I am sharing this on the blog and I see now how much this book has influenced who I have become. Birthday is around the corner! It will be the perfect opportunity to recap.

If you enjoy reading about reading, Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books is a wonderful companion.

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