The Penguin Shelves, Z.G. Burnett, 2024.
By Z.G. Burnett
Around this time of year, most of us have forgotten all about our New Year’s resolutions, if we even made them in the first place. If you’re a real headcase like me, you set reminders on your phone about them. Even worse, you’re actually trying to adhere to these pesky notifications rather than clearing them with a guilty snarl, “Who asked ya?”
Two common resolutions are to read more, and to cut back on screen time. These go hand in hand and are supposed to be much better for one’s eyes and brain. Luckily for us, publishers in the 1930s found the solution: the handy-dandy paperback book. In 1935, Penguin Books released its first ten titles of “good-quality literature and writing” at lesser cost than hardcovers, and in 1938, Pearl S. Buck’s The Good Earth became the first mass market paperback proof-of-concept from Pocket Books to be produced in the United States.
Almost a hundred years later, we have just as many distractions from putting eyes to paper. These resolutions are impeded by habit, carrying capacity, and subject matter. The first is something we’re all familiar with; you’re most likely reading this on a phone after checking messages, social media, or the news. The second is an excuse because mass-market paperbacks are made to fit in small pockets, so long as you’re not wearing women’s trousers, and possibly weigh less than many phones and tablets.
The third is trickier, as many who resolve to read more often have the longest, most objectively boring books in their pile that have gone untouched for years. Forgo the door stoppers and try something light. If you haven’t really read in awhile your brain must become used to it again, so try a light comic novel or concise nonfiction, something quick to pull out on the train or before bed. It’s really the dopamine kick you’ll be craving after cutting back on social media, therefore it helps if you look forward to reading the book.
We’ve also largely lost the materiality of the written word, key to most nerds who will talk your ear off about it if permitted. Yet a visit to a physical shop where you can pick up a book, peruse its description, and decide if it’s worth a read, is usually more successful than browsing online. Less expensive too, minus shipping, especially if there’s a used bookstore nearby. If you insist on reading a ponderous classic that’s been in the docket for awhile, switch it out with a lighter edition. The earlier the title, the more likely there’s a well-loved copy out there just waiting to be picked up and enjoyed again.
Still from The Seven Year Itch (1955), courtesy of Rick’s Real/Reel Life.
Z. G. Burnett
Z.G. Burnett is a New England-based writer who specializes in history, fashion, and material culture. She is a contributing editor for Antiques and the Arts Weekly, and her work has appeared in Ivy Style and The Vintage Woman Magazine. Burnett is currently editing her first book, The Preppy Witch Primer. Find more at www.zgburnett.com
Image credit: Annie Minicuci Photography.
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