The poi nt isn’t to read Crime and Punishment on day one. The point is to get you reading. So start with what’s easy and what you’re into. Seriously, guilty pleasures abound (I like I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell and Shit My Dad Says).

Once you’ve tested the waters (maybe 2 — 3 months), start to grapple with tougher books, maybe even the canonical texts. To use what you read, start implementing this strategy . Don’t worry about this until you’re hooked though.

Life is short.

There are cars to drive, projects to finish, and girls to woo. If a book doesn’t have you engaged after 50 pages, move on to the next one. I know this might go against your instincts, but forget it — your instincts stopped you from reading and made you watch all 5 seasons of Jersey Shore.