Chapter Forty One
The part where you fight for your right to do you...
Hey you,
How are things? I hope you've been thriving since our last letter. The month seems to be going very fast for me and I think it's partly due to book club. So, we had an early meeting with the author, Sefi Atta, and because we still have so much to talk about, there's another meeting at the end of the month (as usual), you can register for that HERE. Have you read Everything Good Will Come, or are you reading with us? It's such a fascinating read and so ahead of its time, I highly recommend you read it if you haven't. I know a lot of people don't like coming-of-age stories but this one is done well.
I've recently noticed something weird on the internet, people seem to have issues with readers who go through books fast or people who indulge in reading fiction for leisure, and in turn, I have seen readers who are disassociating themselves from "the reader lifestyle." One particular post from a reader who plans to read less stuck with me, the reader shares that they are no longer present in their lives for their family or work and that what was a hobby has become an "anxiety-inducing hell hole," they ended the caption with this, "quality connections matter more than the quantity of followers."
* heavy sigh*
So, I want to share my thoughts on two things. First of all, paying any mind to internet people when it comes to how much you should or should not be reading or the kind of books to read is a recipe for failure, these people do not give a fuck and are just looking for mindless engagement. Block them and move on. Secondly, we are readers and most of us read because it makes us feel good, sometimes we'd throw in a challenge or two to spice things up, we might even start tracking what we read because it's fun to look back and see what we've been reading. Yes, some people are out here to brag about how many books they read, or that their reading choices are superior, but why should all these things affect our reading experiences? We need to ask ourselves this question and sit with the answers, because why would these things affect our reading life?
That person who has decided to read less is probably not content with their engagement rates on Instagram and has maybe been comparing their accounts to bigger accounts, which again, is a recipe for disaster. If you have a Bookstagram account or are looking to start one, you need to question why you even want one because I can tell you for a fact that "book influencing" is not the way to become rich. Free books shouldn't be motivation enough to put yourself through all that stress.
Starting my mini "bookish media empire"(I mean that's what it has become at this point😊) has brought massive benefits to my reading and personal life. I've always been in this for the people and books, discovering people who I share interests with is my favourite part about being relatively known online as being a book-obsessed person. I want that for you too, if that's what you want, of course.
In summary, whatever you decide to do moving forward, I hope you do it for you and only you. Life's too short to make decisions over people who wouldn't even care or know if you dropped dead. Keep doing this for you, okay?
Speaking of book challenges, I’ve decided to be very serious about paying myself whenever I finish reading a book. Instead of putting the money in a piggy box or a bank account that I have access to, I’ll be putting 1000 naira in my PiggyVest as soon as I finish a book. Inshallah. I think you should try it too, it doesn’t have to be the same amount as me but make sure it’s reasonable and sustainable enough.
I recently read a short story about an elevator falling in love with a human being and the way it’s written is so tender that I have to share it with you, READ HERE. It’s one of the stories from Your Utopia, a 2024 anticipated read of mine, written by Bora Chung and translated from Korean by Anto Hur.
I have unfortunately made this letter longer than I intended so I bid you farewell, my friend. Please remember to hydrate, eat well, sleep well, and poop well. Most importantly, don’t forget to give yourself the grace you always extend to others. You need it too, okay?
If you love my content, please do consider supporting me by buying me a cup of tea (I’ve finally found a way for non-Nigerian residents to contribute) or by giving me a shout-out on social media or in real life (prayers are fine too).
See you on the other side, Dearest.
XOXO