The Pew Research Center found in 2019 that 27 percent of American adults did not start a book in the last 12 months, despite the many benefits of reading. Studies demonstrate that reading can increase a person’s understanding of themselves, other people and other cultures while also decreasing loneliness. Pleasure reading has also been linked to increased academic and professional success. Starting to read for fun, however, can be a difficult task. There are many strategies to stay motivated on your literary adventure. The Mount Holyoke News reached out to students to share some of theirs.