Trying To Make More Time To Read? This App Has The Answer.
The App That Re-sparked My Interest in Reading
I really suck at reading. Or, more specifically, I suck at finding the time in the day to get through the growing list of books on my bedside table — now at equal height with my lamp — despite trying to carve out time at lunch or before bed. (I'm actually a rather fast reader.) As I was pondering this dilemma and how to be more effective about fixing it, I learned about the Blinkist app. It was explained as an app that provides the main crux of nonfiction books into quick, digestible key points.
But I was a bit confused: Is this meant to replace actually reading the full source materials? Have we gone full 1984 to where everything is condensed to the point of losing meaning? At what point does a refrain of rhetorical questions become redundant? I decided to try it out and see for myself to get answers. (Perhaps not to that last one.)
I'm pleased to say it was a rewarding experience. I signed up on Blinkist's website initially, though you can easily do so there or directly in the app. It offered an annual subscription (including a 7-day free trial) or a monthly payment option, which does not have a free trial. I chose the former and — after confirming that I'm not, in fact, a robot — was led through a quiz in which I picked topics I liked to read.
Then my likes were tested by showing me cover titles of books and asking whether I found them interesting. This seemed to me like a clever way of testing what books I think I want to read versus what I will actually wind up reading. Once my account was confirmed, I downloaded the app onto my phone et voila, I was in. It was surprisingly quick and easy to get going.
Impressive Design, Even More Impressive Content
Once inside the app, I was impressed with the design. It was easy to navigate, modern, and used a darker background, which this writer personally loves for the sake of his eyesight.
But more importantly, I got to try out the concept: Blinkist provides easy-to-read summaries, called "blinks," of nonfiction books that provide key insights on new topics in less than 20 minutes. Perhaps the New York Times put it best: "Blinkist encourages you to read more nonfiction books. The app contains cleverly written digests — called blinks — where books are broken down into their main arguments."
If Books Are a Research Study, Then Blinks Are the Abstract
You can read them or listen if you prefer, which I found convenient while doing chores around the house. A blink is not meant to replace reading the book it's covering but, rather, explain on the front end the premise and what you can take away from it. Then, if interested in the topic, you can feel free to do a deeper dive into the source material. I think of it sort of like if the book were an entire research study, then the blinks are the abstract.
In researching what Blinkist is, I learned some interesting facts about how Americans read and how the app changes that. The company says it designed the app for "life-long learners," or people who are interested in many topics or even one specific topic but just don't have time to read. And I learned that most Americans find time to read only 17 minutes per day, according to a study by the Bureau of Labour Statistics.
And 95 percent of Blinkist members read significantly more than before, according to the company. Judging from my own experience, I believe these stats. I was reading less than 20 minutes at bedtime, if that, but I've been inspired to actually pick back up some source books after the blinks re-sparked my interest.
The choice is easy after having now tried Blinkist: I'll be sticking around. If you're a life-long learner, want to know more about various topics and ideas, or just want a push to finally tackle that stack of books on your bedside table, then Blinkist is for you. Check it out and start reading today.