During the time of lockdown, a great way to manage boredom is to read. If you don’t want to buy books, I personally use Libby (or overdrive. com) to connect to my public library’s entire ebook and audiobook database. Here is my take on a well-rounded, diverse, and boredom-curing reading list:

Absolutely Unputdownable Books You Have to Read

If you’re seeking a pleasant read, try this short story by Daniel Keyes. He’ll show you how a person feels going from a simple cleaner at a bakery, whose IQ is less than 60, to a genius and the most intelligent person on the planet. In a situation like this, is it possible to overcome your fears and cope with loneliness? Keyes offers his answer to this question.

A giant generation ship is sailing without guidance through the depths of the universe. Its passengers have long forgotten the outside world and believed in a pre-technological culture marked by superstition (迷信). This novel has brought Heinlein wide recognition, and will grasp you tight and won’t let you go for months (or even years) afterward. Are we, the digital generation, different from the passengers of that imaginary spaceship?

Adapted from the author’s own experience, this story is about the main things in life: choices we make, the power of love and devotion. The story of a thirteen-year-old boy who one day has to gather all his strength and courage and take a step towards adulthood proves once again that dreams do come true. After all, no matter how many pounds we have, we’re all trying not to lose hope.

If you don’t enjoy thrillers or sci-fi and stories about dragon-riding detectives, if you’re longing for something emotional, slow and gentle, this beautiful little book by Francoise Sagan is just what you need. Strongly recommended by psychological doctors, it’s a pleasant exception among traditional romance novels: you’ll find all of the advantages of high-quality literature here. And yes, it’s a real page-turner.

Reading books can exercise your brain. Kids who started reading at an earlier age go on to perform better on certain intelligence tests, such as analyses of their vocabulary size. As one gets older, it might help slow down or even cease cognitive decline. 【小题1】 Many Americans don't read frequently. It's time to reverse this trend to give your brain gray matter a good workout.

【小题2】When you have some down time—you're waiting for a friend, sleeping lightly on the way from or to work, or doing a task that doesn't require your full attention—you can open your text instead of pulling up your favorite smartphone game. 【小题3】 While paper is still the clear winner in the court of public opinion, science hasn't proven that physical books are better than digital ones.

Academic research has mostly focused on the ability to remember. A study took place in a laboratory setting： Students all read the same text, but some looked at the words on paper and others viewed an on-screen PDF. It turned out that no meaningful difference between the two media existed. As for audiobooks, they affected the brain gray matter somewhat differently. 【小题4】

Ultimately, if you hope to get a reading habit going, you shouldn't dismiss paper digital, or audio—【小题5】 Don't be afraid to change things up depending on the occasion.