By keeping track of the books I read, I’ve made a rod for my own back

Do I now feel in competition with myself to read more titles than I did last month? Yes, writes Harriet Williamson

Few things in life give me greater pleasure than to lose myself in the pages of a novel (Getty)

Books have always felt like an escape for me – a point of connection with others and a private joy that I can sink into like a hot bath. Few things in life give me greater pleasure than to lose myself in the pages of a novel, and by reading voraciously, I hope I can challenge myself to become a better writer too.

I read quite quickly, so I get through a lot of books. They’re something I never feel guilty about spending money on, and my flat is absolutely packed with them. I gave up Amazon after editing Emmie Harrison–West’s eye-opening piece in January about the poor treatment of workers at the online retail giant, and I now get my books secondhand from charity shops and eBay, or Waterstones if I’m feeling flush.

I religiously avoid book clubs, and it hadn’t ever occurred to me to become a “BookTuber” or get involved with “BookTok” (even typing those terms out makes me feel exhausted). But recently, I’ve started keeping a record of the books I’ve read each month.