Read out loud. A quiet mind also helps... meditation works for that

creamyhole, great name btw, this happens to me too my attention span is shrinking as I age. if you don't read often try reading shorter and more interesting things. also, it doesn't hurt to take notes if what you're reading is complicated or confusing

I think with reading you need to get into a flow with it, so start with something that is interesting and really easy to read. Then you can move onto more heavy stuff. Duncan said something along these lines a few months ago on a podcast and it totally worked for me. I started off reading an Agatha Christie novel and soon I was chewing through books like you wouldn't believe.

@Creamyhole I just finished How To Read a Book because I've had trouble with concentrating and comprehending what I'm reading. It breaks down the different levels of reading and explains how to read for UNDERSTANDING instead of just reading to soak up information. Being well read means you read well!

I get this problem too, but instead of not remembering what I just read after 2 paragraphs my mind instead lingers to other thoughts while my eyes are still skimming the text. Funny. It sounds simple enough, but I usually just have to eliminate all distractions and take care of whatever things that are on my mind at the time before even diving into a book for a long reading session. Everyone else is pretty right on with the working out, sleep routine, and other alterations.

Interesting that you are reading Food of the Gods because this book and others like it actually brought me to pose this theory. Maybe you cannot focus on whatever is in front of you because it is not captivating you. Trying to focus on something that is not coming naturally with patience is futile. Shift your attention in a different direction, be it away from reading or just a different book. I say this because I have generally had the attitude of disliking reading for most of my life. But sometimes I find a topic interesting, most recently Food of the Gods and The Psilocybin Solution, and cannot help but continue reading, with no loss of focus for hours. Normally I do not enjoy reading for more than 20-30 minutes. It's all about attraction!

First, it isn't a problem!

second, maybe you're just not that interested in reading that book?

the last book I read where instead of going "how long until this chapter is over and I can put the book down?" I was going "just one more chapter" over and over until I was literally too tired to continue reading was Stephen Kings 11/22/63

so my suggestion is go read that book because I really want people to talk about it with

edit: and it will add the word "jimla" (as in, "you're such a fucking jimla") to your vocabulary.

I completely agree with all of you mentioning that you must be interested in what you are reading. Luckily for me I love reading and it has been a life long passion for me. I used to steal books from the bookstore when I was younger. Super dork but yeah if you aren't interested in the subject or the type of novel you have picked up, try something else. I have gotten to the point where if I notice I am not enjoying a book by the frist couple chapters I put it down for a week or two, try again and see how it goes. If it still sucks then i scrap it. Lucky for me I live in Portland where there is a plethora of used books stores to buy many books and not feel bad when I dislike them. So if I were you I would get a library card, try different catagories of books ie: fiction, nonfiction, autobiographies, short story collections and the like to get a better understanding of what appeals to you. Good luck but believe me the joy of reading is one of the greatest parts of being alive.