Most of us were reading less — until 2020, Erica Pandey writes:

• The average American read 20 minutes a day in 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' American Time Use Survey. That's up 21% from 2019, and the most since the early 2000s.

• Print books had their best sales year of the decade in 2020. Sales climbed even higher last year.
• The share of adults who report reading e-books ticked up 5 points in 2021 from two years before (to 30%), Pew Research Center found.

Why it matters: The decline of reading — especially among teens — alarms scholars. But reading's pandemic-era renaissance offers us hope.

Case in point: I set a goal this year to read a book a week.

• I was an English major in college, but have barely picked up a book since graduation.
• We're in the 12th week of the year, and I've only finished 8 books. But I've learned a lot.

Five reading tips:

1. Just stop: There are too many awesome books out there for you to soldier on through one that's not delighting or helping you. Quit the second you have had your fill.
2. Make it a habit: Build books into your daily routine, so you're reading when you wake up ... or commute ... or at bedtime.
3. Track yourself: I use the app Reading List to keep track of my progress, and what I'm reading next.
4. Digital detox: Keep your phone out of reach when you read to eliminate temptation.
5. Family time: If you have kids, read to them. If you live with a roommate or a partner, read together.

I've been reading a mix of fiction and long-form journalism.

• My two favorites so far: "Lincoln in the Bardo" by George Saunders, and "Vanity Fair's Schools for Scandal," a collection of magazine pieces edited by Graydon Carter.

Send your book picks to [email protected] — including your favorite short one — so I can catch up to my goal.

• Share this story.

Speaking of short books ... Jim, Mike and Axios co-founder Roy Schwartz are writing a book on how to write, speak and conduct meetings in Smart Brevity.

The title: "Smart Brevity." (You saw that coming!) 

• That's the style you see in this and all Axios emails.

Why it matters: Publishers tell us their data shows people are skimming most books or reading fewer pages. So they should be delighted with our < 90-minute read. Shameless plug: pre-order here.

• Fun fact: Jim wrote most of the book on his iPhone 11.