Every new year, people vow to read more. Of course, it seldom actually happens, but we all wish we had more time to slow down, pick up one of the books off the bedside table we've been meaning to get through, and dive in.
If we can find any silver lining to all the COVID-19 craziness and self-isolation, it might be that your wish for more reading time may finally be here. But since you've only got so many options at home and a trip to the library isn't really practical these days, how about a library's worth of great books all available on your smartphone or tablet — and all digestible in just a few short minutes?
You can not only satisfy that reading jones right now with all of these services but also explore loads of interest areas in a fraction of the time. You've got time on your hands…so you may as well make sure it's time well spent.
BookNotes Book Summaries ($29 for a lifetime subscription; originally $299.99)
From finance and love to career and happiness to fiction and even documentaries, BookNotes boils them all down. Spin through hundreds of available titles, then let Booknotes' concise 15-minute summaries extract all the key insights of the book and serve them up. And if you'd rather just listen, BookNotes summaries come in audio versions as well, so even if you venture outside your home, you can always be learning.
SumizeIt Book Summaries ($19 for a lifetime subscription; originally $99.99)
Sumizeit offers quick-read book summaries that never compromise on quality. Each Sumizelt original is presented in text and audio in clear, easy to understand language that can be digested in minutes. Sumizelt subscribers get at least one new book a week (often more) and their meticulously curated offerings ensure that your time is never being wasted.
12min Micro Book Premium Plan ($19 for a 1-year subscription; originally $69.30)
12min is one of the top providers of book summaries online — and each micro book guarantees to give you a tight, well-constructed, thoughtful breakdown of your selected work in just 12 minutes. With hundreds of books encapsulated in text and audio form already and with 30 new titles being added each month, you'll never be at a loss for a new area to explore next. 12min also prides itself on responding to its customers, so if you can't find the book you want in their extensive library, just suggest it to the 12min expert and they add it.
getAbstract Book Summaries Starter Plan ($99.99 for a 3-year subscription; originally $297)
getAbstract's archive of summarized works is truly vast. This Starter Plan gives you access to over 5,000 summaries and ratings of top books, articles and video talks in short 10-minute fluff-free abstracts. With curated channels like self-development, life advice, politics, science, business, classics and more, you'll have a wide range to choose from. And these works are also published in outlets like The New York Times, Fortune, BusinessWeek and more, so you know they're crafted to withstand the harshest scrutiny and satisfy.
