Thoughts on Serial Reader

I recently downloaded the app Serial Reader for personal use, and I wanted to share my thoughts. The app is available on Android and iOS, and serialises novels into daily issues so that you can read the classics in roughly ten minutes a day (for however many days are necessary). For added clarification, this is not a paid post, these are my genuine thoughts.

Like many other people I know, I sometimes struggle to get through the classics. I couldn’t tell you why. I don’t find them difficult, and I genuinely think many of them sound interesting. I have even enjoyed most of the ones I have managed to finish. I think it might be the time commitment. I don’t really want to set aside the time to read old books when there are constantly new ones coming out, and they all seem incredibly interesting too. I’m not sure though.

I downloaded Serial Reader (which is available for free) mostly out of curiosity, a little over two weeks ago. Since downloading it, I have finished 5 pieces of classic literature (Sultana’s Dream by Rokeya Sakhawat Hossein, Southern Horror: Lynch Law In All Its Phases by Ida B. Wells, Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau, Pickman’s Model by H.P. Lovecraft, and An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce). I probably would not have gotten around to any of these yet, despite all of them being incredibly short (2 to 4 issues on Serial Reader). I am also about half way through a full novel (O Pioneers! by Willa Cather) that I definitely would not have gotten to yet if not for Serial Reader.

Breaking the classics into small bite sized pieces, with no obligation to read more than one piece per day, I have found that it is a lot easier to set aside a few minutes a day for them and actually accomplish something. I have also found that it enables me to read these classics without stopping the newer releases that I am working on out of the library or my own collection.

Not only is it free, but it’s actually useful. If you have ever struggled to just get through a classic despite wanting to actually read said classic, I can’t recommend Serial Reader enough. There is a fairly broad collection of books to choose from, with a wide variety of genre and length available. I accessed it because it is free, but ended up choosing its paid tier after a few days because I liked it so much (and the paid tier is a one time payment of a couple dollars for lifetime access to small bonus features).

If you’re interested in free ebooks, a way to get through books you might normally struggle with, or a way to make it through books in general (I know how hard it can be to set aside the time and mental energy for reading), this app can probably go a long way for you.