My mother taught me that reading is a kind of work, and that every paragraph merits exertion, and in this way, I learned how to absorb difficult books.

Reading is weightlifting for the brain

Make wise choices about what you read. Read only what is necessary or worthwhile. And then take the time to read carefully. One book read with concentration and reflected upon is worth a hundred flashed through without any absorption at all.

In great thick dusty books he read
And hardly ever went to bed
Before it was eleven.

- One Day When They Had Settled Down

Benefiting from peak times to read
They are the times when the brain is in its full activity and attentiveness. The daily peak times are the best times to read books, and the conscious reader doesn’t waste them, but benefit from them and win them.

Read what you find interesting, and then follow your interests. You'll find that in doing so you always generate enough to illuminate the next step.