On books
Read time: 7 minutes
What is a book?
When someone sets out to write a book, it is usually an endeavor that compresses somewhere between 5 to 70 years of research, experience, interviews, anecdotes and stories that are put within a few mere pages that may be read in less than 10 hours.
To say it another way, it is the whole human experience of another individual cut down to those few important realizations he or she had within their lifetime that contributed towards the development of the human experience.
Books are the closest thing we have to the Matrix. They are the real life equivalent of downloading knowledge straight into your brain, of importing a whole individual’s experience into your software.
A book is everything someone had to say, all that information formatted into digestible chunks and being ready to be interviewed at any hour of any day. It is like having a great mentor always present for you, being ready to be asked whatever you need at whatever moment of the day you wish to do so.
Books as people
Think of the 10 people you most admire. Just imagine the 10 most influencial people you know from the different fields of life (health, wealth, happiness, relationships) being your mentors day in and day out.
Just imagine having at your disposal those 10 people whenever you wish to light the path of your life.
Now look at the nearest book. Chances are that book is exactly a mentor you may need in your life right now.
That book is the closest thing you can have to mentor’s time, yet you payed a mere $10 to find out everything a person you admire had to say in their whole life.
Why should I read?
One comment I’ve heard a lot in the past few years is “I don’t need to read”. I used to be in the same camp, thinking that personal experience will trump all.
Time has proven me that choosing not to read is an act of complete indeference towards your own and other’s lives.
Being informed is one thing, but being educated is a complete other subject. You may get as much exposure to 24/7 media, but nothing will be able to replace the right book.
Choosing not to read is like a sports player having coaches and never listening to them.
“A person who won’t read has no advantage over one who can’t read” - Mark Twain
I only read for work
Do you only live to work? Getting better at your job is great and I always applaud such endeavours, but that may not be enough to live a fulfilling life.
If you know how to get better and apply said knowledge in a particular field of life, it would be a complete shame not to share that improvement to the other facets of your existance.
If books can help you be a better lawyer, comedian, programmer, why would you not allow books to help you become a better friend, parent, human.
Books run the risk of helping you come as human as you can be. They may, if read thoughtfully, turn you into a more fulfilled you.
Fiction vs Non-fiction
I am personally an advocate of non-fiction. Most of the books I have read in my timeline are non-fiction, but I can see the value in both genres.
Fiction is great at releasing your creativity, getting acquainted with the classics, the evolution of culture and opening you up to the hopefulness of what the world could be.
Non-fiction is great when you want to understand something you currently don’t, want to be inspired, or want to see the experience of a person you admire.
There is no right or wrong choice. It is up to you to do what is best for your life at the particular time you find yourself in.
Not all books are created equal
I do encourage reading, but not just for the sake of it. I respect everyone’s choice, but you have to realize that you have a limited amount of time to spend reading everything you will ever read.
If sci-fi robot-cowboy-vampire novels are your thing, go ahead and have fun, but if what you really want is a better relationship with your child, maybe spending your time on parenting books would be a better time investment.
Don’t finish books
You may wish to practice skimming through a book, skipping phrases, jumping around the page to get a feel for whether or not it is something you may wish to skip. Also, you may wish you skip chapters, or finish books early.
I definetly belive you shouldn’t finish all books. If you know you’re not getting any more knowledge, entertainment, satisfaction from a book, why would you keep reading. Nobody’s making you finish that.
Not all books are completely worthy of every second. Some of the best books I’ve read are 25% fluff and 75% actual great book. You don’t need to read everything.
You have to remember you are reading for yourself. Every book you choose to spend your time with is your choice and that choice should be made to help YOU.
But what should I read?
If you don’t know what to read, I would suggest you give a quick look over my list of recommandations.
Other great lists I know of are the following:
There is no wrong choice. The worst thing you can do is get overwhelmed by the amount of books and not choose at all.
Whatever you choose, just remember you don’t have to stick with only one book at a time, you don’t need to finish it, you don’t need to read absolutely every word in the book and you don’t need to spend 45 minutes reading 1 single page.
Conclusions
“I don’t have time to read” is a bullshit story that you may say to deflect the responsibility of investing your time in books to better your life.
Reading, like anything I choose to talk about, is a habit which you develop with time, but you can’t develop this habit if you don’t invest the time.
However you choose to spend your time with books, be it digital analog reading, audiobooks, 1 at a time, multiple at once, skimming, or reading every word, I hope you will choose what is most meaningful for you and you will choose the mentors waiting for you within the pages of time.
I will leave you with one of the best Ted Talks I know of from Tai Lopez speaking on the power books may play in your life if you let them to.