thoughts on reading | reading list 2020

Side note: this blog post is longer than I expected, so if you are just here for some book recommendations, scroll to the bottom of page

I’m an avid reader, I read a lot. When I was younger, I could spent dozens of hours in library, checking out all sort of genres. As it is, the times have changed, and maybe just like you, I’m slowly losing interest in books too.

For one, thanks to the development of technology. Naturally, a bundle of sheets of paper tightened together isn’t as attractive as all those devices with 4k resolutions, face recognitions or AR/VR technologies included. All technology can truly be entertaining.

Secondly, for a long period of time, I was heavily influenced by the tips of great minds like Bill Gates. In an interview for Quartz, he mentioned a rule that he personally follows when picking books to read, but neither did I know, this advice would cause more harm than good to me.

Bill Gates on how he reads books:

It was this sentence that I stumbled upon:

“I don’t let myself start a book that I’m not gonna finish”

Following his rule, I would literally finish every book I started. It didn’t matter whether it was an encyclopedia, novel, self-help book, or a magazine. I would read it wholly anyways because rules aren’t meant to be broken. It wasn’t until this year when I finally realized that this advice doesn’t work quite well for me. I couldn’t leave things unfinished, it felt just awkward. An unfinished book to me was like unfinished sex. You both were giving hope to each other, and then you suddenly decide to back out at the last minute. Who does that? Well, let’s face the truth, not every book is meant to be finished.

How do I see it?#

The way how I see it, time is limited and with the amount of time given to us, there is only a specific number of books you will be able to read. Obviously, you won’t be able to read all of the books ever produced and it shouldn’t even be your goal to ever reach the upper bound. At this moment, let’s just talk about the books we choose to read solely out of our interest or curiosity (no mandatory school reading, research papers, company handbooks, etc.).

When it comes to book reading, I believe what matters the most is how deeply a book resonates with you. It is great if you can read twelve books per year, but it is not so great when you can’t recall any of them. In this case, the law of diminishing returns is a big factor here. It’s not necessarily the count that is the issue, but how you engage with the content. Some of you might just simplify things by saying: “Oh, he is just talking about the quality over quantity concept”, but that’s not what I mean.

Looking at the problem from the other end, how many books fascinated you enough that made you reread them at least twice? If you have already encountered a book like that, then congratulations those are exactly the gems, you are looking for. All in all, we are all looking for answers to our questions when we are reading. Looking for something that could either make our mind wonder for days or fill the information gap.

Am I really interested in this book?#

When choosing a book, the single most important thing is to ask yourself whether this book will really bring value to you. I have encountered many occasions where somebody recommended me a book, and I started mindlessly reading it on the recommendation. It can be a hit or miss process, but not if you preread a chapter of it before you fully determine to start the book.

Sometimes, I pick a book that doesn’t necessarily fit my taste. There is nothing wrong with disliking a book, but there is some borderline to it. Picking up books, it’s just like buying bananas. People always go for the yellow ones and avoid the rest- green and brown ones. There is nothing wrong with them, simply customers are just not ready to accept them yet. My advice, you should never abandon a book, you never know when it might surprise you. When reading, be open to anything and everything. If you didn’t like a book at the time, let it be, and let the time decide whether you will meet again.

The most common scenario is when a book becomes boring. Truthfully, not every part of a book will give you the same amount of resourcefulness and enjoyment. That’s when the 80/20 rule comes to play. Services like Blinkist has their business plan built on this principle and like Francis Bacon says it:

“Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly" - Francis Bacon

Lastly, frequency doesn’t matter#

For a long time, I tried to have a strict schedule for reading. For instance, I would set specific times during the day for my reading sessions. Now, I don’t find inconsistency as an issue. There could be days when I’m not reading any book, and then days when I’m sinking deep into reading. Every year, I create a book list or have an estimated count of books I want to finish. What’s most important to me, is always to get back on track with the goal.

Each of us functions a bit differently, and what works for others doesn’t have to work for you. A piece of advice is good advice, only when it is beneficial to you, no matter who said or suggested it. Don’t let the clout swallow you. If you made it here, I’m more than proud of you- it means a lot to me! All kinds of comments are welcome, stay well, and be cool :) Click to find out what Senik is reading