On Books And Reading. This post is a brief summary of my thoughts on the value of reading books on a daily and consistent basis.  Become a daily reader and it can change your life.

Reading has always been my favorite pastime. I became an avid reader and collector of books from the time I was 12 years of age or so. For me, there is no better way to spend leisure time than reading.

I want to share with you four ideas that have enhanced the benefits of my reading over the years.  I hope you find them of value.

Create A Reading Plan

Time is too precious to waste on books that will not add value to your life. I highly recommend that you develop a reading plan for yourself that aligns with your interests. There are many reading plans recommended by various sources. Mortimer Adler includes a superb list in his classic book on reading titled, “How To Read A Book.” Two other recommendations are “The Great Books of the Western World” and the “Harvard Classics.”

I also recommend that you add books from other cultures as well, especially the Chinese, Indian, and Japanese cultures. For example, Confucius’s “Analects,” Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War,” and “The Upanishads” contain many wise perspectives on life. 

Annotate Your Books

During the early years of my reading, I did not underline passages or sentences or write comments in the margin.  Books were too valuable in my eyes, and I did not want to deface them in any way.  In hindsight, that was a serious mistake. Do not be afraid to write in your books and to annotate or comment on points that you find compelling or challenging.

Use Book Trees

Pay attention during your reading and note those books referenced as relevant or significant by the author.  I have used such a system over the years, and it has been highly worthwhile for me. 

Keep A Book Journal

I highly recommend keeping a book journal.  You may use book journals to document the essential information about the books you read, such as title, author, start and completion dates, notes, etc.

Internal Link: https://whitebeardwisdom.com/the-books-that-have-changed-my-life-and-my-thinking/

External Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Books_of_the_Western_World