What In The World To Read?
I’ll often get questions as to what a person should read. Here are my thoughts on what a person should read.
READ DIFFERENT KINDS OF BOOKS.
I am intentional about reading different kinds of books. For work, I just don’t read leadership books I really like, but I also read theology books, worship/inspirational books, etc. They help me to become a more well-rounded person. For my non-work reading, I read a mixture of fiction and non-fiction. If I read a fiction book, I follow it up with a non-fiction book. I also vary the type of fiction and non-fiction I read. It keeps me from getting bored too quickly with same type of books and makes sure I don’t get stuck “in a rut” reading the same type of books.
KEEP A LIST OF BOOKS YOU HAVE READ.
Keeping a list of books that I have read has been helpful in many ways. It helps me reflect on what I have read not only to see the progress I have made but also so I can make recommendations of good books to others. It also allows me to check if I am reading widely. Plus, if someone asks me if I have read a book and I can’t remember, I can refer to my list.
KEEP A LIST OF BOOKS YOU WANT TO READ.
I will admit that I am never at a loss as to what to read next. I always go back to my “want to read” list, pick a few titles, and head to the library. This list is ever growing. I add to it a few ways. Anytime I go to a bookstore, I write down books that I think I might want to read. I also check the new books at the library and add any interesting ones to the list. If someone recommends a book to me, it goes on the list too. It is a dynamic list that I know I will never read everything on, but it is a list that I always have at my fingertips. It helps me always have something to read.
READ A SERIES OF BOOKS.
I also try to take some time during the year to read a series of books. It gives you a more in-depth picture of a subject if it is a non-fiction set or gives a broader story line if it is a fiction set. For example, one goal of mine is to read Shelby Foote’s three-volume series on the Civil War. (If you have seen it, you can see why it is still a goal; it is a massive set). So if you want to change things up a bit, or go deeper, read a series of books.
MAKE TIME FOR READING.
Reading is an important part of my life, so I make time for it. We will talk more about this in our next post.
Next week, we will talk about how you can easily read twenty books in one year.
Conversation:
What kinds of books do you like to read?
What kinds of books do you want to read?