I admit it. I’m a book junkie. Without a reading fix each day, I exhibit withdrawal symptoms.Our two-bedroom apartment bears witness to my addiction with 25 metres (80 feet) of packed bookshelves. (The rest of the books are stacked on the floor.)
Marcus Cicero said it for people like me, “A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
The shirt I’m wearing in the photo has a picture of Charles Dickens and the words, “Read as if your mind depended on it.”
When people discover my book habit they have questions that I try to answer as succinctly and helpfully as I can.
Q: How much do you read?
A: An average of about one book and periodical a week. A little less when I travel on speaking tours.
Q: How do you find time to read?
A: I don’t just read when I find time. I make time. I deliberately sit down to do nothing but read. I read with my first cup of coffee in the morning. I read humorous material to Jo in bed every night. Sometimes I read to her while she is making supper. I always have three or more books on the go at any one time and I keep at least one within reach just in case I find some time. Jo and I like to watch some TV together but we are mindful of Groucho Marx’s opinion, “I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.”
Q: What do you read?
A: A variety of books and periodicals. A balanced literary diet. That’s the succinct part. Here is the more detailed and helpful part:
Spiritual Development: I have read through the Bible annually for many years. I read it early in the morning, with my first cup of coffee. My wife and I also read through the Psalms together once a month. I also keep a small book of short, daily meditations handy to dip into during the day. And I usually have books on spiritual development, Christian issues, or theology going throughout the year.
Personal Development: Books that help me be a better father, husband, grandpa. Some that help me get organized, do financial planning, and in general those that help me focus on how to live.
Professional Development: Books on cross-cultural missions, writing, speaking, publishing, marketing, blogging, language, leadership, organization, technology.
Biography: Reading memoirs and life stories sometimes inspires me, sometimes it fills me with longing, but I always learn something—either great examples to follow or horrible ones to avoid.
Information: Material on history, current issues, science philosophy, and psychology.
Entertainment: Novels of all sorts, science fiction, mystery, classics, and for bedtime reading some humor. Reading poetry tends to give me unique insight into common situations. By the way, a book is often informative and entertaining at the same time.
Q: What do you plan to read?
A: More! I plan to read more, way more! To help me do this, I’m buying an ebook reader and plan to read a dozen books at once, all there in the same pocket. I occasionally pick a book to read that I know I won’t agree with, just to keep my mind sharp and thinking on all sides of the issue.
One question no one has ever asked me but which I’ll answer anyway is:
Q: What books do you not read?
A: Anything that would arouse my desires in humanity’s basic problem areas: Money, Sex, and Power. I don’t read material that inflames my desire to get rich. I don’t read pornographic stories, and I don’t read about gaining power over other people, and I especially avoid reading about practicing the occult that promises demonic powers.
I’m not only a book addict, I’m a book pusher. My goal is to get you addicted too.
Originally posted at Jack's INsights & OUTbursts
I love to read, too, but just reading about Jack's level of reading has exhausted me! I read when I can, and would read more if I could :)
ReplyDeleteVery inspiring, Jack, and no wonder you're an accomplished writer!
ReplyDeleteWe enjoyed learning the 'shocking truth'.... turns out it's not so shocking, as I can totally relate to needing a reading fix every day.
ReplyDeleteMmmm... I wonder what withdrawal symptoms 'we' exhibit.
Enjoyed the post... thanks for sharing it with us.