A Guide to Choosing Which Books to Read
A methodical approach that makes sure your reading time is well-spent
In 2015, Tim Urban wrote a great perspective post for Wait But Why about putting life through the filter of time and then breaking it down by activity: How many winters, Super Bowls, and books can you consume in a 90-year lifespan? If I’m 32 (I am), that leaves 58 (hopefully good) years in my life. And if I read, on average, 20 books per year, that gives me approximately 1,160 books to pore through over the next several decades. That number may seem like a lot, but when you consider (according to Uncle Google), that there are nearly 130 million books out there and another 600,000 to 1,000,000 additional books released every year, 1,160 books means I’ll be able to get through about 0.000003 percent of all published books by the time I hit 90. A real big, fat dent.
Not.
So, knowing this, how do we decide which books to read? Where do we even begin when the paradox of choice presents itself in such a monstrously overwhelming and paralyzing way?
Why read?
For me, it’s important to understand why I read. Reading for entertainment results in very different choices than reading for knowledge and growth. There’s no right or wrong, better or worse method. While I…
