I started work late last year for a company based in St Leonards. This means everyday I spend over an hour each direction in transit as I travel to and from home in Sutherland. This now affords me a very significant amount of time disconnected from the Internet and somewhat alone.
Now instead of frittering away such time studying the many details of the scenery passing by the carriage window, I have decided instead to spend it reading. Real books that is, not magazines nor MX. It is one of my resolutions this year to spend more money on books than DVDs and CDs, and more time reading than watching television.
Therefore my goal is to complete 48 books in 12 months (i.e. 4 a month). A book generally counts if it has more than 75 pages with a standard word density per page - so no children's books or comics. There is no limitation on genre which means all topics and styles are readable.
The primary reason for this undertaking, apart from occupying my train time, is to stimulate my mind. Reading a book requires a mental investment far beyond that demanded by TV and the internet. It forces you to participate in ways like grappling with the author's reasoning, or through the images evoked in the imagination, or also through the comprehension of new knowledge or a new paradigm. It's impossible to passively read a book and so I'm hoping to have mind broadened.
Another reason is that I am no longer content to leave culture defining literature unread. Many times I have been told of a book worth reading but only got so far as thinking I should read it. No more. If a book is worth reading I am determined to read it.
So that is the challenge. Right now I have completed 6 books and am about to complete the 7th. Only 41 to go.
Admirable! I love it! That's
Admirable! I love it!
That's very ambitious though... that basically amounts to one book a week. A book like Lord of the Rings or War and Peace is going to completely hammer that average.
I reckon I'd add this to the challenge: read a book, AND a book of the Bible every week.
Reading could be even
Reading could be even cheaper if you borrowed books from friends or a public Library. Then you don't add to the clutter in your room and there will be no need to spend money on bookshelves to accommodate them all.
I agree with above comment re Bible reading Aim to read the whole Bible in 1 year.
You could also talk to fellow passengers and start evangelising!
PS Trust you to have a maths question as a security measure
@Haoran Yep, big books make
@Haoran
Yep, big books make it hard. That's why it's 48 and not 52. I can also manage to knock over shorter books in a day or two which keeps me on target.
Also, great idea on reading a book of the bible each week. Will endeavor to do that along with it.
@Mum
My actual plan is to buy most of the books I end up reading. I would like to expand my library significantly. But to keep my costs down I'm going to start hunting out books to read from second hand sources.
Shelve space is a concern, but I guess I'll start moving the DVDs off it if it becomes a problem.
Caleb, I have a few books
Caleb,
I have a few books for you to add to your list:
These books are ones that, like the Bible, will provide you with great guidance to help you for the rest of your life ... so you can read them in between fictional stuff if you like ... I have found all of them useful and have tended towards ones that are highly recommended by others too ...
+ "How to win friends and influence people" by Dale Carnegie - invaluable, simple lessons about how to interact with people
+ "Getting to Yes" by Roger Fisher,William L. Ury,Bruce Patton - apparently the best book ever written about negotiation ... not just for business, but incredibly useful with day-to-day human interactions
+ "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" by Stephen Covey ... and general one that will help you to set other goals in life
+ "Don't forget" by Lapp ... helps you to learn to store and remember things (good for when you don't have your laptop)
+ "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert Kiyosaki ... maybe not be as relevant for you, but very useful thoughts on financial independence ... regardless, reading it will help you minister to others
+ The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin ... I have not read this one, but it comes highly recommended ... a very interesting person who was also a devote Christian and an excellent scientist ... I think this one will be right up you alley
+ Also, maybe try any good speed reading book ... this will help you immensely in life (as you get more and more emails) and for you to reach your goal
Hey Caleb, Are you going to
Hey Caleb,
Are you going to give us the 1st Quarter list of books you've read so far? How many are you upto? are you on target?
Yep, will do Ben. That is
Yep, will do Ben. That is forthcoming. I'm probably gonna make it it's own part of this site.
Currently I'm nearing the end of book 11 at the start of week 13 which puts me on target. I'll be back up to speed in the next couple of weeks.
Joe: Thanks for the that list of books. Some of them were already on the list :)
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