Reading is important.  It is said that in 5 years, the person you become will be influenced by the people you know and the book you read.  Books allow readers to learn from experts, adventurers, and others that we would most likely never come into contact with.  We learn from the successes, the failures, and the creativity of the writing in such a variety of subjects.  According to Wikipedia, in 2009, there were over 280,000 books published in the United States alone.  With such a huge amount of information in books, if you can’t find something you are interested in reading, you might need to check your pulse.

When you find something you are interested in reading, it is always a good idea to occasionally add in a little variety.  You should have variety in life, whether it is food choices, social interactions, or sources of information.  I personally prefer reading to learn.  Most of the time, that preference takes the form of business books, entrepreneurial books, and a wide variety of other subjects chosen to increase knowledge.  I keep a list of books I am interested in reading.  Normally, that list is over 75 books and more often than not, over 100.  I don’t always pick a book from that list, but I am usually making progress through the ones I really want to read.  Some of my most recent books includes a book on game theory (Rock, Paper, Scissors: Game Theory in Everyday Life), ancient strategy (The Book of Five Rings), and how to interact better with your physicians (How Doctors Think). That should not imply that type of reading is not for pleasure; I enjoy reading immensely and feel that it helps me mentally and emotionally to have that quiet time to myself.  I do read fiction, but not very often, and usually in the form of audiobooks (typically after 2 or 3 non-fiction books I will listen to a fiction audiobook).

Audiobooks give additional reading time to drivers and riders

Audiobooks are a great way to start out or supplement your reading.  There are many times you can listen to audiobooks, but most often, I do so when driving or riding in an automobile. [Read more…]