I admit, it's embarrassing. My enormous to-read list tends to push me to read more and more, not to mention my Goodreads groups, and recommendations that I find on various blogs. Sigh! To combat this voracious habit, my goal for the New Year (again) is to read less but deeper. As Mortimer J. Adler says:
I like that quote by Adler. I had never read it before.
ReplyDeleteSo how do you read? A few pages of each book every day? A chapter a day? Do you focus on one book a day? I find that I can only focus on one or two books or else I start to mix up my characters and facts. But that's my brain.
And tell me, how are you liking The History of the Ancient World?
Ruth
Prior to two years ago, I used to read one book at a time. I'd read quickly and go on to the next. However, choosing books was painful because I'd get so scattered due to the many books I want to read. When I joined Goodreads, I started to follow some of the groups and I found it focused my reading (the book is chosen and you follow the schedule) and it also slowed down my reading, because of the schedules. I found this a huge benefit because I was able to have time to ponder the sections I read, and I ended up getting much more out of the book. However, by slowing down it caused me to have more time, hence the decision to add more books.
DeleteSo, in essence, I try to follow my book group schedules with some books, occasionally I add in buddy reads, and very occasionally a book I personally decide to read. I don't really have a set schedule. Most of the scheduled books I get through because of the format. Others I read through more quickly and some I stall on and come back to later. For example, Cicero, Ovid, The Sayings of the Desert Fathers and the Underground History of American Education are stalled and I will come back to them when I have a slot of time. I used to get the books mixed up but, because I'm reading at a slower pace, it seems to ground my brain into the book more, and I don't usually have a problem unless I have two very similar books.
This coming year I'd like to do more of what you do ……… slow it down even further and have time to take notes and answer the WEM questions. I have applied this method to about three books that I've read this year and really liked the results. I thought I would struggle with the questions but I found that I had more than enough to say! ;-)
I'm really enjoying The History of the Ancient World. I have scheduled it over 10 months, so it doesn't seem overwhelming and I will actually get through it. However, I am finding that I need time to take notes, so that fact is slowing me down a little. Have you read it yet?
Really great quote. :-)
ReplyDeleteIsn't it? Adler is great! And this reminds me that I have to add his How To Think About The Great Ideas: From the Great Books of Western Civilization to my reading list!
DeleteThanks for stopping by my blog--I'm glad to have found yours that way. I find I have to limit myself to one or two books at a time or I tend to drop books by the wayside and never get through them. I do love the quote though.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Amanda! I am trying to push through to finish up quite a few of them, in preparation to start the new year!
Delete