Hi friends,
Greetings from Brooklyn!
Ah, ‘tis the season Goodreads taps me on the shoulder, reminding me that the clock is ticking on my yearly reading goal. Falling behind? No sweat! Here’s a list of ridiculously short books that will help me "crush" my goal before the year ends.
I’ve been a steadfast follower of the Goodreads reading challenge for many years. But as I look back on 2023, something feels off about approaching my reading as a competitive sport. I’ve picked up too many books indiscriminately, just to stay in the race.
So, next year, I’m changing things up. I’m craving a slower, almost scriptural reading experience. I want the yardstick to be how much enlightenment and meaning I can draw out of the page. For the past few weeks, I’ve spent time thinking about what I would do instead of just aiming for a number. Here’s the process I followed in three steps:
Pick a theme: I like to read a wide variety of topics. But that comes at the expense of going deep. So for next year, I’m setting boundaries around the kind of book I want to consume. Revisiting classic literature has been on my mind for a while. For an entire year, this will be the focus. I’m treating it a bit like a DIY version of the literature degree I wish I had pursued .
Make a list: Once I had my theme, I did quite a bit of research on what are the foundational books of the Western Canon. And then from there, I picked the ones that I felt most drawn to, blending ancient, modern and contemporary works and throwing in a few novels I loved as a child and want to revisit with my adult eyes. Big shout-out to the Hardcore Literature Book Club for the invaluable guidance.
Craft a schedule: For years, I’ve kept a list of books I wanted to read. Some of them have been there forever. I’m pretty sure I like the idea of reading them more than I actually want to open them up. So this time, I allotted each book to a period of the year, crafting a month-by-month reading plan.
This approach works beyond reading. My partner and I share a love of cinema but the latest Netflix show seems to always get in the way of our goal to watch old movies. So using the same steps, I have compiled a 2024 movie program.
I have no idea how this experiment will go, but I can’t wait to get started. If you’re thinking of giving it a try, let me know!
Weekly Wisdom
📣 Coach Rilke: In the early years of the 20th century a young military officer decided to write to Rilke, a famous poet of his time, and seek feedback on his verses. “Are they any good?” “Will I ever be published?” These were the questions weighing heavy on his mind. But instead of feedback, the rookie writer received a series of life-changing lessons. This book is a gem of wisdom on creativity and self-reliance. Rilke holds nothing back and his lessons linger in your mind long after you’ve put down the book. I recommend both reading the book and listening to the audio version.
🐌Marcel Proust: I have tried to read Proust many times in my life. And every time, the sheer length and complexity of his sentences broke my will after just a few pages. But I am now fifty pages in and absolutely loving it. My grandfather used to say it is a book that should be picked up after forty years of age. I’m not quite there yet but I see what he must have meant. You need a good chunk of life experience before the effect of Proust starts to unravel on you. Swann’s Way is like a magical hook, fishing out memories from the depth of your subconscious. It’s best enjoyed at snail-like speed with a pen in hand to comment in the margins .
🤫 Quiet New York: Recently, I found myself longing for places where you can enjoy silence. Silent places feel regenerative and ideal to commune with your own thoughts. But in large cities, the only such places are libraries and churches. Someone shared this book with me which is a curated list of 50 spots in New York where you can find peace and quiet. I picked my favorites and turned it into a list on Google Maps.
Lateral Thought
“It is the same with our past. It is a waste of effort for us to try to summon it, all the exertions of our intelligence are useless. The past is hidden outside the realm of our intelligence and beyond its reach, in some material object (in the sensation that this material object would give us) which we do not suspect. It depends on chance whether we encounter this object before we die, or do not encounter it.”
Marcel Proust - Swann’s Way
I never put a goal on how many, but rather what author I will explore. This past year it's been Haruki Murakami. There have been a few detours, usually historical fiction., Claude and Camilla by Stephanie Cowell