On Reading: a review
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Last month, I got an email from Nick Parker, who very kindly credited Lichtenbergianism: procrastination as a creative strategy with getting him over a creative slump to write his On Reading. You can read his reaction in his newsletter.
It would of course be embarrassing for me to find fault with a book that I had even a tiny role in inspiring, and so I am delighted to report that it’s a very nice read indeed, a summary of Nick’s history/experience with reading and advice for enlarging your own experience.
The left-hand side of each spread is a large-font concept, like Go smaller or Read with a pencil or Mind commuting. The right-hand side of the spread is a couple of paragraphs explaining why Mr. Parker thinks that concept is one you should integrate into your reading habits.
Those concepts range from reading widely to reading deep; from giving books away to keeping books forever; from reading only a page a day of War & Peace to setting aside an hour to read during your daily “commute” to your home office. All are geared to giving you permission to read more, to read with real engagement, and to read flexibly.
It’s a very slender volume, which is not a bad thing. Especially if you were not an effective reader, you wouldn’t want to have to read a big, thick book in order to improve your reading. On Reading is bite-sized ideas, easily digestible; it would make a great quickie book for a book club to discuss, for example.
Some of my favorites:
Hurl: “Make stopping reading feel as decisive as starting reading.” Throw the book across the room if you need to. I really liked the idea of having a spot on your shelf for “books I stopped reading” and “books that are on a bit of a time out.” (Personally, books I have stopped reading go out the door.)
Gift: “Entertain the idea of never lending out a book again. Instead — give them away, then buy yourself a replacement.” Might as well.
Wisdom tattoos: “It is nice to make some notes shortly after reading a book… It feels like you’re tattooing wisdom onto your very soul.” I don’t think I’ll start a reading diary or anything, but I recently came across a now-private page on my personal blog where I did exactly that for my general readership. I may start that up again. Plus tattoos.
Read with a pencil: Heavens yes. Just write in the margins already, especially in non-fiction books! Remember to date your comments.
tl;dr: Solid book, great for a quick read between bigger assignments. Thoughtfully and wittily written. Good for gift-giving, for graduates. Good for book club discussions. Recommended, and congrats Nick!
