All,
What are you reading today?
I love to read. This is my go to question for most people I meet. Of course, you are reading this column and the news clips that accompany it. But what else? Are you diving headfirst into a new novel or revisiting an old favorite that you just can’t put down, or are you so busy that you don't have the luxury to read?
For me, reading is a necessity. It's how I learn and keep my mind sharp. I'm naturally curious. I fear the day that I will be so consumed with work that I won't set aside time to read. I know it will happen. When that day comes, I'll give up sleep to create time to read.
I do not want to succumb to a Twitter/Tik Tok where all thought must be shared in a funny video or summed up in 30 characters or less. The temptation is there but I find it shallow and vapid. I like to chew on deeper, profound thoughts and concepts.
Books, newspapers, magazines, technical journals and even blog posts have a profound effect on our minds and can even improve our writing and verbal communication skills. You can improve your memory and develop stronger analytical thinking skills through a provocative novel or article.
Books can transport you to new and interesting places that you’ve never been or could never dream of going to. For instance, one of my favorite books of all time is “Nothing to Envy”, by Los Angeles Times reporter Barbara Demick, who takes the reader on an incredibly detailed journey through North Korea in the 1990s. The book is a collection of stories and eyewitness accounts from defectors of the hermit country.
I could never dream of going to North Korea, but Demick paints a beautiful picture of what it is like, and more importantly, gives the audience a chance to understand the people who live there.
Another favorite of mine is “Dune” by Frank Herbert. Paul Atreides is sent on a path of enlightenment and survival on the desert planet of Arrakis. He and the Fremen, the desert people of Arrakis, must tread the dunes with no rhythm to not alert the beasts underneath them. “Dune” is considered by many to be one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time and is just as relevant today as it was when it was released in 1965.
Right now, I’m reading the Invincible comic series. Robert Kirkman struck gold with this story after his critically acclaimed Walking Dead books. Invincible has found new life after it was adapted into an animated series on Amazon Prime. It’s a little silly but it tells a very mature story of a young guy trying to balance his responsibilities of being a superhero while dealing with the regular struggles of being in college. I’m about 30 issues into the series and it hasn’t shown any sign of slowing down.
Books have an incredible ability to take you to faraway places. They sharpen your writing abilities and your thought processes. Books exercise the mind like squats exercise the body. I have a flight from Iowa back to Detroit tonight. Most people dread spending 5 hours on planes and it airports. Not me. I'm looking forward to it. I have a book to read!
Tell me, what are you reading today?
Jacob