Reading List

Most of my leisure time has been taken up by blogging lately and Rob Spillman's entry at the Huffington Post reminded me how much I've neglected reading books.

There are at least four books languishing in my reading pile: Melissa dela Cruz's Fresh Off the Boat, Anne Lamott's Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith, Jack Miles's God: A Biography and Azar Nafisi's Reading Lolita in Tehran.

These are all gifts, since I only buy hardcover editions worth keeping. Not that these four aren't good; I just vowed to be more discriminating when it comes to choosing which books to buy and read. There's just not enough time in the day.

The sad fact is, reading as a national pasttime is dying. With our hectic lifestyle and the electronic media an instantly gratifying alternative, we are reading less every year. On top of the high opportunity costs, committing to a book is such an investment in time and effort.

That's why I have to be picky with my reading diet. Just like a food diet, there should be less junk and more substance.

As such, I've devised a reading plan: I would alternate quality fiction and nonfiction, both classic and contemporary, with a goal of finishing 24 books -- six in each category -- by the end of the year. The selection above will be my first four.

Wish me luck.

|