Maybe you need a computer spreadsheet or maybe you need a simple pile of books. Whatever your choice, a list of some type helps.
I’ve always been a reader. When I was young, I would read for hours, often late into the night. As a child, I would sneak a flashlight into bed and read under the covers after bedtime. Everything was new, every fantasy story a brand new world, every classic novel a revelation, every author a seer who expanded my mind. All through college, I read extensively, again late into the night and often at the expense of other homework. Then, I graduated, got a job, and had children. Time to read became more and more scarce. My energy was directed elsewhere. I read less and less. Slowly I was losing the habit of reading.
I decided to do something about it. I realized I needed more structure and a way to stay consistently motivated. A reading list was just the thing.
I noticed that all the people who kept reading into and through adulthood had the quirk of being incredibly enthusiastic about their respective reading lists. They were always telling me about modifications to their list and asking if they ought to add or delete any books. It made me think back to the time I was reading more actively, and how my reading was not only broad but also deep. In college, I was reading philosophy, theology, novels, poetry, and biographies. Those friends of mine with reading lists made me realize that the reason I read more in college was precisely because the students were given reading lists.
Now that I was out of school and on my own, I needed to take up the responsibility of maintaining my own list. There’s something about writing something down that is motivating. It’s human nature, I suppose, to delight in checking an item off a to-do list. It creates a sense of accomplishment. It always makes me want to pick up the next book.
Creating a good reading list is an art form. How do we know what books to add? How do we find books wroth adding? Here’s how I curate mine.
Having a list, any list at all in any form, is a victory
Simply having a list is half the battle. I know people who maintain immaculate excel spreadsheets of what they’ve read and what they’re going to read. Some people use online tools to organize the list. Old school folks are quaint enough to maintain a physical handwritten list on a piece of actual paper. Me? My list is basically just a massive stack of books on my fireplace mantle. Those are the books I’ve purchased and want to read. I finish one book, transfer it to the bookshelf, and immediately grab the next one off the top of the pile on the mantle. I’m not a particularly organized person but this method works for me. I like to see the pile shrinking and the bookshelves get more and more full. All those books wanting to be read are right in the living room, staring at me, so there’s never any lull between books.
1Mix it up
The randomized nature of a to-read list is a feature, not a bug. I strongly recommend an eccentric program of reading including fiction, poetry, history, non-fiction, science-fiction, fantasy, theology, and philosophy. The goal is to alternate easy reads with more challenging books. A good reading list is comforting and fun but also, in turn, challenging and difficult. A steady stream of “beach books” doesn’t make for a great list. Neither does a list exclusively composed of dry, academic manuscripts. It’s best to include both of those extremes plus everything in the middle. I try to include a variety so that reading expands my horizons and pushes past my comfort zone while not feeling like a chore.
2Define your goals
Why do we read? If someone cannot answer that question, my guess is they won’t be able to form a long-term, self-motivated reading habit. Personally, my goals are to continue feeding my knowledge base for my theological work, take in poetry because it feeds my soul and makes me slow down, and enjoy reading novels with no ulterior motive other than I like them and they expand my imagination.
If I hadn’t defined my goals, I know what would’ve happened. I would have slipped into reading only novels and biographies. As much as I like novels and biographies, I need to also challenge myself with more difficult theology, philosophy, and poetry. These are rewarding reads and I’m always glad I read them once I’m finished, but I know myself; without goals and discipline, I’ll always opt for more pleasant, easy reading and never dive into the deep end.
As far as a goal to how many books to read each year, I recommend a realistic number but to keep it at the challenging end of the spectrum. I’m fortunate to have reading time built into my job, so I know I can read at least one book per week. Other people have less time, so maybe one or two books per month should be the goal. Any number that works for you but also pushes you is good. Keep in mind the season of life you are in right now. Caring for a handful of small children might mean you have little time (and even less energy). Seasons change, though, and a later stage of life will mean more time. Be realistic with the reality you have today. I don’t recommend being overly ambitious because, if the reading schedule is too much, it might become a burden and cause a would-be reader to give up.
3Be on the alert for recommendations
How to know which specific books to add? There are lots of ways. A friend mentions an interesting book, you see a review of one that looks worth reading, maybe the priest mentions a book in his homily. Occasionally, the algorithm at your favorite online bookseller will recommend a read that’s related to one you already read and liked (although I don’t like to rely too much on this method because it’s too predictable and lacks the “danger” of random recommendations from friends). Sometimes, the “recommendation” comes from a forgotten book already on your own shelf or the bottom of the “to read” pile where a few books always linger forgotten and unread. Finally dusting those off and reading them is a worthwhile endeavor. Some people have identified a few publishers who always seem to have interesting books in the catalog and follow their newsletters (I like Angelico, Sophia, Os Justi, and Wiseblood, to name a few). I have one friend who says his method is “pray before I go into Half Price Books and find whatever I find.” Another friend says that when he likes a book, he checks out the bibliography and gets those books also.
4Maintain momentum
Reading is a habit I maintain on a daily basis. I worry that, if I miss a day, then I’ll miss two, then a week, and before I know it I’ll be out of the habit. One thing I’ve learned as I’ve gotten older is that my attention is easily pulled in all sorts of directions and if I don’t intentionally maintain focus on reading, then I’ll drift away into other pursuits (unfortunately, it’s usually television). Keeping up the momentum is why I keep my list somewhat random and switch up the kinds of books I’m reading. For instance, in the last month I’ve read a book on the Christian interpretation of the Zodiac, a book speculating on lost theology from the 1st temple period of Israel, two collections of poetry, an academic treatise on the meaning of melancholy, and a novel by Herman Hesse. It’s been a wild ride. To me, too much of one type of book gets stale after a while.
Occasionally, a new book comes my way that I’m dying to read. I just move it to the top of the list. There’s no sense in burying it at the bottom of the pile until I forget why I was so fired up to read it. The to-read list is a structured plan, but always remember that the plan isn’t the end goal; reading is the goal. The plan can always be adapted and suffer a little chaos.
I hope these thoughts on a list help. Keep reading and send me your suggestions!
