That is the preliminary and adjustable stack of books that I intend to read this coming year. I say preliminary because I intend to add books to it as I see fit, and I say adjustable because I may very well decide that Bullfinch's Mythology should be read next year.
The goal, besides getting through that mound of paper and ink, is to be ambitious, to want to read this much. Why? Because the average American spends 34 hours a week watching T.V. In comparison, a survey from 2006 shows the average 23-year-old spends less than an hour a week reading. How abysmal. Reading is a hallmark of the intellect. The voracious reader learns better how to think about a myriad of things: worldviews, people, even thinking itself. The widely-read and well-read (one does not equate with the other) person can make themselves better. And I smolder with a desire to be better.
Now, you may have noticed that I have not shown the titles. That is intentional since the adjustable nature of the list means I may swap some titles for others. Nevertheless, if you really want to know the titles, I'll tell you. But you have to ask nicely, and you have to tell me about a book you read that influenced you.
A book that has influenced me is C.S. Lewis's, The Weight of Glory. In a way it opened my eyes to a desire for heaven and showed me that people are either everlasting horrors or eternal splendors. So what's one of the books on your list?
ReplyDeleteMany wise tongues have mentioned The Weight of Glory's worth. I have yet to follow their advice and read it.
ReplyDeleteAs promised, I bequeath to thee a title from my list.
I am planning on working through the meaty Histories by Herodotus