Before Amazon.com there was ABC books. This is the bookstore I frequented in college. Prior to my senior year of college I'd probably read a dozen books that were NOT assigned by a class. And most of them were sports biographies with lots of pictures and stats! But I got bitten by the reading bug my senior year. Read an 800 page biography of Albert Einstein and a Dale Carnegie classic titled How to Win Friends and Influence People. Those two books were intellectual catalysts in my life. I feel in love with books. After college I read about 150-200 books per year.
By the way, here is my philosophy of reading. I once heard that the average author takes about two years to write a book. So I felt like each book I read was like getting two years of life experience. So when I read 150 books in a year I gain 300 years of life experience.
By the way, I don't read anywhere near that volume of books now. I'm closer to 50-75 books per year. The more I write the less time I seem to have to read.
By the way, here is my philosophy of reading. I once heard that the average author takes about two years to write a book. So I felt like each book I read was like getting two years of life experience. So when I read 150 books in a year I gain 300 years of life experience.
By the way, I don't read anywhere near that volume of books now. I'm closer to 50-75 books per year. The more I write the less time I seem to have to read.
9 Comments:
ABC Books...like a sanctuary for me for many years. : )
Hey Mark. Just wanna say that I am a huge fan of your books. They have really challenged me in my spiritual walk. Thanks for everything that you do in serving Christ.
I'm on course with your 150 books a year, currently. I read between 3 and 4 books a week. Amazon and B&N love to see me coming.
-Terry
Something about stepping down into ABC Books was like a worship experience. LOVED that place.
I remember ABC books fondly! How many great deals could you find in one place! I even found a few in the trash pile there. Thanks for the reminder of such a great place in Springfield!
Some practical questions: How do you read that much while balancing life and ministry tasks? Do you schedule reading into your daily work hours? I am a seminary student and want to continue to read a lot while in ministry but am worried I won't have time!
Practically, do you have any advice?
How do you read that many books? When do you have time for it?
Sorry for the delayed response :) Been flying all over this week!
Here are a couple ideas:
1) Do a TV Fast
2) Take a book with you where you go. Learn to read in the margins of life.
3) Put a book in your bathroom. That should equal a book a month!
4) Schedule reading days or focus days where you have the freedom to read. Obviously, this is much easier if you're a pastor and set your own schedule.
Hope that helps!
Mark
Hey Mark,
I too was changed by Dale Carnegie's book. I understand the human effort vs. Holy Spirit aspects of it, but we as humans have a part to play in relationships (I have heard that book criticized by being humanistic). I even got a signed hardback copy of it sitting on my shelf.
Your thoughts on reading are great here too - with the TV-fast. I have gotten asked so often about how do I make time to read, and I usually ask how many hours of television does someone honestly watch a week. Even if the average person cut out half of their television watching they would probably easily read a book a week that way.
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