How do you choose books to read? Are you the type of person who has to read bestsellers or books that win major awards? Do you devour recommendations from your favorite critic? Or do you read what your friends are reading? Do you have other systems in place to decide what to read?
For me, I do not listen to critics. My friends and I have very different taste in books. So I often have no interest in reading what they're reading. I don’t necessarily pay attention to books that win awards. Sometimes I get recommendations from sales associates in Indigo, Books & Music, but that’s not that often.
So how do I choose what to read? The simple answer is that I rely on many sources.
Over the years, I’ve had a tendency to gorge on one genre, then I move on to another. But that isn’t a good system. Then I had the novel idea to read books that were written decades, and sometimes centuries ago. I thought that there are many great old books that hold the answers to some of the questions we have today. I came up with the concept of:
“Using yesterday's ideas to solve today’s problems.”
But the issue with that is that I need balance between ancient and modern wisdom. I have experienced the value of reading diversely, and connecting the ideas among the books you read. You have to read old books, contemporary ones, books from different genres, and books written by people from different cultures and countries.
How I Choose Books to Read: Reasons for Reading
I know exactly where to find books that have ancient wisdom. And I have mentioned it on this blog before. I love Using Rare Books to Inspire Learning Part One and Part Two. Over the years, I've read several books from both list. I like the list because there are many books off the beaten path on it. Not every book I read from the list I enjoyed, but it was a good experience.
I have several lists of must-read books. And I pick books from them to get my fill of ancient wisdom. And you cannot go wrong with the books on the list because they have stood the test of time. The books on the list are considered great books because of the timeless wisdom they contain. However, I want to add that many of the books on these list were written by white men, therefore you MUST have other sources to pull from to diversify your reading.
Have you read?
What Makes a Book Great?: In this post that I wrote, you will find the criteria for a great book. You can use it for books you are reading to further your knowledge and gather information.
But the way that I choose more contemporary books is not as streamlined. It works for me, so I will share it with you as well. Before I do so, I would like to explain something that is very important, which has bearing on my choice of books to read.
You are probably tired of hearing me say this, but in How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading (A Touchstone book)
by Mortimer Adler, he essentially says that there are three reasons for reading a book:
- Entertainment.
- Information.
- Knowledge.
When I read for entertainment, I have favorite authors, so I will read most of their books. Right now, I'm enjoying Remington Kane's Tanner series of book. I've read all 40 books in the series. I have a friend who works for Harper Harlequin who gives me books, so I read those. I get recommendations from the sales associates in Indigo, Books and Music, and sometimes a book catches my attention while browsing in the book store. This is kind of hard with the pandemic.
Choose Books to Read: Exploring More Deeply
When I'm reading for information or for knowledge, I often start at the library. And I may even ask a librarian for recommendations. Sometimes I conduct my own research, and I discover books through that process. You need to have a sense of the kind of information that you're looking for. But you need to be open to surprises. I've found some great books that way.
To ensure that you choose the best books to read, you must have a strong purpose for reading. That purpose will guide you. Another thought is, you have to have trusted sources you can rely on to find great book recommendations. For me, it is Entrepreneur Magazine, Strategy+Business, Business Insider, Forbes, Fortune and so on.
Additionally, book promotion website provide offer a great for finding contemporary books. I've found some gems that way. The ones I love are Freebooksy, Digital Book Today, and Book Bub.
But I do not simply buy the books on the lists, I read through the information about the books, then I decide. The books I choose this way are meant to satisfy needs that I have. All of the books I read, may not deliver what I am looking for. But that’s a chance that I am willing to take.
What are the trusted sources in your niche? That’s a great place to start the process of discovering the best books to further your knowledge and to gather information on your niche and industry. It is also worth your time and effort to speak to a librarian and experts in the fields. Libraries buy a lot of books, and librarians are able to help you to choose the best books.
Mentoring Moment: Choose Books to Read
I have said it before, but it is worth repeating, if you expect to succeed, you have to read diversely. And I have defined what I mean by that. I have also found great ideas while reading for entertainment.
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