I have only read five books from the list. I believe IQ is a limited measure of human intelligence as human intelligence is more than just our verbal, math, and spatial abilities. However, since we like to measure things, it provides a way to categorize people—though not necessarily in meaningful or holistic ways.
Here are some of my thoughts and observations about reading:
1. The Influence of Environment: The environment in which you are raised plays a significant role in shaping your habits. I am grateful to my parents for fostering my reading habits, as they were both avid readers. Growing up surrounded by people who read sparked my curiosity and instilled a love for books.
2. Reading as the Greatest Bargain: Reading is one of the world's most valuable and inexpensive activities. As Gene Roddenberry said:
“I consider reading the greatest bargain in the world. A shelf of books is a shelf of many lives and ideas and imaginations which the reader can enjoy whenever he wishes and as often as he wishes. Instead of experiencing just one life, the book-lover can experience hundreds or even thousands of lives.”
3. Successful People and Reading: I’ve noticed that most successful people read a lot. As Charlie Munger put it:
“In my whole life, I have known no wise people (over a broad subject matter area) who didn’t read all the time – none, zero.”
4. The Compounding Effect of Reading: Reading, like money, compounds over time. I dedicate 30 to 40 hours a week to reading, and this habit has significantly improved my ability to think, understand the world, and write. The more you read, the greater your intellectual growth.
5. The Value of Broad Reading: Reading across diverse subjects is the best way to develop a holistic understanding of the world and sharpen problem-solving skills. Many of the solutions I’ve found in life have come from knowledge outside my primary field of interest.
6. Learning from Multiple Authors: To truly grasp a subject, you should read works from different authors. Even if one book feels definitive, exploring other perspectives is essential, as even the best experts only have partial knowledge of any topic.
7. The Timeless Wisdom of Old Books: Older books often provide more enduring wisdom than newer ones, except in fast-evolving fields. If a book has stood the test of time, its insights remain relevant. This is an excellent example of the Lindy Effect, where timeless works remain valuable.
8. The Power of Re-Reading: Francis Bacon's quote sums it up the best: “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously, and some few are to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.”
If you find a book that should be chewed and digested, you should reread it, as one reading may not be enough, and we remember only a tiny part of the book.
9. Start Many, Finish a Few: Life is short, and not every book will resonate with you. If you find a book you don’t enjoy or find valuable, stop reading it. Instead, focus on exploring many books, starting plenty but only finishing the ones that truly capture your interest or provide meaningful insights.
10. Reading Multiple Books Simultaneously: Reading more than one book at a time, especially on different topics, can be highly rewarding. It allows you to shift between subjects based on your mood or energy level, keeps your mind engaged, and helps you draw connections between different areas of knowledge. For example, reading a history book alongside a science book can spark insights you might not get from either alone.
11. Connecting Knowledge Across Fields: One of the best ways to excel is by connecting ideas across different areas. This knowledge synthesis creates unique insights and solutions rarely found in any book.
12. Delaying Opinion Formation: I rarely immediately form an opinion on a topic. Instead, I read and retain a few key ideas, forming an opinion only when necessary, such as when answering a question or writing a post. This delay allows me to think, research, and approach the topic more deeply.
13. Questioning Ideas and Staying Open-Minded: Never accept anyone’s ideas, opinions, or thoughts as absolute truth, no matter who they come from. Think critically, apply your own experiences, and deliberate before accepting them. Even then, remain open to new ideas that might challenge or improve your current understanding. The motto of the Royal Society sums it up best: Nullius in verba (Latin for "no one's words" or "take nobody's word for it).
I will end with the following two quotes:
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” ― George R.R. Martin
and
“The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.” — Mark Twain (for some people, it may be videos as one of the genius I know reads very little, but he watches YouTube videos to learn things)
14. Books Beyond the Mainstream: It’s important to seek unique perspectives by exploring books that go beyond the mainstream. Haruki Murakami captures this idea perfectly with the following quote:
"If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking."
This quote highlights the value of venturing outside popular choices to broaden your thinking and discover fresh ideas.
...another note - I am reading Maugham's Razor Edge again (3rd read). After we commented the other day I discovered "The novel's title comes from a translation of a verse in the Katha Upanishad, paraphrased in the book's epigraph as: "The sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over; thus the wise say the path to Salvation is hard." From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Razor%27s_Edge
Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful and wide-ranging perspective on reading. I especially agree with your points on the compounding effect of dedicated reading and the wisdom of questioning everything ('Nullius in verba'). It connects well with the 'friction' I tried to describe in the essay; perhaps the value of tackling deliberately challenging books, like those on the Mensa list, lies partly in how they force that deeper engagement. These aren't typically books for 'tasting' or 'swallowing,' to use Bacon's analogy you cited; they often demand the 'chewing and digesting.' This difficult process forces a deeper level of engagement and more rigorous critical questioning than lighter reads might. It requires us to actively apply 'Nullius in verba' even to revered authors, grappling with their arguments and assumptions.
In turn, that demanding engagement builds the intellectual stamina and broader understanding you advocate for.
The challenge becomes not just understanding these canonical works, but critically engaging with them to forge one's own thinking, rather than simply absorbing what 'everyone else is thinking'. I think this is part of forming our own worldview, through the lived experiences, for me reading helps with that too...
The book lists are helpful, but when I find one, I look for less popular, unusual, or older books. These kinds of books often provide fresh, unique perspectives that mainstream titles might not. That said, I’m not opposed to reading popular or newer books, but I find myself gravitating toward them less and less as I get older.
As I mentioned, I haven’t read most of the books on these lists, though I’ve heard of many. I’m unsure if 15–18 is the ideal age to read some of them. Many books with complex themes might resonate more deeply later in life once you’ve experienced more of the world and can better relate to their ideas. However, I could be wrong—some teenagers might be ready for them, depending on their level of maturity.
It’s essential to recognize that we all mature at different rates, and what might be appropriate for one person might not be right for another. While it’s true that, in general, girls tend to mature faster than boys, individual growth often transcends such patterns. A person’s readiness for a particular book depends on their intellectual and emotional development rather than age or gender alone.
Ultimately, there’s an appropriate time for everything. Introducing a book to someone not yet ready for its themes or depth might result in misunderstandings or a missed opportunity for meaningful connection. That’s why I believe it’s valuable to consider a person’s readiness when recommending books, especially those with profound or challenging ideas.
I was surprised about the age group - to me it does not seem that they will be ready, I was not. You are right to question the timing; readiness is definitely key for a meaningful connection.
Maybe the list serves less as a definitive 'you must read this now' mandate and more as an ambitious map of challenging terrain?
Perhaps developing the reading stamina and analytical skills on some of these demanding canonical works can ultimately help equip readers to better appreciate, contextualize, and draw insights from those unique, less common perspectives.
BUT then again, whilst I agree that individual maturity varies hugely and significantly impacts how deeply someone connects with challenging themes, it makes me wonder if part of the value (and perhaps the 'friction' I mentioned in the essay) of such lists is precisely that early encounter, even if it's imperfect. As was my reading of some of these between the age of 17 and 19, the books have stayed with me mentally since. Perhaps grappling with big ideas before one feels fully 'ready' plants seeds or raises questions that then blossom more fully upon later reflection or rereading, even acknowledging the risk of a 'missed connection' that you rightly mentioned.
That's a valid point—however, not every subject benefits from acceleration, and different areas of learning require different kinds of readiness. Advancing in math and science is fundamentally different from encouraging young people to read books intended for audiences 2-3 or more years older. Math and science follow a structured progression, where each concept builds on the last, and accelerating in these fields makes sense when a student demonstrates intellectual readiness. However, literature and fiction often require emotional and experiential maturity to grasp complex themes, relationships, and moral ambiguity fully.
I can attest to this difference as someone in college at 15. I was not ready to be in college, and it had nothing to do with my ability to handle the coursework, which I did very well, even though I was younger than everyone else by at least 2+ years. While academic acceleration in technical subjects like math and science is often about intellectual capability, engaging with more mature fiction isn’t just about comprehension—it’s about connecting with and processing the material meaningfully.
This is what I was trying to say a few weeks back. Doris Lessing has said it much better, especially the last few statements, how to ruin reading (and how to save it):
“There is only one way to read, which is to browse in libraries and bookshops, picking up books that attract you, reading only those, dropping them when they bore you, skipping the parts that drag – and never, never reading anything because you feel you ought, or because it is part of a trend or a movement. Remember that the book which bores you when you are twenty or thirty will open doors for you when you are forty or fifty-and vise versa. Don’t read a book out of its right time for you.”
I can understand why people read a lot, but I confess I would rather be in my workshop, or in my textile studio, making/weaving the next project. The last novel I read was 'The Overstory' by Richard Powers a few years ago; I enjoyed it. Most novels I start and get bored with them after half an hour. Have I lost my attention span?
I occasionally read a book more than once (like Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, and All Quiet on the Western Front -- war karma in my family history still being a 'big deal' to work through)
But generally I don't read novels (like why I don't watch films) because they take up too much space in my mind for weeks on end, (of course, that may be the whole point, to experience/live the book).
I find novels take too long to make their point - maybe that's why I turned to poetry (currently reading ASJ Tessimond's Collected Poems. Tessimond, a largely unknown poet, was a contemporary of Ezra Pound, T.S Eliot & W.H Auden, all of whom found him irksome {jealous?}[which is why I wanted to read him in depth]).
Great points Joshua, for a great reminder that deep engagement comes in many forms, many people connect more strongly with the active creation in other activities, rather than with general novel reading.
It isn't necessarily about attention span, perhaps, but simply about finding the mode that resonates most deeply and feels like the best use of one's time and mental energy.
You highlight that we all find meaning and engage with ideas through different, equally valid channels, whether it's crafting textiles, absorbing a potent poem, or revisiting a book with deep personal significance. Tessimond is an intriguing choice!
I always ask people about their interests, many have lost the keen activity of hobbies that was so prevalent in the 20th century.
I think you are right. Finding one's authentic mode of engagement with life when there are so many other voices vying for one's attention, requires developing great clarity of personal identity and a strict inner guide.
Joshua, I identify with getting bored by novels, and only read one to two novels a year now, and always the classics. I read Moby Dick for the first time last year. So, I don't think it's your attention span. I have read nonfiction for decades now, covering everything interesting, including biographies. When I taught reading to parents, I told parents that reading is reading, and that often certain children prefer nonfiction. Once they find what they like to read to learn about, they will read. I will occasionally listen to an audio of to nonfiction book, while I am driving far for instance, or , perhaps while cooking. But often, doing something like you are doing, weaving for instance, I'd have quiet meditative music in the background.
I used to read a huge amount of non-fiction - mainly in the area of 'spirituality', finding meaning in life, healing the family-tree, etc. Currently bit by bit, am reading Lin Yutang's 1937 'classic' "The Importance of Living: the noble art of leaving things undone". I'm at a stage in life where I realise I am not going to achieve certain things I thought I would do - and hence the title appealed to me. Maybe that's why novel-reading has dropped out of my orbit. Part of a bigger picture of accepting life's disappointments - in itself a valid journey.
Me too,I've read a huge number of books over my lifetime on meaning in life, and seeking to fill the spiritual longing we have. But, by this stage in life, these books have made their impact. At this point, through that gained knowledge and personal understanding acquired, we continue the life long process of healing and spiritual growth, that will (hopefully) continue until we die. When I semi-retired nearly 10 years ago, I read the book, " The inner work of age: shifting from role to soul" by Connie Zweig. She weaves throughout the book wisdom from Elders, like Ken Wilber, Krishna Das, Father Thomas Keating, Anna Douglas, James Hollis, Rabbi Rami Shapiro, Ashton Applewhite, Roshi Wendy Egyoku Nakao, Roger Walsh, and Stanislav Grof. The book promo says, "it offers guidance to help you let go of past roles, expand your identity, deepen self-knowledge, and move through these life passages to a new stage of awareness, choosing to be fully real, transparent, and free to embrace a fulfilling late life," and I found it did this for me. I appreciate your book suggestion, and have purchased it. I agree with that that we must realize that we will not achieve certain things we were thinking that we might achieve. It is an essential moment in this movement into the later stage of living, accepting life's disappointments. It's part of the journey, but, I confess, coming to that realization was a painful process for me. But, living is always about aspirations based in realizations of the truly possible; at times, that is a difficult balance but one that is necessary.
Thank you for the tips; some are new to me. Am definitely trying to 'redefine' myself after selling 'the farm' (quinta) last year. In the past delving into making things helped me get clearer when immersed in the creative process - lacking any other strategy at the mo', I'll see how it goes. But I always find stepping out of one's comfort-zone is necessary, and a challenge.
Your last line is a rare quality, which I'm sure you know. It resonates with me, as I live the same, with a longing for personal growth. I believe you mentioned before you were heading into sculpting.... or have you paused to consider other ideas? Those of us with this longing are rare, but I know you are blessed to share this with Veronika. I have never regretted any time i stepped out of my comfort zone to challenge myself. I can imagine life no other way than ongoing growth and overcoming challenges. Re-defining ourselves at this stage is just like all our previous re-defining moments. I know that you have done that several times, Joshua, in your life time. It does make life far more adventurous! My life motto is Live Live in Crescendo. I believe this is the way to experience a fulfilling crescendo to one's unique 'life song'.
Thank you for the comment. Yes, another one of those big changes is on the cards but this time it's internal without a physical change to move house. I generally like "starting again". But I am sticking with developing sculpting; it's early days. You can find a hint of it here: https://joshuabondyarnshifting.substack.com/p/yarnshifting-chapter-11. There again, I mark times of change with ritual and symbol, and physicality.
I like your motto; it's unusual. It's an interesting metaphor to view life as symphony that finishes on the high note of a crescendo. Of course in previous movements it has its Andante phases, and times of 'loss', yet 'recovers' to build up to its fullest expression.
Magic Mountain was populated by a mind boggling cast of characters and subplots - not the least of which was "consumption", AKA tuberculosis, itself. Not to mention "the cure".
Raskolnikov reminds me of TrumPox, but with an actual conscience. While we're at it, Fyodor, Ivan, Dmitri Alyosha and Smerdyakov were quite a cast themselves. I say, Fyodor did it. He's guilty.
Moby Dick, best line in the book came from Fleece the cook: "...Wish, by gor! whale eat him, ’stead of him eat whale. I’m bressed if he ain’t more of shark dan Massa Shark hisself..."
Don Quixote - poor ol' Sancho.
We arrive now at my (obvious) favorite: 1984. I read it in 1980 - because I recognized how relevant it was to the moment. Animal Farm was great too. "Four legs good, two legs better!" sounds like it came straight out of Faux Newspeak.
I haven't yet tackled Anna Karenina, but I did read War and Peace - including both epilogues. Although the second epilogue was discredited as an observation of history, it did have one line that was really salient for me: "the goal of war is murder". Simple, straight forward, concise, and supremely true. Oh yes, that and my introduction to "grapeshot".
It's an interesting reminder that acquiring knowledge leads to the realization that there's an infinite amount of knowledge yet to be realized.
Brilliant summary. Thanks for sharing such vivid and personal reactions to these books! It's fantastic to hear those specific lines and character takes that clearly stuck with you, like Fleece's memorable line from Moby Dick or your observation on War and Peace. It really highlights how these books don't just sit passively on a shelf; they absolutely provoke strong, lasting, and very individual responses.
I was enthralled with Anna Karenina when I first read it (I think I was 17, but I learned today what Tolstoy thought "Tolstoy called it his first true novel. ... By the time he was finishing up the last installments, Tolstoy was in an anguished state of mind and, having come to hate it, finished it unwillingly.")
Your final point about acquiring knowledge only revealing the infinite horizon of what's left to learn perfectly captures that feeling of intellectual humility that tackling these kinds of works often inspires. Well said!
Oh yes, absolutely concur with your final line : "it's an interesting reminder..... there's an infinite amount of knowledge yet to be realized." Those who broadly read are only too well aware that we've barely began to know what there is to know. I personally find it invigorating that I will have books to read filled with thoughts that challenge me until I close my eyes for the last time.
Excellent characterization of All the King's Men. I knew nothing about that book, found it in a little free library on my street a few years ago, and was blown away by it. Such beautiful writing combined with deep insight into politics
Thank YOU Joe. It is a terrific book, how fortunate to come across it. I'm currently reading Maugham, his writing can be sublime - sometimes it is worth revisiting the 'classics.'
Thank you, as always, Colin, for challenging questions. I have never been a fan of lists either and become less so as I age. These days I decide to read a book because I hope it will meet me where I am in my own intellectual/character development. A good book at the wrong time is almost meaningless, in my experience. I also pick books that I think will connect me with other people, not just current books but ones that people tell me really shaped who they are. I get the double benefit of knowing a friend and an author better.
Thank you Norman, 'Meeting me where I am' is such a perfect way to describe the ideal reading experience, it really emphasizes the crucial role of timing and personal readiness.
And I really like the relational aspect you bring in, choosing books specifically to better understand friends through the texts that shaped them. That 'double benefit' is a really valuable perspective!
I'm reminded of Sam Kriss's critique of a similar kind of list on the /lit channel on 4chan. There's a certain kind of anglo-centrism to this list, an anglo-centrism that is focused on a specific type of worldview. I can't quite put the feeling I have into words here, but if I were to try, I would describe this list as emphasizing a modern (in reference to the modern era of history), Western, progressive (as in history as progress, not woke), Liberal, and individualist perspective of the world. A few big gaps I see below
- No Eastern Bloc/communist authors. Communism might be *bad*, but it is an ideology that determined the course of the 20th century. Why not add some Soviet Science fiction, or one of the works of Stanislaw Lem.
-No East Asian literature. Journey to the West is something that sticks out, but if you wanted to be more "edgy" you could add some Yukio Mishima, who certainly is quite different from the general theme of this list.
-No post-modernism. Yea, yea insert comment about degenerates, drugs, and nihilism, but this should be something that the youth should decide for themselves. Camus is on here which is borderline, but I would recommend some DFW (Infinite Jest is the best), Italo Calvino, Michel Houellebecq, or David Mitchell.
-No Latin American literature. The fact that Gabo isn't on here is a crime. Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a great, short one that could easily be added to this list, but Ficciones (Borges), The Invention of Morel (Bioy Casares), or The House of the Spirits (Allended).
-No environmentalist literature. Lord of the Rings sort of counts, but I would add Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood, or some Wendell Berry.
At the end of the day I think lists like these are counter productive. Read what draws you in. As Haruki Murakami once said, if you only read what everyone is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking. This is just as true for this MENSA list as it might be for the slop that we've normalized.
Very True, thank you, which is what I discuss in the essay and wholeheartedly agree with the Murakami quote, as mentioned by reading books such as Where Troy Once Stood - we must seek out a wide and diverse array of material. With respect to the list, in fairness there are many great choices which do lead to divergent thinking. But, yes I dislike lists and especially ones narrow in cultural fields.
Ah Colin, what a wonderful post for us bibliophiles who love books, and being challenged by deep thoughts within them. I own ~50% on the list, have read 80%, including Native Son, found when I attended a charity book sale, where often these treasures await. Like you , I read Anna Karenina when I was 17, and was mesmerized by it; it now sits on my re-reading table, a purchase yesterday at charity book sale. That said, I don't really like book lists , in general, nor am I tick it off kind of person. But, I do know for some this motivates, especially children. To each their own. As well, I did not like all the books on the list, and felt I wasted my time pushing through them. As I've gotten older, i will give a book 50 pages before I say, no this is not for me, or this is not the time in my life to read it. There are books people rave about I just can not see the merit in continuing to read. However, as a teacher, and private tutor I consider it a tragedy that these books are rarely used for curriculum in many schools, replaced by a short-sighted ideology that books need to be 'current', written by current writers. How can they not grasp that the books on Mensa list are powerful, filled with universal truths and paradoxes in life , ones that lead us seductively through the power of well-created words, forcing us into pondering the essential questions of life, and our place in it. Having teens read these books in school, especially for those who would never read them , either due to lack of interest or poor reading skills, is to deny them opportunities for personal learning, and maturity towards understanding of both self, and ideals. And today, there is no excuse, one can listen to the audio version. Teachers need to read books like Mark Twains' aloud to a class of ten year old students, so they experience the pull of the story, and how it impacts their emotions. Many people born after WWII read these books, often a school requirement. We felt the book, even those who'd only admit it to their closest companion, too embarrassed by how it moved their hearts. They impacted our life, forever. School, teachers and parents must ignore any heavy sighs, or ‘b-o-r-ing ‘ , and begin an audio of one of these great books, allowing the crafted words to permeated the empty room, fill the souls of the listeners, and carry them into their pondering minds.
Thank you for such a passionate and insightful comment and bringing your perspective as both a dedicated reader and teacher who sees the immense value in these challenging works, even while sharing a similar feeling about 'tick it off' lists in general.
It's wonderful to hear how many of these specific books have 'spoken' with you over time. I wholeheartedly agree with your powerful defense of their place in education. Your point about their ability to explore universal truths and force us to ponder essential questions, even when difficult, is totally inline with my thoughts. I am very happy to hear that.
Perhaps the personal 'friction' and challenge is precisely why they are such valuable, if demanding, 'tools' for fostering that deeper understanding and maturity you advocate for in students.
Your thoughts on how to bring these books alive for students, even initially reluctant ones, perhaps through audio or passionate read-alouds, is so crucial and indeed caring. It shows how to work through the very real challenge these books can present. You make a powerful case that making the effort to bridge that gap is essential, ensuring young people have the opportunity to grapple with these enduring, formative ideas.
Colin, have you presented that list to your students to discover which ones they have read? I am curious, as I am presuming your students must certainly be more highly drawn to such reading material. Authors on that list have written more than one, so not reading a specific one matters less than the reading of one of an author's novels that will offer an opportunity to grapple with universal and formative ideals. It's interesting to me that, although I read most of Dickens in high school, the one that often comes to mind is Bleak House. These books are re-readable because they raise apirational ideals, question truth and morality, and our understanding of these while young is full of naiveté and ignorance. Rereading them on the other side of 40 is a fresh experience.
As always, I appreciate your writing, often so aligned with my thoughts on the purpose of education, the essential role of classic literature, and valuable teaching methodology or 'tools' to foster deeper engagement. Thank YOU.
I have not yet. I will distribute it to them, they have 2 weeks Easter vacation now, so it will be interesting to get a response over that period :-) I will share what I learn.
Totally agree, the perspective after 40 is a 'fresh experience', like you I read Wilbur, many Zen books, Christian and Judeo religion (as I turned 40). And also the classic texts of Hegel, Schiller, Kant, Goethe, etc. as part of a spiritual journey. Now I find those messages in many/most books, scifi is filled with spirituality.
It is wonderful when young minds open up to diverse texts. I do like the debate such books have in our groups - even in computer science/AI we have deep discussions on the philosophy of classic books. We need to embed ethics into the systems the students build, a book such as Moby Dick or Huckleberry Finn (and of course Elie Wiesel's Night) is ideal for such discussions.
I neglected to mention the one thing that concerns me about reading good books. They stay stuck in my head and make it harder to avoid plagiarism. I don't think I've ever written anything original. I'm not sure it's even possible.
Oh, I am sure its impossible! I coded music with AI in 2019, made sure not to feed it any music, but gave it rules, it was remarkable how similar the content it produced was to what had been composed before.
When I first took music lessons, I found out that not only was the raw material (scales, chords and arpeggios) all the same, but the patterns using the raw materials were the same - across every genre. It was quite a surprise. I found the same is true with art as well. I guess it just goes to show, there's nothing new under the sun (also a "borrowed" phrase, from who I don't know, but somebody said before I was even born).
Lack of acquaintance with high-level nonfiction content is at least as much of a problem as lack of acquaintance with literary fiction. The main deficiency I notice in both American liberals and conservatives is that they don't know jack shit about History: they don't know natural history, political history, 20th century history, 21st century history...as a consequence, they've elevated Mythology (I include Ideology in that category) over the Factual Reality of the times we're living in, which was constructed by the Factual Reality of past events.
The notion that Literature and Philosophy are more important than factual History--or even basic numeracy--has really unraveled the intellectual fabric of the country.
How many of the books on the Mensa list (I counted 118; not up for doing a re-count) are Non-fiction? I count 4. One--Profiles In Courage--was ghostwritten by Arthur Schlesinger for then-Senator and Presidential prospect John F. Kennedy. (I read some of the chapters.)
How many of the 110 or so novels or short story compilations on the linked Mensa list have I read? 25, completely. How many have I read in part? 10-12. How many more would I like to read (or revisit and finish) in the next year or two? 4 or 5. Of the books I haven't read, how many are by authors who have written at least one other book that I have read cover to cover? 9.
How much does that list resemble the recommended Canon of Western Civ* Literature, c.1975? It's almost identical. Most of the books were probably on the 1960 list. My own top 100 list of novels would look quite different.
[*American version. Mostly British or American literature, with a double handful of ancient classics and translations from the original Russian or French.)
There is nothing quite like a room full of books even those that remain unread for years. At some point an unread book will start to send out a signal to be picked up. They are not just stories but guides into and out of the human condition, elevating our understanding with prose that sometimes uplifts, sometimes wrenches, but always informs. At their pinnacle they will meet us at every new crossroads in our lives each time we reread them.
That's a wonderfully evocative way to describe the presence of books – thank you! The image of them waiting, ready to guide, uplift, or wrench, is very true. Thinking about the demanding books often found on lists like the Mensa one, your point about them meeting us differently at various life stages feels especially pertinent. It's fascinating how a difficult book encountered years ago can suddenly feel entirely new, revealing layers that perhaps only become visible as we navigate our own changing 'human condition'.
We meet these difficult books anew, for it is we who have changed, through unique life experiences. In the last ten years, I've begun to re-read books read late in high school, like the ones on the Mensa list. I experience the thrill of new thoughts they offer to challenge me. They also do, for such is the eternal the gift of a difficult book.
Yes, there is nothing like a room full of books. I have a ceiling to floor book shelf, mostly filled. I feel these are treasure companions on my life journey, some already met but some not met, until I reach that moment on my journey where they will 'send out a signal ' to me. Lovely way to put it, btw.
I've had the pleasure of reading many of these, but not all - time to revisit high school reading list. This is how we exercise our brains for a world that is changing under our feet.
Well, clearly I would not expect any - you made your point with that. But I stand firm with mine, poor character would be not stipulating I use AI art, exactly as I do at university to teach students responsible use, because they will need to know in the workplace, exactly as corporations do with advertising already.
This is the freedom to choose one's art.
Who knows in 50 or 60 years time which books will be on a Mensa reading list that were created by AI?
There is a good thread of comments on Hacker News about this post and other lists - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43601190#43601359
I have only read five books from the list. I believe IQ is a limited measure of human intelligence as human intelligence is more than just our verbal, math, and spatial abilities. However, since we like to measure things, it provides a way to categorize people—though not necessarily in meaningful or holistic ways.
Here are some of my thoughts and observations about reading:
1. The Influence of Environment: The environment in which you are raised plays a significant role in shaping your habits. I am grateful to my parents for fostering my reading habits, as they were both avid readers. Growing up surrounded by people who read sparked my curiosity and instilled a love for books.
2. Reading as the Greatest Bargain: Reading is one of the world's most valuable and inexpensive activities. As Gene Roddenberry said:
“I consider reading the greatest bargain in the world. A shelf of books is a shelf of many lives and ideas and imaginations which the reader can enjoy whenever he wishes and as often as he wishes. Instead of experiencing just one life, the book-lover can experience hundreds or even thousands of lives.”
3. Successful People and Reading: I’ve noticed that most successful people read a lot. As Charlie Munger put it:
“In my whole life, I have known no wise people (over a broad subject matter area) who didn’t read all the time – none, zero.”
4. The Compounding Effect of Reading: Reading, like money, compounds over time. I dedicate 30 to 40 hours a week to reading, and this habit has significantly improved my ability to think, understand the world, and write. The more you read, the greater your intellectual growth.
5. The Value of Broad Reading: Reading across diverse subjects is the best way to develop a holistic understanding of the world and sharpen problem-solving skills. Many of the solutions I’ve found in life have come from knowledge outside my primary field of interest.
6. Learning from Multiple Authors: To truly grasp a subject, you should read works from different authors. Even if one book feels definitive, exploring other perspectives is essential, as even the best experts only have partial knowledge of any topic.
7. The Timeless Wisdom of Old Books: Older books often provide more enduring wisdom than newer ones, except in fast-evolving fields. If a book has stood the test of time, its insights remain relevant. This is an excellent example of the Lindy Effect, where timeless works remain valuable.
8. The Power of Re-Reading: Francis Bacon's quote sums it up the best: “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously, and some few are to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.”
If you find a book that should be chewed and digested, you should reread it, as one reading may not be enough, and we remember only a tiny part of the book.
9. Start Many, Finish a Few: Life is short, and not every book will resonate with you. If you find a book you don’t enjoy or find valuable, stop reading it. Instead, focus on exploring many books, starting plenty but only finishing the ones that truly capture your interest or provide meaningful insights.
10. Reading Multiple Books Simultaneously: Reading more than one book at a time, especially on different topics, can be highly rewarding. It allows you to shift between subjects based on your mood or energy level, keeps your mind engaged, and helps you draw connections between different areas of knowledge. For example, reading a history book alongside a science book can spark insights you might not get from either alone.
11. Connecting Knowledge Across Fields: One of the best ways to excel is by connecting ideas across different areas. This knowledge synthesis creates unique insights and solutions rarely found in any book.
12. Delaying Opinion Formation: I rarely immediately form an opinion on a topic. Instead, I read and retain a few key ideas, forming an opinion only when necessary, such as when answering a question or writing a post. This delay allows me to think, research, and approach the topic more deeply.
13. Questioning Ideas and Staying Open-Minded: Never accept anyone’s ideas, opinions, or thoughts as absolute truth, no matter who they come from. Think critically, apply your own experiences, and deliberate before accepting them. Even then, remain open to new ideas that might challenge or improve your current understanding. The motto of the Royal Society sums it up best: Nullius in verba (Latin for "no one's words" or "take nobody's word for it).
I will end with the following two quotes:
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” ― George R.R. Martin
and
“The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.” — Mark Twain (for some people, it may be videos as one of the genius I know reads very little, but he watches YouTube videos to learn things)
I forgot to add one more point:
14. Books Beyond the Mainstream: It’s important to seek unique perspectives by exploring books that go beyond the mainstream. Haruki Murakami captures this idea perfectly with the following quote:
"If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking."
This quote highlights the value of venturing outside popular choices to broaden your thinking and discover fresh ideas.
...another note - I am reading Maugham's Razor Edge again (3rd read). After we commented the other day I discovered "The novel's title comes from a translation of a verse in the Katha Upanishad, paraphrased in the book's epigraph as: "The sharp edge of a razor is difficult to pass over; thus the wise say the path to Salvation is hard." From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Razor%27s_Edge
Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful and wide-ranging perspective on reading. I especially agree with your points on the compounding effect of dedicated reading and the wisdom of questioning everything ('Nullius in verba'). It connects well with the 'friction' I tried to describe in the essay; perhaps the value of tackling deliberately challenging books, like those on the Mensa list, lies partly in how they force that deeper engagement. These aren't typically books for 'tasting' or 'swallowing,' to use Bacon's analogy you cited; they often demand the 'chewing and digesting.' This difficult process forces a deeper level of engagement and more rigorous critical questioning than lighter reads might. It requires us to actively apply 'Nullius in verba' even to revered authors, grappling with their arguments and assumptions.
In turn, that demanding engagement builds the intellectual stamina and broader understanding you advocate for.
The challenge becomes not just understanding these canonical works, but critically engaging with them to forge one's own thinking, rather than simply absorbing what 'everyone else is thinking'. I think this is part of forming our own worldview, through the lived experiences, for me reading helps with that too...
The book lists are helpful, but when I find one, I look for less popular, unusual, or older books. These kinds of books often provide fresh, unique perspectives that mainstream titles might not. That said, I’m not opposed to reading popular or newer books, but I find myself gravitating toward them less and less as I get older.
As I mentioned, I haven’t read most of the books on these lists, though I’ve heard of many. I’m unsure if 15–18 is the ideal age to read some of them. Many books with complex themes might resonate more deeply later in life once you’ve experienced more of the world and can better relate to their ideas. However, I could be wrong—some teenagers might be ready for them, depending on their level of maturity.
It’s essential to recognize that we all mature at different rates, and what might be appropriate for one person might not be right for another. While it’s true that, in general, girls tend to mature faster than boys, individual growth often transcends such patterns. A person’s readiness for a particular book depends on their intellectual and emotional development rather than age or gender alone.
Ultimately, there’s an appropriate time for everything. Introducing a book to someone not yet ready for its themes or depth might result in misunderstandings or a missed opportunity for meaningful connection. That’s why I believe it’s valuable to consider a person’s readiness when recommending books, especially those with profound or challenging ideas.
I was surprised about the age group - to me it does not seem that they will be ready, I was not. You are right to question the timing; readiness is definitely key for a meaningful connection.
Maybe the list serves less as a definitive 'you must read this now' mandate and more as an ambitious map of challenging terrain?
Perhaps developing the reading stamina and analytical skills on some of these demanding canonical works can ultimately help equip readers to better appreciate, contextualize, and draw insights from those unique, less common perspectives.
BUT then again, whilst I agree that individual maturity varies hugely and significantly impacts how deeply someone connects with challenging themes, it makes me wonder if part of the value (and perhaps the 'friction' I mentioned in the essay) of such lists is precisely that early encounter, even if it's imperfect. As was my reading of some of these between the age of 17 and 19, the books have stayed with me mentally since. Perhaps grappling with big ideas before one feels fully 'ready' plants seeds or raises questions that then blossom more fully upon later reflection or rereading, even acknowledging the risk of a 'missed connection' that you rightly mentioned.
That's a valid point—however, not every subject benefits from acceleration, and different areas of learning require different kinds of readiness. Advancing in math and science is fundamentally different from encouraging young people to read books intended for audiences 2-3 or more years older. Math and science follow a structured progression, where each concept builds on the last, and accelerating in these fields makes sense when a student demonstrates intellectual readiness. However, literature and fiction often require emotional and experiential maturity to grasp complex themes, relationships, and moral ambiguity fully.
I can attest to this difference as someone in college at 15. I was not ready to be in college, and it had nothing to do with my ability to handle the coursework, which I did very well, even though I was younger than everyone else by at least 2+ years. While academic acceleration in technical subjects like math and science is often about intellectual capability, engaging with more mature fiction isn’t just about comprehension—it’s about connecting with and processing the material meaningfully.
This is what I was trying to say a few weeks back. Doris Lessing has said it much better, especially the last few statements, how to ruin reading (and how to save it):
“There is only one way to read, which is to browse in libraries and bookshops, picking up books that attract you, reading only those, dropping them when they bore you, skipping the parts that drag – and never, never reading anything because you feel you ought, or because it is part of a trend or a movement. Remember that the book which bores you when you are twenty or thirty will open doors for you when you are forty or fifty-and vise versa. Don’t read a book out of its right time for you.”
By the way, I have not read or watched George R.R. Martin!
I am in the same boat. I like the quote.
I can understand why people read a lot, but I confess I would rather be in my workshop, or in my textile studio, making/weaving the next project. The last novel I read was 'The Overstory' by Richard Powers a few years ago; I enjoyed it. Most novels I start and get bored with them after half an hour. Have I lost my attention span?
I occasionally read a book more than once (like Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, and All Quiet on the Western Front -- war karma in my family history still being a 'big deal' to work through)
But generally I don't read novels (like why I don't watch films) because they take up too much space in my mind for weeks on end, (of course, that may be the whole point, to experience/live the book).
I find novels take too long to make their point - maybe that's why I turned to poetry (currently reading ASJ Tessimond's Collected Poems. Tessimond, a largely unknown poet, was a contemporary of Ezra Pound, T.S Eliot & W.H Auden, all of whom found him irksome {jealous?}[which is why I wanted to read him in depth]).
Great points Joshua, for a great reminder that deep engagement comes in many forms, many people connect more strongly with the active creation in other activities, rather than with general novel reading.
It isn't necessarily about attention span, perhaps, but simply about finding the mode that resonates most deeply and feels like the best use of one's time and mental energy.
You highlight that we all find meaning and engage with ideas through different, equally valid channels, whether it's crafting textiles, absorbing a potent poem, or revisiting a book with deep personal significance. Tessimond is an intriguing choice!
I always ask people about their interests, many have lost the keen activity of hobbies that was so prevalent in the 20th century.
I think you are right. Finding one's authentic mode of engagement with life when there are so many other voices vying for one's attention, requires developing great clarity of personal identity and a strict inner guide.
Joshua, I identify with getting bored by novels, and only read one to two novels a year now, and always the classics. I read Moby Dick for the first time last year. So, I don't think it's your attention span. I have read nonfiction for decades now, covering everything interesting, including biographies. When I taught reading to parents, I told parents that reading is reading, and that often certain children prefer nonfiction. Once they find what they like to read to learn about, they will read. I will occasionally listen to an audio of to nonfiction book, while I am driving far for instance, or , perhaps while cooking. But often, doing something like you are doing, weaving for instance, I'd have quiet meditative music in the background.
I used to read a huge amount of non-fiction - mainly in the area of 'spirituality', finding meaning in life, healing the family-tree, etc. Currently bit by bit, am reading Lin Yutang's 1937 'classic' "The Importance of Living: the noble art of leaving things undone". I'm at a stage in life where I realise I am not going to achieve certain things I thought I would do - and hence the title appealed to me. Maybe that's why novel-reading has dropped out of my orbit. Part of a bigger picture of accepting life's disappointments - in itself a valid journey.
Me too,I've read a huge number of books over my lifetime on meaning in life, and seeking to fill the spiritual longing we have. But, by this stage in life, these books have made their impact. At this point, through that gained knowledge and personal understanding acquired, we continue the life long process of healing and spiritual growth, that will (hopefully) continue until we die. When I semi-retired nearly 10 years ago, I read the book, " The inner work of age: shifting from role to soul" by Connie Zweig. She weaves throughout the book wisdom from Elders, like Ken Wilber, Krishna Das, Father Thomas Keating, Anna Douglas, James Hollis, Rabbi Rami Shapiro, Ashton Applewhite, Roshi Wendy Egyoku Nakao, Roger Walsh, and Stanislav Grof. The book promo says, "it offers guidance to help you let go of past roles, expand your identity, deepen self-knowledge, and move through these life passages to a new stage of awareness, choosing to be fully real, transparent, and free to embrace a fulfilling late life," and I found it did this for me. I appreciate your book suggestion, and have purchased it. I agree with that that we must realize that we will not achieve certain things we were thinking that we might achieve. It is an essential moment in this movement into the later stage of living, accepting life's disappointments. It's part of the journey, but, I confess, coming to that realization was a painful process for me. But, living is always about aspirations based in realizations of the truly possible; at times, that is a difficult balance but one that is necessary.
Thank you for the tips; some are new to me. Am definitely trying to 'redefine' myself after selling 'the farm' (quinta) last year. In the past delving into making things helped me get clearer when immersed in the creative process - lacking any other strategy at the mo', I'll see how it goes. But I always find stepping out of one's comfort-zone is necessary, and a challenge.
Your last line is a rare quality, which I'm sure you know. It resonates with me, as I live the same, with a longing for personal growth. I believe you mentioned before you were heading into sculpting.... or have you paused to consider other ideas? Those of us with this longing are rare, but I know you are blessed to share this with Veronika. I have never regretted any time i stepped out of my comfort zone to challenge myself. I can imagine life no other way than ongoing growth and overcoming challenges. Re-defining ourselves at this stage is just like all our previous re-defining moments. I know that you have done that several times, Joshua, in your life time. It does make life far more adventurous! My life motto is Live Live in Crescendo. I believe this is the way to experience a fulfilling crescendo to one's unique 'life song'.
Thank you for the comment. Yes, another one of those big changes is on the cards but this time it's internal without a physical change to move house. I generally like "starting again". But I am sticking with developing sculpting; it's early days. You can find a hint of it here: https://joshuabondyarnshifting.substack.com/p/yarnshifting-chapter-11. There again, I mark times of change with ritual and symbol, and physicality.
I like your motto; it's unusual. It's an interesting metaphor to view life as symphony that finishes on the high note of a crescendo. Of course in previous movements it has its Andante phases, and times of 'loss', yet 'recovers' to build up to its fullest expression.
Magic Mountain was populated by a mind boggling cast of characters and subplots - not the least of which was "consumption", AKA tuberculosis, itself. Not to mention "the cure".
Raskolnikov reminds me of TrumPox, but with an actual conscience. While we're at it, Fyodor, Ivan, Dmitri Alyosha and Smerdyakov were quite a cast themselves. I say, Fyodor did it. He's guilty.
Moby Dick, best line in the book came from Fleece the cook: "...Wish, by gor! whale eat him, ’stead of him eat whale. I’m bressed if he ain’t more of shark dan Massa Shark hisself..."
Don Quixote - poor ol' Sancho.
We arrive now at my (obvious) favorite: 1984. I read it in 1980 - because I recognized how relevant it was to the moment. Animal Farm was great too. "Four legs good, two legs better!" sounds like it came straight out of Faux Newspeak.
I haven't yet tackled Anna Karenina, but I did read War and Peace - including both epilogues. Although the second epilogue was discredited as an observation of history, it did have one line that was really salient for me: "the goal of war is murder". Simple, straight forward, concise, and supremely true. Oh yes, that and my introduction to "grapeshot".
It's an interesting reminder that acquiring knowledge leads to the realization that there's an infinite amount of knowledge yet to be realized.
Brilliant summary. Thanks for sharing such vivid and personal reactions to these books! It's fantastic to hear those specific lines and character takes that clearly stuck with you, like Fleece's memorable line from Moby Dick or your observation on War and Peace. It really highlights how these books don't just sit passively on a shelf; they absolutely provoke strong, lasting, and very individual responses.
I was enthralled with Anna Karenina when I first read it (I think I was 17, but I learned today what Tolstoy thought "Tolstoy called it his first true novel. ... By the time he was finishing up the last installments, Tolstoy was in an anguished state of mind and, having come to hate it, finished it unwillingly.")
Your final point about acquiring knowledge only revealing the infinite horizon of what's left to learn perfectly captures that feeling of intellectual humility that tackling these kinds of works often inspires. Well said!
I really need to tackle Anna Karenina one of these days, if I can find the time to sit down with it.
Oh yes, absolutely concur with your final line : "it's an interesting reminder..... there's an infinite amount of knowledge yet to be realized." Those who broadly read are only too well aware that we've barely began to know what there is to know. I personally find it invigorating that I will have books to read filled with thoughts that challenge me until I close my eyes for the last time.
Excellent characterization of All the King's Men. I knew nothing about that book, found it in a little free library on my street a few years ago, and was blown away by it. Such beautiful writing combined with deep insight into politics
Thank YOU Joe. It is a terrific book, how fortunate to come across it. I'm currently reading Maugham, his writing can be sublime - sometimes it is worth revisiting the 'classics.'
I liked The Razors Edge a lot! All I’ve read of his. Enjoy.
There's a way I really appreciate that AI models don't make and defend lists because they don't think in lists.
That is a terrific point. Maybe we can keep that away from them.
Thank you, as always, Colin, for challenging questions. I have never been a fan of lists either and become less so as I age. These days I decide to read a book because I hope it will meet me where I am in my own intellectual/character development. A good book at the wrong time is almost meaningless, in my experience. I also pick books that I think will connect me with other people, not just current books but ones that people tell me really shaped who they are. I get the double benefit of knowing a friend and an author better.
Thank you Norman, 'Meeting me where I am' is such a perfect way to describe the ideal reading experience, it really emphasizes the crucial role of timing and personal readiness.
And I really like the relational aspect you bring in, choosing books specifically to better understand friends through the texts that shaped them. That 'double benefit' is a really valuable perspective!
I'm reminded of Sam Kriss's critique of a similar kind of list on the /lit channel on 4chan. There's a certain kind of anglo-centrism to this list, an anglo-centrism that is focused on a specific type of worldview. I can't quite put the feeling I have into words here, but if I were to try, I would describe this list as emphasizing a modern (in reference to the modern era of history), Western, progressive (as in history as progress, not woke), Liberal, and individualist perspective of the world. A few big gaps I see below
- No Eastern Bloc/communist authors. Communism might be *bad*, but it is an ideology that determined the course of the 20th century. Why not add some Soviet Science fiction, or one of the works of Stanislaw Lem.
-No East Asian literature. Journey to the West is something that sticks out, but if you wanted to be more "edgy" you could add some Yukio Mishima, who certainly is quite different from the general theme of this list.
-No post-modernism. Yea, yea insert comment about degenerates, drugs, and nihilism, but this should be something that the youth should decide for themselves. Camus is on here which is borderline, but I would recommend some DFW (Infinite Jest is the best), Italo Calvino, Michel Houellebecq, or David Mitchell.
-No Latin American literature. The fact that Gabo isn't on here is a crime. Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a great, short one that could easily be added to this list, but Ficciones (Borges), The Invention of Morel (Bioy Casares), or The House of the Spirits (Allended).
-No environmentalist literature. Lord of the Rings sort of counts, but I would add Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood, or some Wendell Berry.
At the end of the day I think lists like these are counter productive. Read what draws you in. As Haruki Murakami once said, if you only read what everyone is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking. This is just as true for this MENSA list as it might be for the slop that we've normalized.
Very True, thank you, which is what I discuss in the essay and wholeheartedly agree with the Murakami quote, as mentioned by reading books such as Where Troy Once Stood - we must seek out a wide and diverse array of material. With respect to the list, in fairness there are many great choices which do lead to divergent thinking. But, yes I dislike lists and especially ones narrow in cultural fields.
Ah Colin, what a wonderful post for us bibliophiles who love books, and being challenged by deep thoughts within them. I own ~50% on the list, have read 80%, including Native Son, found when I attended a charity book sale, where often these treasures await. Like you , I read Anna Karenina when I was 17, and was mesmerized by it; it now sits on my re-reading table, a purchase yesterday at charity book sale. That said, I don't really like book lists , in general, nor am I tick it off kind of person. But, I do know for some this motivates, especially children. To each their own. As well, I did not like all the books on the list, and felt I wasted my time pushing through them. As I've gotten older, i will give a book 50 pages before I say, no this is not for me, or this is not the time in my life to read it. There are books people rave about I just can not see the merit in continuing to read. However, as a teacher, and private tutor I consider it a tragedy that these books are rarely used for curriculum in many schools, replaced by a short-sighted ideology that books need to be 'current', written by current writers. How can they not grasp that the books on Mensa list are powerful, filled with universal truths and paradoxes in life , ones that lead us seductively through the power of well-created words, forcing us into pondering the essential questions of life, and our place in it. Having teens read these books in school, especially for those who would never read them , either due to lack of interest or poor reading skills, is to deny them opportunities for personal learning, and maturity towards understanding of both self, and ideals. And today, there is no excuse, one can listen to the audio version. Teachers need to read books like Mark Twains' aloud to a class of ten year old students, so they experience the pull of the story, and how it impacts their emotions. Many people born after WWII read these books, often a school requirement. We felt the book, even those who'd only admit it to their closest companion, too embarrassed by how it moved their hearts. They impacted our life, forever. School, teachers and parents must ignore any heavy sighs, or ‘b-o-r-ing ‘ , and begin an audio of one of these great books, allowing the crafted words to permeated the empty room, fill the souls of the listeners, and carry them into their pondering minds.
Thank you for such a passionate and insightful comment and bringing your perspective as both a dedicated reader and teacher who sees the immense value in these challenging works, even while sharing a similar feeling about 'tick it off' lists in general.
It's wonderful to hear how many of these specific books have 'spoken' with you over time. I wholeheartedly agree with your powerful defense of their place in education. Your point about their ability to explore universal truths and force us to ponder essential questions, even when difficult, is totally inline with my thoughts. I am very happy to hear that.
Perhaps the personal 'friction' and challenge is precisely why they are such valuable, if demanding, 'tools' for fostering that deeper understanding and maturity you advocate for in students.
Your thoughts on how to bring these books alive for students, even initially reluctant ones, perhaps through audio or passionate read-alouds, is so crucial and indeed caring. It shows how to work through the very real challenge these books can present. You make a powerful case that making the effort to bridge that gap is essential, ensuring young people have the opportunity to grapple with these enduring, formative ideas.
Thank YOU.
Colin, have you presented that list to your students to discover which ones they have read? I am curious, as I am presuming your students must certainly be more highly drawn to such reading material. Authors on that list have written more than one, so not reading a specific one matters less than the reading of one of an author's novels that will offer an opportunity to grapple with universal and formative ideals. It's interesting to me that, although I read most of Dickens in high school, the one that often comes to mind is Bleak House. These books are re-readable because they raise apirational ideals, question truth and morality, and our understanding of these while young is full of naiveté and ignorance. Rereading them on the other side of 40 is a fresh experience.
As always, I appreciate your writing, often so aligned with my thoughts on the purpose of education, the essential role of classic literature, and valuable teaching methodology or 'tools' to foster deeper engagement. Thank YOU.
I have not yet. I will distribute it to them, they have 2 weeks Easter vacation now, so it will be interesting to get a response over that period :-) I will share what I learn.
Totally agree, the perspective after 40 is a 'fresh experience', like you I read Wilbur, many Zen books, Christian and Judeo religion (as I turned 40). And also the classic texts of Hegel, Schiller, Kant, Goethe, etc. as part of a spiritual journey. Now I find those messages in many/most books, scifi is filled with spirituality.
It is wonderful when young minds open up to diverse texts. I do like the debate such books have in our groups - even in computer science/AI we have deep discussions on the philosophy of classic books. We need to embed ethics into the systems the students build, a book such as Moby Dick or Huckleberry Finn (and of course Elie Wiesel's Night) is ideal for such discussions.
Thank YOU.
I neglected to mention the one thing that concerns me about reading good books. They stay stuck in my head and make it harder to avoid plagiarism. I don't think I've ever written anything original. I'm not sure it's even possible.
Oh, I am sure its impossible! I coded music with AI in 2019, made sure not to feed it any music, but gave it rules, it was remarkable how similar the content it produced was to what had been composed before.
When I first took music lessons, I found out that not only was the raw material (scales, chords and arpeggios) all the same, but the patterns using the raw materials were the same - across every genre. It was quite a surprise. I found the same is true with art as well. I guess it just goes to show, there's nothing new under the sun (also a "borrowed" phrase, from who I don't know, but somebody said before I was even born).
Lack of acquaintance with high-level nonfiction content is at least as much of a problem as lack of acquaintance with literary fiction. The main deficiency I notice in both American liberals and conservatives is that they don't know jack shit about History: they don't know natural history, political history, 20th century history, 21st century history...as a consequence, they've elevated Mythology (I include Ideology in that category) over the Factual Reality of the times we're living in, which was constructed by the Factual Reality of past events.
The notion that Literature and Philosophy are more important than factual History--or even basic numeracy--has really unraveled the intellectual fabric of the country.
https://www.mensaforkids.org/achieve/excellence-in-reading/excellence-in-reading-9-12-list/
How many of the books on the Mensa list (I counted 118; not up for doing a re-count) are Non-fiction? I count 4. One--Profiles In Courage--was ghostwritten by Arthur Schlesinger for then-Senator and Presidential prospect John F. Kennedy. (I read some of the chapters.)
How many of the 110 or so novels or short story compilations on the linked Mensa list have I read? 25, completely. How many have I read in part? 10-12. How many more would I like to read (or revisit and finish) in the next year or two? 4 or 5. Of the books I haven't read, how many are by authors who have written at least one other book that I have read cover to cover? 9.
How much does that list resemble the recommended Canon of Western Civ* Literature, c.1975? It's almost identical. Most of the books were probably on the 1960 list. My own top 100 list of novels would look quite different.
I respect Literary Fiction. Do you respect well-written--and sometimes riveting--Nonfiction History? Here are a couple of introductory Nonfiction book lists from my Substack https://adwjeditor.substack.com/p/nonfiction-books-that-are-meant-to
https://adwjeditor.substack.com/p/nonfiction-books-that-are-meant-to-c10
[*American version. Mostly British or American literature, with a double handful of ancient classics and translations from the original Russian or French.)
There is nothing quite like a room full of books even those that remain unread for years. At some point an unread book will start to send out a signal to be picked up. They are not just stories but guides into and out of the human condition, elevating our understanding with prose that sometimes uplifts, sometimes wrenches, but always informs. At their pinnacle they will meet us at every new crossroads in our lives each time we reread them.
That's a wonderfully evocative way to describe the presence of books – thank you! The image of them waiting, ready to guide, uplift, or wrench, is very true. Thinking about the demanding books often found on lists like the Mensa one, your point about them meeting us differently at various life stages feels especially pertinent. It's fascinating how a difficult book encountered years ago can suddenly feel entirely new, revealing layers that perhaps only become visible as we navigate our own changing 'human condition'.
We meet these difficult books anew, for it is we who have changed, through unique life experiences. In the last ten years, I've begun to re-read books read late in high school, like the ones on the Mensa list. I experience the thrill of new thoughts they offer to challenge me. They also do, for such is the eternal the gift of a difficult book.
Yes, there is nothing like a room full of books. I have a ceiling to floor book shelf, mostly filled. I feel these are treasure companions on my life journey, some already met but some not met, until I reach that moment on my journey where they will 'send out a signal ' to me. Lovely way to put it, btw.
I've had the pleasure of reading many of these, but not all - time to revisit high school reading list. This is how we exercise our brains for a world that is changing under our feet.
Hmm - at least I have the sincerity of stipulating that on the post. If I had not that would have been poor character.
Well, clearly I would not expect any - you made your point with that. But I stand firm with mine, poor character would be not stipulating I use AI art, exactly as I do at university to teach students responsible use, because they will need to know in the workplace, exactly as corporations do with advertising already.
This is the freedom to choose one's art.
Who knows in 50 or 60 years time which books will be on a Mensa reading list that were created by AI?