Books Are Your Friends

(2024-09)

A dear friend of mine had a great saying she shared with me many years ago – “Books are your friends!”  I believe this, don’t you?

I love books and I love to read.  I started collecting books in ninth grade when I joined the Military Book Club (I’ve been a WW2 history buff for as long as I can remember!).  My passion for collecting books really got turbocharged in high school.  I worked for a publisher who also owned and ran a bookstore.  As an employee I got a discount on any book I purchased.  My collection (and perhaps obsession) expanded exponentially. During this time, I got to meet many authors which further fueled my book purchasing!

I continued to add to my library after I got married and went to work full-time.  I accumulated so many books and moved so often that my father-in-law refused to move my books!

I started tracking the books I read over thirty years ago.  In 2013, I joined Goodreads to automate this tracking.  If you are a reader, I recommend Goodreads to keep track of what you read as well as learning what your friends are reading.  Go to www.goodreads.com to sign up.  (I don’t get any compensation for this referral; I just think it’s a good tool and want to share.)

I did a web search on the positive benefits of reading.  There are many articles on the subject.  Quite a few of them are from medical journals or health websites.  One of these sites (https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-reading-books#bypass-tv) states that research shows that regular reading improves brain connectivity, increases your vocabulary and comprehension, empowers you to empathize with other people, aids in sleep readiness, reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and heart rate, fights depression symptoms, prevents cognitive decline as you age, and contributes to a longer life.  I am glad that research validates the positive impacts of reading!

I recall but can’t document a survey that was done on the reading habits of CEOs.  The headline was that CEOs on average read 60 books per year.  That’s more than one book per week!  I have read at least 52 books per year for the past few years.  When I began, my goal was much lower, but I worked up to it.  It’s not easy but is doable.  I didn’t start setting a goal for this much though.  I worked up to it.  Also, my reading really took off when I started flying internationally for work.  There are only so many movies you can watch!

I try to balance my reading.  This is the third year in a row that I’ve set a goal to read more nonfiction than fiction.  As I reviewed my reading four years ago, it was heavily weighted with fiction.  I learn so much through nonfiction.  I split my reading into the following big categories:  fiction, self-development/leadership, history, spiritual, and current events.  I’m enjoying greater balance in my reading.  I apply this shift in all modes (hardcover/paperback, Kindle, and Audible audiobooks).

What lessons have I learned through reading?

• Books ARE your friends!  I started keeping books that give me joy.  I periodically look through my books and donate those that no longer give me joy.  I feel calm and peaceful looking at my collection.  I have a lot of “friends” there!
• Leaders are readers.  I also did a web search on the reading habits of leaders.  I found a great quote from Harry Truman (see illustration).  I also found quite a few good articles when I did an internet search for “leaders are readers.”  There were articles from Forbes and Harvard Business Review along with many other sites.
• Fiction is a fun diversion.  I feel better about reading fiction than binge watching TV.  It seems to have a good effect on my mind.
• Audiobooks are an excellent way to “read” books.  I remember borrowing audiobooks from a library back when they were on cassette or CD.  Now that you can stream them through apps on your phone, it is so much easier.  It’s a good way to learn while you’re exercising and is an awesome way to enjoy long road trips!

How about you – do you like to read?  What are you currently reading?  What’s been the most impactful book you’ve read in the past year or so?  Let me know either by posting a comment to this post (or Facebook or LinkedIn).

If you’d like to discuss this further, please contact me via email ([email protected]).