books

magic on a page

small stories, grand adventures

never-ending gift

Books.

Reading.

I love reading. I love books. I’m a pretty avid reader, daily – often finding a bit of time on my commute, and I always read before falling asleep each night. For me, the written word is one of the greatest gifts in the world. Part of the upcoming holiday season is a celebration of books, and usually there are more than a few books under the Christmas tree.

But I am curious about how many of you share this perspective: I accumulate long lists of books I want to read ‘sometime in the future‘, and the pile on my bedside table grows faster than the rate at which I read. While I still have decades ahead of me, there are more decades behind me, now. I sometimes look at all these book titles and worry that I will not get a chance to read everything on the list. Actually, to correct that statement: I will *not* read everything I want to read to before I die. This is irrational, but it is something that comes to my mind on a semi-regular basis. It’s like the thought of missing great writing is a reminder of my finite lifespan. One might wonder why I do not think of this signal of mortality in terms of kids growing up, perhaps grandkids in the future, future friendships, adventures and so much more. Life has a limit, and there is only so much one can do with the time we are given.

Perhaps it is simply that books are the very regular reminder of this.

I suppose one way to address this, directly, is to be far more discriminating in what I read. I could be more selective, and only pick writing that is perfect in its prose, or top of the New York Times lists, or only things that are highly recommended by my bookish friends.

But I can’t.

I just can’t.

I just love to pick up new (or used) books, and at the time, I think “oh I can’t wait to read this, I’ll get to it soon“. I savor reading, and each day look forward to time with a book. It can be detective novels, fantasy, nature-themed non-fiction, thought provoking books, literature from the past, poetry, graphic novels, and on and on.

How to you come to terms with the ever-expanding list of books to read?

© Christopher M Buddle 2024