if you’re not first-time visitor here, likely you know already I’m reading a lot of books.
a lot?
after years of carefully considering and accumulating books, I finally fulfilled one of my early dreams: to have a wall full of shelves dedicated to storing my book collection (as depicted in the opening picture of this post, although some packages obstruct the view - my apologies for that).
now, what exactly constitutes “a lot” of books? for me, it means reading around 2-3 books per week, resulting in an average of over 100 books per year staying on shelves. of course, this is just an average figure. during vacations, I tend to indulge in more reading material (and sometimes end up buying additional books when I exhaust my supply). moreover, due to the pandemic, I’ve been reading even more than usual. however, it’s not a race to break records. reading simply becomes second nature over time. you can start at your own pace with any book that piques your interest. and see how deep the rabbit hole goes ;)
I have always believed in gaining knowledge and experiences from others, which is why I keep the majority of my books. as you can see, this collection continues to grow without apparent boundaries, occupying every available space around me.
why it’s worth your time?
simply put, books have the incredible ability to expand your mind and offer a delightful escape from the rigors of daily life. they not only allow you to acquire knowledge but also enable you to internalize and organize that knowledge in your own unique way. additionally, they expose you to different languages, cultures, and events, contributing to the enrichment of your language skills and mastery of its subtleties, which others will readily notice.
for me, engaging with a book is a thrilling challenge and an adventure in itself. there are books that captivate you so deeply that you simply can’t bear to part with them, even after you’ve reached the last page. personally, I experienced this with series like The Witcher by Sapkowski, books by Lem (virtually all of them without exception), and Terry Pratchett’s works.
on the other hand, there are books that, after just a few pages, reveal themselves to be a complete waste of time. in such cases, my philosophy dictates that it’s best to set them aside and not squander your life trying to finish them. after all, there are countless other books waiting to be explored. although I rarely mention such books on my blog, occasionally, in the “worth reading” category, you might come across a cautionary note marked as “don’t go there.”
instead of summary
do read books and do respect them. Terry Pratchett once said that “if you have enough space for books, I don’t want to talk to you.”
make sure you have a place for your most important books.
and do read. do read always.