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How to Fit Reading Into Your Schedule

April 22, 2012 in Books / Novels / Writing by Ezra S F |

Some people identify me as a reader. Fifty books a year sounds way beyond them. Even ten books a year can seem unattainable.

Lifehacker’s How to Fit Reading Into Your Schedule and Actually Finish the Books You Want to Read is an okay start. Its suggestions:

    1. Schedule a Daily Reading Time
    2. Organize or Join a Book Club with Deadline
    3. Set Up a Special Reading Area with No Distractions
    4. Know When to GIve Up On Books You Hate and Find Books You Love

My daily reading times are at meals and before going to bed. A friend organized a monthly book club. My home is my castle. I have a post, Cull and Surrender, on giving up on bad books.

My additional suggestions:

    1. Always have a book. I have a book everywhere I am likely to have free time such as on my bed, in my living room, and in my car. Probably most helpful is having the Kindle app on my phone. My phone is a device I am likely to have everywhere I go, so I no longer have an excuse about not having a book with me.
    2. Make reading a priority. Athletes, musicians, and any expert gets good by spending thousands of hours training. Even when they have small amounts of time, they use it doing something to progress. Reading more works the same way. Any free time, even a few minutes, can help make progress.
    3. Set specific goals. More is pretty nebulous and not inspiring. One book this month is specific, in a short time period, and probably doable.
    4. Track goals. Knowing that I am behind in fulfilling a goal helps me find more time anywhere I can. For a yearly goal, I check my progress quarterly. Because I start the blog post about it a month ahead, I see how far behind I am and double the amount I read to get ahead. I use Goodreads for tracking, but I also post to this site under Reading.
    5. Talk about the books. Books are a valuable ice breaker. As people associated me with reading lots of books, they develop expectations that I finish them about once a week. I have found myself devoting a few extra hours to finish a book just so I can have a new one started before I see them.

Are We Information Junkies?

April 7, 2012 in Library, Psychology by Ezra S F |

Catherine who I follow on Twitter retweeted about agreeing with this blog post:

Last night while sitting at a pub with some friends, the topic of information came up. My friend Tom, in particular, had a few interesting things to say about it. I asked him if he thought that constantly being tapped into the stream of information that the online world affords us was bad thing. Is our constant connection to blog posts, news articles, video, podcasts, Twitter, and Facebook more detrimental than positive? Are we a culture of information junkies?

His response, essentially was “no”. He basically said that in fact (and I’m paraphrasing) we have always been able to tap into information whenever we wanted to. Back in the old days, Tom said he used to scour through encyclopedias, magazines, and books all day long. He was always consuming information and learning new things. I thought back to my younger days and realized I did much the same. You probably did too. The difference is, said Tom, these days information is with us wherever we go. We carry the encyclopedia, and magazines, and book in our pockets. Information is always there, on any topic. It’s an amazing thing, said Tom, and it’s a good thing.

My reading list Back in the old days I owned more books a 9 years old than all of my close friends and their parents put together. I had read every novel more than once. Around a sixth of my books were science and history, which were often partially re-read, often as a result of looking for something specific to get proof of something. It could have been something novel that needed understanding. It could have been a claim by someone else. It probably did not help that from seven to ten years old, I spent a couple hours every week day after school at the library.

Later, as a teen when I played Dungeons and Dragons, I knew my books well enough I could open a book to within a few pages of the information I wanted. Of course, I replaced my Player’s Guide and Dungeon Master’s Handbook three times when they fell apart from overuse.

As a college student, I worked in the university library. It had a larger and much more stimulating collection of journals, books, maps, microfilm, and microfiche than the public library of my childhood. Some thought me a dedicated worker. Ha! Having unfettered access to information was the best form of entertainment.

Only working with computer systems and the Internet, so more information could tear me away from the libraries.

But am I an information junkie? Oh, yeah, absolutely. Finding that kernel of information that answers a question, solves a problem, or wins an argument causes a surge of dopamine. People get the same dopamine high from winning a game.

The delayed gratification of waiting to search my or another library or waiting until I got to a computer to search the Internet was probably a good thing. I’m learning to be better about not whipping out my phone to track down every possible query that comes across my head. Probably a good thing to wait.

Resolution Progress 2012: First Quarter

March 31, 2012 in Books / Novels / Writing, Goal Progress by Ezra S F |

Today is the end of the third month, so where am I with those goals?

  1. Reading goals:
    1. Complete unfinished novel series. 7 of 24 done. That is 29%. I should be at 25%. So I am a little ahead.
    2. American History and Decision Making. 2 of 9 done. That is 22%. So a behind 25%. (A quarter of a book would put me back on target.)
    3. Science. 2 of 8 done. That is 25%. So I am right on track.
    4. Read 50 books. I have read 13 of 50. That is 26%. So I am a little ahead.
  2. Publish an average of four blog posts a week. This post makes 57 of 208. That is 28%. So I am a little ahead.

Both 1b books and one of the 1c books were read in the past couple weeks so I could not appear too behind.

I was asked about a month ago how I am able to spend so much time reading. Well, it helps to be single, have no children, and hold one job.

Weekly Round Up for Mar 10, 2012

March 10, 2012 in Bookmarks by Ezra S F |

Reading

January 1, 2012 by Ezra S F |

Titles in bold-italics are the ones I recommend. Struck through books I gave up on even trying.

my currently-reading shelf:
Ezra's book recommendations, liked quotes, book clubs, book trivia, book lists (currently-reading shelf)

Previous Years: 2005 List  |  Partial 2006 List  |  2008 Resolution List
2009 Resolution List  |  2009 Bonus Books
2010 Resolution List  |  2011 Resolution List

2012 Reading List

This year I have three reading goals:

Complete unfinished novel series.

    1. DONE - Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (Wicked Years, #1) - Gregory Maguire
    2. DONE - Son of a Witch (Wicked Years, #2) - Gregory Maguire
    3. TODO - A Lion Among Men (Wicked Years, #3) - Gregory Maguire
    4. DONE - Deadhouse Gates (The Malazan Book of the Fallen, #2) - Steven Erikson
    5. IN PROGRESS - Memories of Ice (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #3) - Steven Erikson
    6. TODO - House of Chains (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #4) - Steven Erikson
    7. TODO - Midnight Tides (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #5) - Steven Erikson
    8. TODO - The Bonehunters (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #6) - Steven Erikson
    9. TODO - Reaper’s Gale (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #7) - Steven Erikson
    10. TODO - Toll the Hounds (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #8) - Steven Erikson
    11. TODO - Dust of Dreams (The Malazan Book Of The Fallen #9) - Steven Erikson
    12. WISHLIST - The Crippled God (Malazan Book of the Fallen, #10) - Steven Erikson
    13. TODO - The Girl Who Played With Fire (Millennium, #2) -  Stieg Larsson
    14. TODO - The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (Millennium, #3) -  Stieg Larsson
    15. DONE - A Princess of Mars - Edgar Rice Burroughs
    16. DONE - The Gods of Mars (Barsoom, #2) - Edgar Rice Burroughs
    17. TODO - The Warlord of Mars (Barsoom, #3) - Edgar Rice Burroughs
    18. TODO - Thuvia, Maid of Mars (Barsoom, #4) - Edgar Rice Burroughs
    19. TODO - The Chessmen of Mars (Barsoom, #5) - Edgar Rice Burroughs
    20. DONE - A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) - George R.R. Martin
    21. DONE - A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2) - George R.R. Martin
    22. IN PROGRESS - A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3) - George R.R. Martin
    23. REREAD - A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, #4) - George R.R. Martin
    24. TODO - A Dance With Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, #5) - George R.R. Martin

American History and Decision Making

    1. DONE - Discover Your Inner Economist: Use Incentives to Fall in Love, Survive Your Next Meeting, and Motivate Your Dentist - Tyler Cowen
    2. DONE - The Innovator’s Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book that Will Change the Way You Do Business - Clayton M. Christensen
    3. IN PROGRESS - The Innovator’s Solution: Creating and Sustaining Successful Growth -  Clayton M. Christensen
    4. IN PROGRESS - The Federalist Papers - Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay
    5. TODO - American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House - Jon Meacham
    6. TODO - Our Endangered Values: America’s Moral Crisis - Jimmy Carter
    7. TODO - At the Center of the Storm: My Years at the CIA - George Tenet
    8. TODO - 1776 - David McCullough
    9. TODO - Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet - Jeffrey D. Sachs

Science

    1. DONE - The Genius in All of Us: Why Everything You’ve Been Told About Genetics, Talent and IQ is Wrong - David Shenk
    2. DONE - The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2010 - Freeman Dyson, Tim Folger
    3. IN PROGRESS - The Nature of Technology: What It Is and How It Evolves - W. Brian Arthur
    4. TODO - The Cosmic Landscape: String Theory and the Illusion of Intelligent Design - Leonard Susskind
    5. TODO - The Theory of Everything: The Origin and Fate of the Universe - Stephen Hawking
    6. TODO - A Different Universe: Reinventing Physics from the Bottom Down - Robert B. Laughlin
    7. TODO - The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement - David Brooks
    8. TODO - Mind Wide Open: Your Brain and the Neuroscience of Everyday Life - Steven Johnson

Not Your Oprah’s Book Club (Facebook, Goodreads) selections:
(Facebook page for Athens book club)

    1. DONE - The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton

Offlist:

    1. DONE - The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde

Banned Books Week

September 25, 2011 in Books / Novels / Writing by Ezra S F |

Native Son coverI started reading Native Son because it is Banned Books Week (last week of September). The Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association asked people to read their favorite banned book. I’d rather take a chance on finding a banned book I already have and want to read than go back and read a favorite. Why not use this as a way to move a good book to the read list?

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, already on my list does not appear to be listed as banned or challenged. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is on the list of banned or challenged. Oh well. I’m fine with another one.

On Goodreads, I went through various banned books lists and marked the ones I recall reading plus added several to my wish list. Then I went through my “library” and tagged the ones from the banned books lists. Looks like I have read 44 banned books and want to read another 18. Guess I should add another 4 to read ones to improve the symmetry.

Most surprising to me was 14 of the banned books I have read were assigned in school. I thought it would be higher. Some parents objected to a high school assigned book for one teacher. After I graduated, parents objecting to other books caused two of my former teachers to leave when the board did not back them.

Goal Progress

July 2, 2011 in Books / Novels / Writing, Friends, Goal Progress by Ezra S F |

Yesterday was the 182nd day of the year, so at the halfway point, here is an update on my resolution progress.

  1. Complete unfinished novel series. I finished the Harry Potter series at the first update. The Sword of Truth series is now done. I have most of the Ender’s series books, so I am working on them now. At the halfway point, I should have 6.5 of 13 books done. With 8 done, I am ahead.
  2. Complete the first 25 of the BBC The Big Read Top 100 (from 2003). Pride & Prejudice, Great Expectations, Jane Eyre, Wind in the Willows, Catch-22, Gone With the Wind are done. Little Women and Corelli’s Mandolin are both in progress. I only have 6 of 13 done. Half a book behind is not bad.
  3. No more complaining about Blackboard, Inc. Still a miserable failure so far. I thought the first hundred days were tough. They really pulled out all stops to give me things about which to complain. Better to just abandon this goal. Though with possibly changing to a new vendor, I get to complain about all new people and software. Yay for me?
  4. Attend more social events when invited. Skipped a few. Still attending more things than skipping.
  5. Go away more. Went a couple of places on a whim. Probably should have defined this one better. So abandoning it.
  6. Goodreads: Read 50 books. At 24 books done, I am just one behind the pace. Eight were over 600 pages, so I should be able to focus on shorter books for a while to get ahead.

Recommendations

June 18, 2011 in Books / Novels / Writing by Ezra S F |

There seem to be two ways to recommend something to others…

  1. Because the person making the recommendation likes it.
  2. Because the person making the recommendation knows the one receiving it and thinks that person will like it.

The last time I looked, I am not anyone else. I like things others do not. Others like things I do not. My list of books I hate falls includes the favorites of others. What another likes is only a measure of whether we like similar things. Only if we actually have strong similarities in what we like would the recommendation of what I like have real value.

Reading books people know about results in people either telling me their opinions. They loved it, hated it, felt ambivalent, or may want to read it. That last group want to know whether I like it. When they are my friends, I tend to offer why I think they will or will not like it.

Yesterday on Facebook, a friend asked whether Catch-22 is good. As an Austen fan, I did not think she would adore a book about war, bureaucracy, and most especially sex with prostitutes. Male friends who did not know the one asking about the book said they loved it. They naturally recommended reading it. If she had similar tastes to them, then I would agree.

What I get for discussing things in public.

Also what I get for discussing books people have or want to read. I probably should stick to esoteric non-fiction no one else wants to read.

 

Odyssey Dawn?

March 20, 2011 in Gov't / Law / Politics, History by Ezra S F |

One interpretation of Operation Odyssey Dawn is a ten year struggle to get home. Instead of ten years, I think it refers to a single day.

The Odyssey is a Greek epic poem by Homer describing the ten year adventure of the craftiest Greek general attempting to return home from the Trojan War. Odysseus wandered the Adriatic Sea and Mediterranean Sea for ten years. One place he briefly stayed was Libya:

Across the fishy deep for nine whole days,
On the tenth day we reached the land where dwell
The Lotus-eaters, men whose food is flowers.
We landed on the mainland, and our crews
Near the fleet galleys took their evening meal.
And when we all had eaten and had drunk
I sent explorers forth — two chosen men,
A herald was the third — to learn what race
Of mortals nourished by the fruits of earth
Possessed the land. They went and found themselves
Among the Lotus-eaters soon, who used
No violence against their lives, but gave
Into their hands the lotus plant to taste.
Whoever tasted once of that sweet food
Wished not to see his native country more,
Nor give his friends the knowledge of his fate.
And then my messengers desired to dwell
Among the Lotus-eaters, and to feed
Upon the lotus, never to return.
By force I led them weeping to the fleet,
And bound them in the hollow ships beneath
The benches. Then I ordered all the rest
Of my beloved comrades to embark
In haste, lest, tasting of the lotus, they
Should think no more of home. All straightway went
On board, and on the benches took their place,
And smote the hoary ocean with their oars.

Odysseus’ men consumed the lotus narcotic and would have stayed forever. Only by quickly extricating themselves before more men consumed it, aka cut their losses, could they return home. Maybe that is the intent for the operation name. Do what they need to do quickly and get out before they get mired in yet another quagmire. Of course, that was the intent of Afghanistan and Iraq.

As a child reading the Odyssey for the first time, I thought better to under the influence of the lotus than Circe. Dunno that is still the case.

Library Netflix Model

November 10, 2010 in Books / Novels / Writing by Ezra S F |

I tend to buy books. As Heather pointed out on Flickr, I could save lots of money by checking books out from the library. I don’t for one big reason. I am lazy. Most of my purchases fall within a sweet spot of wanting to read more about something because I heard about it on the radio, saw a television episode on a topic, read something in another book, or talked to someone about it. My memory is poor so I only buy a book if I happen to hit the bookstore prior to forgetting. For most of these that means Amazon. To get a book from a library would be mean remembering to go there AND the book I wanted which is unlikely.

However, books sit on my shelf for sometimes years before I get around to reading them. I also tend to read several at a time which slows my pace on any particular book to about 250 pages a month unless I devote more time to it.

Netflix works similarly for me. I add things to the queue and maybe eventually get around to getting the disk. I’ll watch a disk a week maybe. Netflix’s Watch Instantly is much better for me as I can pick whatever I want off the list and see it then. Even then I might watch half and watch the rest later. I’m watching 3x more with the Watch Instantly model than I did off the DVD model.

While I would like an eBook Reader, I don’t find the purchase model compelling.  Take the Netflix concepts of:

  • A watch instantly queue (more a list of everything I am interested in watching)
  • When I am ready to read it downloads to my device.
  • When I am finished, I no longer have access.
  • Do not limit me to one out at a time.
  • A monthly charge for the privilege of all of the above.

With that kind of model, I would be willing to buy a Kindle, Nook, Kobo, or whatever for anytime access to an enormous library of books. They could even charge me $10-15 depending on how many I can have out a time.

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