One of my favorite things about retirement is being able to read for pleasure…. Not just for work or enlightenment which were mainly my past reasons. Jason, it was so great to read how you choose your books. For the past couple years I have really loved picking from the historical fiction genre, with a nonfiction or biography thrown in now and then. My other favorite activity is scouring the thrift stores and library sales for used books up here in the Northwoods! I’m AMAZED at what I find. It’s a goldmine up here because of all the cabin and vacation home clean outs. Additionally, so many retired folk are constantly donating and buying used books. I joked with one of the volunteers at a favorite thrift store, I was buying a book that I may have already read years ago. Even so, would be good to reread. Then she quipped, “and when you’re done, you can donate it back.” We both laughed and I said I’m sure I will. I wonder how many of those books are donated over and over. 🤓I’ve also rediscovered the library and LOVE your point about partially reading a book and if you like it a lot, buy the book! I don’t think I answered your question about HOW I choose books. For me, recommendations and Goodreads work so far.
On another note…March is my LEAST favorite month. In northern WI it’s like the schizophrenic month. One day 70(well very rare) and the next day could bring a foot of snow. It’s affectionately called “mud season.” But, I know it’s much better in Indiana with flowers blooming and tree’s budding! Enjoy. Once again, thanks for sharing.
Aunt Ruth, thanks so much for reading and then for sharing your own reading habits and pleasures. My dad has been reading a ton of historical fiction as well; it's a great genre. And I love the idea of buying a book you've read, not remembering you've read it, and then donating it back. What a lifecycle for it! That's great.
As much thought as I often put into what I read, one book I loved (at least I think it was that good; it's been a while) was one I happened to pick up simply because the author's last name was also Beer. Ralph Beer. It was about a guy coming back home to his family's ranch in Wyoming or Montana. I thought it was great. I have no idea how I found it.
I'm sure it stays pretty cold up there for you through March. I love following along your pictures of the cabin through the seasons. Looks beautiful.
Thanks, Ruth. Always appreciate you extending my posts.
After high school I found myself looking to read more and more. I gravitated towards works of non-fiction and philosophy books, because I enjoy personal learning outside of an academic setting. However, I recently started reading jack Kerouac’s On the Road and am loving his writing style, as well as the story. In my opinion, nothing beats waking up, making a cup of black coffee, and reading in the silence of the morning.
Thanks for another great read, your writing has become a regular part of my reading and I eagerly look forward to the next!
Josh, I love the trajectory your reading has taken post graduation. Though I always enjoyed reading, I really got going after high school and haven't looked back. So glad to hear your reading habits have not only continued but are becoming your own.
I've had several seasons in life when Kerouac has meant a great deal to me. I think he has such a good spirit, deep down, which is conveyed through his (mostly) autobiographical fiction. It is hard to argue against On the Road being his most beautifully written and groundbreaking work, but I've always enjoyed The Dharma Bums more as a read -- the story, the characters, and the pursuit of Zen. His journals are great as well. He was a profound reader and thinker himself.
And I think you have a wonderful morning routine to kick off your days. Keep up the good work, and thank you so much for making my writing part of your reading routine. That is a tremendous honor!
Josh, I do the same—coffee black, book open, sun still below the horizon line.
I don't want to offend the other 23 hours, so I won't say that's the routinely the best hour of my day. But surely nothing after that first hour would be nearly as good without it.
Love this, Matt. Does this happen before the 5am Run Club, though? That would be really impressive. Though I don't think it will be to run that early, I'm slowly making the shift to getting up that early. But it will be to write. I'm having greater difficulty finding the time in the evenings or on the weekends this year. I gotta make it happen. As always, thanks for reading, and for sharing your thoughts, for building the conversation.
Jason, yep, my alarm on run days is 3:40AM. But know this: I'm (very) early to bed.
I've lately been considering if that early-AM time would be better spent creating, rather than consuming. Currently, that time is spent reading books and news—those activities might make better sense later in the evening.
Anyway, looking forward to catching up on all of this, and benefitting from your writing focus! Mine has wavered this year, unfortunately.
My guess is that you would likely add the following: something about my stacks of books lying about, that I often read aloud (to myself), that few books get finished in their entirety, and that I can spend an entire Saturday not moving from a chair, several books beside me, an assortment of hot and cold beverages collecting over the course of the day, and be perfectly contented. Am I close?
One of my favorite things about retirement is being able to read for pleasure…. Not just for work or enlightenment which were mainly my past reasons. Jason, it was so great to read how you choose your books. For the past couple years I have really loved picking from the historical fiction genre, with a nonfiction or biography thrown in now and then. My other favorite activity is scouring the thrift stores and library sales for used books up here in the Northwoods! I’m AMAZED at what I find. It’s a goldmine up here because of all the cabin and vacation home clean outs. Additionally, so many retired folk are constantly donating and buying used books. I joked with one of the volunteers at a favorite thrift store, I was buying a book that I may have already read years ago. Even so, would be good to reread. Then she quipped, “and when you’re done, you can donate it back.” We both laughed and I said I’m sure I will. I wonder how many of those books are donated over and over. 🤓I’ve also rediscovered the library and LOVE your point about partially reading a book and if you like it a lot, buy the book! I don’t think I answered your question about HOW I choose books. For me, recommendations and Goodreads work so far.
On another note…March is my LEAST favorite month. In northern WI it’s like the schizophrenic month. One day 70(well very rare) and the next day could bring a foot of snow. It’s affectionately called “mud season.” But, I know it’s much better in Indiana with flowers blooming and tree’s budding! Enjoy. Once again, thanks for sharing.
Aunt Ruth, thanks so much for reading and then for sharing your own reading habits and pleasures. My dad has been reading a ton of historical fiction as well; it's a great genre. And I love the idea of buying a book you've read, not remembering you've read it, and then donating it back. What a lifecycle for it! That's great.
As much thought as I often put into what I read, one book I loved (at least I think it was that good; it's been a while) was one I happened to pick up simply because the author's last name was also Beer. Ralph Beer. It was about a guy coming back home to his family's ranch in Wyoming or Montana. I thought it was great. I have no idea how I found it.
I'm sure it stays pretty cold up there for you through March. I love following along your pictures of the cabin through the seasons. Looks beautiful.
Thanks, Ruth. Always appreciate you extending my posts.
After high school I found myself looking to read more and more. I gravitated towards works of non-fiction and philosophy books, because I enjoy personal learning outside of an academic setting. However, I recently started reading jack Kerouac’s On the Road and am loving his writing style, as well as the story. In my opinion, nothing beats waking up, making a cup of black coffee, and reading in the silence of the morning.
Thanks for another great read, your writing has become a regular part of my reading and I eagerly look forward to the next!
Josh, I love the trajectory your reading has taken post graduation. Though I always enjoyed reading, I really got going after high school and haven't looked back. So glad to hear your reading habits have not only continued but are becoming your own.
I've had several seasons in life when Kerouac has meant a great deal to me. I think he has such a good spirit, deep down, which is conveyed through his (mostly) autobiographical fiction. It is hard to argue against On the Road being his most beautifully written and groundbreaking work, but I've always enjoyed The Dharma Bums more as a read -- the story, the characters, and the pursuit of Zen. His journals are great as well. He was a profound reader and thinker himself.
And I think you have a wonderful morning routine to kick off your days. Keep up the good work, and thank you so much for making my writing part of your reading routine. That is a tremendous honor!
Josh, I do the same—coffee black, book open, sun still below the horizon line.
I don't want to offend the other 23 hours, so I won't say that's the routinely the best hour of my day. But surely nothing after that first hour would be nearly as good without it.
Love this, Matt. Does this happen before the 5am Run Club, though? That would be really impressive. Though I don't think it will be to run that early, I'm slowly making the shift to getting up that early. But it will be to write. I'm having greater difficulty finding the time in the evenings or on the weekends this year. I gotta make it happen. As always, thanks for reading, and for sharing your thoughts, for building the conversation.
Jason, yep, my alarm on run days is 3:40AM. But know this: I'm (very) early to bed.
I've lately been considering if that early-AM time would be better spent creating, rather than consuming. Currently, that time is spent reading books and news—those activities might make better sense later in the evening.
Anyway, looking forward to catching up on all of this, and benefitting from your writing focus! Mine has wavered this year, unfortunately.
If I had to describe your reading habits, it would have been pretty close to this.
My guess is that you would likely add the following: something about my stacks of books lying about, that I often read aloud (to myself), that few books get finished in their entirety, and that I can spend an entire Saturday not moving from a chair, several books beside me, an assortment of hot and cold beverages collecting over the course of the day, and be perfectly contented. Am I close?