5 ms·

>> Instead of reading 100 books, it’s better to find one that really changes your life This is just flat out wrong for non-fiction. This is not a good way to u

>> Instead of reading 100 books, it’s better to find one that really changes your life This is just flat out wrong for non-fiction. This is not a good way to use books or any research material, except perhaps meta-analysis’ but even then with caution. It doesn’t matter how many 5 star reviews it has, or who wrote it. You will be far better served by reading many writers on the topic and using your learning from each to compare and contrast between the materials and arrive at a deeper understanding. For example, there are thousands of books with a theme that could be written as “how i got rich”. Every single one of these books tells the version of the story the author would like you to believe rather than the actual truth because the simple fact is the author themselves, despite living that life, may not actually know the truth of the matter themselves. Plus some actively seek to deceive.

unklefolk 6y ago
Plus there is a great deal to learn out there that is not instructional and can't be captured by a single book. Reading good fiction, biographies etc opens your horizons, builds human understanding and empathy. It is more subtle than the "10 habits of successful people" style books but more valuable in my opinion.
dhikapow 6y ago
I believe the author's point is that there are just too many books out there. Book reviews and ratings saves you time by helping you avoid the bad ones to begin with. In that case good star reviews does matter. The reviews helps you avoid those books that you mention in your example. Though I agree that reading widely does help, it makes sense to focus your limited time to read and use sources that have been thoroughly reviewed by other people
- hue3 6y ago
  If that's the author's intended point, he should have written it in a way that makes it clear.
arendtio 6y ago
What the author means, is that many people read a lot of books, but don't internalize and adapt their actions accordingly in a truly meaningful way (count me in). So his argument is, to better take one good book and truly learn from it and change yourself than read a hundred books and forget 90% of what you read, let alone to change your actions. That said, I agree with you that having more sources of information reduces the risk of falling to the misconceptions of one or a few authors.
xboxnolifes 6y ago
Even ignoring the idea that reading a lot is beneficial in of itself, how do you find the single book that changes your life without reading the 100 books to find it? Pick one at random and mold your life around it? Choose one based on random internet stranger recommendation? Be given a recommendation from someone in your life? No matter how you spin it, it's a feel good line. It's a line that cannot even work in theory, as you cannot know the book changes your life prior to reading it.
mtalantikite 6y ago
- "Instead of reading 100 books, it’s better to find one that really changes your life." Plus the author doesn't even seem to do this himself, his reading list is roughly 30 books on the same topic of pop "productivity" and selling the dream of having a successful business career. There are certainly singular books that have changed me, but I never went into them knowing the impact they'd have ahead of time -- how could I? In my reading habits I always try to be curious, open, and meandering. "Productivity" is for boring people.

unklefolk 6y ago

Plus there is a great deal to learn out there that is not instructional and can't be captured by a single book. Reading good fiction, biographies etc opens your horizons, builds human understanding and empathy. It is more subtle than the "10 habits of successful people" style books but more valuable in my opinion.

dhikapow 6y ago

I believe the author's point is that there are just too many books out there. Book reviews and ratings saves you time by helping you avoid the bad ones to begin with. In that case good star reviews does matter. The reviews helps you avoid those books that you mention in your example. Though I agree that reading widely does help, it makes sense to focus your limited time to read and use sources that have been thoroughly reviewed by other people

hue3 6y ago
If that's the author's intended point, he should have written it in a way that makes it clear.

arendtio 6y ago

What the author means, is that many people read a lot of books, but don't internalize and adapt their actions accordingly in a truly meaningful way (count me in). So his argument is, to better take one good book and truly learn from it and change yourself than read a hundred books and forget 90% of what you read, let alone to change your actions. That said, I agree with you that having more sources of information reduces the risk of falling to the misconceptions of one or a few authors.

xboxnolifes 6y ago

Even ignoring the idea that reading a lot is beneficial in of itself, how do you find the single book that changes your life without reading the 100 books to find it? Pick one at random and mold your life around it? Choose one based on random internet stranger recommendation? Be given a recommendation from someone in your life? No matter how you spin it, it's a feel good line. It's a line that cannot even work in theory, as you cannot know the book changes your life prior to reading it.

mtalantikite 6y ago

- "Instead of reading 100 books, it’s better to find one that really changes your life." Plus the author doesn't even seem to do this himself, his reading list is roughly 30 books on the same topic of pop "productivity" and selling the dream of having a successful business career. There are certainly singular books that have changed me, but I never went into them knowing the impact they'd have ahead of time -- how could I? In my reading habits I always try to be curious, open, and meandering. "Productivity" is for boring people.