4 ms·

Oh yes you do. Life is about enjoying things in the moment, with no preset expectations about whether it will change one's life or not. Meanwhile the books/mo

Oh yes you do. Life is about enjoying things in the moment, with no preset expectations about whether it will change one's life or not. Meanwhile the books/movies/music that do end up changing our lives do so not because we were hoping they would. Or even because they seemed so moving or meaningful at the time. But by their impressions mixing with other events that happened much later in life. In ways no one on the internet could possibly predict, because they're unique to us. Many of the most important books I've read were ones I just that someone just dumped somewhere, from authors I had never heard of, and that I read not for a life-changing experience, but just to kill time. Serendipity is what I think they call this.

m463 2y ago
In this world of imperfect reviews, how do you find these books? Do you read until you ruthlessly quit the book? "Don't ask yourself "can't I read one more page?"—ask "is this already beginning to transform me or not?"
- aguaviva 2y ago
  In this world of imperfect reviews, how do you find these books? I do harvest (more like skim) reviews (and look for overlapping reviews from sources I generally trust, such as HN). But in particular I weight very highly what my friends (in real life) recommend to me. And on top of that, I just take lots of chances (at bookstores, especially for used ones, and piles people leave out on doorsteps or wherever). Do you read until you ruthlessly quit the book? In most cases not -- the survival rate (in terms of actually finishing) hovers at around 25 percent. This is also part of the strategy -- if I'm not clicking with a book (or not in tha t moment), I put it aside and reach for another. Some I get back to again later, others not. "Is this already beginning to transform me or not?" This is quite subjective and philosophical -- but I prefer to specifically not ask myself if a book is transforming me while I'm reading it, but rather to just let it wash over me and work its magic on me (or lack thereof - great books don't have to be magical). And again, the transformative effect (if any) is generally felt much later in life. These are great questions. Enjoy the hunt, and your reading.
m463 2y ago
The article seems to say to be ruthless and discard the book if it isn't going somewhere. But I think maybe your assertion is still compatible with that. There are books that aren't "meaningful" to your life, but are fun page-turners. Maybe they are ok too.

m463 2y ago

In this world of imperfect reviews, how do you find these books? Do you read until you ruthlessly quit the book? "Don't ask yourself "can't I read one more page?"—ask "is this already beginning to transform me or not?"

aguaviva 2y ago
In this world of imperfect reviews, how do you find these books? I do harvest (more like skim) reviews (and look for overlapping reviews from sources I generally trust, such as HN). But in particular I weight very highly what my friends (in real life) recommend to me. And on top of that, I just take lots of chances (at bookstores, especially for used ones, and piles people leave out on doorsteps or wherever). Do you read until you ruthlessly quit the book? In most cases not -- the survival rate (in terms of actually finishing) hovers at around 25 percent. This is also part of the strategy -- if I'm not clicking with a book (or not in tha t moment), I put it aside and reach for another. Some I get back to again later, others not. "Is this already beginning to transform me or not?" This is quite subjective and philosophical -- but I prefer to specifically not ask myself if a book is transforming me while I'm reading it, but rather to just let it wash over me and work its magic on me (or lack thereof - great books don't have to be magical). And again, the transformative effect (if any) is generally felt much later in life. These are great questions. Enjoy the hunt, and your reading.

m463 2y ago

The article seems to say to be ruthless and discard the book if it isn't going somewhere. But I think maybe your assertion is still compatible with that. There are books that aren't "meaningful" to your life, but are fun page-turners. Maybe they are ok too.