Category: Reading

Essential Reading – Walden, or, Life in the Woods

Welcome to the first installment of the Essential Reading series, books I would recommend every man read. When trying to determine where to start, I asked myself if there was one book, above all others, which had the most significant impact on me. That is where I would start. That question, brought me to Walden, or, Life in the Woods by Henry David Thoreau. Allow me to explain.

There are several themes of Thoreau’s work that speak to me. It is, at its essence, a story of one man and his two year long experiment in self reliance, living in what could generously be called a cabin on Walden Pond, near Concord, MA. Let’s set aside the fact that Concord, MA is where I would want to live if I could afford to (and convince my spouse to do so as well). It is home to the American Transcendentalist movement of the 19th century. Emerson, Hawthorn, Alcott and Thoreau all called Concord home. What a rich literary history. I digress.

I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. – Henry David Thoreau, Walden, or, Life in the Woods

One central theme that still resonates in today’s world, for me at least, relates to simplifying what is important to a man. While completely shunning capitalism and technology for 24 months may seem unrealistic in 2021, there are important lessons we can take away from Thoreau’s reflections on his time spent at Walden. Important questions are left with the reader. Are the material gains we toil for worth it in the long run? Do the “things” we acquire justify the burden a man places on himself to obtain such treasure? We are forced to question what wealth really means.

Of course Walden is also a reflection on man’s relationship with nature. As if I couldn’t find more connections with Thoreau’s writing. It seems impossible to read the book without developing an impressive understanding of how important his connection with the land is. His ability to highlight the beauty in the smaller and better things, assists the reader in helping to answer these important questions. What is beautiful? What is wealth? What is success?

The reader, of course, must answer these queries for himself. One mark of a really great piece of writing is that it requires the reader to ask critical questions, even if they do not realize that’s the intended purpose. By this standard, Walden stands out amongst some of the very best works of literature we have available to us.

Have you read Walden? Have you asked yourself any of the questions? If you have, what have you come away with?

Why Read? – The Real Benefits Of Being An Adult Reader

I have had the opportunity to travel, through both time and geography.  Now that I have your attention with my proclamation of time travel, let me explain.  I have mushed my way through the Yukon during the Klondike gold rush.  I have stood side by side with America’s greatest generation in the bitter cold of Bastogne during World War II.  I have danced my way through balls in 18th century Bath, England.  I’ve snaked my way through the underworld, traversing the River Styx, winding through circle after circle of torment.  And those examples are just scratching the surface of the remarkable adventures I’ve been on.  If you haven’t figured it out by now (if you haven’t, please read this all the way to completion…you need to read more), I am referring to the joys of reading.

I still remember the first real book I read cover to cover as an 11-year-old boy.  It was a biography of Sandy Koufax, the Hall of Fame left-handed pitcher for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers.  I was mesmerized and I’m pretty sure I finished the book in less than 48 hours.  From that point on, I have been a sucker for a great non-fiction book!  It was soon followed by an account of the World War II Battle of Midway and an autobiography of legendary Chicago Bears running back Gale Sayers.  I’ve never looked back.

In a world dominated by technological distractions, appreciating the importance of reading is easily lost.  For a time, I even lost it.  It’s easy to get caught up in life, being done with school and dazzled by screens.  In fact, I pretty much discounted reading fiction all together (why get caught up in make-believe when there were real life things to learn.  Short-sighted, I know).  When I made the decision to no longer live life on auto-pilot, the importance that reading held in taking control of my own curation and living life on purpose soon became all too apparent.  I even set forth to embrace works of fiction, some to read again and some that I never appreciated as a younger lad.

The benefits of continuing to read as adults are well established, yet about 28% of adults have not picked up a book in the last year.  Let’s look at some tangible benefits of being an adult reader!

  1. It can put you in a growth mindset.  Exposing yourself to new ideas and new information is a great way to maintain your curiosity and continue down a life long path of learning.
  2. Reading can relax you faster than other stress-busting activities, including listening to music or taking a walk.  According to a 2009 study from the University of Essex, participants were able to reduce stress just 6 minutes after picking up a book.
  3. It slows down memory decline.  Your brain needs exercise.  Reading is an active process, unlike the passive act of watching something on a screen.  It is an important part of keeping your mind active as you grow older.
  4. It can help you sleep better.  Exchanging the blue light of computers, phones, and television for the pages of a good book read under a dim yellow light can eliminate the harm that blue light plays in disrupting healthy sleep patterns.
  5. Want to be a leader? Read!  There’s a 100% chance that the people you are leading or want to lead are not exactly like you.  They are of different generations, differing education levels, and varied world views.  To lead, you have to know what those differences mean.  To know what they mean, you have to increase your own knowledge base.  The larger your vocabulary, the more likely you are to choose the right words to motivate those who follow you.  The better you understand the world, the better you will understand the people in it.
  6. It helps you be more empathetic.  This especially applies to the reading of classic works of literature, as opposed to reading non-fiction or popular fiction. Researchers in the Netherlands have found a connection with the emotional investment in a work of literature to an increase in one’s ability to feel empathy.

When I think of my own “curation” as a man, I cannot escape the role that reading has played in that process.  I can offer a personal testimonial to all of the six points listed above.  If you are a reader, know that you’re doing great things for yourself.  If you are part of the 28% who haven’t read a book over the past year, I challenge you to give it a try.  If you’re a man and you aren’t convinced that including reading into your masculine routine is worth it (after all, if you’re reading, you’re not watching sports), know that there is plenty of material out there that is sure to be interesting to even you.  Of course, if you’re a man and reading this, I doubt that would be an issue in the first place.

How has reading impacted you as an adult?  Are there special books that have left an indelible impact on who you are?  Has a book been able to immerse you in the world and lives of those written about?  Share your stories below by commenting on this post!