What do I read?
Since publishing my first novel, I've had a number of readers ask what I read. I expect that my answer is longer than they expected (and perhaps, more detailed than they were interested to hear).
While I organize my collection of books alphabetically by the authors' surname, I conceptually sort them into three 'shelves':
- New York Times
- American Curricula
- Series of Interest
New York Times
One of my life goals is to read The New York Times 'Top 100 Books of All Time'.
In my opinion, many of these books make that list because they introduced a concept, or expressed a train of thought, without precedent. My aim is to absorb all of these unique ideas and expressions. Accordingly, books on this NYT list appear on my 'NYT Shelf'.
American Curricula
Originally from Australia, I did not move to the United States of America until I was twenty-five.
Accordingly, I completed my primary and secondary schooling in Australia, and was subject to a very different curriculum - and required reading list - than that experienced by those who matriculate in the United States. While my wife and friends were reading 'The Giver', 'Animal Farm', and 'Huckleberry Finn', I was reading 'Maestro' and 'Tomorrow, When the War Began.' (to the Americans reading this, I assure you that you got the better end of the deal!)
As an adult, however, this means that many references to beloved 'Great American Novels' go over my head. So, the second 'shelf' of my book collection is comprised of those texts which are commonly read throughout North American schools.
Series of Interest
Finally (and perhaps, anticlimactically), my third 'shelf' is comprised of books that pique my interest (such as Raymond E. Feist's 'Magician' series, and Dmitry Glukhovsky's 'Metro' series), and books recommended to me by trusted sources (such as Mitch Albom's 'The Five People You Meet in Heaven').
So, to (finally) answer the original question, I read books from the three abovementioned 'shelves'; making sure to read a book from each before repeating any one shelf.
While I organize my collection of books alphabetically by the authors' surname, I conceptually sort them into three 'shelves':
- New York Times
- American Curricula
- Series of Interest
New York Times
One of my life goals is to read The New York Times 'Top 100 Books of All Time'.
In my opinion, many of these books make that list because they introduced a concept, or expressed a train of thought, without precedent. My aim is to absorb all of these unique ideas and expressions. Accordingly, books on this NYT list appear on my 'NYT Shelf'.
American Curricula
Originally from Australia, I did not move to the United States of America until I was twenty-five.
Accordingly, I completed my primary and secondary schooling in Australia, and was subject to a very different curriculum - and required reading list - than that experienced by those who matriculate in the United States. While my wife and friends were reading 'The Giver', 'Animal Farm', and 'Huckleberry Finn', I was reading 'Maestro' and 'Tomorrow, When the War Began.' (to the Americans reading this, I assure you that you got the better end of the deal!)
As an adult, however, this means that many references to beloved 'Great American Novels' go over my head. So, the second 'shelf' of my book collection is comprised of those texts which are commonly read throughout North American schools.
Series of Interest
Finally (and perhaps, anticlimactically), my third 'shelf' is comprised of books that pique my interest (such as Raymond E. Feist's 'Magician' series, and Dmitry Glukhovsky's 'Metro' series), and books recommended to me by trusted sources (such as Mitch Albom's 'The Five People You Meet in Heaven').
So, to (finally) answer the original question, I read books from the three abovementioned 'shelves'; making sure to read a book from each before repeating any one shelf.
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