“A book is a gift you can open again and again.” – Garrison Keillor
It’s an early morning in Kansas. And by early morning I mean early. As in somewhere around 3:30 am early. But I’m awake, an occupational hazard of a mind that never quite shuts down and often generates annoyingly good ideas when I’d rather be sleeping. And once the brain starts to spin, sleep becomes a lost cause.
So, I lean back against the pillow, take my tablet from the night table, and tap the Kindle app on the screen. Lately, I’ve been reading – actually re-reading – Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five, but on this morning, I’m in the mood for something different.
The tabs on the screen offer a multitude of choices. I could open the classic On War, but I would spend the next four or five hours mulling over Clausewitz’s penchant for metaphors, rather than getting an hour or two of good sleep. Michael Watkins’s The Six Disciples of Strategic Thinking and Beatrice Heuser’s Flawed Strategy both await, but I’m trying to settle the active mind, not stir it. There’s even a compendium of classic Marvel Comics horror comics from the 70s, Where Monsters Dwell. But if I start digging into some of the old Jack Kirby work, any hope of sleep will surely be lost. Finally, I tap the icon for Resurrection Walk, a year-old Lincoln Lawyer novel that I’m only now getting around to reading. A little brain candy always puts me to sleep.
Reading is Fundamental
When I open my eyes again, the tablet is on the floor, the dog is restless, and my mind is alive and checklisting a mental to-do list for the day ahead. I reach down to collect the tablet and inadvertently tip the growing stack of books beside the bed. Within that stack are authors and genre that span a widely eclectic spectrum, from Rick Atkinson’s The Fate of the Day to Alison Wood Brooks’s Talk. From the last Lee Child novel to a copy of my own book, Professionals Talk Logistics. Anyone who tried to define my reading tastes would undoubtedly find them, well… difficult to define.
As the dog and I make our way down the stairs in the pre-dawn darkness, we pass bookcases filled with the knowledge of years of reading. On the pie pantry that serves as the family nerve center, books are stacked haphazardly, nearly to the ceiling. Even as I sit to enjoy that first cup of morning coffee, I have to move several books taking space on either side of my desk. In the countless sets of quarters my family have called “home” over the years, books are essential, reading is fundamental.
The List of Lists
In military life, reading lists are as common as the timeless notes of Reveille in the early morning hours. With every new year, we see fairly pointed debates over these lists, which inevitably evolve into a “bookshelf measuring contest” over which written works to include on a professional reading list. Someone will always cite Once an Eagle, while others will lean toward Band of Brothers or underscore the necessity of Thucydides. There will always be a pundit shocked that anyone of intellect would waste their time with works of fiction while others will ridicule the certain lists that don’t include seminal works such as Clausewitz (who is dead, by the way) and Sun Tzu (who we don’t even know for sure ever lived).
In truth, a reading list is a very personal expression of one’s own interests and preferences. Sun Tzu and Clausewitz always have their place on my list, but you’ll also find authors ranging Edgar Rice Burroughs to Stephen King alongside personal favorites such as A Bridge too Far and World War Z. Once an Eagle didn’t make my list, but The Martian did. You’ll find Dan Heath and Chip Heath alongside writers such as Norman MacLean and Ken Kesey. I even keep a copy of The Story of Ferdinand on my bookshelf as a constant reminder that we need to take the time to enjoy life, not just watch it pass us by.
Why We Read
Ultimately, it is more important that we are reading, feeding our minds with a constant stream of information and knowledge (yes, I do think there is a difference), than the specific titles we choose to read. Over the years, I’ve fielded more than my share of recommendations and even more chastisement for not reading specific titles (for my “professional growth and development”). I deeply appreciate the former and seriously question the wisdom of the latter. It’s my choice, not yours.
In a 2023 Today segment, Sarah Lemire defined the essence of not just why we read, but why reading is an essential activity in life. While lamenting the gradual decline in reading in America, she emphasized 10 benefits to picking up a book.
1. Extends your lifespan.
It’s science. A 2016 study published in Social Science & Medicine found reading books can reduce mortality by up to 20%. Put down your phone and grab a book.
2. Encourages empathy.
A 2013 study published in Science revealed that fiction – what I refer to as brain candy – helps readers better understand and relate to others. Yes, even vampire fiction.
3. Reduces cognitive decline.
The human brain is a muscle. You need to put in the reps to keep it functioning at its best. Think of reading as a mental gym and use Goodreads to track your workouts.
4. Reduces stress.
Reading is a lot like goat yoga for your brain. It reduces cortisol levels and eases you into a meditative state.
5. Improves critical thinking.
In a 2001 Journal of Direct Instruction article, Anne Cunningham and Keith Stanovich noted that while reading “yields significant dividends for everyone,” avid readers typically demonstrate more advanced reasoning skills.
6. Promotes self-care.
Believe it or not, reading is a proven method of taking care of yourself. It’s a productive habit with proven results. Assuming, of course, you make it a habit.
7. Enhances conversation skills.
Once again, it’s science. The more you read, the higher your rate of vocabulary growth. The broader your vocabulary, the better your conversational skills.
8. Improves sleep.
Some of us have known this for years. But, once again, science steps in to settle the debate: a 2021 study demonstrated that reading a book in bed leads to improved quality of sleep. Unless it’s Clausewitz. That won’t help.
9. Fosters connection.
Reading always gives you something to talk about, even with people you wouldn’t normally talk to. That allows you to connect on a different level and even overcome pre-existing divisions.
10. Recharges your batteries.
If nothing else, reading lets you rest your mind and spend some time with yourself. We all need that.
Reading, it seems, is fundamental.
