Did you know there are over 600,000+ books published each year?! How many have you read? I don’t say this to make you feel like you’re not reading enough, rather to get you thinking about how you choose what you read. I don’t know anyone who can honestly say they’ve read them all! So how does an interested reader decide which of the 600K+ books they want to read?
Know there are two basic types of books: non-fiction (factual) and fiction (imaginary). I believe when it comes to choosing non-fiction material, most of us can decide intelligently what’s of interest to us and what we might want to read. For example, my husband, who is a certified financial planner, chooses non-fiction books mostly on the topics of saving money, investing and planning. His to-read stack is quite tall but very focused on his primary areas of interest.
Much of my reading time is dedicated to non-fiction as well, so when I have a little extra time in my life or I’m planning to go on vacation, I want to read a good story. But where’s a seasoned non-fiction reader go when they want to find a good novel to read? Ask a friend!
I thankfully have a few good friends who read A LOT! It makes sense to me to ask them for their favorites and to know why they liked it so much. Some of the titles and descriptions appeal to me while others don’t. I choose a few from the list and secure a copy from the library or bookstore. I have to say I’ve been very pleased with the choices and feel I spend my time wisely.
There’s nothing more frustrating than spending time trying to read a book I don’t enjoy. But when that happens, I won’t suffer through it. I happily put it away and find another. After all, there are 599,999 more to choose from!