Takeaway: Books are not merely the transfer of information, they are machines for thinking.
I loved this quote by Joel Miller:
“Our investment in reading changes the book because the book has changed us.
If books are merely a means of transferring information, then perhaps, yes, a book is a waste of time.
If a summary of its thesis and key points could be presented in a brief article or Substack post, why not just save the hours and read the Substack post? All the more if the information is outdated or questionable for one reason or another.
But that mistakes what a book is for.
A book is a tool. It’s a machine for thinking. And “all machines,” as Thoreau once said, “have their friction.”
The time it takes to engage with ideas—whether factual or fictional, emotional or intellectual, accurate or inaccurate, efficient or inefficient—might strike some as a drag.
But the time given to working through those ideas, adopting and adapting, developing or discarding, changes our minds, changes us.
It’s not about the wisdom we glean. It’s about what wisdom we grow.”
Food for thought.
~ Coach Alex
P.S. If you want a non-fiction book recommendation related to personal development, send me a message. I’m happy to share some recent favorites.
Yes, please. I would like your recommendations.
Yes please, I’d love a book recommendation, thanks