How to choose your next book
A simple method to avoid failure
🏷️ Categories: Literature, Learning.
Getting more value out of what you read starts with choosing the right readings.
Surely you've closed a book with the feeling of having wasted your time. You're not alone, we've all been there. Choosing what to read makes the difference between absorbing ideas that can transform your life or simply accumulating irrelevant information that you will forget in a few days.
Sifting through books drastically improves the quality of what you consume.
After reading hundreds of books, I started using this simple method to sift through my reading.
Today I want to share with you how I avoid wasting my time on empty books and make sure that each book I choose brings me maximum value.
Wisdom Is in the Basics
Start by mastering the basics.
Many people assume that the basics are not important, that they are good enough and can move directly to the advanced. This often happens because the complex is perceived as more attractive and intelligent. However, mastering the basics creates a solid foundation for later complex ideas.
Without a firm foundation, everything you build on top of it will crumble.
The key here is to think honestly about what you really know. Take your time and do the first step of the Feynman Technique: write down on a piece of paper everything about an idea you think you know well.
Can you explain the why, or the origin of all the ideas you have written?
Can you establish the hierarchies or relationships between the concepts?
Can you clearly define each concept you have included?
If you doubt at any point... you know what aspects to reinforce.
The multidisciplinary mind draws on basic ideas from multiple fields.
By learning the essential mental models of multiple disciplines, you will see relationships and patterns that other people don't see. You don't need to understand the latest biotechnology study, but you can certainly use the theory of evolution of species. This same pattern is followed by many more things than just living things.
Charlie Munger, one of the most successful investors and a famous voracious reader, had this to say about what to focus on when learning:
“The more basic knowledge you have, the less new knowledge you need to acquire."— Charlie Munger, in Poor Charlie's Almanack.
The problem is that most people underestimate the importance of the basics.
So before you choose your next book, ask yourself these kinds of questions:
Starting from scratch: Is this book a good introduction to this new subject?
Master the basics: Does the book cover the gaps I saw with the Feynman Technique?
Move to the advanced: Have I mastered the basics enough to read this book?
Expand into other areas: Is this book related to areas I have already mastered?
For example, if I like astrophysics but know little, I'm at question 1: “Start from scratch,” so I'll look for an introduction to the universe. If I already know more, I will use the Feynman Technique to detect gaps in my knowledge and I may discover that I know little about black holes. So I will already know what my next perfect reading will be.
Thus, each question guides my next reading as I learn more and more.
Let time filter books
Millions of books are published every year. Most of them will soon be forgotten.
The key is to differentiate between the ephemeral and the eternal.
Many people choose their reading according to the popularity of the moment. But new books have yet to stand the test of time. According to the Lindy Effect: the longer something has been around, the greater the likelihood that it will continue to exist. That is, if a book has been relevant for decades or centuries, it is much more likely to be valuable in the present and future.
If a book has been relevant for more than decades or centuries, add it to your list.
If a book is recent, give it time and see if it is still as highly recommended.
The most valuable knowledge is not the newest, but the one that has been around the longest.
Value and risk when choosing readings
Classic books: They were written long ago and contain fundamental ideas that will continue to be valuable. There is very little risk of them becoming obsolete.
Trending books: They are influential now, but their impact in the future is uncertain. They may be a good investment of time in the short term, but they may become obsolete in a very short time and your effort will lose value.
Reading for the sake of reading is easy, reading with intent not so much.
If you apply these principles, every book will have a real impact on your life.
✍️ Your turn: What criteria do you follow to choose your readings?
💭 Quote of the day: “Never trust anyone who hasn't brought a book with them.” Lemony Snicket, Horseradish.
See you next time! 👋
References 📚
Munger, C. T. (2023). Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Essential Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger.