I started collecting books at the age of 15 when I took over my grandparents' attic and turned it into my study/library. My collection was modest then, but it has grown considerably over the years, and now comprises about 3,000 books and counting. I am fortunate to have them all in one special space, complete with a fireplace, where I can read. Many friends frequent the sitting area in the library, where we discuss life together.
The common question when they see the books is, "Have you read them all?" Taking a line from Winston Churchill, my answer is "Some twice." While they think that means yes, I have read them all, it is not what I said. There is nothing better than discovering a book you've never read to dive into. I have plenty of those!
I am a fan of wide reading, and I will explain why. The collection is segmented into the following broad categories: Biography, history, war, theology, psychology, literature, leadership, Christian Living, commentaries, espionage and spycraft, current events, and other miscellaneous treasures.
I am a great fan of wide reading. By doing so, we discover worldviews other than our own, we start to understand that many people have bits of truth for us to absorb, our curiosity grows, and we open our minds to new ideas. It also helps us connect disparate dots and exposes us to other cultures in a new way.
Too often, we read narrowly and remain in our own little bubble without realizing that there is a bigger world to be discovered. Even for those of faith, reading beyond those who think just like us exposes us to possibilities that may be worth considering. At least they often are for me. In today's divided world, where we read tweets on X from our favorites and not from others, we frequently miss the nuances of life.
I liken this to connecting the dots in life. History teaches us valuable lessons about countries and civilizations - how they emerge and how they fall. We can learn from history. Biographies reveal the greatness and frailty of even the most important historical figures. We all have feet of clay. How power and influence are wielded can be both a learning point for us and a warning.
People often comment on the number of biographies I have of Hitler, Stalin, Churchill, Mao, Roosevelt, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, and Lincoln. These were fascinating individuals who changed the course of history, for better or worse.
When people ask me what I am reading at the moment, I am faced with a dilemma, as there are usually around 30 books in various stages of progress around the house. Depending on my mood, I will pick up a book to read.
I often liken a book to a mentor. We all need multiple mentors, and a good book leaves us with some truth or insight that we didn't have before reading it. I don't have 3000 books. I have 3000 mentors.
I do mess with my books by underlining as I read. After all, it is about comprehension and underlining the important helps me to remember. Of course, being me, I do it with a fountain pen with yellow ink! Ahh, yes, the fountain pens are a subject for another day, but an important one.
From time to time, I outsource certain books, but the core of the collection remains. If book collecting is an addiction, it beats many other addictions one could have. And it benefits us.
If you are a reader, keep on. If you are not, try to become one. It can change your life.
