While I want to extol the virtue of long books, this post may be short.
I was reading medium the other day and I came across this article about how some books are too long to read and have very little information. I saw one of my favorite books, “Think Again” in there. The blogger criticized the book for having 300+ pages and focussing on one particular theme, which was you need to approach things with an experimental/scientific mindset. This meant you come to the table with willing to change opinions and with an open mind, emphasizing what you know and what you don’t know. There, I said it! Now, try following it. If you were like me, it wouldn’t take long before you forget.
I think that’s where the blogger missed the mark. Sometimes, you take a simple concept and then you elaborate on it to add anecdotes, real world examples, facts and numbers to let it reinforce into your brain. The idea may not be novel or complex, but the details are and those help reinforce the core message, which may be simple, to be wired into our brains and help our subconscious adapt to that practice. In fact, I’m willing to bet that complex ideas or routines won’t stick long and its the simpler ones which are more effective in the long run. But, the challenge with the simpler ideas is that they are so obvious and easy to understand that people may mistake in already knowing them and not putting enough effort in implementing them. This is where good books come along!
They don’t just stop at telling the core concept but in helping your brain wander through experiences in your own life and helping you think on how could implement them. The stories, the graphs, the anecdotes are all trying you to relate the concept into your own life. I was reading the book Atomic Habits today and it helped me understand on why I suck at keeping at good schedule of writing new blogs. It’s because I’m trying too hard on the outcome of accolades and comments and very little on the process and the persona of how writers think. I enjoyed the chapter so much that I’m adding two new routines to my life: 1) Read a chapter daily in a book during my morning coffee and 2) Write atleast one blog or post two comments or read three blogs during my lunch break. I don’t need to be a full-time writer to do that. I just need to adjust my times. I read the abridged version of Atomic Habits at least a few times, but this thought arose only when I was reading the book.
While, in this DNA and social media culture, we want instant results and succinct summaries, we have to understand that there are some times human brain enjoys things that aren’t instantaneous or short and it infact might prefer reading long books, detailed descriptions and many stories to support as evidence.
Books that I enjoy: (Amazon affiliate links in here):
Give and Take by Adam Grant.
Mastery by Robert Greene.
