Must. Read. Book….. Umm. Good.
Ok, so maybe men reading books doesn’t sound exactly like that. But I sometimes get the feeling that many people (men & women) think that men reading should be reduced to simple books about macho topics. The truth is much deeper. As a book guy, I read a wide variety of topics; as a bookseller, I see men buying every type of book; as a man, I read to increase my understanding of the human condition and to broaden my imagination of human potential.
While the roles of men and women are not fixed or exclusionary, one of the foundations of manhood is facing the world in all its glory and chaos while creating a place of safety and enrichment for his family and community. This takes more than just strength and drive. A man must understand. Both the world as it is and as it can be. This is best done by reading books and contemplating their meaning and implications. Yes, you can gain a lot of information from the web and by listening to podcasts, but the contemplation aspect is what leads to both understanding the material and gaining wisdom on what it means. This contemplative aspect happens when you set the pace of reading and can naturally stop and reflect on a concept as it is revealed. When the pace is set externally, concepts and facts flow by without the opportunity to reflect on how they fit into your worldview or relationships. So, read a book and truly understand the information you consume.
Reading a variety of material and styles provides perspective and context to issues and ideas you won’t get anywhere else. I particularly like to read old fiction (100+ years old) because it is easy to see the various perspectives, social assumptions and cultural structures since they are so different from modern views. And understanding these prior views helps me to understand that today we have many views that are not universal or timeless. But there are also some that are.
I read books on history to understand how we got where we are and why our society has certain quirks. From that I have learned about the flow of events, the impact of new ideas on a society, and how relations between people and groups change over time. I read science and technology to understand how the physical world functions and how humanity has harnessed reality to improve our lives. Those have taught me what can and cannot be achieved (yet) and the real work and resources needed to achieve our goals. I read philosophy and religion to try to make sense of our crazy world and have learned a great deal about morals, purpose and what it means to be a single soul in a vast spiritual world. Don’t get me wrong, I have read plenty of adventures with dragons and ray guns but those too have informed my world view. All types of fiction explore variations of relationships, societies, and challenging situations. Science fiction, in particular, explores so many new ideas such that all the changes we have seen in the last 20-30 years have already percolated in the back of my mind. I may like or not like certain changes but I do understand them.
There is also something cathartic about picking up a book and sinking into its world. To do so you must turn off the outside world and slow down the hectic pace that today’s society expects of us. This intentional slowdown and separation from everything around us allows us to think new thoughts, ruminate on the implications of new ideas, evaluate what we value, and basically develop our wisdom so that when we do return to the “Real World” we have strengthened our inner fortitude to achieve our goals.
As a man I seek to understand the world around me. This includes the physical, historical, social, and spiritual aspects that all interact to give us this amazing place in which we reside. I feel that if I understand the world and have gained the wisdom to see the meaning of it all, I can create a home and community where my wife, family, neighbors, and humanity as a whole will be safe to pursue their potential and grow their souls. And that is basically my purpose as man.
So, join me as I pick out my next book. Something with a new perspective, concept or challenge that will enrich your life or maybe just take you away from the world long enough for you to catch your breath before the next crisis demands everything you have. And if you feel that there isn’t a book for you, stop by The Boerne Bookshop and I can help you out. The world of books is huge and nearly limitless. No matter your interests, there will be a book that meets your needs. And it doesn’t have to be simple or macho.
