Recommended Reading

Believe it or not, this actually bothers me. For a while I kept a log of books I’d read, with notes and little synopses. Then I changed jobs and left it on a computer I used to use.

I realized, after a couple of years, that I was getting through, on the average, x books per year. Then I calculated my life expectancy (y more years) and was horrified to conclude that I would only read xy books in the rest of my lifetime!

What would they be? More importantly, what would get left out? What seminal, classic works would I never appreciate? What fun recreational stuff would I never get to enjoy? What incredible experiences would I never get to vicariously enjoy? I look at the book review in the (NY) Times and think, “Oh, I might like that,” but I may never get to it; there’s not enough time.

The only solution I could devise, and not for me because it doesn’t exist, but for others, is a consulting firm that will tell you, basically, what to read. This is a high-end operation, because it has to be uniquely tailored to each individual client.

The client would go in for a series of interviews. Reading tastes would be established, along with general areas of interest, educational background, political and sexual orientation, hobbies, musical taste, etc. What the client has already enjoyed is a jumping off point from which to extrapolate meaningful and worthwhile future reading experiences.

This is no “people who enjoyed (such-and-such) also bought (whatever)” website sales gimmick. Literary critics, psychologists and relevant specialists will comprise a team of consultants who will determine with the client which books he / she will benefit from / enjoy / re-read / cherish while he or she is able to consume them.

On perhaps a quarterly basis, the client will meet with the consultants to discuss life changes / book reviews / recommendations / new interests that have developed in his / her life in order to tailor the strategy to meet dynamic conditions. There may be a randomized book recommendation element incorporated as well, to account for the fact that random reading experiences sometimes lead to new avenues of interest.

If the client wishes to diverge from the recommended reading syllabus, thoughtful consideration will be given and the syllabus will be accordingly modified.

This program will not resolve the issue of reading lists that conflict with mortality, but may serve assuage the feelings of helplessness the issue engenders.