Two Pieces of Advice That Made Reading So Much More Enjoyable

Years ago, a mentor told me over breakfast, “If you find an author you like, read everything he wrote.”

It’s funny how some pieces of advice stick with me. This happened to be one of those.

This came to mind because I recently met with my mentor. I told him I had just finished the final book of the Lonesome Dove series Comanche Moon. There are four books in the series, and I found only one to be “meh.” The rest were fun reads with memorable characters living through the harshness of the Wild West.

The same rule applies to these:

Herman Wouk, Winds of War and War and Remembrance

I always recommend the Winds of War series by Herman Wouk. This is historical fiction at its finest. I learned so much about the run-up to WWII and then the war itself. The characters and their storylines covered WWII, from the philosophy of war to the importance of politics, good leaders, evil leaders, and the economic drivers of nations. There was so much here, and it was incredibly well-written and entertaining.

Fredrik Backman, Beartown

I can’t watch a hockey game without thinking of all my friends in the Beartown series. The Florida Panthers just won the Stanley Cup. This is a study of the culture of hockey, the boys who play it, the men and women who coach it, and the families who support it. It is also a deep dive into the game’s importance in small towns in frigid climates. I am not a true NHL fan, but I am a Beartown fan, and you will be, too, if you read this series.

Ken Follett, The Century Trilogy

How to build a cathedral in a century or less is covered by Ken Follett. The people, the economics, the craftsmanship, the leaders, the virtue, and the corruption. This series has it all. I found it fascinating as it opened my eyes to the history of these long-standing architectural achievements. Since reading this series, there is a richness to the cathedrals I visit in Europe. The Century Trilogy also radically changed my perspective on the work I do day to day. The question I ask myself is, “Am I building a cathedral?”

These are just a few of my favorite authors. Others include Stephen King, the king of fright, and Walter Mosley, who rolls with his Easy Rawlins series. They are great writers, each focused on a different genre and offering insights into who we are as humans and the wacky choices we make.?

This reminds me of another nugget of advice from my daughter.?

If a book doesn’t engage you by page fifty, put it down and move on. Her advice saved me countless hours of slogging through boring books just so I could be true to my personal value of “finish whatever I start.” This is a good life value, but I learned it doesn’t apply to books I read for entertainment. Life’s too short.

Good reading!