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SIX PRINCIPLES
FOR DECIDING WHAT TO READ
The historian G. M. Trevelyan
warned: 'Education . . .has produced a vast population able to
read but unable to distinguish what is worth reading.' Here are
six principles for deciding what to read.
- Select books which will expand the
areas of your knowledge and understanding. Read broadly so as
to expand the understanding and keep the mind fresh and resilient.
Avoid the temptation only to read books that are of direct and
immediate relevance to a particular task. The most useful books
in the longer term may be those which feed our background and
general knowledge, not necessarily of any direct relevance to
current work: 'the business of books is to make one think'.
- Choose books that really interest
you: 'A man ought to read just as inclination leads him; for
what he reads as a task will do him little good.' Samuel Johnson
may go a little far there, but there is a great deal in what
he says. Sometimes there are things we have to read, without
much enjoyment; but as far as possible, go for things you love.
- Go for quality, not quantity. Speed-reading
a large number of books on a subject is not usually the best
way to become acquainted with it. Heed Richard Baxter: 'It is
not the reading of many books which is necessary to make a man
wise or good, but the well-reading of a few, could he be sure
to have the best.' Or, more briefly, Sinclair Ferguson: 'Read
the great books!'
- Avoid reading only books which you
know you will agree with. Favourite theories need to be tested
by opposing views and arguments. At the same time, the Christian
is well advised generally to avoid books which teach error.
The 19th century evangelical Anglican clergyman, Edward Bickersteth,
had these wise words to say on this subject:
It is dangerous to try the strength of the constitution by tampering
with poison, and it is yet more dangerous to tamper with error
which is spiritual poison.
- Maintain balance and variety. Avoid
reading books on one sub- ject only; equally, avoid reading
just one author. It is good to con- tinue to try new authors
and new areas of study and interest.
- Read book reviews. They will keep
you informed of books that you might like to read - and will
sometimes save you the trouble of reading them at all.
By Robert Strivens
Banner of Truth
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