If you’re new here, welcome. I’m a 50-something philomath, someone with many interests but expertise in nothing (except maybe 80s music trivia). I’m easily distracted, perpetually curious, and currently building a blog about learning everything with nothing off limits.
In my first post, [Finding Myself Again Through Learning After 50], I talked about my love for history, my fascination with different perspectives, and my lifelong struggle to focus on one thing at a time. In my second post, I got honest about the [midlife job hunt] while trying to build this creative life.
Today? We’re talking about books.
What I’m Reading Right Now
I am currently reading several books. Three are fiction, which is unusual for me. I typically lean heavily into nonfiction, but something shifted recently. There is a fairly accurate list in the sidebar that I am more actively reading versus what is stated below.
Here’s what’s on my nightstand:
– Alchemized by SenLinYu – A recent purchase I haven’t started yet. It’s waiting patiently.
– How Music Works by David Byrne – I didn’t realize how long ago this book was published, but so far it’s fascinating. (More on that in a moment.)
– 1984 by George Orwell – Reading it now because it’s on the banned book list. I didn’t read it in high school.
– Brave New World by Aldous Huxley – Same reason at 1984. Same stack. Same determination.
I’m not entirely sure what books we were supposed to read in high school. I didn’t attend much, and it was a very long time ago. So I’m catching up now.
The Book-Buying Habit (Confessions of a Serial Purchaser)
I live near several independent bookstores now. Every time I walk into one, I feel an overwhelming urge to buy something. It’s become a problem, the kind I’m okay with having.
Before I knew I was moving to New England (see my previous posts about that cross-country adventure), I was watching reels and shorts like everyone else. I started noticing something: certain books were being banned. Many of them were books about real, unbiased history.
So I bought a ton of them.
Building a World History Library
I now have history books representing the history of every continent. Here’s why that matters to me:
As Americans, we tend to have main character syndrome. We don’t always realize that our reality isn’t the same as other countries’ realities. That realization first hit me when I read Ken Follett’s Century Trilogy. He’s British, and his point of view was from Europe. That perspective felt utterly unique to me as an American.
We don’t often dive into the details of other countries’ histories. We should. Some of it is quite fascinating.
I also have three books on how the Third Reich came into being, all written by Richard Evans I plan to start those in the next couple months.
A Quick Note on Politics
This blog will not get into politics. That topic is a mess, with so many polarizing views that it’s hard to have a genuine conversation.
But history? History is different. I just want to know world history. The true history, the good, the bad, and the ugly. No country is without some shameful issues from its past. Acknowledging that isn’t political. It’s just honest.
The Unread Stack (We All Have One)
As for fun books, I have boxes full of them. (If you read my post about me moving across the country, we still have soooo many boxes.)
I always have more books bought than I make time to read. That’s why, as I mentioned in my job hunt post about time-blocking, I scheduled an hour a day for reading. It’s on the calendar. It’s color-coded. It’s happening. (I took it off since I originally wrote this post, I need to add it back on.)
Today’s book is the David Byrne one. How Music Works is genuinely fascinating. I might write more about it in a future post, or maybe in something more personal. (An idea is coming to me that maybe I dedicate a short post biweekly about a book I read, this might help me finish the books in a more timely manner. (I once read the second Game of Thrones book but only when I was at the waterpark with my kids during the summer. It took me three years to finish it I remember correctly.))
What I’m Learning About Myself Through Reading
This book obsession connects back to everything I wrote in my first post. I’m still that easily distracted learner with too many interests. I’m still that person who buys art supplies just because (and actually uses some). I’m still the woman in her 50s trying to figure out how all the pieces fit together.
But here’s what I’m realizing: the books I’m drawn to, the banned books, the world histories, the ones that challenge my American perspective. They’re all teaching me something about myself. I want to understand. I want to see from angles I haven’t considered before.
That’s the whole point of this blog, really.
Now It’s Your Turn
Tell me in the comments: (The button is on this page somewhere, another thing I am learning is how to build a blog.)
– What books are you reading right now?
– What books have you bought but haven’t read yet? (No judgment, we all have that stack.)
– Any recommendations for me? I’m always looking for the next thing.
If you’re new here and wondering where to start, you can read my [first post about being a late-blooming learner] or my [second post about the reality of a midlife job hunt]. Or just hang out here with the books. However you arrived, I’m glad you’re here. See you in the comments.
