Summer Books! Ideas, favorites, and Recommendations?

[CarpCharacin]

I also want to read more general literature and philosophy, like stuff by Dostoevsky, Spinoza, Jacques Ellul, Huxley's Brave New World, etc., and more history (especially history of science and large scientific and engineering endeavours). I haven't ever really followed through with reading stuff like that despite intending to, and I don't feel like my general knowledge is too great, at least compared to my vocab. I think the acquisition of general knowledge is more contingent on exposure to a wide range of reading material than vocab is, and I don't want to just be someone who's only competent / knowledgeable in a few narrow domains.

 

[Bakbuk]

I loved 20,000 leagues and around the world in world in 80 days. I’ll have to check out Journey to the center of the earth.

Oh really? Awesome!! Journey to the Center of the Earth is a thriller like Around the World in 80 Days, but it still has a good bit of that scientific stuff like 20,000 leagues. It's still really good though!

I’ve read the adventures of Tom Sawyer, but haven’t yet read the adventures of huckleberry Finn.

Huck Finn is a great sequel to Tom Sawyer. I found it interesting that Mark Twain wrote Tom Sawyer in biographical form, whereas he wrote Huck Finn in autobiographical form.

Don't worry, if the spelling looks really strange and you can't understand anything you're reading, take a minute to sound it out, maybe with a little southern accent too. It'll help a lot.

 

[RiverOtter]

I also want to read more general literature and philosophy, like stuff by Dostoevsky, Spinoza, Jacques Ellul, Huxley's Brave New World, etc., and more history (especially history of science and large scientific and engineering endeavours). I haven't ever really followed through with reading stuff like that despite intending to, and I don't feel like my general knowledge is too great, at least compared to my vocab. I think the acquisition of general knowledge is more contingent on exposure to a wide range of reading material than vocab is, and I don't want to just be someone who's only competent / knowledgeable in a few narrow domains.

If reading is hard, and you intend to read and want to read more than you actually do, it could very well be because you're reading books that you think you should, rather than ones you want to.

Read some fluff.

Seriously. Think of it like balancing a diet for your brain. You can't live off spongecake, but you can't live off spinach either

 

[CarpCharacin]

If reading is hard, and you intend to read and want to read more than you actually do, it could very well be because you're reading books that you think you should, rather than ones you want to.

Read some fluff.

Seriously. Think of it like balancing a diet for your brain. You can't live off spongecake, but you can't live off spinach either

I have trouble reading ones that I want to, not just ones that I think I should

When I'm particularly interested in something I usually just end up skimming articles about it online and parts of books at a pretty shallow level unfortunately. When I'm trying to read something more thoroughly I have trouble focusing, so I end up needing to reread things quite often and that's dispiriting. I guess I feel that I should read the books I'm interested in the "right way" by reading them thoroughly and in order, but that could actually be reducing how much of them I read. It's ironic how verbal ability (and especially vocabulary) seems to be a significant personal strength for me despite all the trouble I have getting reading done.

Anyway, earlier this month I found a book made up of a handful of general / review articles in biology and at least at first glance it doesn't seem too dense / unfamiliar, so maybe I'll start by trying to read a few chapters / articles without trying to make myself read each one fully and in order.