{"id":164347,"date":"2019-08-16T16:20:19","date_gmt":"2019-08-16T23:20:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=164347"},"modified":"2019-08-16T16:54:32","modified_gmt":"2019-08-16T23:54:32","slug":"why-books","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2019\/08\/16\/why-books\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Books?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In praise of books:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Knowledge is power<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
PHOTO JOURNAL: Edition II<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

First of all, I think knowledge is power. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I can say from age 21 to age 31, after reading many books, I have grown. It wasn’t necessarily the books which improved me, but this is what happened:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In reading great books, I was able to absorb lofty ideas and contrarian concepts from other brave individuals from the past. This helped empower me to pursue my own bold path in life.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, the great power of books:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Great ideas distilled over time.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What are books useful for?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"TRAVEL
TRAVEL NOTES<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I don’t think there is any ultimate knowledge or wisdom in books. Instead, books are one of the best creative stimuluses for you — to think more, challenge yourself more, and to think more ‘outside the box’. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only that, but reading books for inspiration in order to write your own books<\/strong> — I think this is a good idea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two-fold approach:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Write much, and read much.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

How to discover good books<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"black<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Generally speaking, read the classics. If a classic work has lasted for a long time, there probably is a good reason. For myself, my favorite classics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. The Iliad by Homer <\/a><\/li>
  2. The Odyssey by Homer<\/a><\/li>
  3. Books by Nietzsche: Will to Power [Volume 1<\/a> + Volume 2<\/a>], The Antichrist<\/a>, Beyond Good and Evil<\/a>, [and pretty much any book by Nietzsche]<\/li>
  4. Any book by Seneca<\/a> [my favorites are his letters\/epistles, and The Shortness of Life]<\/li>
  5. The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    And this is the thing–<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Better to have a very small library of well-curated books, and to re-read the ones you really love, than to waste a lot of time\/effort reading a lot of fluffy modern books.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    My favorite modern books<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"black<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    In terms of modern books, my favorites:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Any book by Nassim Taleb<\/a>: Antifragile, Skin in the Game, Fooled by Randomness, Bed of Procrustes<\/li>
    2. Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson [my lessons on Steve Jobs<\/a>]<\/li>
    3. Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance [my lessons on Elon Musk]<\/a><\/li>
    4. Zero to One by Peter Thiel [my lessons on Peter Thiel]<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Not much else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n\n\n\n

      Ebooks and print books are the same <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      \"black<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

      My heretical idea:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      I think ebooks and print books are the same.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

      Which means– neither ebooks nor print books are ‘superior’. Both are great. Both have certain advantages. Ultimately, choose both, or just choose the format which is most convenient for you<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      For example ever since around 3 years ago when I started to live more nomadically<\/a>, I purged 80% of my book collection [still have some in storage], but pretty much never travel with print books anymore. I always optimize for ultra-lightness <\/a>in my travels. Thus I will read “.epub” eBook format instead on a phone, laptop, or iPad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n