What I learned from Reading at least one book per week throughout 2020
By: David Solomon
Tags: Self Improvement, Reading Challenge, Philosophy, Business, Self Help

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Sometime last year December, I remember picking up a challenge to read at least one book per week for the next 12 month. Meaning the time duration challenge will elapse by November 30th. On looking back at what triggered or inspired me to take up such audacious challenge is not really clear but I can only point at two significant things. I had never been a fan of YouTube, but serendipity led me to this Nigerian channel called "Success Secrets TV": https://youtube.com/c/SuccessSecretsTV. Aside from their top notch content, the owner is a supposed thriving entrepreneur who always talked about reading good books and how much it changed his life. He also talked about how great people are voracious readers and also boasts about books they read that changed theirs too. The channel does book reviews too which made me readily pick books I could start with when I took up the challenge. Along the way, I had so many phenomenal experiences but I’ve chosen to share a few.

1). Just one Concept:

While reading so many books I’ll confess that I can hardly remember over 70% of the content of most books but one thing is for sure, tell me a book I’ve read and I’ll tell you one major(or more) concept or idea behind the book.

“Compound interest is the 8th wonder of the world" - Albert Einstein.

You might say "when it is only an idea or two that might stick why do you go the extra in reading the whole 500 pages". Well, some eternal ideas come in the last chapters and some come in the first so you may never know. Albert Einstein once said "compound interest is the 8th wonder of the world". What do I imply, after reading over 50 books with at least one idea or concept sticking with you, imaging the number of ideas and knowledge unconsciously compounding in you that you are not even necessarily aware of.

2). Books has taken me to Places:

No i don’t mean winning literary competitions that made me travel around the world. By places, I mean learning about concepts, places, economics or history as if I were there.

"Achebe’s books were ones in which the prison walls fell while reading".- Nelson Mandela on commenting on the influence on Chinua Achebe’s works had on him while in prison.

For instance, reading Richest man in Babylon by George Classon, aside from its timeless financial lessons, you can easily imagine yourself in Ancient Babylon and what life was like there. Nelson Mandela on commenting on Chinua Achebe’s works, he said "Achebe’s books were ones in which the prison walls fell while reading". This means he could travel very far in imagination and understanding while reading Achebe’s works. Most people think this concept applies only in "fictional books" where they can easily imagine and soak themselves in the scenarios which i guess is the major reason why many only prefer reading fictional books. But nevertheless, I’ll always argue that in exclusion to Great fictional works, most fictional books are ephemeral and based on entertainment but other types of works are eternal. They leave you in that destination(with knowledge) for as long as you wish to be. So in essence, books take you to places you have not or will never be!.

3). One book leads to another:

On reading many of these books, one gets to realise that the authors of the books being read had some certain books which now influences their lives in thoughts and in writing. To fully understand the particular book you are reading, you might need to go and check out those books to be sure where the writer is coming from. How do you know these books? It’ll always be obvious in the way they make repeated references to those books. For instance, an Islamic cleric’s work will be clearly distinguishable from that of a pastor obviously knowing the most influential books in their lives. For a Pastor’s book, if you are not conversant with the Bible, you might not understand many things he says, you might even get irritated at some certain statements.

the more you read, the more you find how much you do not know. So you’d keep getting books on the same topic to further enlighten yourself. But knowledge is an endless spiral, you can never reach the end. So you just keep learning.

Aside this fact, one thing that happens along the line is increased curiosity. When you pick up a book about a topic or concept e.g business, the more you read, the more you find how much you do not know. So you’d keep getting books on the same topic to further enlighten yourself. But knowledge is an endless spiral, you can never reach the end. So you just keep learning. Looking back I think this curiousity is what made me easily trump this challenge. Lastly on this, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt is that knowledge is greatly interwoven. When reading about a topic, it fluidly leads to other topics which you can get interested about. For instance, reading about forex will lead you to stock markets, stock markets leads to economics and it systems which leads to business and startups which leads to entrepreneurship and leadership which leads to relationships and masculinity which leads to gender discussions and it keeps going on and on. In conclusion, when you start reading intensively, you begin to read wide and you almost never stop.

4). Education is a personal journey:

If you’ve been agreeing with me from the beginning, you might disagree on this one. But at least if you disagree, do so with an open mind. Initially before compulsory schooling became a thing, ironically, people were more educated and independent than we are. Education in the sense that people were way more enlightened, high-level curiosity was the order of the day. Because of this level of independence in thinking by the populace, the government couldn’t easily bullshit or control the people likewise the oligarchs, they needed to get richer, and to do this, they needed a populace who couldn’t think for themselves. A populace that would only know consumption but never how to produce. A populace they could mass produce to. And lastly, a populace they could train and employ in their factories to do jobs. The perfect solution which was compulsory schooling was immediately developed.

Image source: washingtonpost.com

If this is sounding like some conspiracy theories already, no it’s not!. You can go ahead to read John Taylor Gatto’s books called Dumbing us down and Weapons of mass destruction https://www.amazon.com/dp/0865714487/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm_t1_rVE3FbY72EFS2 for more enlightenment on this issue.

Since the beginning till now, school has not stopped fulfilling it purpose of schooling and not educating. The level of curiosity in young ones have vanished because they’ve been made to believe that what ever they need to know, the teacher would teach them(dependent populace). That’s why an average youngster doesn’t have an idea of what goes on in the financial markets, is absolutely clueless about how WhatsApp(which he uses everyday) makes it money or even the literal meaning of "big brother". Most also do not read good books too even after leaving school. If you fall in this category, you are not educating yourself. On my journey so far, I can boast that this past year has been more educating and enlightening than my previous 19 years in school coupled with my skyrocketed level of curiosity.

The purpose of education is to bring out your genius while schooling serves to stuff your head with what they want you to know.

Lastly, schools are businesses like any other type. The whole stakeholders are in it to make as much profit as they can. You wonder why government has a tight monopoly on it. Why Waec has monopoly on first schooling leaving certification. Or why Jamb has a monopoly on university admissions. Schools aren’t meant to educate you I swear!.

It is funny how schooling and degrees are now perceived as synonymous to education when in actual sense, they are completely antithetical to each other. The purpose of education is to bring out your genius while schooling serves to stuff your head with what they want you to know. Always remember, a schooled and obedient populace is all the politicians and oligarch crave for but an educated populace is a big threat to them. So will you leave your education in the hands of these people or get some yourself?.

5). Increased literary level:

I think this one is the most widely known and self evident. When you become a voracious reader, you inevitable start expressing yourself way better both in writing and speaking terms. I remember sometime last semester, I had an English test and was supposed to write a short essay. Writing it became so easy and exciting. When i was done, I reread the essay almost 4 times because I couldn’t believe I wrote something that good. I even had the guts to walk up to the lecturer after the test to tell her to look out for my essay because it’ll blow her mind. Yes I was that confident.

On speaking, I realised while talking I get to use words I was never even used to. After using it in public, I’d pinch myself and wonder where I even heard such word from. But on looking it up later in the dictionary, I’ll realise that the word was used in an absolutely correct way. My arsenal of vocabularies just kept increasing unconsciously.

I realised most things are not as complicated as they(especially school) make it look like. People only make things look more difficult so you can appreciate their profession more.

Lastly and the most important is "comprehension". Personally I think reading good books gives you confidence that you can understand anything you wish to. I realised most things are not as complicated as they(especially school) make it look like. People only make things look more difficult so you can appreciate their profession more. But when you start reading good books, it is like a mental practice that strains your brain and develop it muscles more like weightlifting. Your rate of "ease of concentration and understanding" gradually increases and you begin to go after difficult concepts you never imagined you could. This feeling is one everyone deserves to experience.

Call to action

The whole purpose of this essay was not just to share my experience but also to spark a reading interest in as many people as I can. No I am not saying you should read over 50 books. But reading at least 2 good books a month will make a big impact too. So below are a few tidbits and guidelines to help you achieve such feat.

1). We don’t know how to read:

Yes we need to go back to how school has failed us even to the extent that they don’t teach us how to read. This isn’t their fault, it is just because most of the teachers themselves also do not know how to. I realised this when i read How to read a book by Mortimer J. Adler which was sadly the 51st book I read. I realised I had been reading very wrongly and even most people I know do not also know how to read.

“If you find it ridiculously easier to read trivial fictions than good books then it’s a big sign that you don’t know how to read”

Before you object, by reading, I mean reading to deeply understand every bit. If you find it ridiculously easier to read trivial fictions than good books then it’s a big sign that you don’t know how to read. Reading a good book, can’t be read the same way with fictions, fictions are not the same with blogposts, blog posts are not the same with Twitter feeds. If you can’t help but read everything the same way, it’s a red flag too. When you start reading I’ll advice you carefully read that book above as early as you can. I wish I did too. Reading is a sport, it requires you obey the rules.

2). Where and how can i start?:

Picking up a reading challenge can be overwhelming. One of the major reason is confusion on where and when to start. The rule of thumb is simple. Start with topics you are interested in and move on to other topics.

On goal setting, setting goal of 2 or 3 books per month can be easier and more feasible than chasing 35 books per year. Break the goals into bits.

Everyone has concepts they really care about so you can start with yours. Remember what I said on one book or topic leading to another?. Yes just ride with the wave and keep going. On goal setting, setting goal of 2 or 3 books per month can be easier and more feasible than chasing 35 books per year. Break the goals into bits.

Lastly, something else that has really helped me is that I have some close friends who are avid readers like me. One of my friends even formed a groupchat where we discuss important topics including books and also recommend books to each other. That alone encourages me to keep reading and researching. So instead of going on this journey alone, you might decide to take your friends along. The more the merrier!

3). It’ll be worth it:

2020 has been a horror movie to almost everyone but one important thing I’ll always remember this year for is the year I started becoming truly educated. With everything i know now, and how my life now has a clear path solely because of my enlightenment. If I am to go back to last December, I’ll do it again, over and over. No doubt, It has been grueling and not easy. But the gains have been far enormous than I ever imagined.

you can read many books but one will definitely change your life.

Finally, Mark Cuban said "you can fail many times, but you just have to make it once". I translate that to you can read many books but one will definitely change your life. Remember all it takes is just one book!

Books Recommendations

Normally, I read books based on recommendations from a book I am reading, friends or someone I admire. Nonetheless, many who knew I was into intense reading also always asked me to recommend books for them.

The books below are some good books I have read or intend reading in the nearest future and are classified according to their subjects.

•Business: Zero to one by Peter Thiel, Like a Virgin by Richard Branson, Start with why by Simon Sinek, E-myth revisited by Michael Gerber, Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh, Alibaba: the house that Jack Ma built, Good to great by Jim Collins. Never split the difference by Christopher Voss

•Wealth Creation: 13 secrets school did not teach you about how to be rich by Steve Courage. Rich dad poor dad by Robert Kiyosaki, The Millionaire Fastlane by MJ Demarco, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, Richest man in Babylon by George S. Classon, Why A students work for C students and B students for the government by Robert Kiyosaki, Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson

•Quality Life: Unscripted by MJ Demarco, Principles by Ray Dalio, Poor Charlie’s Almanack by Charlie Munger, Flow, Mastery by Robert Greene, How to win friends and influence people by Dale Carnegie.

•Good Fiction: Weep not child by Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe, Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Secret lives of baba Segi’s wives by Lola Shoneyin, Born on a Tuesday by Elnathan John,

•Philosophy: Skin in the Game by Nassim Taleb, Antifragile by Nassim Taleb(in fact try reading the whole Incerto series chronologically), Republic by Plato, Meditation by Marcus Aurelius, On the Nature of Things by Lucretius, The Discourses by Epictetus. 48 laws of power.

•Masculinity & Feminism: The way of men by Jack Donovan, A more complete beast by Jack Donovan, The way of the superior man by David Deida, We should all be feminists by Chinamanda, Dear Ijeawele by Chimamanda

•Biography and History: There was a country by Chinua Achebe, Loosing my Virginity by Richard Branson, Benjamin Franklin, (Steve Jobs, Innovators) by Isaac Walterson, Henry Ford, Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance, Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison.

•Great Books: The Wealth of nations by Adam Smith, On the origin of species by Charles Darwin, The Prince by Nicollo Machiavelli, Dos Kapital by Karl Marx, Manifesto of the communist party by Karl Marx and Engels, Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas, Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy by Isaac Newton, Experimental Researches in Electricity by Michael Faraday, Unscripted, Rich dad Poor dad, Bible and Quran.