I Decided to Read 200 Books This Year, And This Is What Has Happened So Far

We all set goals at the beginning of the year, and one of mine was to finish reading 200 books this year. The first reasoning behind it was; Goodreads suggested it to me. Second reasoning? I needed to write about something I loved doing.

I have always been fascinated by books since I was a kid. Books, being the most reliable documentation of human thought, have always stood taller than other forms of information. I love to read them, give them to people, exchange them and talk about them. I even started a YouTube Channel that was going to talk about books.

So far, I have read 8 books, and they have changed me in 8 different ways.

1. Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck

Steinbeck was a writer during the Great Depression and lived a life riddled with poverty before he became a pro-writer. Thus, his writings are often realistic, and his best works describe life as lived in the Great Depression.

Of Mice and Men details the story of George and Lennie, two workers who move from one side of the country to another looking for work. They were also running from something, something Lennie did. The story follows their arrival at a farm, their interactions with the farmhands as George struggles to keep Lennie in line, and the drama unfolds as slowly as bees build a honeycomb. Steinbeck is a master at using language to hide the intents of his characters.

Lennie breaks character in this new place, and George has to make a life-changing decision. Of Mice and Men is the kind of story that ends in your gut.

So here’s my key takeaway:

Pity comes from Guilt and thus, only brings about destruction to all.

2. The Richest Man in Babylon, George S. Clason

I wished I had read this book sooner. Something tells me that Clason must have found the texts used in this book from an ancient scroll. I can feel it deep in my gut that this is age-old wisdom, even though the book’s contents read as if they were poured out of their original gourd into a beaker and then stoppered. Nevertheless, their integrity remains the same.

The central theme of this book is to Pay yourself first. The expression has been tied to Clason’s identity, and I find it very useful for financial management. Only by paying yourself first can you start to do things for yourself. I have made many financial mistakes, and I know these mistakes as this book has revealed to me their origins. No financial guru has delivered such value to me succinctly.

Here is my Key Takeaway:

Saving 10% of your income, no matter what is going to be key to managing what you have, especially if you are earning a lot. Furthermore, if you are going to save anything above 10% of your income, please put it in a different wallet, just so that it is clear that your savings of 10% are not to be touched.

3. The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath was undoubtedly a talented writer who lived in the mid 20th century. and is forever immortalized as the pioneer of confessional poetry. I haven’t read any of her poems, but this semi-autobiographical novel of hers provides excellent insight into the life and times of Plath. It may not be exact, but you can glean how her mind works from her narration. She can be pretty confessional, after all.

I first started reading The Bell Jar at the time when I glorified literary fiction. Authors who wrote that genre were gods on earth, and no one could touch the hems of their garments. Luckily, I have gotten out of that stage, and I can see more clearly now.

Plath writes beautifully; however, I could not shake off the thought that Esther/Elly lacked inner strength. And so, opportunities were wasted, chances missed,, and talent remained unused. So many moments of self-reflection happened while I read this book. A cold vise grips my heart when I agree that The Bell Jar did not and did not age well.

My Key Takeaway:

Literary Fiction may advance the frontiers of literature but its integrity is often weakened by the culture surrounding it.

4. The Elements of Style, William Strunk

By far the book I most truly enjoyed this year. William Strunk sounds like the kind of mentor I would like to have. He speaks sure-footed instructions and his authority over the English Language is masterful. This revised version, by E.B. White, served to fix my formal writing.

From rules of punctuation to anachronisms, advice, and bad practices in formal writing, Strunk said it all. His teachings in this book are still relevant today, now more than ever actually.

Written content these days strives to be relatable, so much that a great writer often forgets that their kind used to be the master of languages. As a writer, Strunk’s little book restored the missing writer’s honor to me and I am glad it did. Grammarly is rife with most of the rules penned in this book. The Elements of Style is worth a re-read.

My Key Takeaway:

When in doubt, use formal writing.

5. I Am Not Jackson Pollock, John Haskell

In this anthology, Haskell seducesls us with short essays packed into a novel. Haskell simply wrote reviews of his favourite movies and then turned them into short stories with a deep and masterful personal touch. He wrote about the actors and their roles in the movies that have gone on to shape the culture of Tinseltown. So, I say,

Good writing. The flow was impeccable. Nevertheless, I Am Not Jackson Pollock scores quite low on literary merit (I have to share a quick guide for determining literary merit). I have forgotten all of the stories in this book. except for John’s strongest offering in the bunch, I Am Not Jackson Pollock, the titular story.

Another thing is, the shape of Haskell’s writing in this book has the same post-modern influences I have witnessed in 2010s Nigerian Literature (a particularly dark time in our country’s literary history but we thank God). It often feels fake and allows to writer to make choices that do not make sense. I find it lazy. But if an audience likes it, I guess it is okay.

Key Takeaway:

Your first novel is going to feel like a mistake down the line. This means you are on your way to becoming a great writer.

6. The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck, Mark Manson

Disclaimer: I once swore to never read books like these. Not because they were common but I felt like they peddled ideas that were more destructive than they were useful.

But I read this because it was recommended to me, as an audiobook, and I had 5 hours to burn. So why not?

I enjoyed it.

I am going to be kinder to books now.

Mark Manson writes a self-aware piece that stifles my cynicism. I relate to a great deal of what he said. This book tricked me into spending more time with his argument. How the idea persists in every story he tells is one feature of this book that gives it its non-ending quality.

Key Takeaway:

Life is suffering. Suffer the kind of suffering you can enjoy. You suffer as you breathe anyway.

7. The Time Machine, H.G. Wells

Once in a while a book comes along that takes your breath away and elevates your storytelling. Well’s The Time Machine is one of those books. At the close of its chapters, I am reminded of why we love the classics. Original thought is often original thought for a reason.

First, this book is a masterclass on first-person narrative. Wells’ allows you to live in the mind of the Time Traveller. His confusion becomes yours. His joys and his losses too. I was exhausted but I still swung my piece of metal against Morlocks and I deeply needed to see any of the Eloi.

Second, on a surface level, I could not help but get angry at how misguided Well:s philosophy about the Morlocks and the Eloi were. I was Jules Verne for a moment, loudly thrashing at his ideas and seeing their weaknesses. But The Time Machine is not about politics. Wells tried to tell us what humanity would become as it aged through time. We will continue to be divided until we no longer recognized each other. It is already happening.

Third, a classic is a simple story that tells what it is going to tell. None of that short-sighted, rave of the moment signalling that doesn’t age past the culture it was birthed in. I learned here that, as a storyteller, you tell the story of something primal. This learning gives me much to chew on.

Key Takeaway:

A classic doesn't often know that it is a classic. Stop trying to write a classic. Write me a story.

8. The Art of War, Sun Tzu

I keep forgetting what part of political theory this book is classified under. I will think about it and remember before this paragraph comes to a close.

As long as human nature remains, so will Sun Tzu’s sayings remain relevant. That is just all I have to say.

Wait! One more thing. As I read this book, the face of people who had wronged me kept flashing in front of my eyes. If I had written a list, I would be fighting my enemies by now. So many gems here.

Key Takeaway

Your enemies aren’t always human. It is often better if they aren’t because then, you would focus on building yourself.

Final Note

I truly enjoy reading and on the other side of the year, I will have finished 200 Books.

Do you have a book you would like me to read? Leave a comment below or send a mail to shammahgodoz@protonmail.com. The shorter the better.