What's On Your List

A friend of mine recently posted on Facebook a list of 100 well known books of which the BBC says most people will have read only 6.

If you do a search of "100 best books", you will find many such lists. Because these lists are subjective, they will likely share some of the same titles, but will not be identical.

After complaining to my friend that her list favored Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, and lacked some of my favorites, I realized that there is only one list of 100 books that is essential, and that is the one you build yourself. Everyone should have a list of at least 100 works of literature that they have read.

The National Endowment for the Arts recently released a survey showing that over the last six years, the percentage of adult Americans who read works of literature has increased by about four percent. According to the N-E-A, more than half of adults read fiction, poetry, or drama. While this may show a good trend, it still means that nearly half of American adults never pick up a book, read a poem, or enjoy a play.

These days our minds are occupied with Facebook, Twitter, movies and television, and video games. So why is it important to read? The problem with entertainment is that so much of it is passive, not requiring our minds to be engaged. When I watch a movie, I don't need to use my imagination to picture the scenes because that's already been done for me. I may have the impression that I am engaged, but the fact that I don't remember the movie I watched last week tells me I was only being amused.

A literary work, on the other hand, asks me to get involved, to use my imagination and exercise my memory. And it asks me to make judgments on what I've read.

Another benefit of reading is vocabulary building, which has been linked to intelligence. Think of it as growing your brain in order to hold more words. Exercising your mind, by reading or some other mental stimulation, has also proven to ward off dementia.

One advantage technology has brought us, is the availability of great literary works in digital form. When I purchased my iPad, I did not have this benefit in mind, but with iBooks (Kindle, etc.) I now carry an entire library of books wherever I go. Now, when I find myself standing in line, waiting on my doctor, or flying on a plane, I can open any book in my library and make good use of the time. And even more wonderful, many of the books that you will find on these "best books" lists are now in the public domain, and can be downloaded for free!

So if you don't already have a list of your own, use one of the "100 best books" list as a place to get started, or ask a friend for recommendations. The important thing is to get started. And if you've already got a list, keep expanding it.

Ray Bradbury's book, "Fahrenheit 451", tells of a time when books are outlawed and burned, and the only way books are kept alive is for an underground organization to "become" books by each member memorizing one. It's ironic that today, if all the books were burned, nearly half the population wouldn't miss them.

Remember, "The person who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the person who can't read them." - Mark Twain

Who are these people?

Leslie and I went to a symphonic concert at Bass Performance Hall (home of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra) for my birthday. The concert featured works from Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff and Ravel, culminating in Ravel's Bolero, a favorite of ours.

We enjoy going to these concerts to add a little refinement and culture to our lives, in an atmosphere where professional musicians combine with excellent acoustics to provide a truly wonderful experience.

Of course, the fact that the building is designed so that the most delicate note can be heard in the farthest reaches means that the patrons must maintain quietness to keep from spoiling the experience for others.

In spite of directions to this point, and the explicit instructions to silence cell phones, there is always someone who neglects to do this, and this concert was no exception.

To my astonishment, I heard cell phones ringing, and people coughing and talking. Worst of all was the woman sitting behind us who spoke loudly to her friend about what she was hearing.

I was thinking, "Who are these people who cannot follow simple directions in order to be considerate to other people?", especially at an event such as a symphony? Then my own cell phone began shouting it's answer to my question!

You see, when I set an alarm on my phone, it still sounds even when my phone is on "silent", and about 3/4 of the way through the concert, it reminded me that I needed to call my mother, something I want to be sure to do every week.

So, who are these people? They are people just like me, who intend to do well, but have moments when they fail. People who suffer embarrassment when, in spite of their efforts, come off looking like a buffoon in a very public setting. Furthermore, just like me, they are souls for whom Christ died.

The next time you are tempted to criticize someone for their behavior, remember that you, too, are one of those people. I know I will.