Reading

As noted in a previous post, I'm up to 69 books read on the way to my goal of 80 for the year. Given my current rate, I will likely hit that 80 goal by early to mid November - if not sooner. And I may hit 90 or so for the year.

That is great, but one thing I'm realizing is that while I've been mixing light - mysteries especially - with heavier works, I'm feeling the need to go heavier. More classics and spiritually-oriented books. Not that I'll stop reading mysteries! (I'll avoid the Hallmark and Highlander-influenced puffy ones, though.)

Something else that I'm realizing is that many of the more contemporary books contain elements I don't like or don't think are healthy for me - or anyone else - to read. The books don't just portray immoral behavior, for example, they accept and celebrate such behavior. The classics had the good moral sense to note that if, for example, a character commits adultery, it's wrong, and there are consequences.

This really hit home the other day when I was looking at the library at some new essay collections. I like essays, and have read many such collections in the past.

But these collections strayed into and even rejoiced in questionable behavior. 

I put them back on to the shelves.

I've had to stop or at least reduce reading other kinds of works in the past. I used to read a lot of horror and science fiction, for example, but too much of contemporary horror and science fiction is too dark, graphic, and sexually explicit. I allowed my subscriptions to some magazines  to lapse, and now always check on the books before I read them.

Anyway, next year I'll still have some goals in mind - to finish reading all of Shakespeare's plays, for example - but won't set an overall number goal.

Pax et bonum