Hello dear readers! I’ve rebranded my newsletter to “Nadir of Ignorance” because my middle name is Nadir, and I am trying to pursue enlightenment. For those of you new to my Substack, here are some pieces to help you catch my vibe:
A few days ago I was due for a new audiobook, and so I used my Libby app to scroll through my local library catalogue. At the very top of the most popular listens was George Orwell’s 1984.
I picked up 1984 for the first time in high school. I found the book to be a difficult read. It was hard for me to follow and so I did not get very far. I made another attempt in medical school, but this time I got about halfway through it until I was distracted by something else, likely my school work.
So technically this is my third time “picking up” this book. I’m finding the listen to be very engaging, almost prophetic for our time. There’s no doubt I’ll finish it this time.
This journey with this book, spanning years, reminded me that my relationship with reading has evolved. As a child I was engrossed with fantasy and fiction. As a teen I delved deep into comic books and graphic novels. In my young adult years my time was hijacked by textbooks. Only within the last 3 years or so have I been afforded the luxury of reading for myself again.
My strategy nowadays is to read and listen to different things, in different formats, in different settings. Here is my current situation:
Early in the morning, I drink my coffee and I read Substack newsletters. I most look forward to The Free Press and Letters from an American.
In the middle of day, usually at work, I use the Kindle App on my phone. I’m currently reading The Meritocracy Trap. This is a dense read and my progress has been slow. Not so sure I will finish it.
I always have a physical book for when I have a few moments to sit and kick my feet up. I just finished Ryan Holiday’s Right Thing, Right Now. Up next is Prisoners of Geography. Highly recommended by a trusted colleague, can’t wait to crack it open.
A podcast for running or working out. Currently in the middle of Modern Wisdom #836: Dr. Andrew Huberman, The New Science of Longevity.
An audiobook when driving, 1984 by George Orwell as I mentioned. I use the Libby app to access my local library for classics like this. I use Audible for more current titles that have long waitlists at the library.
Before bed I like to relax and unwind, currently with One Piece Vol 94. Did you know that you can borrow manga from your local library? I have it delivered to my iPad.
I used to think that I could only focus on one thing at a time, but that is not the case. We can keep track of much more than we give ourselves credit for. Also, different reading has different purposes. Some reading is for fun, some reading is for learning, some reading is for both!
It also helps that I have no qualms stopping something midway. Sometimes a read does not engage as much as I thought it would, or sometimes the material is just too difficult for me. This actually just happened to me with Leadership by Henry Kissinger. Kissinger is clearly a genius in statecraft, but without enough historical context under my belt, the book was difficult for me to parse through.
If there is one thing I’d like to do differently it would be to somehow carve out actual dedicated reading time. As it is now, my reading and listening takes place sporadically in between other things. I tell myself this is because my life is so busy, but that stinks of a weak excuse.
I need to reflect on this some more.