True Readers

I’ve just begun reading a new collection of C. S. Lewis’s pieces on reading titled The Reading Life. One of the first pieces in the book is “How to Know if You are a True Reader.” Since you are all waiting to know Lewis’s answer, here it is:

1. Loves to re-read books
2. Highly values reading as an activity (versus as a last resort)
3. Lists the reading of particular books as a life-changing experience
4. Continuously reflects and recalls what one has read

By these criteria, I’m a true reader, although I have more trouble with #1 since I’ve begun reviewing books. But there are many old friends I love to revisit, including those of several of the Inklings.

I was astounded to learn Lewis spent an average of eight hours a day reading. He clearly valued reading as an activity. I do as well, but at probably less than half that amount of time.

Books have changed me, from J. I. Packer’s Knowing God and Calvin’s Institutes to the Port William stories of Wendell Berry, Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country, and the poetry of Mary Oliver, George Herbert, and Gerard Manley Hopkins.

And reflecting and recalling? That’s what I do all the time when reviewing. I’m thinking not only of the book under review but others as well. I don’t have Lewis’s eidetic memory. Students could read one line of a book on Lewis’s shelves and he’d complete the page, often verbatim.

I don’t think there is a switch one flips to become a true reader. Rather, I feel I’ve been becoming a true reader all my life. I think as readers, we are all works in progress.

Five Articles Worth Reading

However, being a true reader by Lewis’s criteria doesn’t make me all knowledgeable, even in the history of books. I only answered two out of five questions in this short quiz on “How Much Do You Know About the History of Books?” I’d love to hear how you did in the comments, especially if you go five for five!

Stuart Whatley asserts that “[O]ur nihilistic politics are a product of the crushing ennui and spiritual vacancy of modern life” in “The West is bored to death.”

I always look forward to The Millions previews to tick off books I want to check out. “The Great Spring 2025 Book Preview” went up this week.

I learned recently that there are 153 data centers ringing my city, and this is true in many parts of the country, driven by the rise of AI. Until a few years ago, Intel chips were synonymous with computers. But the rise of AI has been paralleled by the rise of Nvidia. “The New King of Tech” profiles Jensen Huang and reviews a new book, The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World’s Most Coveted Microchip by Stephen Witt.

Finally, I began this post talking about true readers. Open Road ran an article with video on “Why the Romans Stopped Reading Books.” I’d be curious if you think there are any modern parallels.

Quote of the Week

April is National Poetry Month. And April 9, 1821 was the birthdate of Charles Pierre Baudelaire. I love this simple challenge he offers:

“Always be a poet, even in prose.”

It makers me wonder how it might shape our public discourse if we heeded this!

Miscellaneous Musings

I’m just coming to the conclusion of American Prometheus, on the life of Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atom bomb. It is sobering to see how a powerful figure who disliked Oppenheimer orchestrated a star chamber to strip him of his security clearance because he opposed expansion of our nuclear arsenal to include hydrogen bombs. But Oppenheimer received vindication late in his life, offering hope that dissent cannot be suppressed forever.

It’s always nice to get around to older books one missed the first time around. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity by Mark Noll. His summary of the European transition from Christendom to secularity is a tour de force.

I met one of my goals in selling books to our local Half Price Books. I walked out with cash in my pocket, even after our purchases! Yes, my retirement portfolio may have decreased by $80K in value over the last months, but I’m running to the good at at least one bookstore!

Next Week’s Reviews

Monday: John Eliot and Jim Guinn, How to Get Along with Anyone

Tuesday: Leah Reesor-Keller, Tending Tomorrow

Wednesday: Aaron Scott, Bring Back Your People

Thursday: Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, American Prometheus

Friday: Mark Noll, Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity

So, that’s The Weekly Wrap for April 6-12, 2025!

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