When people tell me „my kids don’t read anymore“ or „I don’t have time to read anymore,“ I always ask them how they form their opinions or develop their ideas. It’s not because I’m an offended bookseller, but because I’m genuinely curious. For me, reading is a tool that helps you become a better observer and sharpens your own skills, choices and abilities to pass on knowledge and wisdom.

I don’t read just for the sake of acquiring knowledge or impressing others, but for the wisdom factor. Reading allows me to see patterns of behavior in human history that have succeeded, failed, or disappeared. And it’s not just non-fiction that can provide this insight, fiction can too.

Does that mean I can smart-ass comment on everything everywhere I go? I hope not! Reading should be a tool that helps us navigate life, not a way to feed our egos and point fingers at others.

So, my question is: How do you gain wisdom if you choose not to read? Sure, you can meet thousands of different people and share your experiences, but to me, reading has always been the ultimate shortcut. And even if you’re naturally gifted at navigating life, I bet your world would still be missing something without reading.

All books in this section were read by myself. It is an incomplete section, however.