Not all books are equal in terms of the benefits to an individual. Consider “just in time” information vs “just in case” information. “Just in case” information is useless until needed.
Nassim Taleb coined the term “antilibrary” which is defined as a collection of books that are owned but not yet read. The concept views a proper library as a tool for research rather than a collection of trophies in the form of books one has completed.
Since learning about this concept, I’ve wondered whether the books I’m reading are really providing value (that is, whether I’m engaged in research or leisure).
Fiction: High value, medium utility. Fiction teaches us empathy — an essential skill when navigating life.
History: This is a tricky one. By reading history, we learn from the mistakes of the past, but how useful is this really? I think it depends on the topic. For example, I read Stephen Ambrose’s D-Day, which chronicled the planning and execution of the D-Day invasion. The most valuable things I learned from this book were about leadership, as demonstrated by Dwight Eisenhower. But if I wanted to learn about leadership, was this really the book to read? In reality, this book may have been more about leisure reading.
Philosophy: Socrates famously said “the unexamined life is not worth living,” and I agree. Reading philosophy makes me a happier person, so it’s definately worth doing. The utility is often undeniable. Some philosophy books, however, are a bit too esoteric for the layperson. For example, I’m slowly working my way through Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason and I can’t help but feel like it offers little to no direct utility to me personally.
Science: This also could go either way. I would call Guns Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond a science book, and I found it to be life changing. It gave me a new perspective on how people and cultures developed. Conversely, I read The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs by Stephen Brusatte, and while interesting and fun to read, I’m not sure it affected my life in any meaningful way. (CORRECTION: This book gave me a greater appreciation for birds, which lead me and my wife to become casual birders — an activity which has brought us quite a bit of joy.)