Spring reading list

“Education costs money. But then so does ignorance.”

– Sir Claus Moser

I just started making my spring reading list. So far there are six books that I plan on tackling. They cover a wide range of subjects, from religion to fishing. While most of the books are going to be difficult to get through, I’m excited to challenge myself. If you’re interested in following along or checking out anything that I’ll be reading, feel free to check out my picks.

Spring reading list:

Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare

While I’ve never been a huge fan of “The Bard,” Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare managed to catch my eye. Since Shakespeare is one of the most well known literary figures of all time, I figured that it couldn’t hurt to learn why. I picked Asimov’s Guide to Shakespeare because I heard that it goes in-depth without every becoming boring. Also, it contains a slew of maps that pertain to each play and a list of allusions that are made in each work. While I’m sure that I could read a Wikipedia article, I think this book is going to be way more thorough

The Merriam-Webster Thesaurus

The Merriam-Webster Thesaurus isn’t really a fun read, but I think it will help expend my vocabulary. Some time ago I made a list of words that I overuse and looked for synonyms in this exact book. Now I intend on reading the whole thing in attempt to broaden my word bank.

How to Argue & Win Every Time

I bought How to Argue & Win Every Time over two years ago. Unfortunately I misplaced it and wasn’t able to find it until recently. I’ve heard good things about this book and saw it recommended by Danger & Play. Debating people is one of my many hobbies, so I’m excited to finally read through this book.

The Old Man and the Sea

Before I dropped out of college, I used to have a class about children’s literature. Rather than sitting through it and listening to how evil white heterosexual men were and how books like Nancy Drew inspired rape, I’d sneak off to the library and go read actual books. During that time I knocked out a fair number of classics and discovered my love for Hemingway’s prose. I haven’t read a Hemingway story in almost a year, so I decided to go out and pick up The Old Man and the Sea.

Ten Plays

Ten Plays, by Euripides, actually scared me. I bought it in September, but was too intimidated to actually start it. I was worried that it would be too smart for me and that by trying to read it I’d realize what a moron I actually was. The book has sat on my shelf mocking me ever since. Yesterday I decided to conquer my fear. I walked over, picked it up, and read a play. It was actually pretty good and, aside from a few of the Greek names, didn’t have any problem with it. I was also surprised how crass it was. There were rape jokes, swear words, cannibals, and mythical monster genitals. It was a lot more fun than I was expecting. I’m looking forward to reading the other nine plays.

Asimov’s Guide to the Bible: The Old Testament, Vol. 1

Despite being an atheist, I’ve decided to read the Bible. The actual book is way different from the corny, nurtured message that most churches teach. So far the Bible has basically read like a Robert E. Howard story. There’s none of that “happy wife equals happy wife” nonsense. It’s just war, sex, and genocide. To help me with me Biblical reading, I decided to purchase Asimov’s Guide to the Bible: The Old Testament, Vol. 1. I’ve heard great things about this book and am early awaiting its arrival.

If you have your own reading list suggestions, feel free to sound off in the comments section.