“I don’t own many books. So, I collected books in great numbers when I was an undergraduate, mostly history of economic thought. I thought I would build up this incredible collection of the great economics masterworks. But then I started moving around, and then I moved to Germany for a year and I’m, like, ‘This is not going to work.’ So, what I will do–there’s some economic historians in my department. If I get a history book, I will give it to them because I know they won’t necessarily read it. They’ll use it or not use it for reference. And I don’t feel I’m tricking them into reading a book. But I would be very reluctant to give you a book, Russ. Not that I don’t love you or like you, or both, but I would feel that you would feel obliged to read the book. Correct?

It is immoral to give away books unless you truly feel the recipient should read them!”

• Tyler Cowen

Finished reading: Tales from the Atlanta Braves Dugout: A Collection of the Greatest Braves Stories Ever Told (Tales from the Team) by Cory McCartney 📚

I learned something about myself reading this book. While I love baseball and the Braves, I prefer my baseball books to be written by historians and ball players. NOT sports writers.

“Reading is a basic tool in the living of a good life.” - Mortimer J. Adler

I had a brief convesation with one of my daughters several months ago in which she announced that she hated reading. I knew to take the word “hate” with a shaker of salt considering how prone twelve-year olds are to speak in extremes.

“I feel sorry for you, then.” I replied.

“Why?”

“Because your life will be so much smaller without reading.”

She sighed and rolled her eyes. Again, very twelve of her.

She recently told me that she was nearly done reading her third book in a month and how much she loved it.

I’m not trying to take credit for the about face. I’m just happy she’s falling in love with something that will enrich her life in ways she cannot even imagine yet.