Product Description

"Perfect for all of us who can never get enough time with good books. It not only urges us to indulge deeply and often, it shows us how."-Myra Hart, professor, Harvard Business School

"Readers and want-to-be readers will be encouraged by the advice to read more, more widely and more systematically."-Michael Keller, university librarian, Stanford University

"An ideal gift for both sporadic and relentless readers."-James Mustich Jr., publisher of A Common Reader

"A worthy addition to even the most well-stocked personal library."-Ross King, author of Michelangelo & The Pope's Ceiling

Do not set out to live a well-read life but rather your well-read life. No one can be well-read using someone else's reading list. Unless a book is good for you, you won't connect with it and gain from it. Just as no one can tell you how to lead your life, no one can tell you what to read for your life.

How do readers find more time to read? In The Little Guide to Your Well-Read Life, Steve Leveen offers both inspiration and practical advice for bibliophiles on how to get more books in their life and more life from their books.

His recommendations are disarmingly refreshing, as when he advises when not to read a book and why not to feel guilty if you missed reading all those classics in school. He helps readers reorganize their bookshelves into a Library of Candidates that they actively build and a Living Library of books read with enthusiasm, and he emphasizes the value of creating a Bookography, or annotated list of your reading life. Separate chapters are devoted to the power of audio books and the merits of reading groups.

The author himself admits he came "late to the bookshelf," making this charming little guide all the more convincing.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #413160 in Books
• Published on: 2005-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 144 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Some people need self-help books on relationships, others need them for work. Leveen's self-help book is for the person who needs help in becoming a reader, whose spirit is willing but whose flesh is weak. In a gentle, coaxing style, Leveen offers standard self-help advice: he counsels moderation. You don't need to be a marathon reader to be well-read—no one can read everything; and you're okay—even if a so-called classic doesn't appeal to you. Call books beckoning to you "candidates for your attention," rather than the more obligatory-sounding "reading list." Leveen is against ad hoc reading decisions and in favor of lists—which will seem too bad to readers who know the joys of serendipity. He is an advocate of audiobooks, especially unabridged editions, and devotes an entire chapter to "Reading with Your Ears." In the end, there's probably nothing like reading a great book to make someone love reading—but perhaps Leveen's gentle encouragement can help. (May 2)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From AudioFile
"The likelihood of finding an author who can narrate is about the same as finding a dancer who can sing," writes Leveen and then reads his own book himself. Hmmm! Known for his exquisite taste in folios and fountain pens, the man behind the Levenger catalog can't read as skillfully as Grover Gardner, or write as skillfully as Ernest Hemingway. Leveen is a businessman in love with the business of learning. He has been savaged by critics for adoring audiobooks and admitting that he hasn't read all the classics. But then isn't an admission of ignorance the first and essential step to learning? This is a truly useful book, clearly and earnestly presented. B.H.C. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Review
A pleasant and mindful celebration of the art of reading that many will appreciate...recommended for all public libraries. -- Library Journal March 15, 2005

A practical handbook...distilled into easy-to-digest prose. -- The New York Times Book Review, July 10, 2005

All most people need to get started on what can be the truly mind-altering experience of reading. -- thecelebritycafe.com October 14, 2005

For the person who needs help in becoming a reader, whose spirit is willing but whose flesh is weak. -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY – February 28, 2005

How to read more and like it? Steve Leveen's delivery of the gourmet fast food of reading. -- Christian Science Monitor, May 3, 2005

Just what the book lover with too little time needs to put his or her reading house in order. -- Friends of Libraries USA Vol. 28, Issue 1 February 2005

Leveen proposes a strategy for falling, and staying, in "book love." There's no daunting recommended reading in Leveen's "Little Guide." -- The Boston Globe, June 4, 2005

The Little Guide may just inspire you to dust off the tomes on your own shelf. -- U.S. Airways Attache Magazine September 2005

Customer Reviews

Short but powerful
A short book about creating a thoughtful reading list. This book reinvigorated my interest in reading. Highly recommended.

Read to enhance your life!
I felt this book was worth the investment of time (it's short and can be read quickly) and money (I think it's a good reference book to have). That being said I think it's wise to heed Mr. Leveen's advice and write in your books, especially this one. That way you can quickly look back at this book as a reference and find the key points that you thought were of particular interest.

I picked up some helpful hints on how to pick good books for me. I also had a few of my habits reinforced by Mr. Leveen's opinion. One prime example of this was his suggestion that if a book hasn't grabbed your attention by page 50 move on to the next book. There are so many good books that it would be a shame to drudge through a book that isn't enjoyable to you. I have always practiced this habit but often times felt a little guilty about not plowing through to the end. Below are a few of the key takeaways I got...

* The more you read the more you realize how little you know! (Don't let this discourage you from reading)
* The library is a fueling station for the mind.
* The time you spend reading is an investment. Establish a process to pick good books for you. This book gives advice on establishing a process.
* Write in books. (I picked up this habit from my grandfather and I agree with the author that it helps solidify your thoughts about a book, especially non-fiction)
* The idea that audio books can be a great addition to your reading investment. I travel often by car for hours at a time and hadn't really considered audio books before. I will from now on.

great book, very helpful ideas
I loved the book - found it via David Allen ("Getting Things Done" fame). Helpful in that it gave me permission to buy, but not immediately read books, to read parts of books, and how to get more out of books. Thanks Steve!