"Religious or not, the stories in The Bible contain more depth, wisdom, and cultural significance than any book out there. Jesus was the most influential person to have ever lived2. Christianity transformed the modern world and every Westerner bathes in the water of Christian thought; water so pervasive we don't even realize it surrounds us"
I did something quite similar in my 20s where upon leaving university I found out how badly read I was in terms of classic literature, and I wasn't at understanding a lot of cultural references.
I didn't have a structured yearly plan like you've done. I had a list of books that were considered to be classics and I made my way through it, often going off the list and reading things by the same author.
Ah that's awesome. I realized, painfully, I didn't receive much of an education from university at all (besides being taught to hate reading the classics haha)
Thank you A.A. appreciate the kind words pal. It feels ambitious in a decade sense but in a day to day sense it's usually 20-30 pages. The ambition may more be in stacking the days, not getting distracted, etc.
I do have Doctor Zhivago in the Russian Literature year haha, but happy to have that confirmed!
Reading East of Eden later this year (as a Christian allegory) and I'm phenomenally excited. Appreciate you being here (:
Thank you Patrick! I appreciate you reading. I've formalized it after years of it being informal. We'll see how the experience is, whether I enjoy it, and update as I go.
I'm very impressed by this article and the ideas articulated. There were many sentences I wanted to restack. In the end, I refrained myself after the first :)
"But, paradoxically, true freedom cannot be found without discipline." So true.
Just out of curiosity, why is ancient literature so late in your reading plan, not before or after the bible? (as you argued, as Westerners Christianity is the water we swim in, but as Diarmaid MacCulloch argued, Christianity incorporated ideas from both jewish and greek traditions in order to make sense of the completely new of Christ :)
And why is there no space for German literature? ;)
Thanks Conrad, appreciate you reading and I'm glad the essay resonated.
There's definitely some holes and personal bias in the plan. I think you're right that the Hellenic-Juadic backdrop paved the way for Christianity. It's later in my plan because I read Homer last year and some Hesiod and took a few university courses on ancient Greece and Rome. It's something I'm more familiar with and less pulled toward, at least right now.
Funny enough I'm reading Goethe right now and plan to read a lot more Hesse and some Kafka soon (if he counts). There just wasn't enough I'm familiar with to make a devoted year out of.
Commendable stuff! My New Year's resolution this year was to read with more intention. Like you say, it's so easy to rattle through what's on your shelf without ever stepping back to think about a subject or author's work. A strong recency bias means I'm always tempted to adopt whichever position or perspective I've read last. It means regurgitating others instead of formulating your own views. Reading in blocs, reading around a subject - feels like a great way to avoid falling into that trap, especially if you can bridge both fiction and non-fiction. Good luck with the plan!
Thank you David, I appreciate you reading & I'm glad you found some of these ideas helpful! I think you're exactly right distilling it down to intention. Usually, not only with reading, the payoffs to being a little more intentional are profound.
A few words about 2026 in your plan: as a native Russian speaker, I appreciate your deep dive into Russian culture. The authors you’ve listed are indeed great Russian writers. However, allow me to offer a few suggestions:
Boris Pasternak – “Doctor Zhivago” and Ivan Bunin
These two writers may not be as widely recognized as Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, but both have been honored with the Nobel Prize in Literature. I’m immensely proud to be a countryman of Bunin (even though he wasn’t exactly popular in high school).
Mikhail Bulgakov
Sure, his best-known work is “The Master and Margarita.” However, if you truly want to understand Bulgakov, I recommend starting with “The White Guard” and “Heart of a Dog.”
Alexander Pushkin
As we say in Russia, “Pushkin is everything to us.” In conversations with english-native friends who are passionate about the Golden Age of Russian literature, there’s a common lament: the essence of Pushkin’s greatness lies in his poetry. The playful wordplay he uses in his works is virtually impossible to translate and fully appreciate in English (and vice versa—I don’t quite grasp Shakespeare’s genius either, which only highlights that I grew up with a different language and cultural background).
Other than that, I wish you the best of luck in achieving your goal. If you’d like to learn more about Russian authors, I’d be happy to help.
Oleg, wow thank you for reading and such a thoughtful note here. Really, so awesome.
In terms of Russian authors, I only listed a few in the post. In my reading plan, I have Pasternak's 'Doctor Zhivago' as well as Pushkin's 'Eugene Onegin' and Gogol's 'Dead Souls'. And I've added those two titles for Bulgakov.
I think the only writer I'm missing is Bunin. What book would you recommend starting with?
You can start with "The Life of Arsenyev" (Nobel Prize). After that you can continue with "Cursed Days" - this is not a novel, but a diary by Mr. Bunin about the first days of the October Revolution and how Russian intellectuals experienced it.
And finally, you can read Bulgakov's "The White Guard" and "Heart of a Dog" (fun fact - "Heart of a Dog" was banned in the USSR until 1987).
Sure, you can read books whenever you want, but this way you can impose literature on history.
Wow, this is such a cool plan! Feels like you're setting out on a lifelong adventure through the world's best books. Can't wait to hear how it goes, especially the Russian lit year. Good luck!
Love this. I was equally inspired by Ted Gioia’s post about his lifetime reading plan. I love your approach of focusing each reading year on a specific section of literature. Genuine question: what are you doing for work these days? I’m curious how you fit in so much reading time throughout the day. Or maybe you just wake up super early?
Thanks Mark, appreciate you reading. The last year and a half or so, I've been fortunate to make reading and writing my full-time job, but that is changing soon. But similar to Ted, I wake up really early to read first thing in the morning, read in the pockets of the day, and the quiet hours of the evening. I don't consume other forms of media, podcasts or social media or TV etc, so a lot of time for reading opens up.
You are not asking for suggestions, but as a former English teacher I have to say - if you're going to give space to Fitzgerald, consider adding Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God." Same time period, same length, same gorgeous, poetic language, completely different American experience being elevated.
Appreciate your open mind, I didn't want to overstep so I'm glad to hear it. Read against Gatsby it always boggles me that Hurston isn't more firmly in the canon.
I have to tell you how much I enjoyed reading this. As someone who aspires to get through every “classic” possible, the reminder that I have time was refreshing. This is a lifelong pursuit, after all!
I’m curious what edition of the Bible you used for studying - I’ve always found the sheer number of editions to be overwhelming and have always struggled figuring out which one to pick up for studying purposes. I’d also love to read more about your experience reading the Bible as a piece of literature, if you’re ever comfortable sharing (and I totally understand if not… it can certainly be a very personal experience)!
Anywho, this has really prompted me to be more aware of what I’m reading and ask questions about it. How can I continue to educate myself? What literature is important to me?
Taylor, I was so happy to see your comment here. I felt like this post was pretty far out of left field and didn't really land with a lot of people.
The copy of the Bible I have was called "The Bible: Designed to Be Read As Living Literature" (can find it used on Amazon). It's literally edited to be read through cover to cover. Of course there are so many different ways to interpret and approach the Bible but great literature, often ignored, is one of them. I also have a ESV Study Bible but that's more for dipping in and out.
I'm glad you're asking those deep and endless questions. I'm right there with you. Feeling the urgency but relaxing into the certainty that it's a lifelong pursuit.
Hahaha I know! I built two bookshelves last year but both were quick day projects and goofy. I still dream of inwall bookshelves and spiral staircases and a ladder that rolls on a track. We shall see...
"A true education unfolds over a lifetime."
I love that line.
Life becomes our Teacher, i we are willing to let it.
Thank you Amba (: it's so lovely to hear from you
Truth
"Religious or not, the stories in The Bible contain more depth, wisdom, and cultural significance than any book out there. Jesus was the most influential person to have ever lived2. Christianity transformed the modern world and every Westerner bathes in the water of Christian thought; water so pervasive we don't even realize it surrounds us"
💖💖
I did something quite similar in my 20s where upon leaving university I found out how badly read I was in terms of classic literature, and I wasn't at understanding a lot of cultural references.
I didn't have a structured yearly plan like you've done. I had a list of books that were considered to be classics and I made my way through it, often going off the list and reading things by the same author.
Worked well for me!
Ah that's awesome. I realized, painfully, I didn't receive much of an education from university at all (besides being taught to hate reading the classics haha)
Happy to hear your reading plan was fulfilling!
"A little discipline can provide a lot of freedom"
Thank you!
Thank you for reading (:
You are very ambitious! And I mean that as the highest compliment.
I would add Boris Pasternak to your Russian literature year - Doctor Zhivago is phenomenal.
Also you could spend an entire year with Steinbeck' oeuvre, but that's my bias showing.
Thank you A.A. appreciate the kind words pal. It feels ambitious in a decade sense but in a day to day sense it's usually 20-30 pages. The ambition may more be in stacking the days, not getting distracted, etc.
I do have Doctor Zhivago in the Russian Literature year haha, but happy to have that confirmed!
Reading East of Eden later this year (as a Christian allegory) and I'm phenomenally excited. Appreciate you being here (:
You had me at hot coffee and G-2s. 😎
I have similar ambitions but nothing nearly as formalized. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Patrick! I appreciate you reading. I've formalized it after years of it being informal. We'll see how the experience is, whether I enjoy it, and update as I go.
Same here ❤️
I'm very impressed by this article and the ideas articulated. There were many sentences I wanted to restack. In the end, I refrained myself after the first :)
"But, paradoxically, true freedom cannot be found without discipline." So true.
Just out of curiosity, why is ancient literature so late in your reading plan, not before or after the bible? (as you argued, as Westerners Christianity is the water we swim in, but as Diarmaid MacCulloch argued, Christianity incorporated ideas from both jewish and greek traditions in order to make sense of the completely new of Christ :)
And why is there no space for German literature? ;)
Kind Regards, Conrad
Thanks Conrad, appreciate you reading and I'm glad the essay resonated.
There's definitely some holes and personal bias in the plan. I think you're right that the Hellenic-Juadic backdrop paved the way for Christianity. It's later in my plan because I read Homer last year and some Hesiod and took a few university courses on ancient Greece and Rome. It's something I'm more familiar with and less pulled toward, at least right now.
Funny enough I'm reading Goethe right now and plan to read a lot more Hesse and some Kafka soon (if he counts). There just wasn't enough I'm familiar with to make a devoted year out of.
Commendable stuff! My New Year's resolution this year was to read with more intention. Like you say, it's so easy to rattle through what's on your shelf without ever stepping back to think about a subject or author's work. A strong recency bias means I'm always tempted to adopt whichever position or perspective I've read last. It means regurgitating others instead of formulating your own views. Reading in blocs, reading around a subject - feels like a great way to avoid falling into that trap, especially if you can bridge both fiction and non-fiction. Good luck with the plan!
Thank you David, I appreciate you reading & I'm glad you found some of these ideas helpful! I think you're exactly right distilling it down to intention. Usually, not only with reading, the payoffs to being a little more intentional are profound.
A few words about 2026 in your plan: as a native Russian speaker, I appreciate your deep dive into Russian culture. The authors you’ve listed are indeed great Russian writers. However, allow me to offer a few suggestions:
Boris Pasternak – “Doctor Zhivago” and Ivan Bunin
These two writers may not be as widely recognized as Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, but both have been honored with the Nobel Prize in Literature. I’m immensely proud to be a countryman of Bunin (even though he wasn’t exactly popular in high school).
Mikhail Bulgakov
Sure, his best-known work is “The Master and Margarita.” However, if you truly want to understand Bulgakov, I recommend starting with “The White Guard” and “Heart of a Dog.”
Alexander Pushkin
As we say in Russia, “Pushkin is everything to us.” In conversations with english-native friends who are passionate about the Golden Age of Russian literature, there’s a common lament: the essence of Pushkin’s greatness lies in his poetry. The playful wordplay he uses in his works is virtually impossible to translate and fully appreciate in English (and vice versa—I don’t quite grasp Shakespeare’s genius either, which only highlights that I grew up with a different language and cultural background).
Other than that, I wish you the best of luck in achieving your goal. If you’d like to learn more about Russian authors, I’d be happy to help.
Oleg, wow thank you for reading and such a thoughtful note here. Really, so awesome.
In terms of Russian authors, I only listed a few in the post. In my reading plan, I have Pasternak's 'Doctor Zhivago' as well as Pushkin's 'Eugene Onegin' and Gogol's 'Dead Souls'. And I've added those two titles for Bulgakov.
I think the only writer I'm missing is Bunin. What book would you recommend starting with?
Sure, Tommy.
You can start with "The Life of Arsenyev" (Nobel Prize). After that you can continue with "Cursed Days" - this is not a novel, but a diary by Mr. Bunin about the first days of the October Revolution and how Russian intellectuals experienced it.
And finally, you can read Bulgakov's "The White Guard" and "Heart of a Dog" (fun fact - "Heart of a Dog" was banned in the USSR until 1987).
Sure, you can read books whenever you want, but this way you can impose literature on history.
Love this, great read
Thanks Michael :)
Wow, this is such a cool plan! Feels like you're setting out on a lifelong adventure through the world's best books. Can't wait to hear how it goes, especially the Russian lit year. Good luck!
Haha thank you Sanvaad, that's the intention, although it will take a lifetime.
Love this. I was equally inspired by Ted Gioia’s post about his lifetime reading plan. I love your approach of focusing each reading year on a specific section of literature. Genuine question: what are you doing for work these days? I’m curious how you fit in so much reading time throughout the day. Or maybe you just wake up super early?
Thanks Mark, appreciate you reading. The last year and a half or so, I've been fortunate to make reading and writing my full-time job, but that is changing soon. But similar to Ted, I wake up really early to read first thing in the morning, read in the pockets of the day, and the quiet hours of the evening. I don't consume other forms of media, podcasts or social media or TV etc, so a lot of time for reading opens up.
You are not asking for suggestions, but as a former English teacher I have to say - if you're going to give space to Fitzgerald, consider adding Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God." Same time period, same length, same gorgeous, poetic language, completely different American experience being elevated.
I'll add it to my list Brigitte! Thank you for reading and the recommendation. I love when thoughtful people send me interesting things to read (:
Appreciate your open mind, I didn't want to overstep so I'm glad to hear it. Read against Gatsby it always boggles me that Hurston isn't more firmly in the canon.
I referenced this article in my newsletter today :)
I have to tell you how much I enjoyed reading this. As someone who aspires to get through every “classic” possible, the reminder that I have time was refreshing. This is a lifelong pursuit, after all!
I’m curious what edition of the Bible you used for studying - I’ve always found the sheer number of editions to be overwhelming and have always struggled figuring out which one to pick up for studying purposes. I’d also love to read more about your experience reading the Bible as a piece of literature, if you’re ever comfortable sharing (and I totally understand if not… it can certainly be a very personal experience)!
Anywho, this has really prompted me to be more aware of what I’m reading and ask questions about it. How can I continue to educate myself? What literature is important to me?
Taylor, I was so happy to see your comment here. I felt like this post was pretty far out of left field and didn't really land with a lot of people.
The copy of the Bible I have was called "The Bible: Designed to Be Read As Living Literature" (can find it used on Amazon). It's literally edited to be read through cover to cover. Of course there are so many different ways to interpret and approach the Bible but great literature, often ignored, is one of them. I also have a ESV Study Bible but that's more for dipping in and out.
I'm glad you're asking those deep and endless questions. I'm right there with you. Feeling the urgency but relaxing into the certainty that it's a lifelong pursuit.
Sounds like you’re going to need to build a library!
Hahaha I know! I built two bookshelves last year but both were quick day projects and goofy. I still dream of inwall bookshelves and spiral staircases and a ladder that rolls on a track. We shall see...