I am 73 years old and I like to read. A glance at the actuarial tables makes me realize that I need to think carefully about what I read. I’ve always read a certain amount of stuff simply in order to kill time. But now, when I appreciate more vividly than ever before that time intends to kill me, I think twice before picking up a juicy bestseller.
OK, more Shakespeare and Dickens and Cervantes. Resolved. But I also realize that I’m not going to have time to read everything that I might have read. This thought at first gives rise to a sort of panic — the panic of the student a week before final exams with mountains of reading still before him.
I recently read Milton’s short poems “L’Allegro” and “Il Penseroso”, and they seemed as fresh to me as ever. But I couldn’t stop with simply enjoying them. I had to reproach myself with not knowing more Milton or knowing him better.
Knock it off, foolish old man! No matter how dedicated and disciplined a reader you had been, you still would have left more unread than read.
Resolve simply to read something of the very best every day. Let the reading of it be an end in itself. You love this stuff. Give it a chance to love you.
Books Matter 
Hi, John your comments are inspiring me to read more. Growing up, I was always a prolific reader. Now, it takes a long while for me to get through a book, even ones that I love. Thanks for reminding me of the joy!
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None of us will ever read all the things that are worthwhile to read. Therefore, in the later innings of our lives it might be well for each of us to read more of the best authors that one has truly enjoyed, rather than continuing out of a sense of duty with an esteemed author already sampled and found wanting in some way. I, for one, am going to read more Austin and Dostoyevsky.
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