The more we have read, the better we know where a new book fits. The more ignorant we are, the more likely it is that we will be dazzled by mediocrity.

Books that are “representative,” that are more easily “absorbed,” undermine the main reason to read them: to push readers beyond themselves in uncomfortable and productive ways.

You’ve listened. And you’ve tried a few new things. Now, catalog them. Make a list (it can be mental). Draw contrasts between your experiences. Note similarities. What engenders strong reaction from you? At this point, you’ll have fragments of information. What you will be missing is context (“that which is scarce”, comme disait l’autre).

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