Who's Counting?

Every fall we United Methodist clergy must complete continuing education forms detailing the number of hours we have spent in various seminars, workshops and events to further our knowledge. Reading also counts as a portion of our education...and I'm glad. Filling out the forms, I discovered that I have read nearly sixty books so far in 2007. That's more than a book a week, which surprises me (when little else does).

Sifting back through my catelogue of books, I lift up just a few that I completed this year--a rather motley assortment of fiction and nonfiction, light and academic. For example, I read C.S. Lewis's science fiction trilogy (probably his most Christian fiction of any of his works), as well as work by Dorothy Sayers (another Oxford academic), Joan Diddion, and Mark Twain. I read biographies of Einstein (2) and Mother Teresa. I read the Pope's latest tome. I also read two books on Islamic fundamentalism, three books by Eugene Peterson, and two by Brian McLaren. I read three books on clergy "burnout" (am I burning out?), and several fun mysery novels and lite fare, including maybe six or seven short story collections. There were also a dozen or so "business" books, which I continue to discover as having crossover elements in the church and leadership. Made to Stick, The No Asshole Rule, and What Got You Here...Won't Get You There--were three excellent examples. I also read portions of over a dozen presidential biographies (which I won't count, since I didn't read them cover to cover). The best of the memoir/science books I read this year would be: The Tall Trees, by Richard Preston.

As I got to thinking about where/how I read all these books, it occured to me that I always have the following: A travelling book (which I carry with me in the car and read when I am waiting for kids, or when I can drive with my feet and read at the same time); a TV book (which I pick up and read during commercials or lulls in programming); vacation books; and a stack of bedtime books (which I tackle most evenings since my wife won't touch me).

Well, you get the picture...there's more than one way to read. I wondering...if I really made a concerted effort, could I read 100 books in a year? Would I? Should I?