Why do you read? Is it to escape to another world or to learn something new? Do you need to read the book before seeing the movie adaptation or do you only reread classics? Whatever the reason, it’s no secret that reading of any kind can refresh your mind, allow you to be more creative and lead to positive effects in all other aspects of your life – even your small business! That’s why Suite 4 is starting the Beer and Books Business Book Club. We believe in reading great ideas and sharing them – all while enjoying a nice brew during lunch, of course! In honor of our new book club, we’re sharing our favorite tips, tricks and genres this Friday.
Devon’s Favorite Bookshelf
Every avid reader eventually runs into the same problem of lack of space. You can only collect so many paper books until your bookshelf is completely full and even your Kindle runs out storage sooner than you’d think. We all reach a certain point when we need to give some books away or start using our library cards to get the next read for book club.
After building a bigger bookshelf from scratch (ok, asking a friend to build one) and getting a second Kindle, I’m going all in on Goodreads. It’s an online reading community that functions as a combination between a bookshelf and a book club. You can write and read reviews, rate your favorite (and least favorite) books and create “shelves” to help organize your catalog in whatever way makes sense to you. Even sticking with the three default shelves is helpful: read, to read, currently read.
I used Goodreads a lot in college to help track hefty reading assignments and am starting to keep up with it again. My favorite feature is the annual book challenge that allows you to set your own goal for books read. The site then tracks your progress throughout the year. For example, I’m currently a book behind where I should be to meet my 2016 goal. But I also have three books in progress so I should be back on track soon.
Take a look at Goodreads for yourself! You can add friends through Facebook if you want. You can join the communities and threads if you want. You can follow some of your own favorite authors if you want. Or, you can just keep track of all the books you weren’t able to keep on your own bookshelf.
Lacey’s Favorite Place to Read
It’s spring, which means there is finally sun inviting Oregon residents outside. As a college student, I’m fortunate to be surrounded by green fields and friendly faces. As an English major, I’m fortunate to be assigned reading books as homework. My favorite place to read books has always been outside. It doesn’t matter what genre the book is, I enjoy it more when I read it through my sunglasses while soaking in the sun.At my parent’s home, I’m lucky to be able to read on a patio with cushioned lawn chairs. At school, my furniture of choice is a large beach blanket on the grass. Each comes with its own benefits. To maximize the enjoyment, I tend to go outside prepared with a full water bottle, my sunglasses and some snacks. Reading outside not only gives the benefits of fresh air, it also creates a great space to contemplate stories and reflect on readings.
At my parent’s home, I’m lucky to be able to read on a patio with cushioned lawn chairs. At school, my furniture of choice is a large beach blanket on the grass. Each comes with its own benefits. To maximize the enjoyment, I tend to go outside prepared with a full water bottle, my sunglasses and some snacks. Reading outside not only gives the benefits of fresh air, it also creates a great space to contemplate stories and reflect on readings.Spring is my favorite season at Linfield College because you see more students and there is constant activity. Once the sun comes out, it seems students emerge from apartments, dorms, and classrooms in hordes to enjoy spending time together. Reading outside is a way to be a part of the activity and community it creates while remaining productive. Whether it’s on a deck or laying on the grass, reading outside is the best option.
Spring is my favorite season at Linfield College because you see more students and there is constant activity. Once the sun comes out, it seems students emerge from apartments, dorms, and classrooms in hordes to enjoy spending time together. Reading outside is a way to be a part of the activity and community it creates while remaining productive. Whether it’s on a deck or laying on the grass, reading outside is the best option.
Miles’ Favorite Device to Read With
Devices are dumb when real books still exist. Here are three ways that real books are better than any reading device:
- Books Kill Trees
You may be asking yourself, “But Miles, this sounds like a negative! How can this be a solid opening argument for usage of bound books instead of a reading device?” So yes, books kill trees and it’s a far more environmentally sustainable model to utilize a Kindle or something like that. Or is it? If we didn’t kill trees on the regular, we wouldn’t have the great works of the written word that serve as cultural benchmarks for society. Without dead trees, we don’t get Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird, we lose out on JD Salinger’s quipping prose. Without killing trees, we would never even have an opportunity to be #TeamEdward or #TeamJacob. Dead trees = culture. - Books Don’t Run Out of Battery
This is pretty self-explanatory but back in the day if a book you were reading just all of a sudden said, “That’s your allotted time of reading for the day due to the fact that I run on something you won’t comprehend until right 1,500 years so come back in several hours,” NOBODY WOULD READ AND WE’D BE CAVEPEOPLE FOREVER. - Bookshelves Are a Dope Accessory
Picture this: You’re at a friend’s housewarming party, they show you their den or office, inside is a shelf with nothing on it. You ask them what they plan to put there. Your friend says, “All the old iPads and Kindles that I’ve used throughout the years.” Is that a future you want to be a part of? Didn’t think so.
Long story short, books are great and devices to read that aren’t books are useless electric garbage that will be phased out and replaced every year with something even more obsolete.
Carrie’s Favorite Local Heroes
I imagine that one of Beverly Cleary’s biggest complaints was that Yamhill doesn’t have a Library. Beverly, you may or may not know this, but it still doesn’t.
I grew up in the same tiny town that Beverly Clearly did: Yamhill, Oregon. Many people know of Yamhill County, but not of the little town that shares its name. This is totally understandable given that its population is just over 1,000. Nonetheless, there are a few greats to come out of my little town nestled in the Willamette Valley countryside.
One worth mentioning is Nicholas Kristof, the New York Times columnist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. His book, Half the Sky, discusses the oppression of women throughout the world and is one of the most shocking yet important books I’ve read.
The author who left an impact much earlier in life, though, was Beverly Cleary and the character she made famous: Ramona Quimby. I felt understood when reading about Ramona, that it’s OK to be a little outspoken and in the wrong place at the wrong time every so often. I’m sure many moms and teachers pointedly put Beverly Cleary books in our hands because of our shared hometown, but kids throughout the world have enjoyed her books and still do.
Beverly Cleary has won many awards and the new editions of her books have introductions written by famous fans such as Judy Blume and Amy Poehler. However, she has been in the news recently for a reason different from her contributions to children’s literature. On April 12, she will turn 100 years-old.
“Go ahead and fuss,” she said in a Washington Post article. “Everyone else is.” If I may say so, Beverly, I will and with good reason.
Chase’s Favorite Genre
One of the greatest things about books is the fact that there is a genre for everyone. If you like reading about nautical fiction you can read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. If you’re really into non-fictional accounts of the financial crisis, you can pick up Too Big To Fail. My personal preferences divide my reading into two main genres, Fictional Mystery (such as the stories of Sherlock Holmes) and Social Psychology (which would include the books written by Malcolm Gladwell.)
Although these two genres approach the subject in very different ways, I think they both explore how people think and what motivates them to do the things they do. As a reader, being able to look into someone’s life and understand their thought process is very interesting for me. In the case of Malcolm Gladwell’s writing, I am even able to relate some of his topics to my personal life which makes it not only interesting but helpful.
If you are interested in these genres as well, I would highly suggest checking out The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell and the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Rachel’s Favorite Books of All Time (so far)
Just as Chase pointed out, there is a genre for everyone. My problem is there are too many good choices in so many different genres. Typically I read an average of 3-4 books a week and I’m usually alternating between several of them at the same time.
I love business books–especially books written by successful entrepreneurs. I also love books that have a disruptive nature, things that shake up the normal ways of thinking and doing. Another genre I love reading is dystopian novels set slightly in the future. And… my guilty pleasure is Paranormal YA, of which I have devoured hundreds of titles. I justify this with the fact that in my “spare time” I’ve been working on writing a book in that genre, and I have to educate myself as to what makes a good and bad YA novel so I can write something halfway decent that people actually want to read.
So, while this is in no way complete, if I were marooned on a deserted island, these are the 10 books I’d like to have with me:
- Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen (I know, that doesn’t fall into any of those genres but it’s my all-time favorite.)
- The Agony and the Ecstasy, by Irving Stone (Michelangelo qualifies as a bonafide entrepreneur.)
- Think and Grow Rich, by Napolean Hill
- The E-Myth, by Michael E. Gerber
- Essentialism, by Greg McKeown
- Obvious Adams: The Story of a Successful Businessman, by Robert Rawls Updegraff
- The Passage (and sequel, the Twelve), by Justin Cronin
- The Hush, Hush saga, by Becca Fitzpatrick
- Inception (The Marked Book 1), by Bianca Scardoni
- The 10X Rule, by Grant Cardone
What’s your favorite way to read your favorite genre and where do you keep all your books? Let us know in the comments and at the first Beer and Books Business Book Club on from 12-1pm on Friday, May 6 at the Suite 4 office on 3rd Street! We’re so excited to share our love of books – and beer – with you!