As I work with my clients, much of my time is spent with data: dollars and cents, percentages, and trends.  However, there is a particular kind of wealth that does not compound in dollars or basis points, but in sentences, themes, and stories.  Pleasure reading is often dismissed as indulgence, a discretionary use of time in a culture obsessed with productivity. But it is, in fact, one of the most efficient ways to enlarge a life.

Reading for pleasure is one of my greatest joys; no bullet points to extract, no professional edge to sharpen, no notes or emails for follow-up.  I’ve loved books of all stripes from my earliest days but now focus mainly on contemporary fiction.  Among my current favorites are Amor Towles, who can craft a witty and compelling human-interest story out of thin air, and George Saunders, who’s inscrutable “what the hell is going on, WOW I was not expecting that” style can leave me speechless.  I also enjoy reading Philip Roth, whose autobiographical and confessional approach often focuses on men of similar age to me.     

What unites writers like these is not style but seriousness of purpose. They assume the reader is intelligent and alert. They invite us to sit for a while without resolution, perhaps the most subversive pleasure reading offers in an era of speed.

Beyond fiction, memoirs of musicians provide a different but equally intimate education. This genre has always appealed to me given my musical background, but I’ve frankly had mixed success here.  Too many of them read like AI-generated capsule reviews of the artist’s appointment calendar.  Some of the best include those by Joni Mitchell (a creative genius in my view) who has a way of “painting with words” that intrigues me as much as her songs do, and Geddy Lee whose autobiography recounts the wandering and charmed story of three boys from Toronto who built modern day musical anthems and legions of avid fans.  These books remind that successful artists are not only blessed by inspiration and fame but suffer from doubt and setbacks like the rest of us.  

Most importantly, pleasure reading can also reset your perspective.  A difficult week feels easier after visiting a compelling story.  The anxieties of the present moment soften when set against characters or plot lines you resonate with.  Fiction and memoir alike create a humane distance from ourselves - close enough for empathy, far enough for perspective.

That is no small return on investment.