Mobile Reading

My friend Laura and I recently agreed that we read far fewer books since we got smart phones. I can't even tell you the hours I've spent haunched over the tiny screen of my iPhone reading  articles I was led to via Twitter or some other site.

I don't think its a bad thing, if anything I feel like its expanded my view since otherwise I'd be picking the book or magazine based on prior preferences rather than recommendations from outside sources. And ultimately, I don't ever see myself replacing the heft of a paperback or the glossy slickness of a magazine for an eReader.

Some good ones I've read lately:

How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen. Christensen is a professor at Harvard Business School and this article appeared in the Harvard Business Review in 2010. The article applies business management theories to managing your personal life, so that at the end your days it can be measured meaningfully and truthfully. I was able to read it for free on my phone and found it fascinating, this link above requires a subscription or one time purchase of the pdf.

One of the things about not being a parent is that you think you know exactly how to parent, and how you'll do it. Its a crock, but nonetheless its a typical reaction people like me have. Who doesn't filter a situation through their own lens? This article in Atlantic Monthly, How to Land Your Kid in Therapy, hits on something I see among kids today. Essentially, many parents are sheltering their kids from hurt, pain, rejection and disappointment for the sake of happiness. As a result, there's no resiliency to deal with real world failures and bumps. They don't know how to problem solve, or find their place in the world since they haven't been learned coping skills.

I read this one a few months ago and stayed up way late reading it one night, but this New Yorker story about Paul Haggis (movie director and former Scientologist) vs. the Church of Scientology called The Apostate was FASCINATING. I hate to use that word again, but I love reading anything about secretive cult-like organizations.

Last by not least, this blog post from David Lebovitz about crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Mary 2 makes me want to book a trip quick! Picture from there as well.