“Sit in a room and read–and read and read. And read the right books by the right people. Your mind is brought onto that level, and you have a nice, mild, slow-burning rapture all the time. This realization of life can be a constant realization in your living.” – Joseph Campbell

For most of my teen life, books were barely on my radar. I had no real interest in reading—there were far more ‘important’ things to do, like playing video games. But everything shifted around ten years ago.

I met my first mentor, who handed me a few books to read. One led to another, and before I knew it, I was devouring one after the other. The bulk of them were self-development, psychology, and business books. Soon enough, reading turned into an obsession.

About seven years ago, I came across a Reddit thread discussing books. Someone mentioned that the average person only reads around 300 books in their lifetime, which is about five books a year. That seemed far too few for someone as curious as me, so I set myself the goal of reading ‘300 books a year’. Now, to be clear, I’ve never quite reached that target, but it remains the aim.

“But most importantly, gain knowledge.” That was my mindset when I started. However, after a few years and with a growing passion for creativity, I realised I needed a bit of fiction to fuel my imagination.

It’s not just about learning anymore. It’s about embracing the voyeuristic joy of getting lost in someone else’s world, living vicariously through their narrative, and experiencing moments of profound insight that come from something so deceptively simple.

Are there any fellow book lovers out there? What’s your take on the balance between fiction and non-fiction?

And if you’ve got any must-reads, I’d love to hear your recommendations.