Don’t wait for the movie!

I’ve always enjoyed having a book nearby. But as the years have passed, “having a book nearby” did not imply the actual reading of the thing. Life is busy; I’m busy. Reading—especially the complex, improving form of reading done centuries ago—is no longer a priority. But what if it was?

In late 2010, I had a chance to pull myself away from the constant stream of 24/7 shoot-em-up immediate gratification of my typical American life. During that long hour, I thought about what I had missed by not reading more great books. I also wondered what I was missing back in my electronic world. But the book thing had merit. So was born The Well-Read Man Project.

Beginning on July 1, 2011, I will immerse myself in some of those great writings that have enriched so many lives in history. Fifty books. Twelve months. What comes out of it will be replayed on this very web site for your personal amusement. During each week, you will have a chance to experience the ups and downs of this textual experiment with me. Perhaps you will read some of the books. And if we’re lucky, we’ll learn something that goes beyond the sound bites and instant downloads of our twenty-first-century experience.