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| Bookplate of Willard S. Morse |
This post is about a very fruitful way to take on reading for learning and creativity. I call it parallel reading, which I define as reading several texts (from any field) at the same time. (A similar definition is used by confusedofcalcutta, who suggests that Internet use has made us read more in parallel. Another definition, often used in education, is to have different people read the same book to gain different perspectives.)
Having long lived in non-English speaking countries with only access to very limited academic libraries, I delighted in the simple pleasure of joining a local community library recently. The luxury of choosing SIX books on ANY topic was just too much to savour in my limited time, and I wound up randomly grabbing a few things off the shelf, even though I was still deeply embroiled in a few books at home.
Since this is, after all, my (somewhat rerouted) sabbatical, I am enjoying the interdisciplinary cross-fertilization of ideas that is emerging from my many readings. In fact, the strategy gels well with the ideas expressed in my current read by the "Father of Flow", Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. In his book Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention, one of his conclusions is that interdisciplinary thinking is fertile soil for paradigm-shifting creative discoveries. My current readings are nothing if not interdisciplinary. Let's have a look.
Life Science, a high school textbook picked up off the library shelf, is filling in the shameful void in biology and chemistry that somehow arose from my arts-based education. Though covering concepts that seem basic to some folks, I am continually stunned at new discoveries I make on each page. (I can't possibly confess just how basic some of them are!) The history of scientific discoveries in the book also illuminates some of the ideas in Creativity, mentioned above. Yes, I am reading a school book and I am loving it.
After reading a recent magazine article on the whole brain learning research of Dr. Kobus Neethling, I was interested in finding out more about the work if this super-achieving fellow South African. Surprisingly, his book Am I Clever or Am I Stupid was on a shelf right next to me. One more serendipitous piece of the puzzle and further connection with the theme of creativity.
In the background, my Permaculture studies are also simmering away. This is actually a priority, and the reason behind the Life Science reading. In addition to the course materials, there is a whole lot to read! There is even more to do, and I am enjoying gradually taking hold of my own little piece of land to begin my forest garden.
Another good read is The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman. I actually bought this at the airport and started on the plane, which resulted in very good in-flight service. I find the fundamental things apply, and the world of business makes an interesting counterpoint to nature and the mind, that seem to be my other main themes.
Since I have just started Nia classes (and am absolutely infatuated with this martial arts/dance/bodywork fusion form), I am also re-reading The Nia Technique. The anatomical approach ties in nicely with the Life Science reading and the adventures of my two (much loved) left feet in class.
There are drawbacks to reading this way: some books remain unfinished, picking up the train of thought can be tricky, and then of course choosing what to read now is a challenge. Yet the fertile friction between ideas from different fields can be most stimulating. What is more, it helps to maintain a broader perspective on things. I am enjoying all my reads, and the pleasure of reading in parallel is exponential. And so... to bed, curled up with a crisp new copy of Yoga Journal.
