My Reading Rules for 2026 and Beyond!

Ryan Holiday recently posted a video on YouTube about 26 Reading Rules for 2026. This looked to be a fun post playing on Ryan's approach to reading and recommending books, but with a nod to the new year. Basically, a content creator creating book creator content and promoting his own business.  And in my view, that's all great.  

However, the video ended up generating a number of reaction and response videos on YouTube and possibly other platforms where people discussed how they felt about those rules, whether they applied to their reading lives and whether it was appropriate to have rules at all. 

From my perspective, I say let there be rules and let there be no rules - it's all up to you.  I am not going to do a reaction or a response to Holiday's specific rules 1 through 26.  That is too much work. 

But I do have four main rules that I use to guide my reading or at least prevent my reading from becoming somebody else's project. I don't want to have someone else's reading life, but only my own. 

Rule # 1: Read Books that Are Cliche  

Lots of people get a little to wrapped up in themselves and refuse to read books that are almost too cliche to read. Books like Meditations by Marcus Aurelius or The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho are examples of books that people are constantly recommending as books that changed their lives. Or if you are in the corporate world, maybe somebody said you absolutely need to read the Art of War by Sun Tzu. 

Role your eyes if you must but many of these books are actually amazing. They are often cliche for a reason.  But the point I really want to make here and which will be repeated throughout this blog post is that you can't let other peoples' attitudes define your approach to making reading decisions. They have to be your own. 

We only have so much time on earth and most of that is directed towards sleep and responsibilities like work, family, food, washing hands, etc.  Book time is precious.   

 

Rule # 2: Read Books that are Unpopular

I often hear people say that you shouldn't avoid books that are popular, I am thinking Stephen King or example. But I think you shouldn't avoid books that are unpopular. I know, opposite sides of the same coin, right? 

I often read things that are no longer popular. Books of essays anyone?  Remember George Orwell, for example, or know contemporary writers like Theodore Dalrymple. They wrote / write amazing essays.  Essays are often carefully crafted, with words chosen sparingly.  A great essay is one of the best things to read. 

But there are many fantastic books out there that never gain traction and remain remarkable works of fiction or nonfiction. Don't avoid it because its not trending on BookTok.  Read what you want and follow your own path, but don't forget to read my reviews.  

Rule # 3: Read Books for Any or No Reason at All

I often read books for the most random, irrational, and otherwise unwordly reasons. And I think you should to.  You don't need a real reason, nobody really cares what book you have in your hand on a Tuesday night while you are sitting on the couch.   

For example, I have read all of Jack Whyte’s novels Jack Whyte, rest his souls, wrote amazing historical fiction, including series on the Knights Templar, King Arthur, and the heroes of Scottish independence, like William Wallace and Robert the Bruce.

Why did I pick up the first Jack Whyte novel?  We share the same last name. I know, right? But its true, and just picking up a book for that reason alone led me to a whole world of historical fiction and a passion for a genre I didn't have beore.

Rule # 4 Take Deep Dives

There are deep dives and there are shallow dives. I think it's a great idea to take deep dives and really dig in when something interests you. What do I mean? If you find one book that is just fantastic, then be open to the possibility that book is just a door into a whole world of related books.

For example, I read Endurance by Alfred Lansing recently. It was awesome. You can read my review here. After reading it I checked with my network to see if there were related books that were also good, and then did a search to see what there might be. Apparently, there is a lot more on Shackelton's Antarctic expedition, including a memoir by Shackleton himself that is supposed to be great. 

I do the same with every great book I read. And I should probably do it with the ones that aren't necessarily great.  Pulling at these threads is a wonderful way to approach the world of reading books.

Great Source for Buying Books:

    I often buy new books at a very good price from Book Outlet. As I understand it, Book Outlet sells overstock books received directly from new bookstores.  You can find a broad range of genres, publication dates as well as soft covers and hardcover.

    If you are interested in checking out Book Outlet, please follow my link. I don't get paid for referrals, but I can earn credits that are applicable to my own book orders. Help me read and review books so that you can avoid things or find things that are up your alley!