Reading books provides one of the best ways of consuming condensed knowledge that there is.  When you consider the amount of time, energy and research that goes into writing a book you quickly see how much knowledge is condensed into those 200 pages.  Steven Kotler estimates that in the 5 hours that someone spends reading, a book gets you insights that covers 15 years of the author's life.  Compare that with the 3 minute read of a blog article that provides you about 3 days of the writer's experience and knowledge.  While it may seem tough for us to commit to reading books with the constant demands on our time, Kotler's assessment leaves one thinking why we wouldn't take full advantage of this condensed form of learning.

Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.  Jim Rohn

A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.  George R.R. Martin

The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest (people) of the past centuries.  Descartes