Read like your life depended on it

A summary of Anton Chekhov’s immortal short story “The Bet”:

A young lawyer with a bright future meets a wealthy banker at a party. They have a heated discussion on the death penalty vs. life imprisonment, and it ends in a bet: the young lawyer is supposed to spend 15 years in isolation in an apartment. He can drink wine, read all he wants, and listen to music, but he can’t have human contact. After 15 years, he will get 2 million rubles if he wins the bet.

The initial year is maddening, but the lawyer immerses himself in reading and playing the piano.

Over the years, he begins reading different genres. He delves into novels, classics, languages, and even the gospel. On occasion, he can be heard crying because of the depression that solitary confinement causes.

Eventually, the 15 years draws to a close. But the banker’s fortunes have changed, and he is now near bankruptcy, and paying the 2 million would destroy him. So he sneaks up to the room where the lawyer has been staying in a bid to kill him.

When he enters the room, he sees the lawyer sleeping and spots a letter on his table. In it, the lawyer says he has seen everything the world has to offer from the books he has read over the last 15 years. He writes:

“Your books have given me wisdom. All that the unresting thought of man has created in the ages is compressed into a small compass in my brain. I know that I am wiser than all of you.”

He goes on to say that the money has no meaning for him and that he will escape the room a few hours before the bet concludes, as that would negate the deal that was made at the start. And he proceeds to do the same, saving the banker from bankruptcy.

A couple of points:

Books aren’t a replacement for life. You can be well-read and well-spoken and yet be unhappy and not fulfill your potential. Reading a ton of business books doesn’t make you an entrepreneur, nor does reading leadership books make you a boss.

Yet, reading opens the doors of your mind. It challenges notions and worldviews and transports you to different worlds. And in today’s world, where man is fighting with machines for his livelihood, reading might well be the lifeline to sanity, upskilling, and peace of mind.

Happy National Reading Day.

PS: A very thoughtful post by Ramanand on how to incorporate reading into your life (link in comments).