When I completed graduate school, I set a goal to read a minimum of 12 books a year. I have accomplished that goal every year except for 2014 and 2015 when I met Diana (my spouse) and our torrid love affair began. What can I say?! I was preoccupied. Since 2000 I’ve recorded every book I have read in a journal. Some years I squeak by at the last hour on December 31st finishing book #12 and in others I easily surpass my goal. My personal best was accomplished in 2025 when I read 34 books.
In addition to books, I also read a variety of blogs, magazines, and journals. For most of my entire adult life, I have made notes and saved quotes, passages, ideas, and other tidbits from all of that I read. My notes collection has grown to over 230 pages in length. There is a lot of knowledge and wisdom in those pages. Beyond finding my own inspiration and learnings from these notes, I’ve always wanted to share the wisdom of these authors in some form so others could benefit from their life experience and knowledge. The Collective Wisdom page is that platform.
Please note that these are just my notes – they are not summaries of books, blog posts, or articles. They are just small nuggets of wisdom that I’m just saving for later to reflect upon and find inspiration when needed. They should not be used as a substitute for reading the book or article. If anything, maybe they will inspire you to read them yourself.
Enjoy!
Kiss or Kill - Confessions of a Serial Climber by Mark Twight is a collection of essays written for various climbing publications documenting his perspectives on pursuing mountaineering at its highest level…
Read MorePublished in 2022, The Art of Shralpinism - Lessons from the Mountains by Jeremy Jones is part memoir, skills guide, and advice for surviving in the mountains and beyond…
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