On reading old books

Most of what I read is at least thirty years old. Here's why.

Survivorship

A book that's still read decades after it was written has been filtered by time. It's survived the fashions of its era and still has something to say. That's a strong signal.

Less noise

New books are exciting but noisy. Old books are quieter, which means you can hear yourself think while reading them.

Not a rule, just a bias

I'm not against new books. I just find that old ones tend to be denser, stranger, and more worth the time.