A few hundred years ago, there were far fewer books. A much smaller percentage of people were literate, meaning that fewer people could write books, and they did so for a much smaller potential audience. Not to mention that publishing a book was more costly and difficult. There was essentially no self-publishing and no electronic books.

There’s been an explosion of books recently. Pulp fiction in the early 20th century came about because of cheaper paper and presses. The advent of digital publishing has brought about another avalanche of books. The benefit of this is that aspiring authors have new paths and a flood of inexpensive works on various topics.

This also makes it harder to find the quality amongst the quantity. There’s far more bad writing compared to good. The cream eventually rises to the top, but that takes time and discernment. There are more good books being published today, but there are also far more bad books popping up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YqYtdPUis4

Meaning that books published over 100 years ago should be read in this context. Literature that has survived into the current day should be cherished. It can be more difficult to appreciate Dickens and Shakespeare, but it’s worth knowing that there’s something to appreciate. We must also know the context of the time it was written. But this also forces us to learn about history.

Don’t forget to read the classics. Diversity of books should also include reading and appreciating works published a century or more ago. Sometimes, the older the work, the more challenging it can be. But the more significant and historical it becomes.

When you hear about a famous book from history, learn to be curious. See if you can find a copy. The good news is that the copyright for these books has expired. This fact, combined with technology, means that you should be able to track down a copy online for no cost.

Read old books and soak up their wisdom.