I was recently challenged whether books were a valuable source of material for learning. They argued that they're rarely applied in day-to-day work, become obsolete as technology evolves, and that time is better spent on hands-on projects or more concise, focused articles.
Why not Books?
There’s a valid case for favoring articles and direct experience over books. Articles tend to be:
- Shorter and More Focused: They address specific questions quickly.
- Adapt to Technological Change: Their brevity allows them to publish more quickly to capture new tech.
- Practical: They directly tie into immediate challenges, providing timely, applicable insights.
When you already know what to do and where to look I agree that articles and hands-on learning are incredible ways to learn information.
When to use Books?
Books address a different problem when learning:
1. Understanding the Historical Context
Books provide a deep dive into the evolution of a subject:
- Tracing the Origin: They explain the origin of the technology. What was the original problem and how each technological iteration or variant emerged to address them.
- Foundational Principles: They reveal the underlying principles and potential future directions of a technology or methodology.
- Strategic Positioning: The history and foundational principles help you understand how this particular tool differentiates itself from others or why it is no longer differentiated.
2. Establishing a Shared Language and Reference
- Naming Concepts: They often reiterate familiar ideas but give them a formal name.
- Credibility in Dialogue: When discussing ideas with peers, having a shared language lends authority to the proposal.
- Literature as a Launchpad: The names and concepts introduced in books serve as effective search terms for further research.
Books are Maps!
Books act as maps, offering a 10K foot view of a subject’s landscape. While articles are amazing for zooming into specific regions on that map, books provide a broader context to understand the principles and fundamentals behind why the terrain looks the way it does.
Understanding why one variant of a tool is closely related to another variant and the underlying problems that led to those variants helps you choose the right area to zoom in.
Conclusion
Ultimately, books are just one of many tools in my toolbox. To me, they’re complementary to articles and hands-on learning. And the key is to know when each is most appropriate.