The Case Against Reading Everything

A good case for a good idea. I never put much stock in reading "everything". When I found an author I liked, I read everything they wrote so long as it measured up to the standard that motivated me to read them in the first place. Such authors (for me) included Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, Louis L'Amour, Hemmingway, Steinbeck, and others. Michener is a great example of one who "lost it". I loved his short stories and went on to read Hawaii and The Source (his best book in my opinion). Then came Chesapeake. Such a disappointment. I grew up on the Chesapeake and looked forward to this one. Sadly, he was losing it and much of the book read like unedited notes. As for sticking to a few genres, I agree. Why should I waste time with those in which I have no interest? Why should anyone?