Exactly what I always tell my students when they complain about a long reading assignment. Readings help me think: think with others, think for myself, and even think about thought. Writing, before anything else, is thinking made concrete through expression. I have a long list of time tested classics to finish, Dostoevsky, Kafka, Tolstoy, Bronte, Camus, etc. I was introduced lately (about 2 years now) to this contemporary Japanese author, Haruki Murakami. I have yet to explore more his collection. It was a great read! Thanks!