For you people 10+ years removed from College, do you ever open a textbook?

[kaldaniels]

In my career as a general internist I use what is basically an internet textbook on a daily basis. whenever i have to treat a disease process that I haven't seen in a long time I'll review the diagnosis & Treatment plan. whenever i encounter a medication that is new I have to read up on it.
then about once every 10 years I'll read the ole Internal Medicine textbook cover to cover.

For non work related knowledge I read a lot more non fiction than the average joe. A textbook on anything from anthropology to religion to astrophysics is a good place to learn the basics. If I find myself especially interested in a subject then I'll search out books on the more focused topic.
Used college textbooks at Half Price Books tend to be fairly cheap.

Certain texts or courses tend to be tailored to the 'intelligent layman'. Think of taking a history course as a chemistry major or vice versa. The CD/DVD courses by The Teaching Company are modelled in this fashion. These are really good if you have long drives to & from work.

Goodwill usually has a bunch of old textbooks too FWIW.

[Dom Heffner]

Just read an entire college textbook on Original Intent.

Not the most entertaining read, but I labored through it.

And learned that Marbury v Madison was a lousily decided case. Never picked up on that fact through college, since I was focused more on the "establishing judicial review" aspect.

[durl]

Nope. But I watch History Channel and Science Channel a LOT so I figure that counts for something.

[Kingspoint]

Just read an entire college textbook on Original Intent.

Not the most entertaining read, but I labored through it.

And learned that Marbury v Madison was a lousily decided case. Never picked up on that fact through college, since I was focused more on the "establishing judicial review" aspect.

That's very difficult to do for me. My ADD really kicks in whenever I start reading cases. See Stuart v. Laird (1803). See Eakin v. Raub (Pa., 1825). See Dr. Bonham's Case (1610). See The Federalist no. 78 (1788). See Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857). Etc., etc., etc. I'm reading every pertinent case to try to get a better feel for just one case. It's very difficult to read cover-to-cover in a textbook.