The eighteenth-century Scottish philosopher David Hume said that when we think about art, we should take care not to confuse the question, “Do I like it?” with the question, “Is it good?” This idea is worth considering when you judge the next book that you read. After all, what makes a book good? How doContinue reading Is Your Book Any Good?
I just timed myself. I read 180 words a minute. The average adult reads 200 to 300 words a minute, and speed-readers clock up to 1000 words a minute. I do this on purpose. By slowing down, I give the words on the page room to breathe. Every word has meaning. Consider the word “educated.”Continue reading Proof That I’m a Slow Reader
I’ve always argued that we should read for our own self-edification, opening a book because it brings us joy. If we’re reading out of obligation, then all we’re really doing is checking off a box. But my opinion has shifted. Being a member of a book club has forced me to keep up with myContinue reading Should You Force Yourself to Read?
Yes, you’re a biased reader. You can’t help it. “Often, the factors that make someone biased about a topic are also the factors that make them knowledgeable about it” (Huemer p.37). The more you know about something, the more you tend to defend it. And if you’re emotional about it, your bias compounds. Let’s analyzeContinue reading Are You a Biased Reader?
What if you decided to read a book today without an agenda? Instead of trying to accomplish a reading goal, tackle the classics, or make progress on your bucket list, you read simply for enjoyment. What if you read a book just for the happiness it brings you? Until tomorrow, read slowly – take notesContinue reading Read Without an Agenda
I heard it again yesterday. I hear it several times a week. People tell me, “I want to read books, but I can’t focus for more than a few minutes.” There’s a reason for this, and it’s an easy/hard fix. Do you want to know how to become a great reader quickly? I’ll tell you. Continue reading You’re Not a “Broken” Reader
You know when you’re in the hands of a great author. You can feel it in the words, how he or she weaves conflict into all the crevices. Yesterday, I read a short story by Joyce Carol Oates that exhausted me in a good way. In ten short pages, Oates had her way with me.Continue reading You’ll Love This Short Story by Joyce Carol Oates
There are a lot of ways to “get through” a book. You can buy the Cliff Notes, watch the movie, get a summary from A.I., listen to it 2X on Audible so that the narrator sounds like a chipmunk – but there’s only one way to absorb a book, and that’s by sitting with it,Continue reading Are You “Getting Through” Books?
To all my readers who are mothers, Happy Mother’s Day! We’re busy at the Hood Household getting ready for three different celebrations. My wife (a mother of four), then a lunch at my mom’s, and finally a dinner at my mother-in-laws. It’s a big day, but one I’m looking forward to living. Even though IContinue reading Reading on Mother’s Day
When you sit down to read your book today, start by deciding to read well. Hold the book in your hands, consider why you chose to read this specific work, and what you hope to gain from it. Then, make the decision that you will read well. Turn off your phone and turn on yourContinue reading Decide to Read Well