In 2002, Steven Pressfield published The War of Art, a book that explores the very real problem of Resistance in our lives. He approached the topic as a writer, but I’d like to apply his ideas to reading books. Let’s start with a great quote from the introductory pages. “There’s a secret that real writersContinue reading How to Slay the Reading Resistance Monster
You protect what you love, and you love what you understand. That’s human nature, and that’s why reading makes you a better person. When you read a book, you improve your understanding of something. You move outside your self-centered focus to explore new and challenging ideas. 📚 Read about different cultures and you’ll overcome prejudice.Continue reading Reading Makes You a Better Person. Here’s How.
If you want to retain what you read, write a one-paragraph summary of the book. I’m going easy on you here – one paragraph is nothing. I would prefer you write an entire essay arguing the main points of the book, examining what you agree and disagree with, and then connecting those ideas to otherContinue reading Try This for Better Reading Comprehension
Let’s start today’s post with a chiasmus (kai-AZ-mus) that’s been rattling around in my head. “It’s not the words in my books; it’s the books in my words.” Let’s break that down. It’s not the words in my books – This means that I’m not interested in reading lots of words for the sake ofContinue reading Why I’m Reading Books in 2025
I’m reading about the philosopher Simone du Beauvoir who struggled at the beginning of her career to get her thoughts in order. “One day, somewhere around the time of the 1948 Berlin trip, Beauvoir was sitting with pen in hand, staring at a sheet of paper. Alberto Giacometti said to her, ‘How wild you look!’Continue reading Not Sure What to Read? Try a Steamy Romance.
I just finished a great book, and now the real work begins! I love this part. After reading slowly, the next step is to take notes. All of my favorite passages have been marked. Now I get to go back, review the best ones, and make notes I can use throughout the rest of myContinue reading When I Finish a Great Book
I got my first film camera in 1998 for $400. It was chunky, gray, and too heavy in my hands. I bought a roll of Kodak film, asked the store owner to load it into the back panel, and then rolled the dial forward to the first frame. “You have 24 frames,” the clerk said.Continue reading Read Like a Film Photographer
I’m reading an essay by Ralph Waldo Emerson titled The Poet written in 1844. Here’s the main argument: Poets are called upon to write honestly about the world. If they can manage this, we can hold on to our humanity. There’s a specific passage that reads, “He (The Poet) is isolated among his contemporaries byContinue reading Your Painful Secret
We’re reading The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom in my book club. It’s a beautifully heartbreaking memoir of a Dutch watchmaker and her family who were captured by Nazi Germany for helping Jewish people escape to freedom. There’s a moment in the book that reminds me of reading itself. Corrie has been sent toContinue reading My Books Are a Portal to the Outside World
I like reading in 30-minute increments for several reasons. First, I get sore if I sit too long holding a book. Getting up and stretching after a 30-minute session makes it possible to keep reading. Otherwise, I end up thinking more about the pain in my neck than the story in my hands. Second, I’mContinue reading The World Can Change in 30 Minutes