These blog posts are short, daily ideas on reading deeply, taking notes, and applying the ideas. Each post is written by Eddy Hood with the goal of encouraging readers to pick up a book in favor of technology.
In this week’s episode, I’m sharing why The Death of Ivan Ilych by Leo Tolstoy is one of the most powerful things I’ve ever read. It’s only 53 pages, but it forced me to rethink how I’m living, what I’m chasing, and whether I’m being honest with myself. We’ll break down what this book is really aboutContinue reading The 53-Page Book That Consumed My Brain (So I Bought 100 Copies) | Episode 104
I’ve Unlocked a Magical Reading Door in My Brain I didn’t even know the door existed. But recently, I’ve discovered that my ability to sink deeply into a book and truly enjoy it is a skill—one that can be developed. Here’s what my reading journey has looked like so far, and maybe you’ll see yourself somewhereContinue reading Build a Stronger Reading Habit
The lady looked at me like I was a narwhal in a tuxedo. The exchange took place in a seafood restaurant while on a work trip in Orlando, Florida last week. There I was, enjoying a book (Less by Andrew Sean Greer if you must know) and waiting for my salmon and wild rice toContinue reading Does Reading Fix Your Brain?
Carl Jung, the famed Swiss psychiatrist (1875–1961), believed we all walk around with a “shadow self” — a hidden part of our unconscious filled with repressed thoughts, desires, and experiences. According to Jung, our dreams are a powerful way to encounter this shadow. By exploring our darker sides, we don’t become worse—we become more whole,Continue reading Can Fiction Help Us Understand Our Shadow Selves? Let’s Ask Carl Jung.
When I say dangerous books, I’m talking about the kind of books outside your perspective. Every day, we take the same roads to work, say hello to the same people in the same way, and feel safe in our little grooves. We then look for books that fit into those little grooves, making things feelContinue reading A Case for Reading Dangerous Books
Here’s a question: Do books make you smarter? Will reading Shakespeare or Robert Sapolsky’s latest deep dive into neurobiology improve your intelligence? Or are we just reading to massage our egos and swim in some diversion? Books have the potential to make you smarter, but your IQ doesn’t ratchet up just because you read one.Continue reading Do Books Make You Smarter? Potentially.
Flow is a fancy way of saying Optimal Experience. You know what it feels like because you’ve been in flow many times. It’s when you’re unstoppable, everything works, and your focus and skill are laser tight. Let’s talk about how to get into reading flow, or how to have an optimal reading experience. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of FLOWContinue reading How to Get Into Reading Flow
Could I survive my morning reading sessions without coffee? I suppose—if there were a zombie apocalypse and I had to choose between great books and my coffee beans, I’d pick the books. But as far as I can tell, zombies aren’t knocking on my door, and today looks like another perfectly normal day in theContinue reading Great Books and Tasty Coffee
How do you read deeply when life is crazy? That’s a great question, and one that I get almost every day on Facebook or from listeners of my podcast. If you want to read deeply, I’ve found that the hardest part for most people is just getting started. Once you pour yourself a hot coffeeContinue reading Starting to Read Deeply Each Day
I don’t mind distractions. When I read a book, I’m not a focus robot. My mind wanders like yours, and that’s fine. I have kids and a job and interests that all need brain space, and as much as I want to give Jane Eyre my full 100% attention, it’s hard. Let’s acknowledge that. We’reContinue reading Managing Reader Distractions