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.
I love our reading rituals. Many of you share with me your morning routine of enjoying a good book with a cup of coffee. Maybe you’re like Cal Newport, author of “Deep Work” and “Slow Productivity,” who enjoys munching on crackers while reading. Or perhaps you read while walking on a treadmill, commuting to work,Continue reading Reading Rituals
We had a car blow up yesterday. Well, it didn’t blow up, but the engine seized. Somehow, all the oil leaked from the engine while my son was driving, and now the car is headed for the junkyard. We towed it to a mechanic, who couldn’t explain how it happened. We changed the oil regularly,Continue reading Having “One Thing” Helps Me
This is nerdy, I know, but I love it. Check out the app Loud Typer for your Mac. I’ve been using it for over a year now. When you download it to your laptop, you can tell it what sounds to make when you press a key on your keyboard. From the dropdown menu, selectContinue reading Turn Your Mac Into a Typewriter
Reading is my favorite way to spend the day, but I have a limit. After so many pages, my brain turns to mush, and I have to go for a walk, listen to music, and make a cup of coffee. Then again, there are days when the reading mood strikes, and I can sit inContinue reading When the Reading Mood Strikes
Give in to your book. Stop forcing it, stressing out about it, or squeezing it into predefined boxes. Stop getting through it, inflating it, or hiding from it. Just be with your book. Let it lead you by the hand. Give it space to teach you, excite you, and surprise you. Reading is not aContinue reading Give In to Your Book
I live in Utah, surrounded by the majestic Rocky Mountains. Every time someone visits from out of state, they marvel at the breathtaking landscape. It’s undeniably beautiful and incredibly inspiring. I’ve climbed several peaks and have come to appreciate the value of flat ground. Climbing is exhausting—Utah’s desert heat, dryness, and unforgiving terrain add toContinue reading A Reading Break
My daughter plays the saxophone every day for more than five hours. Marching band is a big deal around here, and it’s her first year in the show, so she’s working hard to earn her spot. The problem is that this year’s music selection clocks in at 168 beats a minute, and she has toContinue reading The Phrenetic Saxophone
I recently got a new espresso machine for my reading room, which motivated me to tidy up and organize my bookshelves. In the chaos of pulling all my books off the shelves and reorganizing them (an activity any good book nerd would embrace), I realized something: I had little piles of books all over theContinue reading The Joy of a Messy Bookshelf
It’s a big day at The Read Well Podcast! Some of my favorite authors are noticing the community and coming to the show as guests! Here’s the fun part: If you’re a member of the book club ($9 a month), you’ll get access to all the live events, interviews with authors, etc. The first eventContinue reading Meet Famous Authors
Whoops, I did it again. I write about deep reading daily and why we should work hard to slow down and learn from our books. But that doesn’t mean I always get it right. In the words of the great William Zinsser in his book, On Writing Well, “You are writing primarily to please yourself,Continue reading I’m a Hypocritical Reader (And It’s OK)