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.
Over the years, I’ve enjoyed learning how to memorize a poem. If you want to keep the words of Keats, Frost, or Dickinson with you at all times, you’re not alone. Many people, myself included, find comfort in the power of poetry. How I Memorize a Poem: Here’s an example of a short but beautifulContinue reading How to Memorize a Poem
I’m reading in a cabin packed with nearly 30 family members, kids screaming for treats, and the television blaring. It’s the veritable loud house of chaos you see in comedy movies like Home Alone when everyone is screaming to be heard. I’ve planted myself at the dinner table where six kids are crafting. It’s theContinue reading Reading with Noise
If you spend $16, you can get a copy of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s book, The Idiot. Dostoyevsky toiled over this work, cramming it full of psychology, philosophy, and characters that will stick with you for the rest of your life. For just $16, you get access to a brilliant work. If you were an investor, youContinue reading Get a Book For Just $16
“We instinctively believe what other people tell us, even with no corroboration. We are especially credulous about statistics or other information that sounds like objective facts” (Huemer 56). Credulous means a great readiness to believe things. I don’t know about you, but I’m fascinated by the large amount of disinformation circulating. People are willing toContinue reading I Can Fix Myself
It only takes one book to change your life. Maybe you’re in a funk, trying to lose weight, start a business, or get your head on straight about the girlfriend that just dumped you. I don’t know. We all have problems. The beauty is that there are countless books with good advice in them. They’reContinue reading It Only Takes One
Let’s create a syllogism for why you should read today. Premise 1: All experiences that challenge our thinking are thought-provoking and valuable. Premise 2: Reading books challenge our thinking. Conclusion: Therefore, reading books is thought-provoking and valuable. Now, you might argue that many books are poorly written and not thought-provoking. But I would argue thatContinue reading An Argument for Reading
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?