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.
Yes, we’re finishing up ZAMM – Zen And The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance in my book club. This passage from the back end of the book (p.367) shook me violently. Have you ever had that happen? An idea reaches out and grabs you in such a way that you can’t stop thinking about it? Here’sContinue reading Zen And The Art of Not Hating Life
Imagine a world where all books are destroyed. It’s a Ray Bradbury dystopia of Fahrenheit 451 coming to life. Look at your precious bookshelf. See the titles that have moved your heart and imagine someone dumping them in the street and setting fire to them. See your shelf, empty and collecting dust. Imagine a governmentContinue reading What Happened To All the Books?
I’m in a university class called “Studies in Shakespeare,” and we just finished Henry V. At the beginning of this play, Shakespeare teaches us how to make every book we read 1,000% better. Before I share his tip, I need to set the stage (pun intended) by briefly describing Henry V. Setting The Stage Henry VContinue reading Shakespeare’s Secret for Better Reading 🤫
Have you ever wondered why some books keep you hooked while others don’t? We might love the characters, the mysterious settings, and the spicy dialogue, but those aren’t always what keep me turning the pages. For me, it all comes down to one thing: the need to know. What happens next? If a book keepsContinue reading What Makes a Good Book?
We take notes because some ideas matter more than others. And what matters to you may be entirely different from what matters to me. That’s the beauty of it. Note-taking is personal. There’s no perfect system because how you do it has to match who you are—otherwise, you won’t stick with it. Some people sketchContinue reading Why We Take Notes
Sometimes I don’t feel good about myself as a reader. Little thoughts slither into my brain and destroy my motivation. I want to talk about these thoughts today because they’re normal and many of you feel them as well. Last week, I got an email from a community member in a reading slump. This person’sContinue reading When Reading Feels Like a Chore
Readers ask this question every day: How will I invest my mental energy? I recognize how fortunate I am to be alive and to have the ability to choose how I spend my mental energy. I understand that it is a finite resource, and if I am not mindful, I can easily waste it onContinue reading The Reader’s Question
I worry that we’re missing the point of reading books. I’ll reel back my hyperbole a bit, but let’s consider what books are and WHY we read them. The why is critical here. A book is input. It either entertains you or educates you. Either way, it’s more stuff that you’re packing into your brain.Continue reading You’re Missing The Point of a Book
I just finished three hours of philosophy class and now my brain is mush. Why? Because I have one to three hours of “deep thinking” in me a day. I’m not talking about sitting at a computer or getting through work meetings. I’m talking about the kind of focus that’s exhausting but exhilarating. We putContinue reading You Can’t Focus ALL Day
Before we learn how to read more books, let’s chat about the rediculousness of today’s image. I had ChatGPT create a picture based on my article below. The genius robots drew a woman in a chair. Notice how she and the sidetable are blocking the front door. Perhaps the best way to read more booksContinue reading How to Read More Books