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.
The Hedonic Treadmill is an idea in psychology that if you keep busting your ass, you’ll be happy one day. Except that, for each “improvement” you make, you don’t feel any different. That’s because you’ve erroneously assumed the end result matters. If you drive a certain car, date a level-10 girl, or make a millionContinue reading The Hedonic Treadmill of Reading
25 days ago, countless people pledged to read more. The bell struck midnight on January 1st and the New Year’s reading goals were carved in stone. By now, many have quit because they’re too busy. How are you doing with your commitment? Reading takes time. It’s true. And you probably are too busy to carveContinue reading New Year’s Reading Goals
I love local bookstores. Every time I walk into a small shop, I’m reminded of why I love to read. If you enjoy this blog, you feel the same way. You’re my people. Let us pledge to never buy books from Amazon or Barnes & Noble again. Instead, let’s take the time to drive aContinue reading Support Local Bookstores
Author Daniel Goleman (Emotional Intelligence, Focus, etc.) taught that the wealth of information at our disposal has led to a poverty of attention. You can research anything you want, distract yourself with the latest game, or scroll endlessly through YouTube. Access to unlimited information has made it almost impossible to think, let alone focus forContinue reading Attention Poverty (How to Focus)
I always read the introduction of a book, especially if it’s a technical text. Why? Because introductions are often written by people who are familiar with the work. They’ve studied it, mastered the terms, and have been asked by the author or publisher to help you get a “lay of the land.” Note that IContinue reading Read The Introduction
I went to the movies last night and was delighted to see that Freud’s Last Session was playing. I had never heard of it. The story is a drama between Anthony Hopkin’s character, Sigmund Freud (the founder of psychoanalysis and an atheist), and Matthew Goode’s character, C.S. Lewis (the author of the Narnia and prominentContinue reading Freud’s Last Session
I love reading, but more than that, I love reading with friends. Especially if we’re talking about the kinds of books that require a little (or a lot) of thinking. And those are the kinds of books that I like. I’m not sure why I gravitate towards philosophy and psychology. Perhaps I need to feelContinue reading Reading with friends