The Read Well Podcast

In this episode, I explore Henry David Thoreau's essay Walking and what it can teach us about becoming better readers. Thoreau believed that walking could be transformed into something deeper than exercise—a practice of attention, presence, and discovery. I argue that reading can undergo the same transformation. I'll share four different reading speeds, explain why most readers spend too...

For years, I thought education was something that happened in classrooms, universities, and formal programs. Then I realized that some of the most meaningful learning in my life happened when I took responsibility for my own education. In this episode, I explore how self-education changed the way I think and live, why I recently enrolled in a free Harvard philosophy course, and what happened when...

I share the reading list for Season 4, explain why Homer’s The Odyssey remains one of the most rewarding books a reader can pick up, and explore an idea from René Descartes that has changed the way I read. If you’ve ever wanted to become a more thoughtful reader—but felt overwhelmed by philosophy, history, or the classics—this episode is for you. Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions 👋📚Take...

Most people think becoming a better reader is about speed, memory, or reading more books. I’ve come to believe it starts somewhere much simpler: attention. In this episode, I talk about the decision every serious reader has to make each time they open a book. I share a few insights from the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau on careful reading, and I explain the practical habits I use to stay atten...

I used to think reading more books was the goal. Then I encountered a moment in Plato’s Protagoras where Socrates warns that what you learn will either help or harm you—and you can’t take it back. That changed how I choose what to read. In this episode, I explain how I pick great books, how I avoid wasting time on shallow ideas, and how readers in real life—busy people with jobs and families—can b...

When my reading habit falls apart, I don’t try to brute-force it back into existence. I take a slower, kinder approach—and it works. In this episode, I explain why life disrupts reading, the two reader mindsets I see most often, and the exact process I use to start reading again without pressure. This is a practical guide for thoughtful readers who want depth, not guilt. Send Me a Text Message wit...

In this episode, I sit down with novelist Timothy Schaffert to talk about The Titanic Survivors Book Club and the quiet, sustaining role books play in a life. We discuss how readers can slow down, pay better attention, and get more from challenging texts—especially when reading starts to feel like work. Timothy also shares what he believes separates good fiction from fiction that stays with you fo...

I've spent years setting reading goals that looked impressive on paper but left me feeling overwhelmed. This year, I’m taking a healthier path. I explain why focusing on total books read can quietly harm the reading life, especially for those of us who love challenging nonfiction. Then I offer the goals I’m using for 2026 and the eleven books from 2025 that helped me rethink everything. Send...

I’ve tried every trick in the book to remember what I read—and the one that works isn’t about highlighting or taking notes. It’s about applying ideas. I’ll show how I take concepts off the page and into real life so that books don’t just get read—they get remembered. Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions 👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Try my Book Club for FREE Here): https://thereadwellpodcast...

In this episode, I sit down with author Thatcher Wine to talk about something most of us overlook: the space where we read. Thatcher shares practical ideas for creating a room that invites focus, comfort, and deeper engagement with books. We also walk through his books For the Love of Books and The Twelve Monotasks , and explore how slowing down and reading with purpose can change the way we appro...

Reading deeply takes practice. The more you wrestle with complex ideas, the more your mind learns how to sit still with them. In this episode, I talk about what that practice looks like, how it’s shaped my life, and why walking away from the bookstore I hoped to buy reminded me that growth always costs something. I’ll also share a book that offered a little lightness when I needed it most. Send Me...

I’ve found that reading a book isn’t enough—you have to wrestle with it. In this episode, I’ll show you how Julia Cameron’s Morning Pages method can help you process what you read so the ideas actually stay with you. I’ll walk through how to use this practice after a reading session and share a book recommendation from Tayari Jones that’s worth reflecting on. Send Me a Text Message with Your Quest...

In this episode, I talk about a simple motto that changed the way I read: Read slowly, take notes, apply the ideas. Most of us rush through books hoping the next one will fix what the last one didn’t. But real learning happens when we slow down and wrestle with one book at a time. I’ll share how I use pauses between books to reflect, and why action—not speed—is what makes a reader grow. Send Me a...

Nietzsche once said, “Live dangerously.” But what did he mean by that? In this episode, I explore the heart of that idea—why safety can dull the human spirit, and how risk is tied to becoming who you are. I’ll share my own struggle with this concept and recommend a book that might help you take the next step toward a more honest, courageous life. Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions 👋📚Take...

I’m behind in my reading. Does that ever happen to you? Let’s chat about why it happens, how it messes with the brain, and how to get back on track without all the reader’s guilt and drama. In this episode, I share: Why we get behind as readers How it weighs on us mentally Tips for getting back on track A book recommendation I also take a moment in the middle to talk about some of the coffee that...

In this episode, I close out my series on Emerson’s journals by looking at what his essay Self-Reliance can teach us about keeping a thoughtful record of our lives. I also share a book recommendation—Agnes Callard’s Open Socrates: The Case for a Philosophical Life —and give a quick update on my bookstore and the growing Edgewater community. 👋📚 Join our book club at https://thereadwellpodcast.com...

In this episode I explain how John Locke created a system for indexing journals that looks clever at first but quickly becomes a burden. I also share why Ralph Waldo Emerson abandoned the method and point you to his essay Self-Reliance . The larger point is simple: if a journaling system is too complicated, you won’t use it. Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions 👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (...

Ralph Waldo Emerson didn’t just write in his journals—he returned to them again and again. In this episode, I’ll share how that practice helped him refine his thinking and why it can help us too. I’ll also recommend a short book on ethics that makes philosophy clear and useful, and give you a quick update on the progress of Edgewater Bookstore. Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions 👋📚Take Y...

In this episode, I begin a six-part series on Ralph Waldo Emerson’s journaling habits. Emerson didn’t see his journals as a place to record daily events—he saw them as a savings bank for ideas. I’ll explain what that means and why changing how you view your journal is the first step toward making it a tool for thinking. I’ll also share a book recommendation that can help you choose the right kind...

What makes a bookstore more than four walls and shelves of paper? In this episode, I read a short essay about how bookstores can help us rediscover ourselves. I’ll also share a powerful book recommendation— The Best Poems of the English Language , edited by Harold Bloom—and tell you about my Kickstarter campaign to launch Edgewater Bookstore. If you’ve ever wandered the aisles of a local bookstore...

I sat down with J.D. Barker to talk about how he walked away from a career in corporate compliance and built a life as a full-time thriller writer. We cover his novels Dracul and Something I Keep Upstairs , the stories behind them, and how they connect to the wider tradition of suspense writing. J.D. also shares his own approach to reading so that every book—whether fiction or nonfiction—becomes a...

Philosophy isn’t written like a story or a textbook—it unfolds in a completely different way. In this episode, I’ll walk you through how I approach reading philosophy without going insane. I’ll share practical tips that have helped me stay grounded, even in the densest chapters. I’ll also recommend a short book that every creative person should read ( Art & Fear ), and I’ll point you to a chan...

I used to read a book and forget it days later. Then I realized the problem wasn’t my memory—it was how I was approaching the text. In this episode, I’ll explain why remembering is a choice, not a talent. I’ll show you how treating ideas like people you want to know will make them stick. Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions 👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Try my Book Club for FREE Here): https...

In this episode of The Read Well Podcast , I’m cutting through the excuses lifelong learners love to tell themselves—“I don’t have time,” “I’m not smart enough,” “I just need the perfect system.” Nope. What you really need is discipline, focus, and a willingness to get uncomfortable. I’m sharing 2 0 blunt tips that will kick you in the pants and help you finally take your learning seriously. If yo...

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 about (spoiler: it’s not just death), how it gets under your skin, and why it might be the wake-up...