The Read Well Podcast

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 attentive when working through difficult texts. If you’ve ever found yourself reading a page only to realize your mind drifted somewhere else, this episode is for you.Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

3/17/26 • 19:55

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 build a reading life that actually makes them wiser. I also share one book recommendation that has deeply shaped my thinking.Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

2/9/26 • 24:07

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 with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

2/2/26 • 17:19

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 for years.Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

1/6/26 • 54:15

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 Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

12/9/25 • 17:12

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 (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

12/1/25 • 16:03

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 approach challenging texts. If you're trying to build a stronger reading habit, this conversation will give you tools you can use today.Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

11/24/25 • 49:08

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 a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

11/17/25 • 13:33

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 Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

11/10/25 • 11:05

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 Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

11/3/25 • 17:46

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 Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

10/27/25 • 16:11

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 readersHow it weighs on us mentallyTips for getting back on trackA book recommendationI also take a moment in the middle to talk about some of the coffee that I sell at my bookstore. I love this stuff, as it fuels my reading day.This Episode’s Sponsor: Edgewater Bookstore CoffeeThe Deep Read (dark roast great for espresso) - https://edgewaterbookstore.com/collections/cafe/products/the-deep-readAnthology (Medium roast great for french press and pour-over) - https://edgewaterbookstore.com/collections/cafe/products/anthologyProse (Light roast from Ethiopia) - https://edgewaterbookstore.com/collections/cafe/products/prosePlot Twist (Light roast that changes monthly) - https://edgewaterbookstore.com/collections/cafe/products/plot-twistSend Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

10/20/25 • 41:56

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/book-club/Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

10/6/25 • 29:39

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 (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

9/22/25 • 22:23

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 Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

9/8/25 • 14:05

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 of notebook for this practice.🔥Want to help open the bookstore?  Here's the link for our Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/edgewaterbookstore/join-me-in-making-edgewater-bookstore-a-real-locationSend Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

9/2/25 • 10:40

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 and felt like you were finding a lost part of yourself, this episode is for you.🦸🏻‍♀️ Be a bookstore hero. I'm trying to open a bookstore in Utah and would very much appreciate a small donation - even $5 - to help our Kickstarter succeed:👋DONATE HERE: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/edgewaterbookstore/join-me-in-making-edgewater-bookstore-a-real-location Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

8/25/25 • 09:52

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 masterclass in storytelling.Visit J.D. Barker’s website at: https://jdbarker.comSend Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

8/11/25 • 38:59

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 channel I think you’ll enjoy: Prose & Petticoats.📺 Visit Emmelie at Prose & Petticoats: https://www.youtube.com/@ProseAndPetticoats📺 Watch my favorite video by Prose & Petticoats: https://youtu.be/At5uNTO1Ggg?si=gb7sXdwsTSUlIFj1Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

8/4/25 • 20:22

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 (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

7/28/25 • 05:42

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 20 blunt tips that will kick you in the pants and help you finally take your learning seriously. If you’re tired of spinning your wheels, endlessly collecting books you’ll never read, and scrolling instead of studying—this one’s for you.This isn’t about making you feel good. It’s about getting honest.Hit play if you’re ready for a reality check.Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

7/21/25 • 21:39

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 call you didn’t know you needed.💡 In this video, you'll learn:What makes The Death of Ivan Ilych a manual for living authenticallyHow Tolstoy captures the lies we tell ourselvesWhy I bought 100 copies of this book and created a course around it📚 Want to read this with me?This November, I’m teaching a 30-day live course on The Death of Ivan Ilych.🎉🔗 Link to reserve your seat: https://pages.thereadwellpodcast.com/products/30-day-deep-reading-courseWe’ll read slowly together, take deep notes, and build a personal system for lifelong learning. It’s part reading group, part note-taking workshop, and part life reset.📦 What’s Included in the Course:A physical copy of the bookA custom Edgewater reading journalA handcrafted bookmark14 live reading sessions + 4 instructional workshopsFull access to recordings for 1 yearAnd a chance to support the launch of Edgewater BookstoreOnly 500 seats available.🎉🔗 Link to reserve your seat: https://pages.thereadwellpodcast.com/products/30-day-deep-reading-courseLet’s read slowly, take notes, and apply the ideas -- together.-EddySend Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

7/14/25 • 17:41

As a kid, I used to read by flashlight under my covers—completely absorbed, completely amazed. Somewhere along the way, I traded that sense of wonder for utility. In this episode, I talk about what happened and how to get it back. I’ll share one book that lit the fire again and offer a few tips for reclaiming a deeper, more joyful experience of reading.Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

6/30/25 • 12:34

I didn’t pick these books expecting them to shake up my perspective. But they did. In this episode, I walk through Working Days by John Steinbeck, The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne, and Cultish by Amanda Montell—three very different books that ended up revealing something essential about how we live, what we believe, and what we hide from ourselves. If you’re looking for thoughtful, honest reads that might nudge you toward new ways of seeing, this one’s for you.Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

6/23/25 • 10:38

In this episode, I talk about why so many people forget what they read—and how I’ve changed my habits to remember the books that matter. It’s not a trick or a hack. It’s just a way of treating books like relationships. You can’t know someone after one dinner, and you can’t know a book after one reading.Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

6/16/25 • 08:00

This is episode 100 of The Read Well Podcast, and to mark the moment, I’m sharing the 11 books we’ll be reading together from June 2025 to June 2026 in season 3 of the Book Club. If you’re someone who wants to read more deeply, especially when it comes to philosophy and big ideas, I think you’ll want to see what’s on the list. I’ll also explain how to join us for book club—whether you want to talk, listen, or just read alongside a community.Join the Book Club Here: https://thereadwellpodcast.com/book-club/Get Your Books Here: https://edgewaterbookstore.com/collections/book-club-season-3-readsSend Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

5/19/25 • 19:13

I read to spend time with people—fictional or not—that make me think, make me laugh, or just feel like good company. In this episode, I talk about why Less by Andrew Sean Greer worked for me, why Artemis by Andy Weir didn’t, and why I give every novel exactly 50 pages to win me over. This isn’t about snobbery—it’s about using your time wisely.Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

5/12/25 • 14:29

Philosophy can feel like a foreign language at first. I used to struggle with it too—until I found the right books. In this episode, I walk through 9 books that helped me go from confused to curious, and eventually confident. If you’ve ever wanted to read philosophy but didn’t know where to begin, these titles will help you build that muscle. This isn’t about sounding smart—it’s about learning to think clearly.Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

5/5/25 • 17:26

In this episode, I sit down with Binnie Kirshenbaum to talk about her new novel, Counting Backwards—a story about love, aging, and the slow disappearance of memory. We talk about how books can help us wrestle with what it means to be human, and how reading deeply—without rushing—can be one of the most powerful ways to stay present in our own lives.Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

4/21/25 • 43:41

Writing a novel is a long road, and no one knows that better than Piers Torday, Andrea Stewart, and L.R. Lam. In this live interview, they share what writing looks like on a daily basis, how they help new writers at The Novelry, and how reading with a writer’s mind can change the way you experience books. I think you’ll find their insight helpful whether you’re working on a manuscript or just trying to understand your favorite novels more deeply.Interested in writing your own novel? Check out The Novelry at: https://www.thenovelry.comSend Me a Text Message with Your Questions👋📚Take Your Reading Deeper (Join my Book Club Here): https://community.thereadwellpodcast.com/deep-reading-community?el=podcast

4/14/25 • 49:12