Reading

If you want to build something meaningful with your life, you need to fill your mind with good material. Reading is one of the most efficient ways to do that. Think about it - thousands of incredibly smart, creative, and wise people have lived before us, and many of them wrote down what they learned. When you read, you’re downloading their insights directly into your brain.

This page isn’t about reading as a school assignment. It’s about building a reading practice that lasts a lifetime - one that makes you sharper, wiser, and more capable. We’ll cover how to make reading comfortable and sustainable, how to read actively instead of passively, and most importantly, how to work through the classics systematically over the next few years.

Let’s get you set up for success.

Why Read?

Reading is fundamentally different from watching videos or listening to podcasts. It’s slower, more deliberate, and requires more focus - and that’s exactly why it’s powerful.

When you read, you’re forced to engage with ideas at your own pace. You can pause, reread, think deeply, and make connections. You’re not being swept along by someone else’s cadence or editing choices. You’re in control of the learning process.

Here’s what consistent reading does for you:

• Builds your knowledge base - Every book adds to your mental library. Over time, you’ll notice patterns and connections between ideas that others miss.
• Improves your thinking - Good writing models good thinking. The more you read well-structured arguments and clear prose, the better your own thinking becomes.
• Gives you perspective - Reading people from different times, places, and backgrounds helps you see beyond your own limited experience.
• Develops focus - In a world of constant distraction, the ability to sit with a book for an hour is increasingly rare and valuable.

The research backs this up. A 2013 study published in Neurology found that people who engage in mentally stimulating activities (including reading) throughout their lives have slower cognitive decline in old age. Reading literally keeps your brain sharp.

Set Yourself Up for Success

If reading feels like a chore, you won’t do it. That’s just reality. So we need to make the experience as frictionless and enjoyable as possible.

Physical Reading Setup

If you’re reading physical books, get your environment right:

• Good lighting - Eye strain makes reading miserable. Get a decent reading lamp. Natural light is ideal, but a warm LED desk lamp works great. Wirecutter’s lighting guide has solid recommendations.
• Comfortable seating - You need good back support for long reading sessions. A quality reading chair or even some pillows on your couch can make a huge difference.
• Bookmarks - Sounds small, but having a few good bookmarks means you’re never folding pages or losing your place.
• A reading spot - Designate a place in your home as your reading spot. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just consistent. Your brain will start associating that spot with focused reading.

Digital Reading Setup

Most of us do at least some reading on screens. Here’s how to optimize:

• Choose your device - Phone, tablet, or e-reader all work. E-readers like Kindle or Kobo have e-ink screens that reduce eye strain and eliminate distractions.
• Get a stand or grip - Holding a device gets tiring. A simple phone stand or pop socket makes reading more comfortable.
• Blue light considerations - Reading on a screen before bed? Enable night mode or blue light filters. Research shows blue light can disrupt sleep patterns.
• Reading apps - Use apps designed for reading, not web browsers. They’re optimized for long-form text and reduce distractions.

When to Read

Reading needs to become a habit, not something you do “when you have time.” You need to build it into your daily routine.

Here are proven times that work for most people:

• Morning - 20-30 minutes with your coffee before the day gets chaotic. Many successful people swear by this.
• Before bed - Reading (especially physical books) is better than scrolling before sleep. It calms your mind and improves sleep quality.
• Commute time - If you take public transit, this is perfect. Even in a car, audiobooks count.
• Lunch break - Instead of doom-scrolling through social media, read for 15-20 minutes.

Start with just 15 minutes a day. That’s 100+ hours a year - enough to read 15-20 substantial books. Once the habit sticks, you can increase the time.

How to Read: Active vs Passive

There’s a big difference between reading to finish a book and reading to actually learn something. We’re aiming for the second one.

Passive Reading

This is when you’re just moving your eyes across the page. You finish the book, but a week later you can barely remember what it was about. That’s passive reading, and it’s mostly a waste of time.

Active Reading

This is when you engage with what you’re reading. You’re thinking, questioning, connecting ideas, and making notes. This is where real learning happens.

Here’s how to read actively:

• Take notes - Write in the margins if you own the book. If you’re reading digitally, use the highlight and note features. Don’t just highlight - write why something is important or how it connects to something else you know.
• Ask questions - As you read, ask yourself: Do I agree with this? Why did the author make this point? What evidence supports this? How does this apply to my life?
• Summarize sections - After finishing a chapter, take 30 seconds to summarize the main point in your own words. This cements understanding.
• Connect ideas - The real value comes when you connect what you’re reading to other things you’ve learned. Make those connections explicit.

Speed Isn’t the Goal

You’ll see people online bragging about reading 100 books a year. That’s fine, but it’s not the goal. Reading a few books deeply is infinitely more valuable than skimming through dozens.

The classics especially deserve slow, careful reading. It’s completely normal to spend a month on one book. Quality over quantity, always.

Your Library Card is a Superpower

Here’s something many people don’t realize: your local library is an absolute goldmine of resources, and most of it is free with just a library card.

Traditional Library Services

Obviously, you can borrow physical books - including most of the classics we’ll talk about later. But modern library systems offer so much more:

Digital resources you get with a library card:

• Libby - Borrow ebooks and audiobooks instantly. The selection is huge, and it syncs across devices.
• Hoopla - Another digital borrowing service with books, audiobooks, movies, music, and TV shows.
• Kanopy - Stream thousands of movies and documentaries, including tons of educational content and classic films.
• Online courses - Many libraries offer free access to platforms like LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, or specialized databases.
• Research databases - Access to academic journals, newspaper archives, and research tools that normally cost hundreds of dollars.

How to Get Started

1. Find your local library - Use PublicLibraries.com to locate libraries near you.
2. Get a card - Visit in person or check if they offer online registration. It’s usually free for residents.
3. Set up digital access - Download Libby and Hoopla, then link your library card.
4. Explore - Spend an hour browsing what’s available. You’ll be amazed.

If you’re not using your library, you’re leaving money on the table. These resources exist because your community pays for them through taxes. Use them.

The Classics: Your Reading Curriculum

Now we get to the core of building your literary foundation. The classics are called classics for a reason - they’ve proven their value across generations. They’ve shaped how people think, influenced culture, and continue to offer insights you won’t find anywhere else.

The Approach: Broad, Then Deep

Here’s the strategy we’re going to use: start by reading one book from each major category. This gives you a broad survey of the classical literary landscape. Then, as you continue, go deeper into the categories that interest you most.

This approach accomplishes two things:

1. You get exposed to different types of writing and thinking
2. You discover what resonates with you personally

Let’s break down the categories with specific recommendations. These aren’t the only important classics, but they’re excellent starting points.

Classic Literature (Fiction)

These are the novels and stories that have defined literature. They explore human nature, society, morality, and the human condition through narrative.

Start with one of these:

1. “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee - American justice, morality, and growing up
2. “1984” by George Orwell - Totalitarianism and the power of language
3. “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen - Social class, relationships, and personal growth
4. “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald - The American Dream and its discontents
5. “Crime and Punishment” by Fyodor Dostoevsky - Guilt, redemption, and morality
6. “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel García Márquez - History, family, and magical realism
7. “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley - Technology, pleasure, and freedom
8. “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck - Poverty, perseverance, and human dignity
9. “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury - Censorship and the value of books
10. “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger - Alienation and the search for authenticity

Philosophy and Ideas

These books tackle big questions: What is good? What is true? How should we live? They’ll challenge your thinking and give you frameworks for understanding the world.

Start with one of these:

1. “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius - Stoic philosophy and self-discipline
2. “The Republic” by Plato - Justice, politics, and the ideal society
3. “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl - Finding purpose in suffering
4. “The Nicomachean Ethics” by Aristotle - Virtue, character, and the good life
5. “Discourse on Method” by René Descartes - Doubt, reason, and rebuilding knowledge
6. “Beyond Good and Evil” by Friedrich Nietzsche - Morality and challenging assumptions
7. “The Social Contract” by Jean-Jacques Rousseau - Government and individual freedom
8. “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau - Simple living and self-reliance
9. “The Bhagavad Gita” - Duty, action, and spiritual wisdom
10. “Letters from a Stoic” by Seneca - Practical wisdom for daily life

Historical Works

Understanding history helps you understand the present. These books are either historical accounts or primary sources that shaped history.

Start with one of these:

1. “The Histories” by Herodotus - The birth of historical writing
2. “The Peloponnesian War” by Thucydides - War, power, and human nature
3. “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” by Frederick Douglass - Slavery and the fight for freedom
4. “The Guns of August” by Barbara Tuchman - World War I and how nations stumble into catastrophe
5. “Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin - Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War
6. “A People’s History of the United States” by Howard Zinn - American history from the bottom up
7. “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari - The history of humanity
8. “The Civil War: A Narrative” by Shelby Foote - Comprehensive Civil War history
9. “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire” by Edward Gibbon - How great civilizations end
10. “History of the Peloponnesian War” by Thucydides - Power, politics, and human nature

Drama and Poetry

Plays and poems work differently than prose. They’re meant to be heard, felt, and experienced. They capture human emotion and truth in concentrated form.

Start with one of these:

1. “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare - Revenge, madness, and indecision
2. “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller - The American Dream’s dark side
3. “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles - Fate, pride, and tragic consequences
4. “The Odyssey” by Homer - Adventure, homecoming, and perseverance
5. “The Iliad” by Homer - War, honor, and mortality
6. “Macbeth” by William Shakespeare - Ambition and its consequences
7. “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry - Race, dreams, and family
8. “The Waste Land” by T.S. Eliot - Modernism and cultural fragmentation
9. “Leaves of Grass” by Walt Whitman - American identity and democracy
10. “Antigone” by Sophocles - Civil disobedience and moral law

Science and Big Ideas

These books changed how we understand the world. They’re about discovery, innovation, and the scientific method.

Start with one of these:

1. “On the Origin of Species” by Charles Darwin - Evolution and natural selection
2. “A Brief History of Time” by Stephen Hawking - Cosmology and the universe
3. “The Double Helix” by James Watson - Discovering DNA’s structure
4. “Cosmos” by Carl Sagan - Our place in the universe
5. “The Selfish Gene” by Richard Dawkins - Evolution and genetics
6. “Gödel, Escher, Bach” by Douglas Hofstadter - Consciousness, patterns, and strange loops
7. “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions” by Thomas Kuhn - How science actually progresses
8. “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson - Environmental science and activism
9. “The Origin of Consciousness” by Julian Jaynes - Consciousness and human history
10. “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman - How we think and make decisions

Your Multi-Year Plan

Here’s a realistic approach: read one classic every 4-6 weeks. That’s 10-15 classics per year. In three years, you’ll have read 30-45 foundational texts - more than most college graduates.

Year One: The Survey

• Pick one book from each of the five categories above
• Take your time with each one
• Keep notes on what resonates and what doesn’t

Years Two and Three: Go Deeper

• Double down on the categories you found most valuable
• Start exploring the “second tier” classics in those areas
• Begin making connections between different works

Track Your Progress

• Use Goodreads to track what you’ve read
• Keep a simple reading journal (digital or physical)
• Write a one-paragraph summary of each book after finishing

Beyond the Classics

The classics are your foundation, but don’t stop there. A complete reading life includes variety.

• Biographies - Learn from how others lived. Read biographies of people who did remarkable things. You’ll learn more about character, decision-making, and perseverance than any self-help book can teach.
• History - Beyond the historical classics, read contemporary historians. Understanding how we got here helps you navigate where we’re going.
• Philosophy - Both ancient and modern. Ideas about how to live well never go out of style.
• Practical books - Books on skills you’re developing, whether that’s communication, finance, or your profession. These are tools for building your mission.
• Quality modern fiction - Don’t ignore contemporary authors. The best current writers are dealing with today’s world in ways the classics can’t.

The classics are your spine - the strong central structure. Everything else branches off from that foundation.

Find Your People

Reading becomes exponentially more valuable when you discuss what you’ve read. Explaining ideas to others clarifies your own thinking, and hearing different perspectives reveals things you missed.

Ways to find reading partners:

• Friends and family - Start simple. Suggest a book to a friend and agree to discuss it over coffee when you’ve both finished.
• Local book clubs - Many libraries host book clubs. Check Meetup for reading groups in your area.
• Online communities - r/books and r/classicalliterature on Reddit have active discussions.
• Find a mentor - An older man who reads can be an incredible resource. Ask about the books that shaped their thinking.

Don’t underestimate the value of these conversations. Some of your deepest insights will come not from reading alone, but from discussing what you read with someone who cares about ideas.

Summary

Building a reading practice is one of the highest-leverage investments you can make. Here’s what we’ve covered:

• Reading is efficient - You get direct access to the greatest minds in history.
• Set yourself up for success - Make reading comfortable, whether physical books or digital.
• Build the habit - Schedule reading time daily, even if it’s just 15 minutes.
• Read actively - Engage with the material, take notes, and make connections.
• Use your library - It’s free, comprehensive, and includes amazing digital resources.
• Work through the classics systematically - Start broad, then go deep over 3+ years.
• Read beyond the classics - Biographies, history, practical books, and quality fiction.
• Discuss what you read - Find people to talk with about ideas.

Start today. Pick one book from the categories above, get your library card if you don’t have one, and read for 15 minutes. Do that every day, and you’ll be amazed where you are a year from now.

The mission starts with feeding your mind good material. Reading is how you do that.