The Read Well Podcast
Welcome to The Read Well Podcast, a weekly show dedicated to building a strong reading habit, improving research strategies, and learning intellectual ideas from the books you love. Your passion may be the wisdom of Plato, how to cook a curry, or the complex ideas hidden in Dostoevsky’s fiction. Whatever you’re researching today, this show is about helping you master the topic. You’ll find practical advice on how to take effective book notes, develop your annotation skills, and benefit from tools like a Zettelkasten or a second brain. So grab your favorite book, and let's get started.
Episodes
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.
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 wa...
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
IMPORTANT LINKS:
🛍️ - Visit my Bookstore Online - https://edgewaterbookstore.com/
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 ...
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.
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.
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.
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 nove...
I’ve started writing a novel—and it’s been draining in a way I didn’t expect. In this episode, I talk about the strange fatigue that comes with creative work and how I’ve learned to notice when I’m running low. I share what helps me recharge, including the kinds of books I turn to when I need my mind to come back to life.
☕️ Speaking of coffee, check out my life of incredible flavors at: https://edgewaterbookstore.com/collections/ca...
I tried to improve my handwriting because I couldn’t read my own notes. What I didn’t expect was that it would change how I read books. In this episode, I talk about how slowing down my writing helped me slow down my reading, how physical tension shows up in both, and how emotional baggage can get in the way of both writing and reading.
Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions
IMPORTANT LINKS:
🛍️ - Visit my Bookstore Online - ...
Reading isn’t enough. People love to say that books make you smarter, but that’s only true if you do something with what you read. In this episode, I’ll talk about how to read for knowledge in a way that actually improves your life. I’ll also share some key decisions I’ve made as a reader to sharpen my understanding, including lessons from my study of Macbeth.
Interested in joining us for book club? Visit: https://thereadwellpodcas...
In this episode, I talk about why classic literature is still worth reading, even in our busy lives. These books have lasted the test of time for a reason. They offer rich insights into the human experience, and I’ll show you how reading a novel like Jane Eyre can help you see life from new perspectives. You’ll find that classic literature is not just for scholars—it’s for anyone who wants to understand themselves and the world bet...
Most people want to read more but struggle to stay consistent. I’ve been there. Over the years, I’ve learned a few simple ways to make reading part of my life without forcing it. I’ll share the strategies that worked, the six books that kept me hooked when my motivation dipped, and how to handle common mistakes—like getting stuck in books that feel impossible to finish.
I’ve highlighted hundreds of passages in books I’ve read over the years, and for a long time, most of them just sat there. I never looked at them again. In this episode, I’ll walk you through how I fixed that—how I actually use my highlights to learn, remember, and apply what I read. If you’ve ever found yourself excited about a passage but unsure how to make it stick, this episode is for you.
Shakespeare’s Henry V opens with an unusual request: The Chorus begs the audience to use their imagination because the play can’t capture the full scale of the story. That’s Shakespeare admitting something every reader should remember—fiction alone isn’t enough. In this episode, I explore why even the greatest writer of all time asked his audience to fill in the gaps and why doing the same will make your reading sessions far more r...
If you feel like you forget books as soon as you finish them, you're not alone. Most people never move beyond basic comprehension when they read. In this episode, I break down the four levels of reading, how to work through a book more effectively, and why deeper comprehension matters.
Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions
IMPORTANT LINKS:
🛍️ - Visit my Bookstore Online - https://edgewaterbookstore.com/
Sometimes, reading feels overwhelming. It’s normal to have feelings of self-doubt and overwhelm when it comes to reading books. Today I’m sharing with you how I tackle these feelings so that they don’t derail me from my reading sessions.
Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions
IMPORTANT LINKS:
🛍️ - Visit my Bookstore Online - https://edgewaterbookstore.com/
📝 - Join my Newsletter Letter for weekly tips on reading deeply - h...
Reading more books isn’t just about time—it’s about making better choices. I’ll explain why it’s okay to stop reading books you don’t love, how to handle a book when it gets boring, and how to find books that match your goals and interests. Let’s make reading enjoyable again.
Send Me a Text Message with Your Questions
IMPORTANT LINKS:
🛍️ - Visit my Bookstore Online - https://edgewaterbookstore.com/
In this video, I dive into Plato's Euthyphro and explore its famous dilemma: Are moral laws good because God commands them, or does God command them because they are good? Reflecting on my time as a Mormon, I apply this question to one seemingly simple rule: Why can’t Mormons drink coffee? Join me as I philosophize through faith, culture, and coffee.
Read the Euthyphro by Plato for Free at: https://www.platonicfoundat...
Ever wondered if you can read multiple books at once without losing focus? In this video, I share my personal reading routine and answer a community question about balancing books for study, enjoyment, and discussion. Learn how to follow your curiosity, understand your limits as a reader, and build habits that keep you engaged in every book you pick up.
You'll discover:
- How I study non-fiction in the morning.
- Why ...
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