I’ve been rethinking how I read books. My previous method was to buy books, read them one at a time until I finished or decided they weren’t worth my time, and moved to the next one. I’d postpone buying books until I’d finished (or nearly finished) my current batch. My focus was on quality. Some […]
I Was Wrong About Speed Reading: Here are the Facts
Seven years ago, I read some books and articles on speed reading and started practicing some of the methods. I found I was able to increase my reading speed from 450 word per minute to 900 in the drills, so I published an article entitled, Double Your Reading Rate, which has since become one of […]
Should You Maintain an (Almost) Empty Reading Queue?
Years ago, I made a realization that changed how I write. That realization was that I’m weird and almost nobody reads the way I do. Previously, I thought my blog reading habits were pretty typical. Subscribe to a dozen or so blogs, and read most of the articles they write. If I find myself skimming […]
Different Kinds of Difficulty
How difficult is it to learn a new language, start a business, or write a book? These are common questions, but unfortunately the answers you’ll get from people aren’t very satisfying. The problem is that the word “difficulty” is horribly imprecise. There are different kinds of difficulty, and although the English language likes to lump […]
I'm a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, podcast host, computer programmer and an avid reader. Since 2006, I've published weekly essays on this website to help people like you learn and think better. My work has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, TEDx, Pocket, Business Insider and more. I don't promise I have all the answers, just a place to start.