The Reader’s Discipline: Choosing to Pay Attention | EP125

About this episode

The episode discusses the importance of attention in becoming a better reader, drawing insights from Jean-Jacques Rousseau and practical habits for reading difficult texts.

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 r...

People in this episode

Host: Eddy Hood

Topics covered

• reading
• attention
• philosophy
• habits
• literature

Keywords

• reading discipline
• attention
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau
• careful reading
• literary habits

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