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📚 Read Slowly - Take Notes - Apply the Ideas ​ You're reading this with 8,221 other critical thinkers.🙌🏻

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How I Rebuilt My Reading Habit (Gently)

👋 Hey Reader,

Sometimes life happens. For the past 30+ days, I haven’t read much because I was moving offices and, in the process, building a home library. It was a lot of fun, and I can’t wait to share the YouTube video with you—but when the dust finally settled and I sat down to read, I had a hard time.

I think there are two kinds of readers in this world: those who read without anxiety, and those who feel pressure.

When I fall out of a reading habit, I feel pressure from my books. They no longer feel like friends I get to spend time with; instead, they feel like large tasks to complete.

If you’re in this camp with me, please know there’s nothing wrong with you. It doesn’t mean you’re not excited to read or learn—it just means a book can start to feel like a project rather than an adventure.

The good news is that rekindling a reading habit doesn’t have to be hard. For me, the secret is being patient with myself. I start by simply holding the book, remembering the feel of it in my hands. Then I’ll carry a book around with me for a day to reconnect with the sense of companionship. After that, I’ll read a few pages without putting too much pressure on myself—the goal is to feel the words and remember what it’s like to lose myself in them.

And that takes time.

The first ten or so pages are often filled with self-doubt: “Am I reading well? Should I be taking notes or understanding more than I am?”

I have to remind myself to relax and breathe.

After a day or two, it all starts to fall back into place. The books are no longer work—they’re pure joy. And that’s where I’m at now.

If you can relate to any of this, I hope my message helps. And if you’re in the first camp—the readers who never feel anxiety—then carry on. I envy you.

📚 Until next time, read slowly - take notes - apply the ideas.

-Eddy

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New This Week: ​

Book Recommendation The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Listen to the Podcast Timothy Schaffert on The Titanic Survivors Book Club | EP 122 | EP 122 What We're Reading in Book Club Being Mortal by Atual Gawande

Book Recommendation

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

I created a secret bookcase in my home library. When you pull on a specific book, the passage opens to reveal a hidden room. What book did I choose?

The Count of Monte Cristo.

I’ve been asked by many why I chose this book. There are a few reasons. First, it’s a family favorite—my wife, my kids, and I love it completely. Second, it’s full of secret tunnels, daring escapes, revenge, hidden treasure, and romance.

You’ve probably seen the movie. It’s good—but the book is better.

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Get Your Copy at Edgewater→

Listen to The Podcast

Timothy Schaffert on The Titanic Survivors Book Club | EP 122

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.

Listen on Apple Podcasts 🎧 Listen on Spotify 🎧

Update From Book Club

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What We're Getting Ready to Read

Edition: Gawande, Atul. Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End. Picador, 2017. ISBN 978-1-250-07622-9

​Get Your Copy Here​

Reading Pace: 10 pages / day

Dates: 1/13/2026 to 2/10/2026

Online Meetings Held: Tuesdays at 8:30 EST – [Click here to join]​

Being Mortal is surgeon Atul Gawande’s reflection on how medicine approaches aging and death. Combining research, narrative, and personal insight, Gawande explores the limitations of medical intervention and argues for a more humane, person-centered view of care at life’s end.

Three questions to consider while you read:

1. How does Gawande challenge conventional wisdom about aging and death in modern healthcare?
2. What stories or examples in the book most affected your thinking about end-of-life decisions?
3. How can we apply the book’s lessons to improve our conversations and care around mortality?

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📚 Ready to Join Book Club?

If you want to read deeper, remember more, and meet people who love late-night philosophical conversations as much as you do… come read with us.

You get:​
✓ All weekly notes
✓ All recordings
✓ Access to our live Tuesday discussions
✓ A thoughtful community of readers

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📚 - Join us here →

Hi, I'm Eddy. How Can I Help? Feel free to respond to this email. Let me know how I can make your experience in our reading community better, or if you have questions, I'm all ears. ​ As always, read slowly - take notes - apply the ideas. -Eddy

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