My guest today is Alan Jacobs, the author of The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction. Jacobs is a scholar of English literature, writer, and literary critic. He is a distinguished professor of the humanities at Baylor University.

In his book, Jacobs offers an insightful and playfully guide on how to make reading pleasurable and enjoyable. You'll learn why you probably don't want to read only Great books, the benefits of writing in your books, the truth about speed reading, and many more wonderful reading tips.

TIMESTAMPS:

[00:39] About Prof. Alan Jacobs & growing up a reader
[02:56] Thoughts on How To Read A Book by Mortimer Alder
[06:26] The truth about giving book recommendations
[09:53] The difference between liking to read & liking to have read
[11:26] Why you probably don’t want to read only Great books
[14:35] Great books require a lot of your time, attention, and reflection
[17:24] Niccolo Machiavelli’s relationship with books
[21:26] The benefits of writing in your books
[24:51] Pros and cons of reading on a Kindle
[32:24] The truth about speed reading & why you may be reading too fast already
[36:06] The benefits of rereading books
[42:40] Two books that changed Alan's life

Learn more about the author:

Website: ayjay.org

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Paul's Daily Podcast - Thu 30/1/2025