BOOKSTORES: How to Read More Books in the Golden Age of Content

Bookstores have always driven me crazy. So much to read and so little time! And now with our lives chock full of CONTENT--Netlflix, podcasts, social media, KZbin, and the 24 hour news cycle--when the hell are we supposed to find the time to get through a book? This has haunted me for awhile now. So I decided to make a film about it, hoping to find a way through my bookstore anxiety--a way to re-balance my content diet in order to read more books.
This was originally released in chapters on Vero and you can find additional content and other goodies there: itunes.apple.com/us/app/vero-...
Tim Urban’s blog Wait But Why: waitbutwhy.com/
Eric Barker’s blog: www.bakadesuyo.com/
Howard Berg (sign up for his class!): www.berglearning.com
Music:
"Read A Book" by Bomani Armah: • Read a Book (Dirty Ver...
Jonathan Zalben: www.jonathanzalben.com/
Javelin: luakabop.com/javelin/
Vibe Mountain: / jeff-conrad-1
Local Drone/Ronin Outfits:
BirdsEye Portugal: www.birdseyeportugal.com
Hout Video (Maastricht/Brussels): houtvideo.nl
Agustin Actis (Buenos Aires): www.agustinactis.com/
Willie Leniek: https (Buenos Aires)://vimeo.com/willieleniek
Brendan Jay Sullivan (Paris): www.brendanjaysullivan.com/
Bookstores Featured:
Elliot Bay Books (Seattle, WA)
Bookhampton (Easthampton, NY)
Cook & Book (Brussels, Belgium)
Tropismes (Brussels, Belgium)
Boekhandel Dominicanen (Maastricht, Netherlands)
Ler Devagar (Lisbon, Portugal)
Obidos Bookshops (Obidos, Portugal)
The Literary Man Hotel (Obidos, Portugal)
Lello (Porto, Portugal)
Re-Read (Barcelona, Spain)
Cultura (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Saraiva (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Livraria Da Vila (Sao Paulo, Brazil)
Ateneo Gran Splendid (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

[@a9raag]

The quality of this video is too damn high

[@HappeChappe]

yeah, right? haha

[@krivar]

yeah - instasubbed :D

[@gabrielborjas7923]

It's like one of those travel TV shows with a lot of budget, just that this time is only one man on his own. edit: nvm, I saw the credits and a lot of people contributed on it. Still, it's really really superb.

[@taiji8517]

ture haha

[@bluluckyduckie]

The limit does not exist 😂😂

[@mariabelenlopez7349]

I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO’S ANXIETY IS CAUSED BY THE FEAR OF NOT READING ENOUGH IN MY WHILE LIFE

[@emiliosalazar9962]

@Yousef Ghaneemah In this case that is a false dichotomy, you don't need to choose quality over quantity, you can have both.

[@akshayaa3895]

Y E S.

[@bidenator9760]

I am deeply glad that I'm not the only one as well.

[@fanego]

@Yousef Ghaneemah Yes and no. I mean, last year I read 35 books. I was proud (it may be a low number for most of you, but for me is ok!). But I noticed I was prioritising short books and shit reads just because I wanted to read more. CRAZY. So this year I decided to read "high class". I will read probably around 10 - 12 books by the end of the year, but they are good and I am happier. In any case... I can understand the anxiety. I have it. 10 books X 50 years (more or less that is what I have left!) = 500 books. It is not enough, there are too many masterpieces in the world...

[@stresshelby2326]

i do this too along with music

[@superfanofmavisdracula]

32:19 "maybe the whole purpose of reading wasn't to learn more , but to get in touch with that deep and quiet part of yourself." This sentence made me so emotional because it is so true. I wouldn't trade being an avid book reader for all the money in the world.

[@constancewith_a_soundtrack5339]

That's what touched me so much, too. Although I've been ready so much, I almost completely stopped reading for recreational purposes when I started university and then my career. This year I made it a point to "fall in love again" with reading..and could only do it without goals/pressure. I did this by letting friends lend me books, do book exchanges and randomly picking up books when traveling. Of course that meant that I've read a few duds, but I valued the time reading more than the stories. And now I can go into 2023 with a much better understanding of what I like to read on terms of genre and style. But I want to keep reading "wide" as the prof explained it.

[@Thelobster269]

OG dubs

[@D00Rb3LL]

I don’t really think you can assign one purpose to the action of reading. Maybe sometimes you read to touch yourself, but other times it IS to learn more, or simply as enjoyment.

[@michelles.1930]

I never thought of reading as meditation before.

[@kai_bittner]

Read what YOU want to read. If you're reading as a hobby, you can read anything you want and never touch what you aren't interested in. There's no pressure to read popular books, or classics, or anything else. Just pick up something that interests you and try it! Also, don't be afraid to put something down if you start and find out it's not for you. There's no shame in putting down a book when reading feels like a chore.

[@gregheffley4950]

Bro you read my mind! I was going to say that!

[@gamaltk]

Thank you for putting it into words! This is something that has stopped me from reading many times

[@reynajelly]

YES! Totally agree ... but what do I do with these three big books I bought and am not interested in reading them?

[@henryhoopes4702]

@@reynajelly donate them! lots of second hand book stores will pay for books or you can donate them to your local thrift. its such a good way to give back to the community

[@elainethompson9057]

I completely agree with you and another point I think is just because someone who is very good at reading dislikes a book doesn't make it bad or doesn't mean you might not like it. There's definitely been times when someone who I respected made me not read books I thought could be interesting and I regret not reading them! Also people shouldn't feel pressure to read or like classics but some can be really cool or surprising! For example I found Dracula awesome and way better than I thought it would be and now I would recommend it to everyone because I found it do cool!! In summary read what you want, yes take opinions but if you think something is cool or might be, don't let someone change your mind.

[@leovincent7417]

I easily read 100 books a year in KZbin comments

[@Beez-go-buzz]

Then read 50 real books😂😂

[@sarahmchugh4169]

Such worthy and insightful text can be found in no other form, I'm sure.

[@icarussbungeecord7779]

so read less youtube comments and more books maybe read at least a page inbetween watching a video and reading a comment? or after reading a certain amount of comments?

[@verimus1920]

ok

[@inesriveram3135]

Same 🤣🤣

[@addledhead]

The irony of going "wow only 30 minutes a day, why don't I do that?" while I watch a 37 minute short film on books is at least not *entirely* lost on me

[@nataliereyes6055]

Yes. Some people poop for 30 minutes you could be reading lol. So I never believe someone when they say they don’t have time! Lol

[@YunisRajab]

@@nataliereyes6055 Worst excuse for anything ever. You make time for whatever you want to accomplish

[@nickelcadmium1401]

Natalie Reyes As a person that poop for 30 minutes, I can just smile at this comment

[@jairalejandroreynagavega4940]

Nickel Cadmium 30 minutes a poop? Slow down flash!

[@kousarsaeed]

you can listen books in audio form totally free HERE kzbin.info/door/rtT5t37SeUG8XOBOWs0u5Q.

[@alharris8861]

Non-reader here, reporting in after watching this 3 years ago. Up till 29, I’d read maybe…3 books. Since watching I’ve read all of HP, GoT, 2 dozen self help books, and a few other randos. This video deserves an Oscar.

[@rzqy]

I love seeing how this piece of internet has genuinely impacted people in real life. Pretty interesting

[@thedustwhispered]

that's awesome! happy for you man.

[@MelineTarpinyan]

Tricks that helped me read a lot more 1. Always having at least one book on you wherever you go, especially at school or work. You'd be surprised that in a seven hour school day you can get 40-150 pages done just by using vacant time to read a few pages! 2. Simply start by reading for enjoyment. Reread your childhood favorites if you're in a slump. I reread Harry Potter as a 16 year old and when I say that shit was enjoyable af, I mean it. 3. If you're gonna try and tackle a really hard classic, read stuff that's easy and fun in between. For example, when I was reading Dostoevsky, I sandwiched it by reading romcoms and before and after. The point of reading is not just to learn but to enjoy yourself. Keep this is mind! That's how I was able to read at least 50+ books this year.

[@reynajelly]

Yeah I read like 88 books in 2022 and like not even 8 of them were not a fun and easy read.

[@katfujioka212]

Seconding all of this advice! Also, don’t be mad at yourself if you can’t read as much as you’d like to; everyone is different and what matters is reading what you like and having fun, not the quantity.

[@zvezdoblyat]

My sister told me she used to read Charles dickens as a small child, and I was sad that I couldn't really understand what he was writing (a tale of two cities.) So I figured, since I haven't really read in like 3 years, and I used to read a lot more when I was younger, I'd read a lot of books that I enjoyed while I was younger and then rebuild my vocab so I can hopefully understand wtf he's talking about lol. I also incredibly pissed that my school curriculum from 1-12 never had us read a single classic, ever.

[@lisazkc256]

Solid advice! The only thing though, I feel like once you get into classics, like Dostoyevsky, there is no reason to read it along with something else, at least this was how it was for me. It is kind of like watching a slow 4+ hour epic from the 1950s, except you pause and unwind with some modern movie. My point is, once you start reading Dostoyevsky and the likes, don't water down the mood by unwinding a certain way. For me part of the beauty of Dostoyevsky is how he can still make us feel horrible through a book written 160 years ago. How would he or some other great writer react if he was to know people were unwinding with romcoms because of his work? I don't think books are meant to be read this way. Once you pick up a book, you immerse yourself and finish it! Anyways, that's just my two cents.

[@edelette6529]

1) yes! I do this with work (and used to with school). Instead of scrolling aimlessly through social media or just sitting around, you can actually read quite a lot! (If you want to) 2) this but also re-reading stuff that you know and love is great because it just makes you WANT to read more 3) yeah and also for big series and stuff. If you finish something, don't jump into another huge commitment right away. I've been reading like 5-6 books in between series/big commitment stories and it helps because it really feels like I'm getting a nice break for my brain Also I decided to read a whole bunch of those cheesy romance books (you know the ones) and it was very refreshing for me

[@averiellevanhorne8072]

"the busyness does not make our lives meaningful" damn that line really hit

[@nastyalitvinova2784]

i even paused the video to write it down!!!

[@fahadullah8076]

True!!!

[@latoyabolt9459]

Yes. It hit me too. Deeply.

[@Erik-zd2oi]

I'm literally 14 and this is deep

[@debjyotibiswas3793]

Reading starts becoming fun when you stop seeing it as a chore and start seeing it more as a source of entertainment like insta or yt because thats exactly what books are.

[@brunaotube]

I like no fiction.

[@SabrinaRina]

Yes! I'll quit a podcast or video that's not engaging. We shouldn't judge how info is delivered. Only there's millions more books than adaptations and things we'd still not convey equally between different medium. Slow work days frustrate me most. I can't engage my hobbies the same, but work isn't demanding me focus on it... so I compromise with podcast or audio books to engage something.

[@sin3358]

Agreed. I start reading more when i start procrastinating doing the actual important stuff 😂

[@Foogi9000]

My eyes glaze over and i fall asleep when trying to read books, Audiobooks work better for me.

[@monicacreator3168]

@@brunaotube and some people like documentary

[@Cupidsransom]

I honestly felt like I was the only person who felt the overwhelming feeling / anxiety of ‘there’s too many books and not enough years of my life’. Thank you so much for at least making me feel like I’m not crazy.

[@micheller3251]

I decided like 5 days ago that I was gonna replace my morning doomscrolling for reading 5-10 pages from a book first thing every morning unless it's not possible. So far I love it, I start my day inspired and relaxed instead of overwhelmed and anxious. It was a very easy switch to make too.

[@Eclipse.7897]

Thanks for the idea

[@lalalallalalaala]

i think our book anxiety comes from romanticizing the action of reading books instead of reading them for their stories :(

[@coconic0]

WOW this is exactly what I was thinking, thank you for putting it into words

[@floritahhh]

i knowww i hate this

[@OnceUponADreamersDay]

That’s how I am these days. I want to be a person I love and that person like reads books and I’m trying my best but sometimes it just feels so forceful

[@peterhenderson5413]

exactly, we want to be ~readers~ because we hear about them so much, and it freezes us in our tracks. Not to mention people who do read often love to brag about how many books they read, and it makes us feel inadequate.

[@Cat-lq3tw]

Couldn’t have said it better myself

[@Nat-je8xz]

When you're supposed to be reading but instead you're binge watching videos about how to read more.

[@folf]

Natalya Flake Yikes. Time to start reading.

[@damedesuka77]

The irony

[@rolanddeschain6089]

Yeah...it's the old enemy - me

[@esbenrasmussen2419]

KZbin is our habit. Time to break it.

[@xoxo-sf1zg]

@@esbenrasmussen2419 3 hour per day now seems too much.

[@bibitheunicorn4734]

As a child/teenager, reading was my favourite thing to do. You'd never catch me without a book. Then, suddenly, I fell out of love with reading. I don't even know what happened. I still told people that reading was a hobby of mine, but I probably only read about 3 books or so per year. In 2021, I saw this video. Specifically the first 6 minutes. Seeing visualized how few books I'd get to enjoy in the time I had left at my reading pace, encouraged me to pick up reading again, and I managed to finish 12 books that year. Yay! After that, my friend introduced me to goodreads and I set my reading goal to 14 books for 2022. I thought that was plenty; more than 1 book a month! Seeing my virtual shelf of read books grow just gave me such a satisfying feeling. But the more I read, the more I remembered why I used to love it. I fell in love with the stories again. I read 248 books in 2022, and I have no intention of stopping. I love books again

[@avengerie2229]

248 books? I’m so HAPPY for you. That really enlightened my day considering that you’ve find touch again to something you loved during your childhood! I don’t know if you will ever reply back but let’s hope for it ; what genre of books did you read?

[@bibitheunicorn4734]

@@avengerie2229 Thank you! I'm so happy too 😊 Reading has remained my fav hobby since I wrote this comment. I'm at 135 read books this year haha (plus I've more or less written my own book :D (yeah okay it's fanfiction, but I still wrote 57K words so it counts lol)) Books are just the best I swear! I used to basically exclusively read fantasy, and I still love the genre, but I've moved more towards romance in recent years. Gotta admit that I mostly read gay smut these days, but hey, it's still reading 😁 Fantasy is still on the menu too, though. (My goodreads is 'bibitheunicorn' if you want to know the exact books😅) Hope you're having fun reading as well! 💖

[@avengerie2229]

Super late to the comment but thank you so much, I'm actually going straight to Goodreads to stalk your readings haha ! I think I'll find some super reads from your list. ☺@@bibitheunicorn4734

[@Crazard]

Despite being 3 years late, this is one of the most well produced videos on KZbin. Well done mate

[@hanb2499]

“Bookstores are basically art galleries with stories attached.” So, in other words, my heaven.

[@nilsdeboeck3179]

Doesn’t a lot of art have stories attached?

[@JohnVKaravitis]

Great statement.

[@fixafix69]

@@nilsdeboeck3179 no...?

[@nilsdeboeck3179]

Fix a Fix I wonder what kind of art you’re into

[@anahitamirzarazi4424]

But isnt it called don't judge a book by its cover??

[@brooklynfrombrooklyn]

This feels like it should be a Netflix documentary

[@sherrinfordholmes6653]

Wouldn't that defeat the whole purpose

[@edwinjakefernandes6624]

@@sherrinfordholmes6653 if you look at it that way, then it allready has

[@calebfrieslaar8878]

@@edwinjakefernandes6624 Woke

[@omerresnikoff3565]

I'm not paying to see a bookstore Unless I'm buying at least two

[@VaoDxArchAngel]

@owo Why would you not want to let the masses experience this?

[@theblob7470]

There are currently 11k comments on this video so i would say it is unlikely this ever gets read by anyone other than me. But I just had to say that, when watching this video, I thought about my younger self, who would read books during every recess and get reprimanded all the time for reading in class. And I realised i had lost a true sincere magic in just a few years, and become someone who never even reads actual novels anymore. And before i lost that magic i never even knew it mattered so much to me. Even though English is my second language, the ideas are the same truthfully. And it just made me tear up, and wonder where if i went wrong somewhere to find myself realizing i don’t even do my favorite thing anymore. So, thank you max joseph for making this awesome video. I am infinitely grateful to have clicked on that appealing thumbnail and watched this insaned well-made video, for i have remembered something amazing and truly important to me. So yeah im gonna try and read more basically

[@vinnie1180]

this is genuinely one of the best youtube videos i’ve ever watched, it felt like a documentary.

[@anahitamirzarazi4424]

This video is so strange it's addicting, i want to continue watching but i also want to stop and read a book. I end up stressing myself

[@italian_mixx]

me right now

[@rafaelamaggiolo4637]

me rn

[@puthypicasso640]

Me ri8 n0w

[@mingan9347]

lol true story

[@saylars8938]

that is literally me right now and it’s stressing me out so much lmao like I want this video to end but I don’t at the same time because it’s so good 😭

[@MyBookNook]

As an avid reader, I just want to say one thing to anyone who wants to develop the habit of reading - Don't read for the sake of reading. Don't force yourself to read a book. Read because reading books is one of the most amazing things in this world. Read because you enjoy reading. It doesn't matter if you read one book a month or one book a year. This whole obsession of 'oh i read 100 books this year' is not right.

[@valty3727]

My Book Nook this is true! the 30 minutes a day approach in this vid really does not work for me. i just kinda go on reading binges every so often. and that’s fine, cause the schedule isn’t what’s making me read, it’s the actual enjoyment i get out of it. once you start the motivation rlly starts coming from inside

[@davidmceldowney6827]

Tl;dr: Quantity is much less important than quality! But also, if you wanna be faster, that's fine too.

[@MyBookNook]

@@valty3727 Exactly! I would prefer enjoying binge-reading rather than forcing myself to read when I don't want to. And like you said, once someone truly starts enjoying reading, motivation comes from within... it becomes a lifestyle.

[@MyBookNook]

@@davidmceldowney6827 Yeah if someone wants to read fast it's fine. But if you are just skimming pages, it robs the purpose of reading.

[@Bisquick]

Whew thank you, I thought I was alone in thinking this. I think Infinite Jest in particular would be pretty impossible to understand let alone appreciate if one is just trying to "get to the end".

[@ito2789]

I remember going to Barnes and Noble with my dad as a kid well into my teen years and we would read for 4 hours every Sunday. Bookstores are unreplaceable in my opinion. They are the Internet before the Internet. So much knowledge, so many voices in each book.

[@soshasalome5763]

Tips from someone who's on their 35th book of the year. (it's march) I know it might seem weid, but reading a series could help reading more than stand alones.(since you dont have to start a new world and learn about new characters with every book). Also getting a kindle helped me a lot. I always have it with me. The most important thing is read things that make you want to know more. If you're more plot oriented maybe try a mistery and if you are more character oriented try something with a romance in it.

[@lawdawgm2844]

How many books have You finished since?

[@cowocaine3226]

Do you have any recommendations

[@jossshhhh1991]

Your point about reading a series is perfect. I recently finished the Chaos Walking trilogy, and by the time i was at the 3rd and final book, i found myself realising i had just read for 2 and a half hours thinking it had only been 30 mins.

[@TheCaitling]

I agree with your advice about Kindle and series. I wouldn't say I'm a series person necessarily, but the Winternight Trilogy are my favorite books, I cannot wait for the third "The Golem and The Jinni" book to come out, and I'm currently deep in the Inspector Gamache series. I absolutely love using the library app (Libby) and I try to coordinate taking out the Kindle book and the audiobook at the same time so I never have to stop reading. I also feel motivated to finish within the three week period if not before because I know that other library users are waiting in line behind me.

[@walkie1985]

I clicked this video on my recommends to annoy my wife off with ‘the most boring video I could find’, especially at 37 mins long - who watches that?? Sir, me and my wife were HOOKED begin middle and end. The production quality was off the charts and the content, despite being of no interest to me, kept us grinning and engaged. 10/10 - oh, and we’ve both committed to reading more

[@mr.youtuber2431]

The power of reading is amazing, when you begin reading you'll start to discover a lot of things about this world. By the way you can read only from your phone if you don't wanna pay for books. I explained how on my channel, Check it out.

[@nicolecorallo2768]

me too. I clicked thinking it would be really boring 😅 but it wasn't. I loved it... and in my country people tend not to read so for me it's really important and I got really excited to read big books and finish those I've started long ago.

[@joannas322]

James Walkington 😂 this is awesome

[@Black_CoreyNFin]

Hello James, I am commenting from 4 months in the future. Have you read more? If yes, what strategies worked for you. If no, don't feel too bad. The odds were stacked against you.

[@stephencoldbear]

I couldn't make it through all 37 minutes at once. I had to go read for a while and come back!!!! 📚📖

[@hugoankarcrona572]

This is what youtube should be like. Entertaining, intelligent, creative and important. The fact that it's free almost makes me feel guilty.

[@arturhours]

That’s what it is if you’re watching the right channels

[@hugoankarcrona572]

@@arturhours what are the right ones

[@ajesusencounter8261]

Right??

[@sillybilly4710]

I mean, if it’s free then YOU are the product. They’re not providing this for free. There’s sponsors. There’s advertisements. It may seem free, but really ads do work and they influence what we buy on a daily basis. If they didn’t make their money back then ads wouldn’t exist. Don’t feel bad lol

[@DarkAngelEU]

Lmao the information in this video is low quality. Most of it is just self-indulgent sightseeing and glorifying books as a workout. There are other ways to feel intelligent. Like the first guy said, do what you love and eventually, you will become very literate (=wise) in that area. This goes for all things in life. I will admit I did enjoy the video for its content. I never knew Brussels had such an amazing bookstore and I will most likely visit it with my brother, as he has a private library and I'm an avid comic book and art fanatic.

[@inesaguiar3636]

As a portuguese teen living in porto, i must say that this video made me proud of my country and my culture . thank you i wasnt aware of all the great things that were right in front of me but now i apreciate them even more :)

[@yikes7607]

Yes, these were very nice bookshops! Although, ironically, reading isn't part of Portuguese culture at all... on the contrary, reading books is rather scorned with derisive comments like "estás muito intelectual..." In fact Portuguese people are all over any videos that mention anything about Portugal, but I think this video went largely unnoticed by them precisely because the majority do not read, so they probably wouldn't click this video to begin with.

[@JacobeWilson]

This video profoundly changed how I spend my time. I've always loved reading, I was a voracious reader as a child and before going into university, but upon graduating and starting working, I stopped reading for pleasure (mostly). Then I saw this video, and it made me want to reclaim my love of reading. Since watching this in 2019, I've read about 240-260 books-- and I'm again known as a 'reader'. I can point directly to seeing this video and changing my life, and I can thank you indirectly to reigniting my love of encountering new ideas and lives on the page. Thank you!

[@jean-marieodom5620]

Funny how we are all lamenting about not having enough time to read all the books while watching this 40 minute video.

[@krrimy]

I know!!! Hahaha

[@readbooksnotnames5238]

And reading the comments :D

[@zaungaestin]

@@readbooksnotnames5238 And then clicking on the next video.. and the next video.. and the next video...

[@jazzman5115]

Oh fuck, i didn't even realize it was 40 minutes until now

[@MothsAreTheBest]

Sometimes you need inspiration. I'm gonna read a book when this video is over.

[@kenziereally]

it feels illegal to watch something this good for free

[@shoaibakther1453]

Then please paypal this guy 10000000$ and say thankyuu. Not all of us are as fortunate as you

[@najwamouakili8425]

omg yes hahah

[@firstname1091]

It’s not free

[@chickenclapper2748]

You must pay by subscribing

[@solomiyapendiuk4407]

like..... FREAKING YES.

[@biancatpz]

At some point in grad school, I think I just…stopped reading? (Like personal, non-assigned reading.) I saw this video for the first time 6 weeks ago, and I’ve somehow managed to get through 3 books since then without drastically changing my life. I don’t feel anxious about walking into bookstores and not being able to get through any books. I’m a reader again. THANK YOU!!!!

[@babyxface94]

Howard is low key a genius!!!! “the keys to life are scattered in thousand of books, music and art and you just gotta look for it” like sesh that moved me you have no idea. And they way he talks about books it’s so true you really have to experience what you’re reading, and if you don’t then you can’t truly comprehend it as much. And if you experience all these books it’s like experiencing so many different lives in one 💕

[@theseventhcrow461]

Don’t read to finish the book , or to impress people, read for the story and the joy of it.

[@beztroska]

My problem is that if I didn’t in a way “force” myself to read some books I don’t think I would read anything other than YA because I always feel like oh I’m tired I’m not going to remember anything from it anyway, or oh I had a bad day so I need something to relax to etc. Whenever I’m reading a more ambitious book I kind of feel pressure. It’s probably very silly, but I feel too dumb for most books.

[@juliette9841]

@@beztroska maybe you don’t read the right kinds of books. Nobody is into the same books you have to find the one that you’re really going to enjoy. Really. When you are tired you can feel the need to relax and not read but reading shouldn’t be something that is exhausting. I hope you find the literature that you like 😉

[@Kevin-cy2dr]

Amen to that

[@jamesevans2507]

no... read it for whatever reason you like

[@Teresa-pe4yg]

a great and easy book for people who want to start reading is The Little Prince.

[@astridnovi]

I cannot believe I almost went on with my life never clicking this video. Just one click away to change literally an entire life. Absolutely beautiful. Thank you.

[@fahadullah8076]

Yea!! Same Goes for me 😅

[@fabianpe0199]

Right?! I would feel so bad if I was like 40 just seeing this video. But honestly this just means I get a head start. Good luck to everyone!

[@jessicalvarez]

You hit the nail right on the head

[@vivigm6]

Same! YT has been recommending this video probably since it was uploaded and I had been trying to avoid it. It's gorgeous!

[@aminaharis4384]

Like same

[@caitlynnvaldivia1347]

i wish this was a whole show, i absolutely love this as a reading/book/bookstore enthusiast. i rewatch every now and again because i enjoy it so much

[@simp4hentai166]

The trick to reading a lot is to read ONLY what you want read. This year my goal is to read 100 books, that’s an easy goal for me. And then I make small harder goals for myself, 10 classics, 5 non fiction, 5 historical fiction or historic fantasies. That way I can insure I’m always reading while still branching out of my comfort zones!

[@MelLele]

WE ALL SHOULD Read more damnnn thanks for the likes!!

[@asynthe]

u, lady, made my year

[@thomasc9056]

You are evil

[@Gamajamas]

Thumbs up for being a clever dork

[@vladavram9209]

I was expecting that after I press read more it would be "read more"

[@DerekWalkerz]

Shame on me I got fooled!

[@scottyoung2006]

Since watching this last June, I’ve been doing the 30 minutes of reading per day rule. I’ve read 37 books!

[@brimussy]

wow! keep it up man!

[@birsanbogdan4498]

Impressive

[@selftaughtcoders]

nice, dude!

[@naaberfindmoi2791]

Woah, amazed

[@TheFinancialDev]

wow, you're awesome!!

[@akshatkanwar8767]

Who is watching in 2024

[@kayayluh]

Hey! I just wanted to let you know that I watched this video four years when it came out and it changed my life. From never picking up a real book in my adult life to becoming a book worm- your video utterly inspired me. 4 years ago, I could probably count on one hand how many books I had read. Since this video, I've read probably 100+ books. Thank you, Max.

[@adithatai6750]

one of my literature professors in college writes occasionally for the new york times, and he wrote a piece about why we have to keep studying the humanities. this quote from the article feels very relevant to this video "We enter the bookstore, see the many volumes arrayed there, and think: so much to read, so little time. But books do not take time; they give time, they expand our resources of both heart and mind. It may sound paradoxical, but they are, in the last analysis, scientific, for they trace the far-flung route by which we come to understand our world and ourselves. They take our measure. And we are never through discovering who we are."

[@aurora7750]

Wow..I would like to get the link of full article if its possible.Thanks

[@adithatai6750]

@@aurora7750 www.nytimes.com/2016/02/24/opinion/dont-turn-away-from-the-art-of-life.html

[@aurora7750]

@@adithatai6750 Thanks

[@trp443]

Thank you for sharing this quote! Very insightful

[@FairyRosee_]

Wow that's beautiful!

[@semisunnie]

This is like a Netflix documentary, I love it.

[@JohnnoNonno]

No shit man, he is the guy from Catfish hahahaha

[@AikiraBeats]

It really is

[@AndreSartor08]

@@JohnnoNonno I knew I saw this person from somewhere i was saying to myself where have i seen this guy before. Thanks bro

[@JohnnoNonno]

@@AndreSartor08 you're welcome man! I knew i would be helpful to someone someday.

[@WilliamThePayne]

One of the finest videos on KZbin. I keep coming back to it. I think I've watched it 3 or 4 times since it was released. An amazing piece of work, and I would love to see more videos like this!

[@rzqy]

Loved the whole thing, this video felt so replenishing. For me the best part is Howard Berg's conclusion of the meaning of life: 36:41 _"It's not hidden, it's in plain sight but it's scattered to thousands and thousands and thousands of books, and art, and music. The pieces of puzzle are all out there."_ It just so perfectly captures the fact in life, you find meaning in smaller more mundane things. You don't have to search for the big picture, you can find the small pieces and it's enough for you to get going.

[@benzilla127]

"It's like chugging down perignon or looking at the Mona Lisa on a skateboard" - brilliant.

[@aobakamo4141]

Dude, that statement is gold.

[@yoma2977]

yea that made me fuckn lol brilliant analogy

[@Bsalais15]

I was going to like his comment but I like that it’s at 420 instead

[@the_hoagie5463]

And just think- if you had read instead of watching this video, you would've finished your daily reading

[@thegrammarcrusader4085]

I've already done *my* daily reading 😋

[@purple-flowers]

@@thegrammarcrusader4085 I'm a reading addict. I will finish my weekly reading time (according to the video) in a day. I will read up to 5 books at a time too. Reading is fucking awesome.

[@keirafay4969]

The_Hoagie jokes on you, I read about 2 hours worth of my book AND finished it!

[@GlobusTheGreat]

Not true, I watched this at 2x speed

[@rodolfotames4493]

@@GlobusTheGreat Genious.

[@applezhengyang8731]

It always intrigues me that quality content like this is FREE on KZbin.

[@mhpswnet8489]

A few weeks ago, I really started to hate reading and I was trying to escape from this feeling, I was stuck in this feeling of boredom and loss of interest in reading. But I randomly found this video on a recommendation, and it literally changed my entire life. The good thing that actually made me very satisfied and has clear conscience was that the love of reading was starting to come back to me. I am so happy and glad that I can build a reading habit after watching this video. Thank you very much Max for this amazing video.

[@narfee7529]

You should totally enter this video into some sort of documentary/film festival. Outstanding video.

[@MrHaydnSir]

how this was not extended to an hour and sold to Netflix, i’ll never know

[@onthatileasermakgate9387]

Netflix can't risk that😂

[@gauravsinha6060]

@@onthatileasermakgate9387 LOL! 😂😂

[@BenjaminsBookclub]

I watched this video 4 years ago when it released, and it changed my life, I went from simply calling myself a reader to reading 50-80 books a year since. Can't thank Max and Tim more.

[@kittymamayyz]

I got burnt out 5 years ago and had to leave work. There was one point during my recovery that I read a book a day (fiction, ~450 pages max). During that time I read about 65 books in 2 months. It certainly helped my recovery.

[@esmeraldaweatherwaxe970]

it does, and in more ways than many realize.. reading forces the brain to do something which aids recovery from trauma.

[@suban2163]

"That moment, when you are reading a page and your mind wanders for a moment, and then you have to read the last 3 pages over again."

[@AM-we8hj]

Me, every page. Which is why I'm so slow. Fucking ADHD.

[@leilarothe]

@@AM-we8hj I feel ya! same for me - turned out: I've ADD 😂 my mind is a wanderer

[@lapvona]

Subaharan Muruganathan and then when you have adhd

[@ajethridge5555]

I’m glad I’m not the only one!

[@vilmospalik1480]

Ikr

[@stefaniecarina1115]

feeling overwhelmed with thinking about how many books there are in the world, plus that one can't nearly read all of them, and ending up with reading none is paradox

[@Daniyelab7]

Completely feel the same. I get so excited by all the knowledge and beauty a library/bookstore holds with so many books, but actually reading the book is a different story. I think I’ve gotten into a cycle of fantasizing about how wonderful books are instead of experiencing it.

[@lauraw.8171]

@@Daniyelab7 SO RELATABLE

[@kbampanikas6070]

Exactly

[@janedoll3237]

I have this same problem! I always start the year strong and then the habit of reading fades out. I get weirdly stressed by how many books exist 😫 😥

[@YOitsJohnDough]

Paralysis by analysis is hard to avoid sometimes.

[@djexams]

I keep coming back to this video every 6-8 months when I feel I am slacking off and not reading as much. Thanks for rekindling my passion.

[@theodoranegrea3747]

As someone who reads a lot and somehow intuitively stumbled across a few of the nuggets here, I have to say that this is SUCH a great video. Sending this to all my aspiring reader friends

[@navidds]

I did not expect to finish a 37 min video so intensely focused...

[@EliaquimGuedesCrispim]

Neither did I and this video was recommended to me multiple times and I ignored it because of how long it was until I gave up and surprised myself.

[@human12176]

Same here. Especially a video about books? where Kpop or changelle videos are being much more popular and intersting.

[@EliaquimGuedesCrispim]

@@human12176 I do like books a lot, so a video about books is appealing to me... but not that long

[@jenazminbaez8717]

Same 🤧😭

[@mareen129]

And i just clicked the video while standing after 2-3 minute i saw the duration of video and shocked by the length of this video, then i decided to pull my chair and sit down to complete this piece of awesomeness.

[@St4Jimmy]

you've travelled half the world, intreviewed loads of people and invested over a hundred hours or more just to make this video for us. thank you

[@cr3ations]

time that he could have spent reading! amazing

[@damiancruz5207]

I don't want to be negative or annoying. But "half the world" is a little too much to say

[@jakesmith9379]

If max is still reading comments on this, I watched this video for the first time 2 years ago, and have since changed from someone who never reads to someone who reads all the time. I watch this once every few months like I'm cradling up to my favorite movie. It was a few things that got me to start reading more, but this video pushed me over the edge. Max, know that you have changed at least my life with this.

[@LXRS_]

I always return to this video when I want to slow down, and remember what reading is really about. It shouldn't be viewed as a daunting and intimidating kind of practice, but rather simply getting in touch with yourself once again. Learning and experiencing things you normally wouldn't have any other way. It is not about how many books you read, but really about what you get from them.

[@sssnipermonkey5566]

“I cannot remember the books I've read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson.

[@harleydintinosante290]

i feel like this mini documentary is going to change my whole life

[@Soccer1551]

One month later has it?

[@kenagrawal]

@@Soccer1551 I watched this last year and started reading for like 20/30 mins after I wake up early morning. I have since read like 18 or more books. Never imagined a KZbin video to have such an impact on my life.

[@paxe.j.1723]

Everytime I falter and stop reading for a while I come back to this video.

[@himalectual]

It did change my whole life.

[@sebastianerbe]

Six months later, has it at all?

[@marianabonina249]

I love how you went to 3 different locations in Portugal. It makes me so proud of my country, if there’s one thing we’re good at it’s literature

[@antheajohnson4234]

This is content i never knew i needed.... Thank you KZbin algorithm Edit: 800 likes damn. Thanks guys!!

[@brebytheway]

same I'm honestly impressed 😂

[@garethpeterson-shea4059]

I stumbled upon this, and it's lit a fire in me.

[@pihyv]

Over 900 now, and I'm proud to be the 901

[@linazywitza2268]

You are aware that those 800 ppl wont see your edit right! ;)

[@augustagavigan1170]

Not to be dramatic but this video changed my life.

[@jennakuuki]

same

[@loliradotopper]

So do I.

[@amym976]

same, started trying to read 30 mins a day since watching

[@ukaszszarpak1938]

And how's the impact after a week? :P

[@kendra3917]

Totally agree just doing the math based on how many hours I spend on social media and how that equates to months. JESUS.

[@-AyushSaha]

4 years and i am still waiting for another part

[@mattesr.8680]

I found that reading shorter books (70 - 150 pages) in the beginning/habit building period, it gives you a sense of accomplishment (hurray I've read a whole book!) quicker, so you are more likely to stick to your reading habit

[@preethadebnath7400]

This is so true. Especially if it's like short stories. Suppose you read 5 short stories in an anthology, so you not only read five whole complete stories but also completed atleast 1/4th of the book. And that's like double the accomplishment.

[@matmurray717]

Oooh that’s a good idea

[@inkbery4473]

ah shucks maybe I should've read this before I decided to pick up my reading habit again after a 3-year reading slump with.......stephen king ._.

[@gigi.l]

@@inkbery4473 if it makes you feel any better I tried to pick mine up with Jane Austen in its original english (I'm not a native english speaker)

[@ninili830]

could you suggest me some small books?

[@TheSuperNats]

I used to be a HUGE reader as a kid/teen. That faded when social media became a thing and then college/grad school. The last few years I’ve started reconnecting with my estranged love. I’m so happy. There are so many beautiful stories and I’m learning so much.

[@jenesaisvraimentpasquoimet8473]

Couls you advice me as a beginner

[@hidof9598]

Do read "Love and longing in Bombay

[@shreyarishi2720]

Damn I relate to this so much... Haven't got back in touch yet though

[@rosapurzelbaum1911]

Yes! Me too. I am currently also reconnecting and it is so beautiful, I missed reading soo much!

[@localwillow9948]

People think they are smarter for staying on the internet, because you can find anything you want on the internet. But instead they just spend their time on memes, or other stupid stuff.

[@zachmedina2509]

Here I am, 3 years later, patiently waiting for the part 2

[@mortynet]

Ever since I watched this video about a year ago I have upheld the havit of trying to read daily. I had never read a book (outside of academic books) cover to cover before. I started out with a book that I heard was such a compelling pageturner you could read it cover to cover in a day. It did take me a week though. Fast forward a year later and I have read about 10 books (4 of which have 1000+ pages). I never actually saw the ending of the video, I figured that at some point near the end my mind just went “enough talking about reading! Now we do!” Here is a valuable lesson I can’t stress enough! DON’T READ WHAT YOU FEEL YOU SHOULD READ!! All books I read I relentlessly looked up, read reviews or was recommended by people with a similar taste! At some point a friend had persuaded me to read “the portrait of dorian gray”… though it was genuinely a good bood and the prose otherworldly! I read it mainly because I felt I had to read a classic… that turned me off from reading for a whole month. Something else, it helps to have a dedicated daily time slot to read. For me it’s the last 2hrs before going to bed… Anyhow, I am beyond grateful for this video! I guess the most important thing I took away was not reading out loud, but glossing over the text and visualising! It actually sped up my pace significantly and made reading more enjoyable. Ps. Great first book recommendation if you’re new to reading “Dark matter” by Blake Crouch.

[@matiasramon8456]

*"When I was young I read almost always to learn; Today, sometimes, I read to forget"* Giovanni Papini

[@Red-Wolf-Ben]

That's beautiful. And deep.

[@fixafix69]

@@Red-Wolf-Ben THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID

[@Daisydolx]

"It is very inspiring when you realize you can read 1000, and this is aT YoUR SloW AsS ReADiNg RaTe"

[@ruan9773]

Yeah I felt like that comment was pretty rude :/ he isn’t even reading that slow.

[@peepoopeepoopee]

@@ruan9773 it's pretty slow

[@yvonnestea6397]

@@ruan9773 I'm positive that it was just meant as a joke, if you think that was rude ( especially considering the tone he said it in ) then I guess you're just pretty sensitive, I doubt Max took it to heart

[@JKenny44]

S R It wasn't a joke. But that doesn't mean it was rude either. He said he barely reads at all, 1 book a year. Then of course his reading rate is slow. Why sugar coat it? If you went to a nutritionist to help you get healthier and they said you were overweight it wouldn't be rude. Do you want help or not?

[@Daisydolx]

@@JKenny44 I didn't mean for it to look as though I thought he was being rude. I just wrote it that way because I thought the line was funny. It just made me laugh.

[@sophiamedina9748]

My soul was crushed to see this video end. A true masterpiece of film. I have never been so touched by a KZbin video in my life. The extensive research put into this video is nothing short of astonishing and truly admirable. The film was true artistry. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making such beautiful cinema. Truly life changing.

[@halashareef221]

You got me watching the whole 38 minutes with the same level of enthusiasm. Great content, thank you!

[@dewamade6804]

totally agree with you

[@jaran6930]

Holy fucking shit, I swear I didn't even look at the length of the video because I was about to chill watching videos on youtube and I saw this. I love watching videos about reading book, damn irony. The video was so immersive I didn't even care if it never ended.

[@sidkul3766]

“There are so many books and not enough time”, right.

[@abahm9749]

One of the saddest things about life

[@thebookassassin]

There are so many books that I want to read, but I feel like there’s just never enough time to get through them all. I read a ton and try my best to make an effort to take a break once I finish a good book or series just to let it settle before I jump into something new. Books are honestly amazing. They helped me through so much I can’t imagine where I’d be without books

[@ian_strachs]

I first watched this video in late 2019 or early 2020 and I KEEP finding myself coming back to it. Truly an amazing piece of work and I love the idea. Always gets me back into reading after a slump Thank you ☀️

[@WiMae]

Watching this during my 8th month in lockdown and seeing him travel the world for bookstores is just surreal.

[@kousarsaeed]

here is the channel kzbin.info/door/rtT5t37SeUG8XOBOWs0u5Q In the process of building up the you tube biggest audio library.

[@megs7334]

It’s been almost a year now, and I miss it so much

[@itskindofemily]

Currently living vicariously thru this

[@houston-coley]

It'd be pretty funny if this video was sponsored by Audible.

[@aumtrivedi5214]

Where have you been?

[@radcow]

But to fair as long as the information go's in who cares how it's delivered

[@blehblehblehdracula]

Because listening to books isn’t “reading,” right? What about blind people? Do they just... never get to read, since they cannot read by sight?

[@gmosphere]

@@blehblehblehdracula braille?

[@zephyrsblade7188]

@Bookshelf Gems ditto. In my country we barely have any special education schools and teachers struggle to create materials that are able to accommodate different visual disabilities (yep, there are different kinds and certain formats are best suited for them). In fact, I've worked with some visually impaired people and I noticed that they used text-to-speech functions to use their phones. Better to converse and give them material that makes use of what is convenient for them.

[@julysolomonik4216]

can't believe this video was made 4 years ago and i've only watched it now. the most amazing video i ever saw. i have so many good thoughts about it, thank you, incredible really.

[@_garrison]

I come back to this video every year, it is phenomenal on all fronts.

[@yueunkang7663]

quality content without ads. Jeez

[@Biggelz06]

Instead of watching this video I could have been reading a book for 37 minutes

[@claudiovaldivia583]

M. Armand well thid video might help you out on ur technique, which is likelly to make a much hugger difference than 37 mins of reading without technique

[@nickolasdiamond5619]

And around 75 pages

[@linaelh6268]

I could have read 74 pages ....

[@Tunawesmake]

And maybe not read any more books. But I guess you can read 37 more books with reading advice like this if it applies to you...

[@gs-nq6mw]

The key to reading is finding something you're interested in,if you read to appear smart or because someone said is a good habit,you're wasting you life doing something useless,find something you're interested enough yo read,for me is artificial intelligence and science,for some is fictional stories,terror,there's a thosand of subjects you should be attracted to something

[@Pleasum]

This has got to be one of the best videos I have seen in quite a while. As an avid book lover and voracious reader, this was like taking a trip to places I could only wish to go. Inspiring. Thanks so much for this!

[@georgeruellan]

I first saw this video years ago but I come back to it every once in a while and it always fills me with joy and inspiration. Beautiful libraries, captivating storytelling, great editing, insightful people. Even 4 years later, there's still not many videos on KZbin like this one

[@yleniax5150]

Max: wants to read more. Also Max: start travelling all over the world to find the best bookstore (probably just an excuse to procrastinate lmao)

[@thegrammarcrusader4085]

He shouldn't just spent that time....READING lol

[@galaxysilver69]

But bookstores are aesthetic ;p

[@davidriveraxy]

This video is fkn art, the transitions, the sound, the emotions. One more subscriber. I value the process to get a piece of video of this quality.

[@nacho6438]

*P R E A C H* 😔

[@frfls7478]

Agreed! ❤

[@brendadacunha8360]

This is my favorite video in KZbin, for real. Such a work of art, very inspiring. Everytime I watch it, I see myself wanting to travel to all of these bookstores, and read everything I see. Thank you for this incredible video! Hugs from Brazil 🇧🇷❤️

[@Quinold]

Every time I binge KZbin or drift away on my phone.. I always think of this video, and I always replay it to remind me how much can be accomplished from just 30 mins of reading every day

[@AA-pv1ng]

My favourite video ever. I felt like I can do anything and everything, I felt relaxed and infinite. Like a corner of my quint brain suddenly opened its windows and I finally found the satisfaction I've been craving. This was an enriching experience. My God I loved this video.

[@hrishikeshparab1236]

I felt the same...great video!!

[@taz4530]

A A i love this it explained perfectly how I feel

[@naitictaasahu3210]

It is almost a surreal experience this video has brought us all. I am content after watching this (a rare occurrence for most of us). So much wisdom, knowledge, experience and beauty packed in 40 mins. This should be a must-watch for everyone out there, irrespective of age. Wow, one of the best 40 mins of my entire existence. Thank you so much for making such a fantastic journey.

[@nallash905]

This is probably the most inspiring, eye opening youtube video I've ever seen. I rewatch it whenever I feel like I'm getting lost on social media. A huge thank you for this one

[@Rivergirl2878]

I feel like I shouldn’t be watching this for free..

[@cold_static]

I feel like you should be reading a book right about now

[@has489]

Yeah someone should make a 1000$ course out of it

[@bird9350]

Then pay with your blood. *battle music starts* *takes out out a sword*

[@lucascrafes5580]

Btw the ads doesn’t make it for ‘free’ he is still getting paid

[@babyshark154]

that’s what i just thought

[@ColombianThunder]

I started reading because of this video 2 months ago. I'm 4 books in. That's more than I've read in years

[@Me-vn3gz]

ColombianThunder I’m so proud of you! Keep it up! I’m trying to as well :)

[@leahwilton785]

Woo!! Good for you my dude!

[@barletbeqiri1125]

Woow, really proud of you! Keep up the good work and enjoy it ;)

[@ColombianThunder]

Thanks! It's been two years now, and my pace has been relatively slow, plus have also read some pretty thick books that brought the number down, but since then I've become an English major and have read around 40 books in my free time! Never would have thought I would read that much. I fell in love.

[@Sedoshland]

Oh my goodness.. Why am I seeing this video now? The effort to shoot, to travel, to edit, the cinematography.. Everything is on point. Seeing the whole journey is inspiring. This is one of the most precious videos on KZbin for sure. I can not describe how much I love all the details and how deeply I appreciate your will and effort for making of this video. I'm looking forward to see more of your work. You're amazing.

[@noursabrine4352]

From the day this was posted, I get it recommended every now and then and so far I watched it a gazillion times, on different accounts, different devices and I always come back to this. I just love the insights it offers and the storytelling

[@MissSenex]

"If you enforce reading...you are likely to enforce time for reflection." This....all of this. Much needed.

[@JonnyBarrett]

In a world of 'MAKE LOADS OF CONTENT', 'MORE MORE MORE' and 'DOCUMENT EVERYTHING' - this is BREATHTAKING... or clearly at least CAPS WORTHY. This must have taken an abundance of time, but THANK YOU for the respect you show your audience, your craft & yourself. Time is precious, thank you for using yours to make mine truly FEEL it.

[@manto_canto]

I am so grateful to have stumbled upon this video. I can't believe I have just watched this nearing the end of 2022 when it was released in 2019! The production value of it is crazy and the information is priceless. The video itself reminds me of a Netflix documentary, however, the handheld feel of the camera mixed with the zooming in during interviews and the non-perfect composition, truly makes itself a work of art. Those imperfections are what makes it...perfect. Truly, it captivates the viewer and makes the video feel more connected and immersive. This will definitely have me reading more books.

[@musicallymanon]

Every so often, I come back to this video and just marvel at the filmography and content. The interviews are nuggets of insightful wisdom, especially Dr. Simmons'. "Stop, reflect." Thank you for making this work of art!