How to Read More Books (And How Not to)

[@CosmicSkeptic]

For 50 book recommendations, go here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aXSYq2uJi9-ImJY What is the most difficult book you ever read? Why did you struggle with it?

[@notastrangeperson2298]

Great Expectations. Old English is so goddamn annoying.

[@spacedout4061]

The most difficult book I ever read was not technically a book, it was the play script for romeo and juliet in school

[@Strugglebaddy616]

The most difficult book I've read is the quran because it is filled with ridiculous and inarguably immoral and sexist verses all throughout the book and my family agrees with every single word.

[@spacedout4061]

@@Strugglebaddy616 lol

[@georgep.2352]

Understanding Evoloution by Kampourakis

[@GeraltofRizziaa]

“I don’t like reading, but I do like having read.” Finally, someone putting it into words.

[@kin3702]

As someone with adhd I despise sitting down and staring at a book but god do I love having a vast amount of knowledge that comes with it

[@emanuel1.168]

"I don't like reading, but I do like having read" -- that's exactly what I started to say a couple of years ago.

[@MrShaiya96]

what about the journey?

[@dergotzvonberlichingen4880]

@@MrShaiya96 Reading is like vomiting, terrible by doing, but has to be done.

[@MrShaiya96]

@@dergotzvonberlichingen4880 you just dont appreciate the journey of vomit. humble yourself and enjoy the small things in life

[@minreie]

@@dergotzvonberlichingen4880 omg, so true!

[@onyxtay7246]

The same structure as an old quote about writing, "I don't want to write a book, I want to have written a book."

[@childofthelegumes8688]

alex’s voice is so pleasant. he’d make a good audiobook narrator.

[@quippits3201]

We need to make this a thing.

[@xxx1x47x41x3]

True

[@jameshall9873]

I tell you who has a good voice Neil Degrasse Tyson his audio book I can listen to all day Idk if I learn much but I do enjoy it lol

[@flyingdumpling5204]

I would listen to whatever if it was narrated by that beautiful voice.

[@om-boi]

or ASMR artist

[@dinglepeeps1260]

this man's accent is the perfect amount of british

[@daniel15yearsago66]

There is no such accent as british. He has a posh-ish accent which almost no one has now in Britain. Practically everyone in britain have the least formal accents worldwide

[@dinglepeeps1260]

@@daniel15yearsago66 that's the problem, nobody in britain talks like this anymore. he gets it just right

[@TheYopogo]

You have to remember, whilst we're a small country geographically there are a lot of us here, over 65 million; so no matter what social circle you move in, there will be other big social circles and sizeable cultural pockets and things which you don't have much personal contact with, between them containing probably millions of people. His accent isn't that posh but probably a bit more than most people as you say, and there are absolutely many many many people in this country that speak roughly like he does. Probably not most, but it was never really most in the past either.

[@phillipphillipson697]

He has an accent from southern England, northan English,Scots and Welsh don't sound like this

[@nenmaster5218]

I talked with some Atheists and we came to an interesting Result: Atheists dont have this 'inherent desire to spread their word', which of course is UNDERSTANDABLE buuut it also has negative side-effects, evidend by Atheist-Channel generally being smaller than theist-channel. So i think we should all self-reflect here.

[@jcbaros]

Top 10 anime betrayals of all time: Alex: "I kind of hate reading"

[@BernardoMarquesIdeia]

Mesmo

[@ArgentavisMagnificens]

Olha mãe, um br

[@brenocarcano2966]

Vocês tem bom gosto pra youtubers

[@eden5959]

Realmente

[@contasecreta1234]

isso é charme

[@devilscritic]

“you’re not fooling anyone, take the damn bookmark out for goodness sake” This hurt more than it should have.

[@GBfanatic15]

listen as someone who genuinely has every intention of reading the books (because I love to start books and take forever to finish them) WHICH I WANT TO ACTUALLY READ....I'm ignoring that XD

[@NigelGrab]

Yeah I've been trying to push through fellowship of the ring...that bookmark is coming out :/

[@alphatucana]

@@NigelGrab I hope you've watched the movies instead!

[@robertsicker]

brockhampilton I just finished it the other night. It's worth the struggle. Especially if you have the movie to compare things to

[@RayAtchley]

I literally was in that same predicament with the origin of species lol. I was like halfway through but I havent touched it in months.

[@rogerkearns8094]

I used to read books - until I discovered KZbin comments.

[@___LC___]

🤣

[@NegativeAccelerate]

That is a very scary truth for me. I haven’t written an essay in year. However I have types many essays for the yt comment section. I don’t read books, but I do read insightful comments and watch insightful videos. Maybe I’m better off🤷🏼‍♀️

[@jorgewinner4116]

LOL

[@donikaj7805]

@Stevo Devo same omfg

[@ReformedR]

das riiiite

[@queenofparkinglot]

Alex: “Don’t do other things while you listen to audio books.” My ADHD: 👁👄👁

[@childofthelegumes8688]

Lydia i find that doing other things while listening to audio books can actually help me focus better

[@alexlarsen6413]

@@childofthelegumes8688 Same here. I also don't like wasting time so I'm always listening to podcasts or audiobooks while in commute, which mostly means while riding my bike these days. Still, weirdly enough, I don't find waiting for a train or a bus particularly distracting either. :)

[@queenofparkinglot]

Child of The Legumes yeah I tend to listen to books while I’m drawing or doing computer work and that tends to be the best way for me to focus. I just thought it was funny he said that since it’s the opposite of what I do. You just need to do what works best for you

[@archangecamilien1879]

Haha...I have that problem too, I have to say...I am constantly distracted especially when reading audiobook (I also sometimes get distracted when reading physical books, I can continue reading even when my mind wanders and have to re-read everything...hell, I can get distracted even when reading from a book, or article, to other people, having to re-read to "pay attention")...and I read foreign languages, any problems with listening to audiobooks in English (or other languages I am more comfortable with) is multiplied tenfold when listening to a foreign language...in such cases, I have to review constantly (well, even in English, haha, I have to review constantly)...I didn't think that other people saw them that way until I watched the video...

[@archangecamilien1879]

It is true that I am often distracted when reading audiobooks...but, even more seriously, my mind is distracted...it tends to be at moments when I would be wondering, analyzing something, etc, that I choose to read audiobooks...

[@peterpehlivan157]

What I love about Alex is his meaningful initiative and direction. He's looking for content and substance, not quantity and convention.

[@abdulrahimjalloh8469]

"check your screen time" I feel attacked

[@jrgenchristensen7240]

I was just reading "the life you can save" when you posted this. Thank you so much for inspiring me! I also bought Animal Liberation and I am now vegan. I don't know if i would be vegan now if it was not for you.

[@CosmicSkeptic]

Get back to it! Two excellent books. Animal Liberation turned me vegan, as it did to almost every person I have subsequently given it to. Thank you so much.

[@nokitha4555]

@@CosmicSkepticHey Alex, I hope you read this. what do you think of the ideas in this book: ‘'The Qur'an, Morality and Critical Reason', by Muhammad Shahrour’. I’m certain you won’t find the ideas in that book anywhere on the internet. Here is the link to the free pdf of the book: shahrour.org/wp-content/gallery/Books/booke.pdf

[@setlerking]

Sadat AliH that book contains massive factual errors. I’m not vegan, but that book has some really wild claims in it that (I’d argue) makes one better off leaving it alone. As an example she claims that soy lowers testosterone, something that has time and time again been proven false. She claims grain is bad for you because our ancestors didn’t eat all that much of it etc. A claim that’s not very substantiated. The book is also poorly sited and uses unqualified sources for many claims.

[@killerbean5006]

@@sadatali6245 Try to watch this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/pX7YqZp3l62agKM It links all the sources btw.

[@jhunt5578]

@@sadatali6245I thought that book had been debunked to death. I'm surprised anyone still mentions it with credibility.

[@12345678900987654372]

As a dyslexic I really appreciated this video. I've always enjoyed philosophy and a myriad of other topics, but the burden of entry has always been excruciatingly high. I struggled immensely with comparing myself to the other kids in my class who spent around 30 minutes a night reading assignments while I had to spend 2-3 hours. Seeing this discrepancy in speed made me want to quit school and never pick up another book. Now that I'm at an engineering university I find myself wanting to be better read so that I can have a deeper understanding of the world. Looking at reading as eating healthy is a great analogy. It gives me a hope to know that I'm not the only one who struggles and hates the process of reading, yet deeply enjoys the understanding that comes from having read.

[@garethbaus5471]

Not that this is particularly relevant, but I am curious and feel compled to ask which engineering university you are attending?

[@jakobkuylenstierna478]

Thanks for addressing the “reading in those spare 5 minutes” thing. It never worked for me. I need to be alone and undistracted to keep myself in the book. This hold especially true since I have ADHD, but I think your argument holds true in general

[@Fukuro14]

I feel your pain, I have ADHD and reading literally depletes my energy. Just like Alex, I like having read but I can't stand the reading part.

[@joseacevedo8314]

I've never been able to read in a room full of people and I need quiet. They didn't have ADHD as a diagnosis when I was young, but my kid has it, and I know who he got it from.

[@coena9377]

I also have ADHD and this is true for me as well. Pretty much the shortest reading session I can have that is still productive is 20 minutes. I’ll usually set a timer for 20 minutes if it’s reading I really don’t want to be doing, like homework I find boring.

[@GamerOC]

I couldn’t sit through RDR2 let alone sit down and read for an hour or so. Last time I tried I got like 5 pages in and realized I retained exactly nothing.

[@lijuaboykins4576]

My man CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE TIPS AND STRATEGIES ON FOCUSING AND CONSISTENTLY READING WHILE HAVING ADHD AND actually properly understanding?😢

[@raigorstonehoof6477]

I can't relate more with you saying "I hate reading but I like having read", it's so true.

[@tomwhitehead4263]

“Nobody is impressed that you spent hours devouring Kant” that sentence could have gone either way.

[@franciscoaraujo6624]

Nobody is devouring Kant because they’re impressed?

[@isaacmiller8579]

@@franciscoaraujo6624 think more euphemistically ;)

[@maxhess3151]

Now I'm imagining someone religious citing Kant and then Hitchens drops that line and the crowd goes insane.

[@undead.rising]

Unpopular opinion (so it seems): I actually like the act of reading

[@dr.whocares8702]

Son of a Brick it’s not an unpopular opinion and don’t know what the heck is wrong with him :v

[@pratti6170]

I love reading, i can see why he would not enjoy reading non fiction but how can someone read a good fantasy and not enjoy it?

[@Dionyzos]

It's difficult for me to start reading but once I'm in I'm mostly enjoying it too

[@emmazhang2418]

Son of a Brick same esspecially fiction

[@dimitriskagos3761]

I think his opinion is unpopular, I still do not understand why you'd want to read despite hating the act of reading.

[@oopsthatwentwell]

This was, just .... wow 20:27 "don't get lazy with your mental nutrition" This is probably the best way I ever heard someone describe it!

[@hhfbko]

You actually watched the video until that point

[@tanishkaaggarwal5997]

This was the best, most candid reader video ever. I myself am a reader, I do enjoy books but often I don't like to read them and its difficult to admit that to those around you. Very rightly said, reading is a personal matter. And others can't define what you read because what you read is who you are.

[@nenmaster5218]

Book-Review-Channel exist, ya know. As well as the channel Brilliant. And Nebula. All these 3 together with atheist-youtubers should really keep you fed-and-filled during Covid.

[@pythonjava6228]

Makes me think of how I don't super enjoy learning new maths concepts but I like having learned them and I enjoy knowing and understanding them.

[@Mnogojazyk]

I learned Alex’s tips over the years but I wish I had had them when I was studying for my doctorate thirty five years ago. Thanks, Alex!

[@major7thsmcgee973]

Alex: "I don't like reading"; "I read for results", "I'm a slow reader". Thank you! I'm exactly the same - I do read slowly but I do so to make sure I absorb what I'm reading instead of just claiming to have read something but not knowing the nooks and crannies. Speaking of which I've only just started reading On The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin and it took me an hour last night to get through 8 pages!

[@ryanjones6127]

Wow, I really needed to hear this, Alex, thank you. I often read non-fiction, like you, for its utility. It was encouraging to hear that you read slowly and don't always enjoy it because I assumed the opposite. Your advice to read for yourself (not someone else) and to pick out relevant chapters is an exciting revelation for me. I often get frustrated when I do things voluntarily because I "have to" because I often find doing so is worse useless. Keep going with these videos, you're doing great!

[@Existence_Predicate]

"It's not cheating, it's strategic information consumption" I wish I thought of saying this in my supervision

[@lukemunro363]

‘I don’t like reading; I like having read’ - that do be the most accurate sentence I ever done read

[@recoveringknowitall1534]

However, you can't "have read" without... reading. Life is too short to not like reading itself

[@diallobanksmusic]

Video: How to Read More Books Me: *watches video instead of reading*

[@Narcissistic_Penguin]

I'm going to start a Music Therapy Masters in September so this video couldn't have come at a better time. I love the way you phrased "I love having read" in fact, the first few mins of the video had me continuously nodding in agreement

[@lvodniza]

The first point hit so close to my heart it hurts. “Read it how the author intended...not to be cut of mid sentence” 🥺 YOURE SO RIGHT

[@PS_s23]

Alex, one tip that has helped me retain information from any number of books has been to simply take notes. As I read, I type up notes into a word document, and save the document in a folder containing notes from every book I've read. If I feel inclined to look back at a book, or if I can't remember any details regarding an idea an author presents I simply go into the folder, type in some key words that I remember into the search bar, see what I can find!

[@alekz112]

You have earned even more of my respect with the revelation that you do not enjoy the act of reading, despite your obvious erudition. I am the kind of person who enjoys the act of reading and immersing myself in a text, to the point where I'll desperately read sub-par titles just to slake my thirst for entertainment. As a result, I have read quite extensively. I would not have been anywhere near as well read as I am if I did not enjoy it. From what I have seen you are at least on par with, and probably exceed, my level of 'having read'. To have the desire for knowledge and commitment to have accomplished what you have is incredible to me. Keep on being inspiring, Alex! :)

[@magnusbane2177]

As odd as it might seem, books that I had to read for school were always my favourite. I loved reading them in advance, and then hearing how my peers interpreted them in class. I had great teachers, and I would speak to them after class and ask for further reading to guide my interpretation. I was a massive teacher's pet so that probably helped.

[@jessicaallan4747]

This is so helpful! Especially the point about reading in large sittings rather than lots of small ones when I'm not that focussed. Since purpose of reading is to learn and have more knowledge, this is much better achieved by focusing on quality over quantity. Thanks for another awesome video!

[@ShutUpWesley]

I love reading. The silence, how my stress dissapears, it is cozy, how calm I feel, me being alone with a good story or an interesting topic, etc. So I both love reading, and having read. One thing I dislike, is when the story ends and I want more.😁

[@JohnnyHofmann]

Hahah I’m just like you Alex. Just order me a few more books that imma grind through. Again, I enjoy the knowledge, hate the process

[@BernardoMarquesIdeia]

Exactly. When he said that I felt so understood

[@A-Milkdromeda-Laniakea-Hominid]

I've just opened an audible account. After borrowing some "books on tape" from library a few times I realized how much time I was wasting behind the wheel. So I ordered some Raycon earbuds (scimandan15 got me 15% off) and now everyday I look forward to getting 15 minutes at a time. I plan to sub to a news curator site next, and get each day's important events (tailored to my tastes) in a dally blast, computer read to me at double speed. I got the news idea from Tom Scott.

[@CamLaw97]

why not use a kindle? i’ve noticed alex’s books piling up and i always wondered why he’s still buying physical copies. u can do everything u do on a regular book on a kindle plus more. ebooks also tend to run at a cheaper price and i have yet to come across a book that doesn’t have a digital format.

[@A-Milkdromeda-Laniakea-Hominid]

@@CamLaw97 I know people who just prefer the smell and feel of books. And the simplicity. But yes I agree with you I would get Kindle if I was a voracious reader.

[@JohnnyHofmann]

science cam I find looking at a screen for any amount of time does a toll on my eyes. Also, I enjoy collecting books. Also, books allow me to share them for others to read. Plus, I don’t have to worry if my books charge is low lol. The physical feel of a book just feels better then an iPad to me.

[@carlush6310]

One of the best videos I've seen on book reading. A refreshing perspective and one that has given me many ideas in my own reading. Thank you!

[@Akkoston]

I used to go through a bunch of books a week and now I barely read books

[@zonzaykay]

Same, I'm on my phone too much now

[@spacedout4061]

I know people who have almost never been to a library in their lives

[@ohnen6426]

I personally take most of my philosophy and politics out of discussions and other videos on the internet rn. With a book i might have to read half of it till the author gets to something new, with a video i have choices.

[@mrfarina1474]

same it feels bad man

[@darklightmotion5534]

same. Good books are rare

[@zapkvr]

This is the most sensible video I've seen this year. I read a LOT but not effectively. I needed this. My sincere gratitude Alex

[@leowalters8599]

No joke, I was just trying to read a book, I layed it down after 1 page and thought “i prefer a speech”. Opened KZbin, and this was the first video that showed up.

[@jamesjackson5955]

Really appreciated this 🙂. I struggle to read and I'm horribly slow. Got me sad a while ago thinking I average 2 or 3 books a year, giving me only 100 left to read, and I want to read so many more. My goals have shifted and I'm able to consume non-fiction papers and articles well and I use audio books for literature and enjoyment. The buzz from learning is strong and worth prioritising.

[@Mo95793]

Audiobooks, literally changed my life, it probably tripled my reading rates and I can absorb information from them about as much as reading books, this is especially important if you have a very long idle period in your day, like I work pretty far away from where I live and I had (until the pandamic fucked up all the schedules) a little over 3 hrs of daily transit, now I hate reading in a moving vehicle (it gives me a headache) but Audiobook are perfect for this. This also works great if you walk alot, not as great with running though.

[@ijwashere]

Your honesty and clarity is refreshing.

[@garyhughes1664]

“Reading should be about how much you mentally learn, not how much you physically read” - excellent advice.

[@swamig04]

I am so happy that I came up on this channel. Amazing and inspiring material. Thanks for all the inspiration and clarity of thought Alex.

[@CPMax205]

"I don't read much for pleasure". Don't you do everything for pleasure? ;)

[@CosmicSkeptic]

I plead the fifth

[@4CiiD3]

@@CosmicSkeptic So you retract it ? /s

[@neetbucks521]

Kormarg mohammed hijab’s alt account

[@4CiiD3]

@@neetbucks521 ahah you got me /s

[@planetary-rendez-vous]

To think pleasure is the only human drive, that is mistaken (unless it was a specific jab at him haha).

[@timothykearns9881]

This guy is great! I'm not a fan of young KZbinrs as a rule, but the content in these videos is well-presented and thought-provoking. Smart kid, great vid.

[@benz.]

Definitely needed this, I have a pile sitting on my desk which I should definitely be tackling given the insane off period I currently have (thanks covid).

[@___LC___]

I was fortunate to attend a library sale right before the shutdown, and obtained two large paper sacks of books for $10. I’d have gone mad without them, as I’m trying to get back into reading. I was always a reader, but since becoming ill a decade ago, I’ve fallen off.

[@yecidandresbarberychoque9874]

Alex this is truly the most.. "realistic" video on this topic i've seen so far, simply because your perspective describes almost every potential reader and its not an idealization of the reading experience as fully pleasant.

[@juozapasjurksa1400]

"One book that you can remember and learn from is incalculable superior to a hundred books that you read and forget" true words of wisdom

[@chickennoodlesoup2794]

All day yesterday on KZbin I’ve been looking up ways to improve my reading. What perfect timing this video is!

[@Gill1923]

You can’t fathom the amount of times I’ve watched this video.

[@JaylaMac160]

Hi! Thank you so much for addressing the Dyslexia issue. I am dyslexic and an entire world opened up to me when audio books became more accessible. With audio books, I experienced bit of imposter-syndrome listening to books and some people are all too happy to negate listening as "reading." However, the amount of books I can consume this way and the way it works with my auditory learning style, it is a all around win for me. Audio certainly has it's limits, but that goes for any tool. I love your channel! Thank you!

[@FancyDress21]

Thank you! Finally someone said it (and in such an eloquent manner too) - reading for 5 min in-between tasks or when commuting is not conducive to knowledge retention or even enjoyment of that book! I tried doing it at one point in my life when I literally had no free time (not even screen time) and because everyone interested in productivity recommended it, but at each new interval of reading, I had trouble recalling what I had read previously, thereby making the whole experience pointless in terms of enjoyment, results, and ultimately...meaning. I also really liked the "watching-films" analogy - I think it really carried that point across. Overall, a thoughtful, useful, and well-structured video that was an enjoyment to watch! Thank you!

[@danojc4966]

Never realized that there were so many of us out there, thought I was an exception. Thanks Alex.

[@adieodds]

Your voice is soothing, the video is informational and I'm ready to turn off every electronics to go straight to practice what you said by reading. Thanks, Alex!

[@loho316]

I actually like reading, but I'm an OCD personality, whereby I want to maintain all information I've read, which is pretty tiring. I'm also highly sensitive for sound and I'm very self concious when reading, I always think I'm being looked at/observed by others when reading, which is pretty distractive.

[@adham9828]

Same !

[@nenmaster5218]

@@adham9828 Book-Review-Channel exist, ya know. As well as the channel Brilliant. And Nebula. All these 3 together with atheist-youtubers should really keep you fed-and-filled during Covid.

[@adham9828]

@@nenmaster5218 thx 🙏

[@nenmaster5218]

@@adham9828 Krimson Rogue is the Best i know. Even if just his Empress-Theresa-Review is enough to keep you busy and laughing for many Hours.

[@Incandescence555]

I love your work Alex, I find the following helpful- not rushing books, re-reading books that I feel like are drenched in meaning or ones that I have connected with and at least feel like I've really understood, making notes or spider diagrams, linking the themes of different books together, not reading too many at the same time, not reading when I really, really don't feel like it- oh and reading on an empty stomach i.e. while intermittent fasting- I find much more clarity/focus being calorie-less!

[@aseemgidwani9641]

Homo Deus!! That book catalyzed a change in my perspective on human progress and potential, which was beforehand quite pessimistic. Harari is an excellent writer, and knows his history.

[@ciarfah]

I started to read Sapiens 2 years ago or so and dropped it about a quarter of the way through. I needed this video lol

[@AshGCG]

Sapien and Homo were two of the audiobooks I listened to on repeat for weeks on end during my short tube journey to and from the office. To this day I do not think I could recite a single thing from either. This has nothing to do with the author or the subject, more to do with the medium and the environment in which I tried to digest it.

[@___LC___]

Waiting to have access to it to read it. Thanks Covid.

[@laurenceleblond5296]

Interesting, indeed.. But like Sapiens, it's to oversimplified. Harari wright well but he have no style nor raffinement.. It's so anglo-saxon : simple, colorful and democratic ( it's for everyone ) It's the only critique I have for this book. Otherwise, it's good.

[@wandefter]

it literally made me an atheist lol

[@lbeardo3285]

I loved this video. Absolutely everything you said resonated with me as a slow and frustrated reader who becomes self conscious of how little I end up bothering. I'm going to apply this strategy to fall in love with books again. Thank you.

[@stewbroccachiklis8481]

Alex, Can I recommend to you two books that I think would be great to read in relation to your Theology degree. The first is "The Experience of God" by David Bentley Hart, which is a good clarification of Classical Theism and definition of the word God in scholastic/traditional terms. Also "The Unseen Realm" by Dr Michael Heiser is a great starting point for looking into Old Testament and ancient near eastern Theology, it is very scholarly and engaging. I would also recommend WLC's "Reasonable Faith" if you still haven't read it and anything by Stephen Meyer is also great. Would be great if you could get an interview with Dr Michael Heiser or Stephen C Meyer now you have the precedent of having got WLC on the show.

[@SNiiPerXPERT]

My first video in your channel and I must say the way you look at reading is magnificent. Absolutely love the way you have explained your points so constructively and so effectively. This will definitely help me in my future readings - thank you!

[@ShadowZZZ]

Some of my favourite Books: -Earthling Ed, eBook 30 excuses -Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Astrophysics for people in a hurry -Sam Harris, The End of Faith -Stephen Hawking, A Brief History of Time -Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens -Michio Kaku, The Future of the Mind -Richard Dawkins, The greatest show on earth -Steven Pinker, enlightenment now -Christopher Hitchens, god is not great

[@kevinrhatigan5656]

May I recommend some books that actually challenge your beliefs? Say some GK Chesterton or CS Lewis?

[@davewest2271]

This was the most comforting yet useful video for someone who’s just getting into reading. Thanks Alex!!

[@righteousforest5538]

I used to love reading, until I got to the reading level where the books' information took longer to process than I could hold my attention. Now reading is pain :(

[@ElPesimista01]

Keep reading, eventually your brain will adapt and you'll be able to process information while keeping your attention.

[@joshancortez7982]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this, Alex. I found myself in agreement with you on a couple you shared and discovered new ones I did not consider before. Keep up the good work!

[@existentialcatharsisvibe1709]

Alex: " I kind of hate reading" Me: *Same here bro, same* this is by far the most practical video i've seen on how to read books. being a medical student i always struggle reading my text books which are so damn thick like most of my text books weight 5 kilos (11 lbs) or more. i haven't read any novel or books other than my text book for the past 4 years. thanks Alex, i'll remember your tips. keep it up.

[@nenmaster5218]

Book-Review-Channel exist, ya know. As well as the channel Brilliant. And Nebula. All these 3 together with atheist-youtubers should really keep you fed-and-filled during Covid.

[@MarvelAndDc100]

I remember reading "the silent patient" for the first time. Never have I been mesmerized by a book until coming upon that one. It was absolutely amazing. I finished it in 24 hours, and it sparked in me a deep passion for reading ever since

[@duncanhainsworth5063]

I read my first book cover to cover in my 21 years of existence this year.😳

[@tantefrusciante]

You go man! Everybody's got to start somewhere.

[@GracodanaAlpha]

That was actually rather informative. I've watched quite a few reading faster videos but still learnt plenty. The idea of creating a reading tier list is a wonderful idea

[@dancinswords]

No one's impressed that you spent hours devouring Kant. But swap the "a" for a "u" and you're in business

[@shitshow2376]

😂 heeyy

[@stefanos_g_ss5434]

And the K for a C

[@williamdowling7718]

@@stefanos_g_ss5434 it's intended as a verbal joke.

[@kjronning1]

No one's impressed thut you spent hours devouring Kant?

[@williamdowling7718]

@@kjronning1 I think they understand that you did.. They just can't figure out why you felt like you should.

[@kunkhope]

I really enjoy your thoughts on the “behind the scenes” process of growth. Could you do one on formal debate, and how that theatre has informed your philosophy?

[@nenmaster5218]

Book-Review-Channel exist, ya know. As well as the channel Brilliant.

[@rreell4372]

The classic reading tip is so upto the mark. I waste almost 2 months reading Pride and Prejudice. Every top book list have this book listed there. And I fall for the trap. Now I read 10 books in that period of time by making right choices.

[@LittleMew133]

Same, I don't like Jane Austen's 😖

[@pfscpublic]

Thanks for the tips. I'm retired but not too old to learn from you Alex, I'd like to offer another reading tip, when given the choice go for hardback over paperback editions because the quality of the paper, line spacing and crisp fonts are so much better leading to less reading fatigue and making prolonged reading easier on the eye under different lights. Hardbacks publication usually pre-date paperbacks so are great for new titles and the pages are far less likely to yellow, fade, or spine breaks or tears than paperbacks over time if you want to keep them in a home library. Yes they cost more, but will last longer but are more enjoyably tactile than cheap paperback paper and binding. If funds and your location allow, support your local book shop and chat to the staff there, they love reading too, offer good advice and pay local taxes! My current read is Alice Procter's new book The Whole Picture.

[@owlcowl]

“Whenever you read a good book, it's like the author is right there, in the room talking to you, which is why I don't like to read good books.” -- Jack Handey.

[@ilovejuicyxx]

ugh so happy I came across this channel a couple months ago, you’re awesome Alex!!!

[@jamesoneill7263]

Feel the exact same about reading, and I read for the exact same reasons you do

[@astaiannymph]

These are great tips. Reading is incredibly difficult for me, but I honestly enjoy the stuff I do read. What got me into really enjoying not just the knowledge from books but also the procees of reading aligns with Alex's tip that you need to take time to read combined with the idea of interacting with a book. That is, when you're reading, you should be actively thinking about it. I personally write down questions I have, and I also argue with books. Sometimes I do this in a separate notebook or journal but often I simply write in the books themselves (esp if I own them). This also helps me know when I'm done with a book.

[@davido1490]

Freakonomics was one of those books that I was forced to read in school so I did the bare minimum to get by. I picked it up a few years ago and I kicked myself for not giving it a real go in school because I actually found it quite interesting

[@uovo]

When intelligence meets intellectual courage. I found this video very refreshing compared to all other videos on this subject. As Spinoza says, we should "think what we like and say what we think".

[@ang5798]

"I mean, do you watch the entirety of Every KZbin video that you watch? Probably not" 👀😶

[@bivekdebnath]

Hey! Its been 4 years , good to see you up and about!!

[@Themuslimtheist]

I am a Muslim but this was generally good advise. I would add a few things: - in general reading one "great book" (a classic) in its entirety is more useful than reading disparate chapters in the manner Alex described. The longer a book has aged, the more likely it is to contain timeless wisdom. -great books sometimes require commentaries which are indispensible -sometimes when reading a book it is important to read the whole thing because it allows you to see internally how everything hangs together, or internal contradictions and inconsistencies in the author's thought. - introduction books written by an expert for a lay audience are probably the most "bang for your buck" books out there. You can grasp all the broad questions in a field and understand the current answers in just one book, with little prerequisite study. -read books you strongly disagree with or from perspectives you strongly disagree with. Your perspective with broaden. Doing this is also sometimes the most useful way to refute said position; instead of reading an argument for evolution, to use alex's example, you can read a book making as strong a case as possible for creationism and then make note of the authors internal inconsistencies or unjustified premises. It is also more fair than reading merely to refute -there are central books to every field and not-so central books. Time is usually better spent on central books provided you have the background to understand it That's all that comes to mind for now.

[@vals4207]

Why are you muslim tho?

[@Themuslimtheist]

@@vals4207 open.spotify.com/episode/0QrRXYilZe2p3Jkp0NWhot

[@Alaa-zi4rt]

These were probably the most useful tips I've come across about reading! I really needed the reassurance that reading isnt always enjoyable. I needed to hear that quantity didnt matter but only read what interests you and it's fine to skip the classics which lead me to deleting my goodreads challenge and letting go of that burden and feelings of guilt. Thanks Alex!

[@harrypotteravenclaw]

"They'll be impressed with the results of your reading, not the reading itself"

[@youwaisef]

Interesting advice. I've never heard anyone recommend the first tip of reading properly instead of reading whenever possible. It seems sensible now that I've heard it. I think you've convinced me of that one. I seriously struggle with reading yet would like to push through and develop a 'muscle' for it because of the same reason you gave, which is the efficiency and benefit of reading. I think this video was just great. I will take a look at it over and over again in the future, I feel.

[@islandurth]

"You know that book you have sitting on your shelf from last year?" Oh no... "That you definitely going to get back to and finish reading, you're not fooling anyone." omg he knows!!!!!!

[@StorieswithBigMike]

Love these tips! So much more humble and candid than most reading tips I’ve seen.

[@神の人-f2k]

I like reading non-fiction. It's an unpopular opinion but I, quite often, find fiction boring.

[@chefren77]

The older I get, the more I find that I drift in this direction too.

[@carlystur]

I feel the same way for the most part. At first, I found Fantastic Voyage kind of boring and then I kind of got into it. It was for a household bookclub kind of thing, except we all read our own books and describe what we learn from it after each reading session.

[@thucydides7849]

The more you read non fiction the more you find that real life is just as cool as made up stories

[@magisterrleth3129]

It's a rare fiction series that can grab my attention, but I'll avidly snap up anything on the World Wars. Or anything history-related that was authored by a primary source. The older, the better. One of my favorites is Fukuzawa Yukichi, a Japanese scholar who witnessed the Meiji Restoration in its entirety. He was a very intelligent man, and his writings are thoughtful and observant. I particularly enjoyed his memoirs on visiting Europe and America, because they have a "fish out of water" sort of tone. Western culture was as fascinating as it was alien to him.

[@ChrisChoi123]

try the Three Body Problem trilogy by Liu Cixin

[@coena9377]

1) I’ve found this to be true for me. I tried the whole “always have a book on hand” thing because I’d also heard that advice but just found myself constantly rereading sections. For most books for me, a reading session is only time well spent if I complete a full section, for most books that means finishing a chapter but it depends on how the specific author organized the book. I think part of this might be that I have ADHD and so attention regulation is something I struggle with, if I get interrupted during a task, getting back into is difficult and negatively impacts my comprehension. 2) This is really good advice and something I hadn’t thought of before. I also just downloaded audiobooks so I’ll try that out. I also can’t really comprehend books in that format, but for books I wouldn’t otherwise read at all that’s okay I suppose. 3) Haha, this is definitely me. I’m pretty much constantly cycling through books and start way more than I finish. Sometimes I go back to them, usually I don’t. For me, it doesn’t really get in the way of my reading since I have no reservations about starting a new book even if there are four or five other books I’m already reading. This is also pretty common for people with ADHD. 4) This is why I love textbooks and nonfiction. You can look at the table of contents and know what sections you’re interested in. 5) I agree with this on principle, but can’t apply it to my own life because I was homeschooled. 6) Good advice. For fiction, I’ll only read books I enjoy, but with nonfiction I always have an ulterior motive (usually just to learn more, sometimes also to complete a school assignment). If I enjoy nonfiction, that’s great, but it’s not why I’m doing it. I will say I think exercising is a better analogy than food as without food your body can’t operate but without reading your mind can operate, just not at its best. Also, like reading, exercise can be done poorly which can actually damage your body. 7) This is really great. I really hate when people brag about just the quantity they’ve read. There was this one book KZbinr who I remember made a video where she bragged about having read over 100 books in a year, but when she talked about the books she read, a lot of them were kids books that could probably be read in a single sitting (she also was one of those that recommended always having a book with you so you could read while waiting for a bus). Now, clearly she enjoyed her reading, and that’s great, it’s good she found something that works for her. But she clearly also had different reading goals than me and probably most people. One thing that helps me when reading, and this relates to several of the points you made, is to know why I’m reading a book. That helps me decide how to go about it effectively. If it’s fiction, I’m almost certainly reading it for personal pleasure. So if the story is one I find myself immediately hooked on and am enjoying, then I’m getting out of that reading what I should be. If the book is nonfiction, I’m trying to learn something I value knowing. If I can explain the topics and concepts to someone else, then I’ve done this pretty well. If it’s for school, I’m trying to understand the concepts of the course. Textbooks don’t always help with this, I often skip assigned reading because the textbook just isn’t good and I can find a better explanation somewhere else.

[@Fukuro14]

ADHD has entered the chat SMH.

[@Ricocossa1]

Same here. But you can still read

[@miracyrus1053]

Same 😓

[@Fukuro14]

@@Ricocossa1 Yeah it's just overall an extremely painful and restless situation for me except when I hyperfocus and that rarely happens.

[@setlerking]

The Wolf狼 I don’t have adhd specifically but I have focus issues. I’ve done audiobooks in that sub optimal way. I play (simple) video games and listen to audiobooks. It helps me big time. I actually retain more information that way because I can associate images with the words subconsciously. I try to play different games with every book or chapter. It works really well, I’d def recommend it

[@loadless2265]

@@Fukuro14 yeah, I've been reading the same chapter for a week now, slowly but surely.

[@Pfizenmaier]

So well spoken, as usual. Thanks for the great and thoughtful tips. I hope I can apply those one day to my studies. Keep up the good work Alex!

[@planetary-rendez-vous]

How astonishing... to not like reading. And yet he's reading tons more than me. Meanwhile I like reading and "having read" BUT I don't read anything. I'm beaten.

[@thedivinezero4117]

SAME

[@CoryBaldwin85]

I am one of those rare people I guess that watch 95% of videos in there entirety. I always think there is a hidden nugget near the end of the video. I've done that in my videos just to see who may comment about it. Excellent video, I really enjoyed your perspective on reading or listening to books in short burst (filling down time) that you wouldn't have normally read, structure your reading time for what you want to consume. Im in this boat usually when someone recommends a book and want me to read it so we can talk about it. Cheers

[@Sparkball]

21:21 that’s why the question: “how many books you read in a year?” Is monstrously imbecilic

[@nehalmedh623]

One of the few videos that have genuinely added value and perspective! Many thanks, young sir!

[@SuperKaBlooey]

I'd never read Nietzsche, other philosophers, or literary fiction in ten minute bursts, but if there was a young adult novel recommended to me by several of my friends I might read something like that while waiting for the bus.

[@jameskoleff6281]

Honestly I think this is my favorite video from you. This is really good advice.

[@buzzardbeatniks]

“I hate writing, I love having written.” - Dorothy Parker

[@Spacevalentine]

this video is perfect - called me out like i needed to be and what you said about specialising your reading is a game changer it makes so much sense! especially because i’m trying to get a good baseline on topics in philosophy my time is definitely better spent reading a bit of lots of works rather than the whole of descartes’ meditations etc. thank you as always alex

[@selfsustainability9471]

Video review: Hi sir, I just watched the video and enjoyed your perspective and your tips. Nevertheless, in the beginning of the video, you claimed that "reading is clearly the most effective way of learning". And from there I started a dispute. I had some spare time on my hands so I decided to go all-in. This is a critique of some parts of your video. 1. Reading isn't even close to being the best way to learn. 2. Honestly, reading it's very time ineffective. 3. Some arguments just don't make sense. Let me explain: (Note: I'm not against the practice of reading itself. Reading has A LOT of benefits, as it strengthens the brain, builds vocabulary, prevents cognitive decline, reduces stress, aids sleep, alleviates depression, and much more...Reading for the enjoyment of reading is GOOD, but I'd say that fiction is without a doubt more enjoyable than reading self-help books.) Firstly, reading ISN'T clearly the most effective way of learning. Simply looking up "The Learning Pyramid", on google, will conclude that the average retention rate of reading, after 24 hours, is about 10%. This means that, if you do not take any other more effective learning styles into action after reading, then in 1 day, you will only be able to recall about 10% of what you had read the night before. Acknowledging this, with what you said about other variables, a.k.a. not reading "properly", then we've got quite a mess. Most likely, after 1 day, you will only be able to recall the "core lessons" of what you read. In 1 week, half of those lessons, and 1 month, you will have forgotten that you even read. If that's the case, then you might as well just read a summary of the book and then apply other learning methods, such as group discussion, practice by doing or teaching others, AND STILL get more out of it than just reading it. Secondly, talking about the "self-help genre" of books. For an author to get to publish any book, it must be a certain amount of pages OR words long for the publishing companies to accept it. Most books "core lessons" - including examples, stories, metaphors, and what not - could be summarized in about 10-80 pages, depending on the book. That's probably also why you "don't like reading", because all books, more often than not, 80% of the content is going to be a bunch of rubbish. Just so that "the book" can be classed as "a book" by the publishing companies. This is also why so many self-help books get left on the shelf half-read. Because the books are filled with crap. A case in point would be after having read J.B.P's book "12 Rules for Life", such rubbish, the whole book could be summarised and learned in 10 A4-pages and a discussing the content in a group afterward, instead of reading 450 pages of biblical references and forgetting everything in 3 days. Then OF COURSE if you REALLY enjoy the summary of the book and feel an urge for even more insight, THEN go ahead and either borrow the book from your local library or purchase it. We really seem to be on the same page about this in a sense, since you said "reading should be about how much you mentally learn, not how much you physically read" Lastly, a list of arguments I disagree about: *Your argument in "Make time to read" about reading a book as it's intended, highly counter the argument in "Don't finish every book" about skipping chapters. I don't really see what point you're trying to make.* *Your argument in "Don't finish every book" about that "multitasking is fine" - I'd say multitasking is a side effect of a lacking attention span. Seeing as the human attention span has decreased from 12 seconds in 2000 to 8 seconds in 2013, we now have a shorter attention span than the Gold Fish, which has an attention span of 9 seconds. I believe practicing your attention-span and forcing oneself to pay attention for longer periods of time is healthy* *Your argument about "not finishing everything is fine" ALSO counter your own opinions about consuming content as the author intended.* *Your argument in "Specialise your reading" about taking bits and pieces of information from different books, is an OK method, a more efficient method would be looking up summaries of scientific papers about the topic at hand instead* All in all, good ideas, but reading isn't close to being the most effective way of LEARNING. The most effective ways are group discussions and teaching. Books are almost always way longer than the information they obtain. Reading is good, just not if you need to remember everything being said and learn from it. That's why book summaries exist. And some of your arguments do not make sense. Cheers!

[@karlsonpabolaget7287]

Totally agree!

[@Ashreee-ts3id]

You are so smart and intelligent person Alex! Wow im astounded Thank you for this beautiful comprehensive video ❤