The Read Well Podcast

Episode 118: “Reading Deeply Takes Practice”

Host: Eddy Hood
Date: November 17, 2025

Episode Overview

This week, Eddy Hood dives deep into the question: “Does reading deeply ever get any easier?” Using vivid personal anecdotes and practical examples, he explores why deep reading is a practiced skill, not an innate ability. Eddy also shares a heartfelt update on his ongoing bookstore project and, in his signature style, wraps up with a delightfully quirky book recommendation. Expect empathy, wisdom, and a call to treat reading as a lifelong craft.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Deep Reading as a Skill – Not an Innate Talent

• Initial Struggle: Eddy recounts his early frustration with deep reading, describing his scattered attention and self-doubt.

  “I felt like my brain was left, right, and center, couldn't stay focused on a specific idea for longer than a few minutes.” (00:10)

• Practice Makes Progress: With time, and focus, deep reading becomes easier. There’s a direct analogy to learning a musical instrument:
  • Just as mastering guitar requires scales, training, and discipline, reading well demands similar conscious practice.

  “Reading is the same way… you have to put your time in as a guitarist... Reading is exactly the same.” (03:52)

• Building Intellectual Context: Each book you read fills your “glass” with new thoughts and experiences—carried forward into your next reading and beyond.
  • Over time, connections and insights multiply.

  “When you open up the next book, you'll start to add to those ideas. And after four or five books, you're going to start seeing things change about your thought process. And it's really exciting.” (05:25)

2. The Importance of Conscious Choice in Reading

• Intentional Habit: You don’t accidentally become a deep reader—just as no one “accidentally” practices guitar or learns to paint.

  “I'm never going to accidentally read books... I actually have to make the choice that I'm going to have a reading hour of some kind.” (08:53)

• Battling Distraction: The easy path (Netflix, social media) always beckons; it takes purpose to sit with a book and engage fully.

3. The Rewards of Practiced Reading

• Personal Growth: Deep readers exhibit profound thoughtfulness; conversations with them have a unique depth.

  “The conversation is entirely different than somebody who just simply doesn't read books... There is a layered sense... they've practiced thinking.” (11:55)

• Philosophical Insights: Eddy shares an example from his current read, An Immense World by Ed Yong, uncovering the concept of 'Umwelt'—how every being perceives the world uniquely.

  “The Umwelt is sort of that sentient being's perception of their environment based off of what they're capable of sensing and experiencing.” (06:55)

• Cumulative Wisdom: Key ideas, like 'Umwelt', travel with you—enriching not only your reading but your writing, conversations, and worldview.

4. Bookstore Update – A Hard Setback

• Due Diligence Hits Hard:
  • Eddy’s dream of opening a physical bookstore in Bountiful, Utah, is put on hold after discovering serious building flaws: a major roof leak, mold, and shrinking parking space due to ownership issues.

  “There is a major hole in the roof... water has gotten down into the walls... there's just mold everywhere. And I cannot have mold in a cafe, in a bookstore sort of situation.” (16:32)

• Decision to Walk Away: After extensive worry and sleepless nights, Eddy decides to withdraw from the deal.

  “I decided to pull the plug on the building. And I say that with a heavy heart.” (21:46)

• Looking Forward: Despite disappointment, Eddy reaffirms his commitment to his online bookstore and promises that all Kickstarter funds will be preserved for future projects or improvements to the reading community.

  “I have a dream. I'm going to achieve my dream... I'm achieving my dream. I have an online bookstore... and it is thriving and doing well.” (22:37)

5. Book Recommendation – Finding Humor in Existentialism

• Recommended Read: All My Friends Are Dead by Avery Monson and Jory John — a quirky, darkly comedic cartoon book.

  “It's all about different entities... All of them eventually having to face their inevitable end and how they're dealing with it. I just think it's hilarious.” (27:01)

• Philosophical Fit: Eddy, currently studying existentialism, appreciates how this simple book delivers existential ideas with humor, making it perfect for a stressful week:

  “I read it in all of two minutes... laughed loudly because it made me feel so good.” (28:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It's more important to read well than to be well read.” (01:22)
• “Why don't we see reading as a skill that needs to be practiced? It absolutely is.” (10:30)
• “That unbelt is now in my glass, right? I'm carrying it with me and I will take it to my next book...” (07:58)
• “It was a beautiful building. I have a dream. I'm going to achieve my dream...” (22:37)
• “Keep your chin up people. It's going to be a great week. We're going to create a great reading community here. And one day, yes, we will have a bookstore. Do not worry about that for now. Let's stay on path. Let's continue to read slowly, take notes and apply the ideas.” (30:44)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00 – 03:52: Eddy’s intro & the question: Does deep reading get easier?
• 03:52 – 08:53: Deep reading as a practiced skill; the guitar analogy.
• 08:53 – 12:55: Conscious choice in reading; battling distraction; reading as a habit.
• 06:55 – 07:58: The concept of ‘Umwelt’ from An Immense World.
• 16:32 – 23:05: Bookstore update: inspection woes, heartbreak, and decision to withdraw.
• 27:01 – 29:20: Book review: All My Friends Are Dead and its existential humor.

Closing Thoughts

Eddy’s heartfelt honesty and practical wisdom make this episode a reassuring guide for every reader struggling to read more deeply. Through setbacks and successes, he models resilience and rigorous curiosity, reminding listeners that every minute spent reading with intention is an act of growth.

Action steps:

• See your reading habit as a skill to be honed—like music or art.
• Make intentional time for deep reading.
• Cherish and build on each idea you take from the page.
• And, in tough weeks, don’t forget to laugh a little—sometimes with a cartoon dinosaur contemplating existence.

For more resources and daily reading tips, visit: thereadwellpodcast.com