Zero to Well-Read

Episode: "How to Hone Your Reading Skills, What Makes a Good Reading Goal, and More from the Mailbag"

Date: March 24, 2026
Hosts: Jeff O'Neal & Rebecca Schinsky

Episode Overview

In this lively, wide-ranging mailbag episode, Jeff and Rebecca tackle listener questions and comments covering everything from reading evaluation strategies, when to DNF (did not finish) a book, setting and reaching reading goals, reading diversely, and the enduring power of the canon. They share resources, commiserate with common reader dilemmas, and offer practical, irreverent advice — all while keeping the tone welcoming and witty. If you’ve ever wondered how to get more from your reading life, this episode is packed with rich insights and both philosophical and practical tips.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Improving Reading Evaluation & Articulation Skills

Listener Amanda: Wants to better articulate what she enjoys/dislikes about books and assess quality beyond enjoyment.

• Jeff:

  • You must start with your own reaction, but don't end there.

    “There is no way that I am aware of in which you can put your Amanda-ness or your Rebecca-ness or your Jeff-ness to the side and engage cyborg brain to come to sort of some evaluation of it… Your own reaction becomes the subject of scrutiny.” — Jeff [03:56]

  • Key questions: Does the book feel real? New? What is it good at?
  • Scrutinize not just the text but your response: why are you reacting in a given way? What are you bringing as a reader?

• Rebecca:

  • Look for what feels alive: Is the language electric? Are character relationships believable?

    “Does it feel alive? And if the answer to that is yes, then what about this feels alive to me?” — Rebecca [06:38]

  • Try reading in print with a pen, mark intriguing passages, look for patterns.
  • Build scaffolding by consuming lots of good books, noticing intertextuality, and experimenting across genres — much like learning to appreciate film or wine.

• Both:

  • Practice is key. Connect your reactions to specific moments in the text.
  • Texts are made from visible “source code”— so “close reading” is accessible to all.

    “There are no secrets… The text, all the letters are there in a row.” — Jeff [08:46]

2. To DNF or Not to DNF (Abandoning Books)

Listener Hugh: Struggles with whether to finish or abandon books he’s bored by.

• Jeff:

  • Sometimes you finish, sometimes you DNF — you’ll probably guess wrong sometimes.
  • Suggested “coin flip therapy” for practice; flipping a coin can help build a habit of both finishing and quitting.
  • There can be benefits to pushing through unengaging books (for insight into your own tastes or for building stamina with challenging texts).

• Rebecca:

  • Very “pro DNF.” If you’re forcing yourself, ask “why?”

    “There are just too many books… Just deciding for yourself what’s important… Maybe let yourself off the hook a little.” — Rebecca [15:26]

  • Try putting a book down and see if you return to it after a few days.
  • Trusted reviewers can help you decide if a book is worth finishing.
  • Reading goals/expectations matter: If you seek knowledge (e.g., canonical texts), pushing through may be the point; if pleasure, DNF freely.

3. Setting & Measuring Reading Goals

Listener Olga: Wants to read more diversely, especially translated authors, and is thinking about goals.

• Jeff:

  • Doesn’t track number of books read but pays attention to author diversity.
  • Aims to reflect US demographic diversity (as a baseline), but not rigidly.
  • Also considers time period and genre for a richer reading spread.

• Rebecca:

  • Echoes that “goals should step you just outside your comfort zone.”
  • Keep it manageable: “One or two [goals] per year are more than enough.” — [22:14]
  • Volume isn’t everything — focus on what you’re reading and how you select it (e.g., reading in a new language or genre).

Listener Kate: Is focusing on reading one book a week, but also trying genres and popular books she wouldn’t usually pick up.

• Rebecca:

  • Advocates reading with a “curious mind.”
  • Reading outside your norm (especially popular books) can be fascinating from an “anthropologist” viewpoint — ask “what is the deal with this book?” even if you don’t love it.

• Jeff:

  • Popular phenomena are worth studying—sometimes what makes a hit isn’t “quality,” but a unique hook.

    “Often it’s that strangeness that’s compelling… not all the books at the end of the grocery store are for me, but I always find it interesting…” — Jeff [24:49]

4. Reading as an Intentional Practice

Listener Carol: Reads a lot, wants to be intentional and do more “immersive” reading—pairing fiction and nonfiction on a theme.

• Jeff:
  • “Short courses”: Pairing books creates synergy and depth.
• Rebecca:
  • Use interviews, articles, or podcasts as lighter nonfiction companions.
  • For example, pairing Isabel Wilkerson’s The Warmth of Other Suns with Their Eyes Were Watching God or Baldwin’s Go Tell it On the Mountain. [29:03]
• Embraces podcasts and other media as ways to expand the reading experience.

5. Classics, Canon, & Being “Well-Read”

• Standard Ebooks: A listener recommends standarebooks.org, a curated resource for free public domain ebooks with higher quality than many free alternatives.

  “There’s really no reason to pay $8.99 for a digital version of a book [in the public domain].” — Jeff [33:12]

• What does it mean to be well-read?

  “That is a point of being well-read… knowing something of that history informs its current state of being.” — Jeff [41:18]

  • No trophy is coming; it’s about enriching your experience and recognizing references and conversations among writers.
  • Don’t suffer through classics with harmful content if it’s not worth it to you — summary/recap media can give you context without the pain.

6. User-Requested Books & Reading the Canon

Popular Requests:
Scarlet Letter, Tale of Two Cities, Frankenstein, Pride & Prejudice, Middlemarch, Beowulf, Diary of Anne Frank and more

• Jeff and Rebecca’s Approach:
  • They consider popularity, upcoming adaptations (strong predictor for inclusion), and teachability/value.
  • They use “anniversaries, adaptations, and enduring interest” to guide selection. [42:26]
  • Pride & Prejudice and Frankenstein: Absolutely on the to-do list.
  • Middlemarch stans (“the Infinite Jest for grad students”) — it will happen, but not soon!
  • Diary of Anne Frank: High interest, especially given how the book’s sophisticated structure and context is often underappreciated [53:20].

7. Book Clubs and Reading Communities

Listener Anne: Asks if they’ll ever run a book club tied to the podcast.

• Jeff and Rebecca:
  • They value the “relational” aspect of book clubs but cite scale, moderation, and business realities as hurdles.
  • Technical/book club logistics are tough — finding the right intimacy is hard with big online groups.
  • Their ideal alternative? Find just one book buddy:

    “Maybe you don’t need a book club. Maybe you need one reading buddy.” — Rebecca [73:43]

8. Community Recommendations, Anecdotes & Notable Listener Moments

• Notable resource: Standard Ebooks for accessible, well-made digital classics [33:12].
• Joy Luck Club anecdotes: How books hit differently across time, genders, and family context [62:43-64:06].
• 100 Years of Solitude: Listeners report heavy family and community re-reading; “famous because it’s good – but also famous because it’s famous.” — Jeff [65:00]
• Little Women: Many learned about it and performed it in school plays; kids “playing Little Women” was a real thing [67:36].
• Project Hail Mary follow-up: On Rocky's genderlessness—brilliant detail, meaningful to readers beyond the binary [58:17].

  “I really liked the idea of a planet where sex or gender doesn’t necessarily play a key role in your life.” — Listener Melissa [58:17]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Does it feel alive? And if the answer to that is yes, then what about this feels alive to me?” – Rebecca [06:38]
• “All the letters are there in a row... there are no secrets [in books].” – Jeff [08:46]
• “There are just too many books… let yourself off the hook a little.” – Rebecca [15:26]
• “If you’re a literary anthropologist, it can be an extraordinarily interesting reading experience.” – Jeff [24:13]
• “You’re not going to get a trophy descending from the heavens for being ‘well-read’.” – Rebecca [41:28]
• “Sometimes, a book grows in your estimation as you have more time to marinate with it.” – Rebecca [71:58]
• “Maybe you don’t need a book club. Maybe you need one reading buddy.” – Rebecca [73:43]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• General reading & evaluation: [03:09–11:16]
• When to DNF: [13:39–19:25]
• Reading goals, diversity, & intention: [19:25–31:12]
• Resources (Standard Ebooks): [31:12–33:22]
• Classics/canon requests: [40:39–54:51]
• Book clubs / communities: [33:31–40:35], [72:54–74:52]
• Listener stories & book culture: [62:43–69:01]
• Project Hail Mary & gender: [57:58–60:49]
• Final reflections (reading buddies): [73:43–74:52]

Summary Takeaways

• Evaluating books is a skill honed by practice, reflection, and consuming a variety of works — start with your own response but work outward, building a vocabulary for “what” and “why.”
• Reading goals should be tailored, achievable, and focused on curiosity and intentionality rather than raw volume.
• Don’t feel obligated to finish every book — permission granted to DNF.
• Literary culture is richer for its variety: read outside your comfort zone, sample “popular” titles, and pair fiction and nonfiction for new context.
• Being “well-read” isn’t about the trophy, but about recognizing the deep river of conversation that runs through literature.
• Finding one great reading buddy to discuss finished books with is often more satisfying than a big book club.
• The Zero to Well-Read community is vibrant and resourceful — keep sharing your stories, goals, and questions!

Contact & Community:

“Let’s keep [questions and anecdotes] coming at zero to well read at bookriot.com…” — Jeff [75:00]