Zero to Well-Read — Episode Summary

Podcast: Zero to Well-Read
Episode: How to Read More (and Better) in 2026
Hosts: Jeff O’Neal (A), Rebecca Schinsky (B)
Date: December 30, 2025

Overview

In this special year-end episode, Jeff and Rebecca tackle one of their most common listener questions: how to read more — and better — in the new year. They approach reading not as a competition, but as a customizable, meaningful practice, sharing strategies for increasing reading volume, improving your book selection, and enriching the reading experience itself. Throughout, they blend practical advice, irreverent humor, and a deeply personal, anti-prescriptive tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Philosophy of Reading More & Better

• Reading is a Personal Journey:
  "There's a sweet spot for every reader and it's different for every reader — of how much space books take up in your life and you get to decide what the sweet spot is." (B, 04:01)

• Rejecting Prescriptive Approaches:
  "Nowhere in today's episode will you get a list from us of what you have to check off in order for your reading life to be a good one or a valuable one. That's up to you." (B, 05:01)

• The Continuum of ‘Well-Read’:
  "'Well-Read' is like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. You're never going to quite get there...it’s the journey.' (A, 05:30)

The State of Reading Today

• Pleasure Reading Is Declining:
  Only 16% of Americans read for pleasure on any given day, down from 28% in 2004 — a 40% drop. Even at the height of recorded data, readers have always been a minority. (B, 07:11)

• All Types of Reading Matter:
  While this episode skews toward richer, more challenging reads, both hosts affirm the legitimacy and variety of all reading — from classics to Dan Brown. (A & B, 09:47)

Section 1: How to Read More

Three Levers for a Richer Reading Life:

1. Volume: Simply read more.
2. Title Selection: Choose different or better books.
3. Skill Set: Develop habits or toolkits for deeper engagement. (A, 05:30-07:11)

Practical Tips

• Take Inventory:
  Track what you’ve read, your satisfaction with those books, and diversity of genre or authors tackled. "What gets measured gets managed." (B, 11:07)

• Set Your Own Targets:
  Don't default to a book or page count; set goals tailored to your interests — e.g., "I want to read five kinds of books I’ve never read before." (B, 15:35)

• Opportunity Cost:
  "To pick something up, you have to put something down... If you’re going to do more of one thing, it makes sense you have to put something down." (A, 18:31)

• Habit Formation:
  Start a low-barrier “streak” — just one page a day to build consistency and reduce friction. (A, 19:37)

• Reduce Reading Friction:
  Make books available in every format — print, eBook, audio. Always have your next read lined up to avoid dry spells. (A & B, 21:50, 23:45)

  “Having books available to you...is huge. When I finish one book and I’m in the momentum, I want to carry that forward.” (B, 23:45)

Managing Expectations & Accountability

• Expect Reading to Feel Unnatural at First:
  Building the habit takes time; not every session will feel magical. (A, 25:35)

  “It takes some time. And you may not even find those first 3, 5, 7, 10 reading sessions pleasurable... You’re doing work. Think of it as like, your brain hasn’t been to the gym in a while.” (A, 25:46)

• Accountability and Social Sharing:
  A reading buddy, book club, or simply discussing books with others increases both enjoyment and follow-through. (B, 27:00-28:32)

  "Even books we really don't like become interesting if you get to talk about them." (A, 27:29)

• Announcing Your Goals:
  Telling others about your reading ambitions (analogously to quitting smoking) makes you more likely to stick with them due to social reinforcement (A, 28:32)

Section 2: Confronting Screen Time

• Know Your Phone Is Often the Main Distraction:
  Every 30 minutes swapped from scrolling to reading can add several books a month to your tally. (B, 30:20)

  "What are you really getting from the scrolling that is better than what you would be getting if you’re a person who's listening to this episode...?" (B, 30:20)

• Increase Friction for Screens, Lower It for Reading:
  Use screen time management apps, do-not-disturb settings, or simply keep your phone out of the room during reading time. (B, 31:59)

  "Make it harder to do the things you don’t want to do, like scrolling, and easier to do the thing that you do want to do, which is read more." (B, 31:59)

• Test Non-Screen Time:
  Try 10 days of sitting without digital input to retrain your attention span before filling it with books. (A, 32:39)

Section 3: How to Pick (and DNF) Better Books

• Don’t Default to the Bestsellers or Algorithm:
  Go beyond the surface: ask librarians, visit indie bookstores, and explore prize lists or curated recommendations — “one step deeper.” (A, 35:51)

• Booksellers/Librarians > Algorithms:
  Unlike algorithms, “booksellers and librarians are trained in this — to really get what you liked about something and suggest books based on your interests beneath the surface.” (B, 39:22)

• Knowing When to Let Go:
  Distinguish between the discomfort of a challenge and actual suffering.

  "If you could describe your reading experience...as suffering...I think that's when you need probably to let it down, put it down." (A, 41:33)

• Give Yourself Permission to DNF:

  “Do not squander your life on books that aren't serving whatever it is you're trying to reach with your reading goals.” (B, 43:20)

Section 4: Deepen Your Reading Practice

Skill-Set for Enriched Reading

• Read with a Student’s Mindset:
  Annotate—underline, jot notes, or record your impressions however works best.

  “Your book is yours. Annotate it, take notes...an extra layer of processing really enriches the reading experience.” (B, 46:32)

• Review and Reflect:
  Take a moment after finishing a book: revisit your notes, journal, talk to someone about the book, or add a quote to your commonplace book. (A & B, 47:49-50:36)

  “What's your postcard version of your trip to Italy for this book?” (A, 49:41)

• Talk About It:
  Explaining a book to someone, even if they haven’t read it, helps deepen your engagement. (B, 50:36)

• Slow Down and Notice:
  Go beyond speed or even liking: "Slowing down inhibits your page count. But remember, the page count is only a means to an end. The end is to have a richer, meaningful, sustaining, awesome reading life." (A, 56:57)

  “Put in the parking lot ‘liking/not liking’ as your primary heuristic for encountering a book...that opens up space for a lot of different kinds of encounter.” (A, 57:54)

• Intentional Context-Seeking:
  When reading work outside your culture or time period, read introductions or listen to author interviews post-read for richer context. (A & B, 52:04–54:59)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Value of Reading, Regardless of Volume:
  "Most folks aren't going to read 150 books like you or I will in a year. That's totally fine. Because, as you note here, most people don't read. So already, giving it a shot...you're in a hallowed minority and we salute you." (A, 02:40)

• On Reading Goals and Satisfaction:
  "How many of the books you read this year are you glad you read? What's your satisfaction percentage? That's huge." (B, 11:07)

• On the Algorithm vs. Human Recommenders:
  “What booksellers and librarians do that the algorithm can't do is hear the thing under the thing when you talk about what you liked in a book.” (B, 39:22)

• On DNF Permission:
  "Do not squander your life on books that aren't serving whatever it is you're trying to reach with your reading goals." (B, 43:20)

• On Enrichment Over Metrics:
  “The richest books are going to have moments that aren't about liking it or pleasure...but at some point...if you're suffering and it's really damaging your relationship to reading, that's when I would put it down.” (A, 44:57)

• On Building a Rich Reading Life:
  “The end is to have a richer, meaningful, sustaining, awesome reading life. And you can do that reading six books a year and you can do that reading 600.” (A, 56:57)

Timestamps to Key Segments

• (01:57) Main Discussion Starts: Setting goals for reading more & better
• (07:11) The Decline in American Pleasure Reading
• (11:07) Inventory, Tracking, and Setting Satisfying Goals
• (15:35) Choosing Personalized Targets
• (18:31) Opportunity Cost: Making Space for Reading
• (19:37) Habit Formation and Streaks
• (21:50, 23:45) Reducing Friction, Managing Dry Spells
• (25:35) Managing Expectations and Building Accountability
• (28:32) Importance of Social and Public Reading Goals
• (30:20) Dealing with Screen Time
• (35:51) Choosing Better Books: Curation Beyond the Algorithm
• (41:33) Knowing When to DNF
• (46:29) Deep Reading Skills: Annotation, Review, and Processing
• (56:57) Slowing Down, Deep Engagement, and Beyond ‘Liking’

Tone & Final Thoughts

Jeff and Rebecca maintain their signature playful, self-aware tone—frequently poking fun at reading snobbery and their own habits, while remaining deeply earnest about the value of books.

They urge listeners to set their own definitions of a "successful" reading life, find joy in the process, and resist external or algorithmic pressures to read for quantity or trendiness. The episode is a warm, practical, and empowering call for richer, more deliberate reading in 2026.

To the listeners:

“Happy New Year to you all...have a great year in reading.” (A & B, 62:57–63:13)