Zero to Well-Read: "What We've Learned Returning to the Great Books"
Podcast: Zero to Well-Read (Book Riot)
Date: December 23, 2025
Hosts: Jeff O'Neill and Rebecca Schinsky
Main Theme & Purpose
In this season wrap-up episode, Jeff and Rebecca reflect on their journey through a diverse selection of "great books," sharing candid lessons, surprises, and insights gleaned from revisiting classics and contemporary must-reads. They openly discuss how the show’s structure has reshaped their reading habits and appreciation for literature. The episode features highlights from the season, listener mailbag questions, thoughts on future directions, and meta-reflections on what it means to encounter the literary canon as adults—part book club, part English class, and always irreverently passionate.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Season Reflections & Format Evolution
- The season’s setup—reading 14 books in as many weeks—has deeply influenced both hosts’ approach to reading and their relationship with classics.
- Rebecca: “…to do 14 books basically over 14 weeks and to have this…it’s been a much more intense reading experience. But it has really shifted how I read, how I’m thinking about my reading, [and] what I want from reading.” [06:57]
- They wanted to create a show engaging for a wide range of readers—those returning to, or new to, revered books from literary history.
- The podcast format intentionally melds close reading, historical grounding, and personal reflection, aiming for something “part English class, part book club—if your English class was more like a book club.” [15:58-16:09]
- Both hosts express a sense of awe and expanded appreciation; books like Gatsby resonated differently and more powerfully than in their younger years.
2. Why These Books Matter (Still)
- Many “great books,” far from feeling like outdated artifacts, remain relevant, surprising, and emotionally potent when read with adult eyes.
- Rebecca: “How present and relevant most of these books still feel—and how useful they can still be—has been a great surprise and a real eye opener…” [12:43]
- The hosts highlight how connections and intertextuality arise organically between the works; classics are in unplanned conversation with one another.
- Jeff: “There’s internal connections, illusions and connectivity that you have to do the work of reading it to really see…” [17:49]
3. Approaching the Canon (and Avoiding Rankings)
- Instead of ranking or judging (“I liked it/I didn’t like it”), the hosts try to answer:
- "What is this about? What is it trying to do? What can I take from it—even if I don't like it?" [19:48-20:12]
- They find liberation in moving away from simply seeking personal enjoyment; deeper fulfillment comes from challenge, discovery, and meaning.
- Rebecca: "What if my goal with reading is to get something out of it…to learn something or to be challenged or stretched?" [20:14]
4. Structure, Newsletter, and Community
- The show now offers a free newsletter (starting Jan 2026), providing show notes and reading lists, seen as a “mini syllabus” for each episode. [02:41]
- Listeners are encouraged to share feedback and book suggestions ([02:41], [55:07]).
- The mix of contextual history and personal reflection will stay, as listeners overwhelmingly prefer it versus just surface-level “hot takes.” [14:08]
5. Listener Mailbag Highlights
- Navigating Toni Morrison: For those wary of The Bluest Eye’s traumatic content, Sula or the short story "Recitatif" are recommended as slightly “safer” entry points, though Morrison is never easy reading. [50:24-51:38]
- Long Books Dilemma: For true epics (e.g., Moby Dick, Ulysses), they're contemplating multi-episode arcs or creative approaches—acknowledging 90 minutes isn't enough. [52:50-54:51]
- Translation and Annotation Advice: Choose the most recent translation for clarity and supporting material; don't be afraid to use multiple editions or library resources. [60:08-63:19]
- Covering Series/Genre Titles: The first book in a series is always “on the list” if culturally significant (e.g., The Golden Compass)—full runs are unlikely, but strong single episodes can spotlight such books. [57:11-59:39]
- Mixing Genres: They aim to thread genre-defining works (sci-fi, romance, mystery) into the main show rather than create dedicated “genre” seasons, underlining that great genre books belong in the canon. [55:52-57:11]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On the Changing Experience of Reading Classics:
- Rebecca: “If you have not approached these books since you were a teenager, bringing your adult self to them will be gratifying and exciting in ways you haven’t expected…Gatsby…really, really hit.” [24:03]
On Why Great Books Endure:
- Jeff: “…the march of history in the arts is not a meritocracy…but sometimes something that sticks around does do something different…gives you an opportunity and a challenge that’s unlike other things…” [10:59]
Most Memorable Scenes & Characters (Superlatives)
- Jeff (on Hamlet): “…The readiness is all. And I don’t know what to do with it. And I think that’s why it sticks with me…It is to sort of step outside of themselves.” [30:15]
- Rebecca (Their Eyes Were Watching God): “Janie hanging out on the porch of the shop and the banter and the storytelling and how sharp those moments are; you can feel the southern night air.” [31:41]
- Rebecca (Midnight’s Children): “He describes her butt as the black mango…Just, I’m going to be thinking about that forever…utter gibberish about the black mango and the laundry basket.” [32:33]
On Not Ranking for the Sake of Ranking:
- Jeff: “Getting to move from judging and ranking to understanding and building on, I think, might be one way of thinking about it.” [20:36]
- Rebecca: “We’re not interested in this being: I liked it. I didn’t like it. It was good. It was bad.” [19:30]
On Why the Show Isn’t About “Fandom”:
- Rebecca: “Fan…is a different thing than appreciating or finding value in…There’s a weight and a certain connotation to fandom.” [43:23]
- Jeff: “I don’t participate in that kind of enthusiasm…It’s just not right for me.” [43:53]
On Author Interviews as Part of Future Episodes:
- Rebecca: “…something that brings the authors into the close reading…a close reading with the author of a line or scene would be the place I’d be interested in going.” [47:55]
- Jeff: “We want to have a conversation amongst ourselves with the teacher outside of the room, but they could give us things that maybe we would uniquely be interested in…” [48:24]
Selected Timestamps for Key Segments
- Reflections Launch / “Last Class” Vibe: [04:06]
- New Newsletter, Patreon & Social Channels: [02:00-02:41]
- Re-encountering the Canon—What Surprised Us: [06:57-08:19]
- How Classics Connect in Conversation: [16:09-17:49]
- On Moving Beyond Simple Tastes: [19:30-20:36]
- Most Surprising Books: [24:03-26:47]
- Favorites as ‘Gateway’ Books: [27:00-29:15]
- Most Memorable Scenes: [29:42-34:07]
- Memorable Characters: [35:04-37:21]
- Future Author Involvement: [47:41-49:49]
- Mailbag—Morrison, Long Books, Series: [50:24-59:39]
- Translation & Annotation Tips: [59:41-63:19]
- Warm Listener Sign-off: [65:46-65:54]
Tone & Takeaways
The episode balances scholarly depth with warmth and irreverence ("It’s become a joke in the house of like, guess what? Great books are great." [12:43]). Both hosts see the canon as a living, growing terrain—undeniably shaped by tradition but open to new voices and genres.
They urge listeners: revisit old favorites with fresh eyes, browse the classics not as homework but as an adventure, and join a community less concerned with favorites than with curiosity and connection.
For Listeners: What’s Next?
Newsletter: Sign up (via Patreon, free option) for deep-dive show notes, bonus material, and literary rabbit holes.
Feedback: Listeners are heartily invited to send book ideas, genre suggestions, and opinions on episode structure via email and social media ([02:41], [55:07]).
Future Episodes: Expect more format experimentation, inclusion of diverse genres, drama, poetry, and potentially author mini-interviews.
Closing Attitude: This isn’t the end; it’s a pause at a semester’s close, sharing scones and coffee, looking back and—most of all—forward.
“Little semester evaluation for ourselves.” – Rebecca [65:46]