You can have almost anything you want in life as long as you a) help enough other people get what they want, and b) you don’t care that in the beginning, most people will just think that you’re failing. Today, I’m going to show you the hidden benefits of letting people think just that.

The genesis of this idea came to me after reading Plato’s Republic, specifically when Socrates is talking to (arguing with?) Glaucon about virtue (being a good person). They’re discussing whether it’s best to be thought a good person by everyone in the world but really be…

There are positive and negative reasons for this, and sometimes those different reasons can be operating on the same person at the same time.

I include myself in this, of course, because I’m definitely one of those jerks who knows exactly how many books he’s read in his life (925, since I started counting), how many books he read last year (179), and how many he would like to read (millions!).

First the negative, because, although I don’t think it’s “wrong” or “impolite” to talk about how many books you’ve read, there are better and worse reasons for doing so…

Because intellectuals often value IDEAS more than PEOPLE.

The concepts and ideologies spinning around in their heads essentially cover their eyes, so that they’re unable to see and hear and feel the emotions of the real human being in front of them. That’s one short answer.

Another short answer is that often, highly intelligent people reach such heights of personal power or influence that they start to believe that they can get away with anything, even things which, in hindsight, they had almost a 100% chance of getting caught doing!

It can — and does — happen to anyone, but…

I took a chance on this new (for me) author, and I ended up reading the last 130 pages of this book without getting up from my seat. So if you’re looking for a page-turner, you’ve found one. Even if you’re not even that into science fiction, there’s plenty of “thriller” here for you too.

If you’d rather watch my book review, you can do so here. Plus, if you subscribe to my YouTube channel, I will donate $1 to the children’s educational charity First Book.

Alright, so let’s talk about this book. Blake Crouch doesn’t hit you over the…

The first and biggest takeaway is his oft-quoted, “It’s not how many books you can get through, but rather how many books can get through to you.”

So, right there, I feel like he’s onto the right idea.

Other readers have complained, though, that Adler definitely has a specific set of books in mind that are “worth” reading, the not-so-subtle implication being that reading other books that don’t fall into this category (that he set up) is somehow a waste of time. This is questionable, to say the least.

Obviously, there are some books that are a complete waste of…

I’m going to help you do this, and it’s not going to take as much time as you might think. That being said, I’ve never been one to just tell people what they want to hear, so I’m going to tell you right now that it’s not going to be easy for a slow reader to read a 300-page book in a single day.

We are, however, going to stack the odds in your favor by making a few minor (and major) tweaks to your reading approach.

You may also want to consult my Top 20 Unconventional Reading Strategies, which…

Yes, you can (and might want to) switch back and forth between books, and you shouldn’t worry about losing your place or losing comprehension. I have a very specific reason for doing so myself, which I’ll get into right here.

That being said, reading one book all the way through is an excellent way to build your level of concentration and focus over time! When you refuse to give in to “Shiny Book Syndrome,” you’re going to strengthen your ability to pay attention generally, and those benefits will spill over into all areas of your life. …

My life has been changed by a book a thousand times, and it always seems like a fresh fireworks display being set off between my ears. That’s really the only way — or the best way — I can explain the impact of a book that hits you just right. It’s nearly as hard as trying to explain a rainbow to someone who’s never seen one. Impossible, right?

Well here are a few dozen of my favorites, books that changed my life when I first read them, and continue to change my life in mysterious ways when I re-read them.

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