Brett McKay here and welcome to another edition of the Art of Manliness podcast.

You have a goal of reading more, but anytime you start working on that goal it feels like

a chore, the equivalent of eating your broccoli.

My guests they are using the problems likely due to the fact that you're trying to read

books you think you should be reading, instead of reading what you actually enjoy.

His name is Alan Jacobs, he's a professor of literature in the author of the pleasures

of reading in an age of distraction.

At the start of our conversation, Alan offers critique of a certain approach to reading

the so-called great books and makes an argument for choosing what you read based on

when with a capital W rather than following any kind of list.

He then makes the case for following that when to reading not only books of your favorite

authors, but the books your favorite authors read, which can actually lead you back to

the great books, but in a way that allows you to enjoy and appreciate them more.

Alan makes the case as well for the value of rereading books.

Alan, I then discuss tactics get more out of your reading in our age of distraction,

including his opinion on reading e-books versus paper copies.

We also get into his take on speed reading, whether it's okay not to finish book,

you're not digging. We inter-conversation with what parents can do to raise eager readers.

At the shows over at check out our show notes at a.o.m. . is slash pleasures of reading.

Alan Jacobs, welcome to the show.

Thanks for having me, Brett.

So you've written a lot of books. The book I read was about reading.

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