Reading in Public

Reading in Public No. 36: Three reasons to read poetry

Plus tips and resources to help you actually enjoy it

Apr 9 •

Reading in Public No. 35: Five tips for discerning what a book is trying to do

Questions and strategies for getting more out of the books you read

Apr 2 •

Reading in Public No. 34: What makes a Great American Novel?

Themes and patterns from a century of American literature

Mar 19 •

Reading in Public No. 33: How I keep reviews from tainting my reading experiences

Strategies and mindsets to keep others' opinions in check

Mar 12 •

Reading in Public No. 32: Six things to know about Huck Finn before you read James

Plus frequently asked HF questions

Mar 5 •

Reading in Public No. 31: What does it mean for a book to "work"?

Unpacking my current book review pet peeve

Feb 20 •

Reading in Public No. 30: Cultural criticism through Auden's verdicts

Differentiating between judgment and taste, criticism and reviews

Feb 13 •

Reading in Public No. 29: The TBR management system that saved my January reading

A super simple guide for mood readers

Feb 6 •

Reading in Public No. 28: 5 thoughts on rereading The Hunger Games

Recently I shared that one of my intentions for 2024 is to devote some time to rereading. Studying literature and teaching English required me to…

Jan 30 •

Reading in Public No. 27: How Romance made me a better Literary Fiction reader

How comfort, predictability, and joy can lead to deeper reading

Jan 23 •

Reading in Public No. 26: Reading the National Book Award with Hunter McLendon

Reading in context, the question of craft, and uncovering your own taste

Jan 16 •

Reading in Public No. 25: Are we over-optimizing our reading?

My thoughts on efficiency, data, and success in the reading life

Jan 9 •

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