A student recently asked me for “some tips on how to improve reading speed and retention.” As I’m sure it’s a problem many of you wrestle with as well, I thought I’d share some of the resources on reading that I’ve gathered over the years. Here are the best books on reading followed by blog posts on various reading related subjects. For more resources and Top 10 lists of books on various subjects click here.
Books
How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading by Mortimer Adler. The classic bestselling book on how to read with speed, comprehension, and retention.
Lit!: A Christian Guide to Reading Books by Tony Reinke. A Christian classic on reading. Overlaps with Mortimer Adler in parts, but it’s all from a consistent and comprehensive Christian worldview.
The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment by Tim Challies. Not a book on reading as such, but does focus on one of the vital skills for reading wisely and profitably as a Christian.
How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines by Thomas Foster. Entertaining, enjoyable, educational read.
There are also many speed reading books out there. But perhaps the greatest skill we need to develop today is How To Read Slowly.
And now the blog posts by category.
Why Read?
Why We Should Read Books | MOS – Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals
Why can’t we read anymore? – San Francisco Chronicle
Why You Should Read for 20 Minutes Every Day | Time Management Ninja
Here’s What The Most Successful People Read And Why
How Making Time for Books Made Me Feel Less Busy
America’s Reading Crisis Is Much Worse Than You Think | Her.meneutics | Christianitytoday.com
Reading as Parenting « THE CHRISTIAN PUNDIT
6 Reasons Not to Read a Book – Borrowed Light
What Is Literature Good For? | Everyday Theology
The benefits of reading a book uninterrupted for 30 minutes | WSJ
Why I Love to Read Non-Christian Books | Challies Dot Com
Brain function ‘boosted for days after reading a novel’ – Science – News – The Independent
7 Unconventional Reasons Why You Absolutely Should Be Reading Books
Four Good Reasons to Read Good Books | Challies Dot Com
Why Pastors Should Read Over Their Heads – Kevin DeYoung
Why should Christians read literature?
Reading ‘can help reduce stress’ – Telegraph
For Those Who Want to Lead, Read – John Coleman – Harvard Business Review
Pastors: Fight for the Time to Read! – Justin Taylor
How to Read
Don’t Have Time to Read Books? Try This One Weird Trick | TGC
The Blogger and the Mechanical Bull | MOS – Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals
How to Finish Over 100 Books in 2016
Tips on Reading Better While Retaining More | TGC
Five Questions on Reading and Leadership – Eric Geiger
Marginalia, the Anti-Library, and Other Ways to Master the Lost Art of Reading – 99u
How to Stop Forgetting What You Read
Credo Magazine » Young, Reading, & Reformed (Fred G. Zaspel)
Credo Magazine » How Do You “Read So Much?” – Part 1 (Timothy Raymond)
Credo Magazine » How Do You “Read So Much”? – Part 2 (Timothy Raymond)
Credo Magazine » How Do You “Read So Much”? – Part 3 (Timothy Raymond)
Habits Of A Book Junkie In A Digital World | The Creative Penn
4 ways to read more books in 2015. – Jon Acuff
Read More: The Simple System I Use to Read 30+ Books/Year
“Give Attention to the Reading”
Finish That Book! – The Atlantic
Learning to Read…Again | Biblical Counseling Coalition Blogs
7 Different Ways to Read a Book | Challies Dot Com
How to Be a Better Online Reader : The New Yorker
Read More, Faster and Better with these 30+ Apps, Tips and Tricks – Zapier
How to Read Fiction and Become a More Interesting Preacher | Pastoralized
How Can I Best Absorb Information While Reading?
8 Tips to Help You Get More Reading Done | Time Management Ninja
How To Read More — A Lot More | RyanHoliday.net
How to read a Christian book | The Briefing
3 ways my reading habits have changed | Blogging Theologically
How to Read a Book – Desiring God
Write in your books | Joel Miller
A Beginner’s Guide to Reading Over Your Head – Kevin DeYoung
Why Pastors Should Read Over Their Heads – Kevin DeYoung
The Pastor and His Reading « Miscellanies.
10 Steps to Read 50 Books in 2013 | Pastoralized
Alan Jacobs on How to Read a Book – Justin Taylor
Tony Reinke on a Theology of Reading – Desiring God
Eugene Peterson on the Reading and Writing Life of the Pastor – The Gospel Coalition Blog
Write in your books | Joel J. Miller
I’d Love to Read More, but… | Crossway
5 Ways to Make More Time to Read | Michael Hyatt
Ten Tips to Better Reading (to the Glory of God!)
D.A. Carson on Different Ways to Read : Kingdom People
Moonwalking, Einstein, and Book Reading « Miscellanies.
TGC Asks Fred Sanders: What Are Your Reading Habits? – The Gospel Coalition Blog
Westminster Theological Seminary – Becoming a Demanding Reader
Read Better with Baxter | Challies Dot Com
How to Boost Your Reading Comprehension by Reading Smarter and More Conscientiously
What to read?
Some Thoughts on Reading Books | Al Mohler
Redeeming our Reading – Feeding on Christ
Credo Magazine » Thomas Schreiner gives reading advice to young pastors
Mortifying the Fear of Academic Books The Gospel Coalition Blog
Leaders are Readers: 9 Tips for Picking Good Books
Read Hard Things | For Christ and Culture
Suggested Reading List – Reformed Forum
50 Books J. I. Packer Thinks You Should Read
Philip Ryken: A Novel Every Christian Should Consider Reading | TGC
Digital Books
Do You Read Differently Online and in Print?
Why the Printed Book Will Last Another 500 Years ‹ Literary Hub
Print vs. Digital: Another Emotional Win for Paper – Neuromarketing
Your paper brain and your Kindle brain aren’t the same thing | Public Radio International
BBC News – E-books ‘damage sleep and health,’ doctors warn
Science Has Great News for People Who Read Actual Books
8 Places for Thrifty Bookworms to Download Free E-Books
Young adult readers ‘prefer printed to ebooks’ | The Guardian
Printed journalism may be dying, but books still have a future
Are Books Doomed? The Rise of the e-Reader [INFOGRAPHIC]
Do E-Reader Owners Read More Books? [INFOGRAPHIC]
Children and Reading
Bully Pulpit: Train Up a Child to Read | MOS – Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals
New Year’s Resolution Reading List: 9 Essential Books on Reading and Writing | Brain Pickings
Raising Readers: An Interview With Alan Jacobs | Redeemed Reader
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