How to Get the Most Out of Reading (A Stoic Guide)

The host of The Daily Stoic reads a couple hundred books a year and has done so for two decades. But when people ask how he reads so much, he thinks they are asking the wrong question. The real question is not about quantity—it is about quality. Drawing on the Stoic philosophers, he lays out a framework for becoming a better reader: read slowly, read what challenges you, quit books that do not serve you, and keep a record of what you learn.

Read Slowly and Reread

The Stoics were not impressed by volume. Epictetus rebuked a student who bragged about reading all of Chrysippus, saying that if Chrysippus had been a better writer, the student would have less to brag about. Seneca warned against "the pointless enthusiasm for worthless knowledge" and advised lingering on the works of master thinkers, taking them slowly and methodically.

The host emphasizes that reading is not a race. He does not rush through pleasurable or important activities, and reading should be treated the same way. Rereading is essential—Epictetus said he could not call someone hardworking just because they were reading; he needed to know what they were reading. The goal is not to accumulate books like trophies but to absorb what matters.

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