Surprising Strategies to Read More (especially history)

Counterintuitive ways to read more, with a focus on reading more history.

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0:00-00:37 Intro
00:38-3:02 Know the landscape
3:03-7:30 AI
7:31-11:01 Productivity & Relaxation
11:02-13:03 Be a book clutterbug
13:04-13:10 Read audiobooks
13:11-13:58 Go to a university library (with permission)
13:59-19:10 Read mass appeal history
19:11-22:19 Don't count pages
22:20-24:08 Get peers
24:09-26:05 Motivation

Stock video and imagery provided by Getty Images.

[BTobiasJ]

Great vid! I like your approach of keeping it chill and the general message of: embrace short term inefficient habits that long term help maintain or increase your motivation and passion

[manicpixiedreambuoy]

A healthy approach. Nice video and funny editing—that fateful findings clip almost made me spit out my coffee.

I've let our cultural obsession with productivity and accomplishment corrode my enjoyment of reading a great deal; it has taken effort to refocus myself, learn to bite off only what I can chew, remember I’m not racing, and read with the same disposition I reserve for, say, cooking.

Keep up the good work, this channel is great!

[burrito-town]

Thank you for exporting your video with the proper settings! I can hear what you're saying without having to blast the audio on my device. While that might not seem remarkable, more than 50% of the channels I subscribe to fail to properly export their video. It's remarkable. Anyways, thank you for the excellent content!

[RisenChudJr]

Those are some great tips! Also always great to see a Neil Breen reference

[felixvonstuben]

Thanks for making this video. I had been struggling with reading and been beating myself up about it. I really like your tip of reading for a set amount of time rather than page count and to just read because I am curious and interested. Thanks so much!

[lynnixvarjo]

I study History at University, and actually I would strongly discourage anyone from using ChatGPT for learning really just anything about History. It's database is full for surface level cliche entries from subpar websites probably, in any case it just spits out the same vague platitudes about topics, constantly confuses events, and messes up the timeline, basically in accordance with the type of milktoast narrative that a 5 minute stick figure youtube video would spin. I also tried to use it for literature suggestions. That also didn't work because it would literally make up books that were nonexistent, mixing up authors and titles, and giving silly summaries - All the while everything it told me SOUNDED very believable

So please. Just don't.
(In my specific case I was dealing with the French Revolution, so maybe it's actually better with extremly niche topics, where there is very limited material, published by well qualified people, on it, so it can't mess up the material that much, or at least that's what I would guess, but the principle issues will persist, just less obvious, even then)

[alex]

Good tips, William! My interests in history largely revolve around WWII, WWI, and general U.S. History (esp. Civil War and Civil Rights Movement and presidential history). Nonetheless, I would like to read about other historical topics, like the Haitian Revolution, French Revolution, samurai, history of basketball, the Ottoman Empire, and more. So, I like your tip of reading beyond what is popular.

I too watch Cypher's videos. They are great. Like you, I like listening to history videos (as well as podcasts) while walking.

I agree with starting off w/popular history books first. I know that I have struggled with academic books before.

Your last few tips really spoke to me. I often push myself. Sometimes, productivity has been my focus instead of solely on learning, habits, or enjoying what I read. But, you are spot on. The focus on productivity can be too stressful and led me to burn out. So, I like what you said about being kind to yourself and building up habits. Your suggestion of setting aside time blocks for reading, like an hour or 30 min helps also.

I enjoy creative writing too. So, I am inspired by what you said at the end about how you and friends join in NaNoWriMo. I think I will gently develop a creative writing habit as well.

Great video again. Take care. Have a wonderful week! 😊.

[likebot.]

My first introduction to the Haitian Revolution was a podcast on the CBC Radio website on a program called _Ideas._ Golly, it must've been a dozen years ago or more. It was detailed and academic, but not actually boring! I'd be working overtime late in the evenings at my desk trying to get caught up in my work, wife calling every half hour "when are you coming home" and I'd be sitting there NOT working, just staring at a painting and listening to that. Misspent youth, eh?

[SuperMutantSomething]

There's just something about loathing to read, having low expectations but nothing better to do and find out the book I'm reading a few chapters in is really good. Then to find out that the next book is also a surpisingly good book, and from there the snowball is running. It's addictive.

I've recently read 'Seeing Like a State'. It's dense, but surprising.

[jgp]

i got a sick strat to read books. um, pick one up.

[VampireSquirrel]

Chat GPT is more convincing than it is accurate. I wouldn't trust anything you read from that

[luisacosta]

Can't ever take this man seriously after I realized he was a DC united fan 😔

[simonboucher]

Cool/ weird shirt choice Go Canada govt?