WEBVTT - Commit to a 2020 must-read

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio.

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<v Speaker 1>Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>Today's tip is to commit to a must read for

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<v Speaker 1>I am sure many people listening to this have a

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<v Speaker 1>long list of books you would like to read it sometime,

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<v Speaker 1>So why not choose one of those books and make

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<v Speaker 1>the time as long time Before Breakfast listeners know. I

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<v Speaker 1>have spent the past year reading slowly through War and Peace.

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<v Speaker 1>I read Leo Tolstoi's epic for the first time in

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<v Speaker 1>and really enjoyed it. But I also read it quite quickly,

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<v Speaker 1>probably to get through it. I decided I wanted to

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<v Speaker 1>reread this book so I could understand it's complex characters

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<v Speaker 1>and the way Tolstoy weaves together philosophy and history and

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<v Speaker 1>narrative action. If generations of book lovers have identified War

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<v Speaker 1>and Peace as one of the best novels ever written,

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<v Speaker 1>then I wanted to make sure I really enjoyed it.

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<v Speaker 1>There are probably classics that you keep meaning to read.

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<v Speaker 1>Maybe you read them once in school but you think

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<v Speaker 1>you missed some of the nuances, or maybe you just

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<v Speaker 1>keep hearing how profound these books are and you want

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<v Speaker 1>to experience that yourself, Moby Dick, Ulysses, Beloved, Middle March,

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<v Speaker 1>The Brothers, Karamazov. The list is long of classics we

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<v Speaker 1>just can't miss, and yet we inevitably have missed some

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<v Speaker 1>of them. Or maybe you want to read the Bible

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<v Speaker 1>or another sacred text all the way through. There are

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<v Speaker 1>lots of online study plans that provide a roadmap for

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<v Speaker 1>reading through the whole Bible just a few minutes day.

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<v Speaker 1>That is totally doable. And if you profess a certain

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<v Speaker 1>faith but have not read the sacred text associated with it,

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<v Speaker 1>well it's probably worth doing. Why not in or perhaps

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<v Speaker 1>you must read? Isn't something that's lasted through the generations. Rather,

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<v Speaker 1>it's something more recent. Other people keep talking about it,

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<v Speaker 1>and you want to join in the conversation. Are you

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<v Speaker 1>the only person in your circle who hasn't read kel

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<v Speaker 1>Newport's Digital Minimalism or Emily Aster's The Family Firm or

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<v Speaker 1>Oliver Berkman's Four Thousand Weeks? Or maybe you haven't read

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<v Speaker 1>your partner's favorite novel. If your partner's favorite book ever

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<v Speaker 1>is Cormac McCarthy's The Road, don't you want to read

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<v Speaker 1>that as a window into his or her in her life.

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<v Speaker 1>Whatever it is that you have been meaning to read,

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<v Speaker 1>commit to act really reading that one particular book in

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<v Speaker 1>the coming year. If you commit to one must read

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<v Speaker 1>and focus your energies on that one book, you will

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<v Speaker 1>finally be able to check it off your list. Yep,

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<v Speaker 1>even if it is something long like were in Peace

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<v Speaker 1>or the Bible, and then you will become the kind

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<v Speaker 1>of person who has read that book. For something long

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<v Speaker 1>and intense, you could certainly spread your reading out across

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<v Speaker 1>a few months or even the whole year. For something

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<v Speaker 1>shorter or lighter. Maybe all it will take is putting

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<v Speaker 1>the book on your nightstand and actually opening it or

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<v Speaker 1>packing it into your carry on the next time you travel.

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<v Speaker 1>You could cross this new year's resolution off your list

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<v Speaker 1>in the first two weeks. As long as you focus

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<v Speaker 1>and do it, then who knows what that sense of

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<v Speaker 1>reading momentum will lead to next. If you decide on

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<v Speaker 1>a two must read, I'd love to hear what it is.

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<v Speaker 1>You can reach me at Laura at Laura Vanderkam dot com.

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<v Speaker 1>In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and

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<v Speaker 1>here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody,

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<v Speaker 1>I'd love to hear from you. You can send me

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<v Speaker 1>your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with

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<v Speaker 1>me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod.

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<v Speaker 1>That's b E the number four, then Breakfast p o D.

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<v Speaker 1>You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast.

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<v Speaker 1>At i heeart media dot com that Before Breakfast is

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<v Speaker 1>spelled out with all the letters. Thanks so much, I

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<v Speaker 1>look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a

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<v Speaker 1>production of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from I

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<v Speaker 1>heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

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<v Speaker 1>or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.