Books of Titans Podcast

2025 Reading Year Recap

Jan 2, 2026
Dive into a year of transformative reading across Greek tragedies, comedies, and philosophy. Discover the unexpected thrill of Aristophanes and the challenges of tackling Plato’s dialogues. Erik shares insights on the King James Bible, emphasizing its poignant language. Hear about the enriching experience of reading Confucius and how it tightened memories into a single thread. The conversation spans memorable author events and the impact of community reading groups, culminating in Erik's top picks of the year.
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ADVICE

Use A Four-Block Reading Year

  • Erik structures each year: Bible in Jan–Feb, Immortal Books Mar–Jun, summer break in July, fall Immortal Books Aug–Nov, and winter break in Dec.
  • He recommends this cadence to balance deep canonical reading with refresh months and events.
INSIGHT

Tie Readings Into A Single Thread

  • From Confucius Erik learned to 'tie things together into a single thread' to remember books more durably.
  • That personal single-thread idea became a key method for remembering and connecting readings.
ANECDOTE

Comedy Clashed With Tragedy Expectations

  • Erik struggled with Aristophanes' comedies and read only five plays because their crude tone clashed with his recent experience of lofty tragedies.
  • The Frogs stood out as enjoyable because it cleverly stages Aeschylus versus Euripides in Hades.
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