Why Reading Old Books Might Save Your Mind

We live in a time where information is endless, but clarity is rare. You scroll, consume, react… and still feel like you’re going nowhere. In this episode, I dive into Breaking Bread with the Dead by Alan Jacobs, a deceptively small book that quietly challenges how we read, think, and live. Jacobs argues for something almost unfashionable today: read old books. Not for nostalgia. Not for intellectual showmanship. But to deepen your thinking. Because when you engage with the past, you step outside the noise of the present. You stop reacting. You start reflecting. This isn’t a summary. It’s a conversation. About attention, depth, and why most of us are stuck in what Jacobs calls a “frenetic standstill.” If you’ve ever felt mentally cluttered, distracted, or shallow in your thinking… this one’s for you.