Issue 101: The Reading Life of... Matthew Long

On the work that goes into a meaningful life as a reader and how to plan a deeply satisfying 2025 reading list

When I was trying to figure out who I wanted to profile for my last 2024 Reading Life interview, I knew it had to be

Matthew Long

. Matt is the best at intentional reading, tracking and organization. He already shares his process so generously with his readers at

Beyond the Bookshelf

but I am always asking him about his famous reading plans, his commonplace books, and how he has arrived at his objectively very thoughtful but very personal system. I even used “my connections” to take a glimpse at his 2025 Reading Plan before it was made public, which I considered a personal badge of Substack achievement. 😎🤭

As I was reading his responses to the questions below, I was struck again by how clearly he makes the point that as with most things that matter in life… it is important to approach reading as a process of personal discovery and trust that even if it takes a while, it is important to figure out what works for you.

This, I felt, was the perfect message for the last few days of the year. I hope you are having a cozy…