197 episodes

Bookworm is dedicated to doing more than just reading books. Mike Schmitz & Cory Hixson read a book every two weeks and discuss ways to apply the author's lessons to their lives.

Bookworm Mike Schmitz and Cory Hixson

    • Arts
    • 4.4 • 100 Ratings

Bookworm is dedicated to doing more than just reading books. Mike Schmitz & Cory Hixson read a book every two weeks and discuss ways to apply the author's lessons to their lives.

    195: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

    195: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

    The right conversation at the right moment can change everything. Today’s author promises to teach us how to identify and leverage the hidden layers that lurk beneath every conversation.









    Support the Show

    Mike’s LifeTheme cohort

    Mike’s Reading Masterclass

    Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

    Bookworm #52: The Power of Habit

    Bookworm #63: Atomic Habits

    Bookworm #94: Tiny Habits

    Bookworm #124: Liminal Thinking

    Bookworm #178: The Good Life

    Bookworm #86: The Art of Gathering

    Bookworm #84: Indistractable

    Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker

    Super Thinking by Gabriel Weinberg & Lauren McCann

    Smart Brevity by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, & Roy Schwartz

    Mike’s Notes for Supercommunicators

    Bookworm Shirts

    • 1 hr 35 min
    194: Mastery by Robert Greene

    194: Mastery by Robert Greene

    Today’s author believes each one of us has within us the potential to be a Master and promises to teach us how to unlock it. Join Mike & Cory as they embark on the path to greatness.









    Support the Show

    Mike’s Reading Masterclass

    Mike’s Community (The Library)

    Hello Audio

    Room.com

    Mastery by Robert Greene

    Bookworm 160: 48 Laws of Power

    Bookworm #193: Slow Productivity

    Bookworm #132: So Good They Can’t Ignore You

    Bookworm #4: The Obstacle is the Way

    Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

    Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker

    Every Good Endeavor by Timothy Keller

    Mike’s notes for Mastery

    Bookworm Shirts

    • 1 hr 40 min
    193: Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

    193: Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

    Our current definition of “productivity” is broken. Today’s author promises to give us a roadmap for escaping overload without sacrificing accomplishment. Join Mike & Cory as they dive into Cal Newport’s latest book and attempt to fight back against busyness and overwhelm.









    Support the Show

    Mike’s Reading Workshop

    The Deep Life podcast

    Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

    Focused #176: Deep Work, with Cal Newport

    Bookworm #135: Four Thousand Weeks

    Do Nothing by Celeste Headlee

    Can’t Even by Anne Helen Petersen

    Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price

    The Focus Course

    Drafts

    Focused #155: 12 Favorite Problems

    Bookworm #129: The Extended Mind

    Bookworm #122: Digital Body Language

    Mike’s Multi-Scale Planning Video

    Every Good Endeavor by Timothy Keller

    Mike’s notes for Slow Productivity

    Bookworm Shirts

    • 1 hr 25 min
    192: The Inevitable by Kevin Kelly

    192: The Inevitable by Kevin Kelly

    Today’s author shares twelve technological imperatives that will shape the next thirty years. Join Cory and Mike as they consider the role of AI and other trends and the impact they will have on our lives.









    Mike’s notes for The Inevitable

    Lateral Thinking by Edward de Bono

    Bookworm #191: Six Thinking Hats

    The Inevitable by Kevin Kelly

    The Deep Life #289: The Email Catastrophe

    Bookworm #132: So Good They Can’t Ignore You

    Bookworm #7: Deep Work

    Bookworm #113: The Great Mental Models, Volume 1

    Focused #196: Focus & The reading Life, with Maryanne Wolf

    Reader, Come Home by Maryanne Wolf

    Sora

    Rewind.ai

    Ready Player One

    Bookworm #139: Personal Socrates

    Bookworm #124: Liminal Thinking

    Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

    Mastery by Robert Greene

    The Art of Focus by Dan Doe

    Every Good Endeavor by Timothy Keller

    Bookworm Shirts

    • 1 hr 38 min
    191: Six Thinking Hats by Edward de Bono

    191: Six Thinking Hats by Edward de Bono

    Today’s author promises to teach us a practical and uniquely positive approach to making decisions and exploring new ideas. Join Cory & Mike as they embark on a journey for clearer thinking, improved communication, and greater creativity.









    Mike’s notes for Six Thinking Hats

    Six Thinking Hats by Edward de Bono

    Mike’s iPhone Home Screen

    Blank Spaces iOS app

    Brick

    The Light Phone

    Mike’s Home Screen newsletter

    Mike’s Learning Community Waitlist

    Mike’s Atomic Notes video

    Bookworm #113: The Great Mental Models, Volume 1

    Practical PKM cohort waitlist

    Bookworm #124: Liminal Thinking

    Mike’s Liminal Thinking newsletter

    Bookworm #187: Difficult Conversations

    Pinnacle by Steve Preda & Gregory Cleary

    Bookworm #30: The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team

    The Inevitable by Kevin Kelly

    Slow Productivity by Cal Newport

    Triumph of the Lamb by Dennis Johnson

    Bookworm Shirts

    • 1 hr 40 min
    190: Learn Like a Pro by Barbara Oakley & Olav Schewe

    190: Learn Like a Pro by Barbara Oakley & Olav Schewe

    Do you have trouble learning new things? Today’s authors promise to help us improve our ability to learn based on neuroscience and cognitive psychology. Join Mike & new co-host Cory Hixson as they attempt to make the best use of their brains.







    Mike’s Notes from Learn Like a Pro

    Cory’s Designing Your Academic Life workshop

    Mike’s Learning Community

    Learn Like a Pro by Barbara Oakley & Olav Schewe

    Bookworm #56: Hyper Focus

    Write or Die

    RemNote

    Bookworm #188: Feel Good Productivity

    Bookworm #129: The Extended Mind

    Bookworm #94: Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg

    Bookworm #167: Master Your Motivation

    Cornell Notes in Obsidian

    Six Thinking Hats by Edward de Bono

    The Inevitable by Kevin Kelly

    Triumph of the Lamb by Dennis Johnson

    Bookworm Shirts

    • 1 hr 47 min

Customer Reviews

4.4 out of 5
100 Ratings

100 Ratings

Christin White ,

Really Helpful Discussions

I just listened to Bookworm from start to finish over the last couple of weeks and have learned a ton, found 100 or so books to add to my reading list and been thoroughly entertained along the way. I find their commentary really insightful and most of their book choices are superb, Joe in particular seems to think the way I do and I relate to a lot of what he says. It’s been one of the most influential, educational and helpful podcasts I’ve ever listened to.

That said, the Christianity *is* pretty pervasive and no review would be complete without mentioning it. I was going to say it’s all fine, a bit more than I’d prefer but by no means bad and give them five stars regardless. I felt that way until I got to the episode about The Antidote.

In that episode the book apparently included some information about Buddhism and while Joe’s point of view was neutral Mike’s total disregard for it as uninteresting, despite saying he doesn’t know much about it and his comment “I just wish it wasn’t attached to an eastern religion, I feel like that’s going to alienate a lot of people” really disappointed me.

This was an opportunity for them to bring in a little much needed diversity to the conversation and to model the behavior they ask listeners with different worldviews — like myself — to take with their beliefs. It would have been nice to see Mike look for something in another belief system that had value or related to his faith in spite of not being open to adopting it. At very least, treat it with the same respect with which he would like his faith be treated, not complain that some people believe something different than he does.

Talking about their faith is just fine and hey, if you don’t like it don’t listen, right? Follow that logic and maybe Mike shouldn’t have read that book. In dissing on an eastern religion because it will “alienate a lot of people” for the first time as a listener and an atheist I felt alienated by this podcast. That’s regrettable and listeners of all faiths deserved better.

be767 ,

Yet another podcast with too much filler

I’ll use the last episode (194) as an example. It took 20 min. for the two hosts to finally get on with the book review. If you enjoy people droning on and on about their personal hustles and “workshops” they are selling, then this podcast is for you! Simply too much self reflection and me, me, me, examples on the topics they cover.

Elizabeth Gdr ,

Dr. Julie Smith

I was interested in this episode because I’m interested in Dr. Smith m’s book, which has been a best seller for weeks. These guys seem to have high opinions of themselves and not of her. I beg to differ, but they’re not worthy of any more of my time.

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