I don't think you should drop the part about wanting to get the information in to his head-- I just think that some people look at a book and are daunted by all those teeny words crammed between those covers. They don't know you're allowed to skim, skip chapters, use the index to find the parts you're interested in, etc. I mean, some people never turn down corners, never write or highlight books, never lay them upon upside down (so it flattens the spine).
How would you feel about xeroxing a key chapter and asking him to read that?
Maybe part of your shutdown is linked to this pain... if every time you went into the kitchen to cook you could not avoid putting your hand on a hot burner, you might still feel hungry, but your desire to eat would surely diminish.
