Some friends have asked about my approach to reading, or what books I recommend, or how I remember what I read (often, I don't). Voilà! Here is the current thought process.
Speed Reading. There's a fantastic Tim Ferris video on this topic here, which I completely copied. Also, I try to eliminate subvocalization (mouthing words one-at-a-time). Lastly, I often read with a book open on the left side of the screen and a note taking app on the right side. Then, I try to speed read the text and type notes, questions, and ideas along the way. Additional thought: improving my typing speed and overall comfort with the keyboard made synthesizing, in real time, what I was reading super easy.
Book Recommendations. For recommendations and recent reads, peruse the Bookshelf. Anything with a ⭐️ next to the title is a book I particularly appreciate. You're welcome to skim the summary, review the flashcards, and be done! Or, you're welcome to read the book, too :)
Memory. I copied Quantum Country. Basically, as I write a book summary I'll notate ideas, questions, poems, thoughts, and other tidbits that I'd like to remember forever. Then, I convert those items to flashcards using Orbit, and continue on with reading! (You can supplement Orbit with any flashcard system you prefer.)
Reading Approach. There's this wonderful book my Mom had me read as a kid, How to Read a Book. You can read a more thorough summary elsewhere, but the top takeaways for me were as follows:
- Approach every book as a conversation with the author. Be ready to doubt, question, agree, disseminate, and maybe end the conversation early.
- Read carefully through the book's Table of Contents. How has the author structured their message? What are the pivotal chapters? What does the author say in the preface? Peruse the index. All of this information is priming your brain for the information to come. Also, it gives you a chance to stop reading the book if you decide it isn't worth your time.
- Make the book your own. Mark it up, highlight it, draw notes on the margins, etc. (Additionally, if the book is especially technical – e.g. a math textbook, I'll literally do the exercises with an Apple Pencil in the Notes app.)
- Make your reading environment perfect, for you. For me, this means often using noise cancelling headphones, finding a comfortable seat, and using a laptop stand to bring the text to eye level.
Bon voyage!