How to read a book (hint: it's okay to leave them unfinished)

Happy world book day ! :)

At any given point in time, I am reading minimum 2 books. Since yesterday was World Book Day, let me take this as an opportunity to share how I read/take notes from books.

Here is what I do at the start:

• Set goals: Determine what you hope to gain from the book and how it aligns with your personal or professional growth.

  
  Here is how do do it: Take a quick look at the reviews or author’s recent podcast interviews will give you a good idea in terms of what to expect from the book.

• Skim through the book: Preview the table of contents, introduction, and conclusion to get a sense of the book's structure and main ideas.

• Create a reading schedule: Allocate specific times for reading to maintain consistency and progress (for e.g. I tend to keep the longer reads towards my sleep schedule (helps 💤 faster).

2 things to remember when starting a (non-fiction) book

• 70% of books are better off as a blogpost or even a set of email newsletters (I just made the number, but I hope you get the point).
  
  Plug: this is where subscribing to this newsletter helps :)

• Most non-fiction books tend to repeat 3-4 ideas across the book. If you think you have gotten a good grasp of the topic in the first few chapters, feel free to skim and skip the rest.

  
  It’s just FINE! You don’t need to finish everything you start. But if you are leaving most of the books unfinished, just revisit your choices and your reading technique.

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How do I take notes?

I don’t.

I have automated the process. Here is the secret 🤫

I moved away from Kindle to Google’s Play Books app as it has a very nifty feature - i.e. your book highlights are saved in a google doc (which you can refer anytime). This is a real good time saver and a very handy trick that works for me.

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Navigating the middle of the book

As you go deeper into the book, you may encounter moments of confusion, boredom, or fascination. It's crucial to stay engaged and focused during this stage:

• Take breaks: Give yourself time to process the information and reflect on the concepts presented.

• Take notes: Jot down key points, questions, and insights to help you retain information and engage with the material. If there are some really important points discussed in the book - I often use Apple notes to copy them and go deeper on those topics.

• Supplement your reading: Consult external resources, such as articles or podcasts, to deepen your understanding and maintain interest.

DON’T FINISH

Finishing a non-fiction book can evoke feelings of accomplishment, pride, and even sadness. It's essential to acknowledge and embrace these emotions as part of the reading experience:

• Celebrate your achievement: Reward yourself for completing the book, whether it's sharing your favorite insights with others or simply reflecting on your personal growth.

• Remember, it's okay not to finish: If you find that a book isn't resonating with you, give yourself permission to move on and explore other titles that better align with your interests and goals.

Happy reading!

-Ashish.