I predominantly use ReadWise[1] for this. It has something called spaced repetition and gives me daily highlights from books and other sources.
I wrote about it here: https://rishikeshs.com/readwise-review/
Ask HN: How do you remember what you have read in a book?
21–30 of 44 posts
Re: Ask HN: How do you remember what you have read in a book?
#22I read multiple books on a subject. Reading multiple books gives them significantly more context that helps place each fact. I relate them to other things I read and know as well.
Multiple books by an author if it’s fiction/poetry works similarly but that’s more about deepening my appreciation than recall.
Re: Ask HN: How do you remember what you have read in a book?
#23Instead of trying to remember the literal content of the book, I try to remember the concepts.
Additionally, I don't worry about trying to remember every little detail. I also don't really take notes.
I draw a flow chart of key words as I'm reading. This does two things: 1) It keeps you active, which helps prevent your mind from wandering while reading 2) it gives a roadmap of what you read. Once you filled a page with your flow chart, stop and visit each node and recite how much you're able to remember. Star the items you can't recall and either go back and review that material or move on and come back to review later.
Part of what I'm realizing creating the flow chart does as I'm writing this, is it helps you differentiate between what was easy to remember and what was not. Also, don't try to get fancy with the flow chart, just draw basic circles (nodes) and directed edges. The flow chart should be a DAG, but avoid branching as much as possible.
Re: Ask HN: How do you remember what you have read in a book?
#24I think there are multiple ways to do it. These are what I can think of.
* Re-read the books
* Summarize the book in one sentence or a short paragraph
* Create or visualize the idea or important points in the books, like https://sketches.sachachua.com/static/2022-08-03-01%20Four%2...
Last but not least, I recommend to read a book called "How to Read a Book" by Mortimer J. Adler. Different books have different strategies to read.
Re: Ask HN: How do you remember what you have read in a book?
#25I implement it
Re: Ask HN: How do you remember what you have read in a book?
#26By relating the content of the book with real life examples and writing it down with my own explanation
Re: Ask HN: How do you remember what you have read in a book?
#27I don't. I have a faint idea of some parts of the book and will remember only when re-reading.. then I'm like "oh yeah, I remember this part, very nice, hmm yeah - now I know right.."
Re: Ask HN: How do you remember what you have read in a book?
#28[dead]
Re: Ask HN: How do you remember what you have read in a book?
#290x54MUR41 is pretty close to what I'd recommend as well but some other notes I'd add:
* Write a short summary of a chapter after reading it
* Don't be afraid to to write notes and highlight important lines in the book if you own it. You own it so make it yours! If you do want to avoid marking it up 3m makes some nice transparent post it's that I find work well (https://www.post-it.com/3M/en_US/p/d/cbgbjrus3149/)
* Before reading the book do you have a specific reason for doing so? If so look at the index at the back and read the sections that are specifically relevant first so that you will have some repetition reading the content.
For me personally I read a lot of non-fiction and like to have the books as reference material so 75% of the books I own are physical. When I read them I highlight important / relevant passages to me and possible make notes in the side margins if I find it relates to another book I have read and remember.
After finishing the book I'll eventually type out the relevant lines I found then and put them on my personal site for easy referencing for my self. This is doubly helpful as it means I'll often re-read the book down the line further reinforcing what I've read. I do have quite the backlog for this but it equally means that if I need to go back looking for a specific snippet on something I likely have it highlighted
I'd also second the recommendation for "How to Read a Book" by Mortimer J. Adler https://www.amazon.ca/How-Read-Book-Mortimer-Adler/dp/067121...
Re: Ask HN: How do you remember what you have read in a book?
#30I trust my subconscious and conscious mind to filter what is really relevant and to keep it in the right part of the memory.
Most of the non fiction books are watered down garbage anyway. And professional ones you read when you have a specific need to apply new knowledge.
And fiction ones you read for the pleasure.
There is no point in forcing yourself to memorize a book. Unless you naturally do it or feel like doing it.