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The Need to Read

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Re: The Need to Read

#51

Post by udkl »

ahultgren wrote: post #49
udkl wrote: post #20

I don't read entire non-fiction books anymore but just search for it's summaries or notes. Most non-fiction books revolve around a few central ideas. Once you internalize this you realize it isn't necessary to read the entire book. You just need to read the summary and notes that someone else has written. For eg : I'm currently going through the book notes that Derek Sivers has written and just posted this last night…

A big advantage of taking the time to read a book, even if the book has just one central idea, is that it forces you to spend 5+ hours thinking on that idea. No summary can do that for you. I'd even go so far as to say that it's not even important which book or idea you spend that time on; just spending time with your own thoughts and imagination will teach you things no non-fiction or summary can. I do agree that su…

It also depends on how you approach the notes.

I for example make notes of the notes and then re-visit them frequently over the next few days. This helps me visualize and concretize the ideas in different ways since I'm revising them at different times. In the interim I'm trying to incorporate them in everyday life.

Re: The Need to Read

#52

Post by edpichler »

udkl wrote: post #20

I don't read entire non-fiction books anymore but just search for it's summaries or notes. Most non-fiction books revolve around a few central ideas. Once you internalize this you realize it isn't necessary to read the entire book. You just need to read the summary and notes that someone else has written. For eg : I'm currently going through the book notes that Derek Sivers has written and just posted this last night…

Trust me, you need this "How to read a book", on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2gxEsbQ

Re: The Need to Read

#53

Post by edpichler »

Books changed my life, definitely. With books we have access to the brightest minds ideas. It's the best media when you want to go deep in any subject.

I think books and travel are the things that most improve you as a person.

Re: The Need to Read

#56

Post by markdog12 »

jeffshek wrote: post #41
udkl wrote: post #20

I don't read entire non-fiction books anymore but just search for it's summaries or notes. Most non-fiction books revolve around a few central ideas. Once you internalize this you realize it isn't necessary to read the entire book. You just need to read the summary and notes that someone else has written. For eg : I'm currently going through the book notes that Derek Sivers has written and just posted this last night…

Derek Sivers has phenomenal book summaries. https://sivers.org/book - changed my life - read summary first, if really good, buy and read book - cons are 1) makes you think less about content 2) may be too easily forgotten 3) retention isn't as high as reading a book that hits theme over and over with a sledgehammer 4) ignore books with bad review that may be useful to you

Second this. I spent a lot of time reading reviews on his site. I also noticed the reviews of the books I've read he really nailed the salient points. Highly recommend checking it out.

Re: The Need to Read

#57

Post by dyukqu »

jacobjzhang wrote: post #2

The part about self help books is absolutely true-- I find much more useful "advice" and guidance from narrative nonfiction (e.g. memoirs, biographies, etc.) and great fiction than I ever did with conventional "motivation" books.

Once stumbled across on a TheOnion-like website: You can be successful reading self-help books: by writing a self-help book after reading sufficient number of them.

Re: The Need to Read

#58

Post by sedachv »

udkl wrote: post #20

I don't read entire non-fiction books anymore but just search for it's summaries or notes. Most non-fiction books revolve around a few central ideas. Once you internalize this you realize it isn't necessary to read the entire book. You just need to read the summary and notes that someone else has written. For eg : I'm currently going through the book notes that Derek Sivers has written and just posted this last night…

> Most non-fiction books revolve around a few central ideas.

That only applies to business, popular history, popular psychology, self-help, etc. books written for the mass market. Not surprisingly most of them are garbage and frequently wrong. Malcolm Gladwell's books are probably the most well known in this geanra and IMO are garbage.

As soon as you start reading serious non-fiction (mathematics, psychology, philosophy) summaries just do not work. The "book about the book" in fact tends to be much longer in length (good examples: anything on Wittgenstein, anything on Galois theory)

Re: The Need to Read

#59

Post by derimagia »

edpichler wrote: post #54
punnerud wrote: post #42

If you can't read, try this link: https://www.google.no/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd...

Thank you, what this Google URL did tho the payed article?

They just react differently to google's bots since they would be negatively impacted if they didn't have the entire article there.

Re: The Need to Read

#60

Post by rabboRubble »

xyzzy4 wrote: post #7
rabboRubble wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Considering that some people read zero books a year, the simple act of reading a book would be a huge improvement in ongoing literacy and attention span for some people.

I think if books were more useful, people would have a better attention span for them. Reading a book won't automatically improve your life. Usually it's just another form of time-wasting.

"...if books were more useful..."

...[great pause]...

I am not capable of replying in a way to meaningfully improve your outlook in life. Good luck to you sir.

...[close browser and go for walk]...

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