Remember, Remember, What You Read Last November

How to Actually Remember What You Read

I’ve painted myself into a reading corner.

I host a podcast where I talk with authors and thinkers about their books and journal articles. I host another podcast where I share and analyze wise sayings I’ve found while reading. I’m starting three new YouTube channels where I teach philosophy through superhero stories, science fiction and fantasy, and through my favorite philosophy and theology works. I have this newsletter/blog where I share insights I’ve picked up along the way and try my hand at becoming a philosophical-sage. And I have the ParkNotes YouTube channel where I study… well, study habits, and then I share them with you all. So, I have to read a lot. But that’s cool with me—I much prefer it to the alternative.

However, with so many reading projects going on at once, I need to make sure I’m actually remembering what I read, for productivity sake, but also for the sake of my own personal development, intellectual progress, and that sweet sweet synthesis that can only be had through crosspollination across many genres and authors.

Throughout my studies I’ve fallen into at least 7 habits for helping myself remember what I read. I picked up some of these from others and invented others out of necessity. In the latest ParkNotes YouTube video I cover all seven and give you examples on how you can implement them yourselves. With that said, feel free to jack them wholesale or pick and choose whatever appeals to you most. And of course, feel free to tweak them as needed.

Here’s the list, but watch the video below for the details on each:

1.     Make Marginalia (marginal notes, annotations, etc. in your books or articles)

2.     Create a personal reader’s compendium

3.     Create a personal dictionary of words you’ve collected from your readings

4.     Utilize a reading log and keep a “completed” book list

5.     Create a Book of Book Reviews (and/or précis)

6.     Use a commonplace book (or a bunch of them!! Following my taxonomy of CPBs!!)

7.     Practice Active Recall by downloading on your friends, family, spouse, or whoever will listen to you talk about what you’ve been reading.