> [!Info]- A note on LYT's "How to Work a Book" Walkthrough > This single note is not the complete "working a book" experience for two reasons. > > 1. The fullest version includes the [live session](https://www.linkingyourthinking.com/how-to-work-a-book) (and [recording](http://lyt.com/hwab-lesson)). > 2. The fullest version includes ==you==. > > It's up to you to use the questions below as a springboard to your own questions. Yes, the questions below are great to orient your mind and to create an environment that coaxes out your thinking. But then it's up to you—leaning forward, curiously engaged with the material—to generate the "questions after the questions". > > That's where you make reading yours—when it isn't just to read a book, but to *work* it. > > > **Working a book**: a personalized experience to optimize for learning, remembering, and applying the ideas you encounter—to *enrich your mind* and *empower your life*—both in the moment and in the years to follow. # How to ~~Read~~ Work a Book ![[calendar-plus.svg]] <small>Apr 02, 2023</small> | ![[calendar-clock.svg]] <small>Jul 21, 2023</small> 🏷️ Are you tired of reading books then wondering, "What was that about again?" It's because we are thinking about books all wrong. It's not about reading a book, it's about _**working**_ it. Let's work it. # Intro ### Mistakes when reading > [!Fail]- Mistake #1: Reading one-way > One of the biggest mistakes readers make is not knowing why they read in the first place. > > People assume that all books should be read from the first page to the last page in an unbroken sequence. It's no wonder they lose steam and abandon books: **_it became a chore!_** But it doesn't have to be. > > After "working a book," you'll be surprised at how relieving, fun, and fulfilling it is to let go of the limiting belief of "one-way reading". > [!Fail]- Mistake #2: Treating fiction the same as non-fiction > Fiction should be read linearly while non-fiction benefits from non-linear reading. > > Fiction should be savored for its own sake, not analyzed and reduced until every last drop of magic evaporates. Non-fiction is usually meant to be understood and analyzed. > > It's like they say in Ghostbusters: "Don't cross the streams." > > Please don't turn fiction reading into a form of productivity. It's not good for the soul. > [!Fail]- Mistake #3: Thinking you need a rigid note-taking workflow > If you are convinced you need to highlight the highlights of your highlights _BEFORE_ you actually wrestle with the material—you are making a big mistake. > > It's okay to highlight, but it's better to comment. It's best to... > > > ...**_engage_** _with the author._ > >  > > Engaging with ideas is messy and often unpredictable. But that's where the electricity comes from! > > Once you know how best to engage with the author—by working a book—your reading will never be the same. ### Reading needs a reset > [!idea]- 3 Practical Goals of Reading > *What are we even trying to do?* > - To learn > - To remember > - To apply > >  > [!idea]- The Meta Goal of Reading > > To understand the content well enough that it *enriches the mind* and *empowers the person*—both in the moment and in the years to follow. > >  > [!Idea]- Emergent Permissions List for Books > *As needed, please add to this list.* > > - It's okay not to read that book > - It's okay not to finish that book > - It's okay not to read in order > - It's okay not to have tons of metadata > - It's okay to add your own permissions to this list 👇 > [!Idea]- 3 Paradigms for Reading > *How should I think about reading?* > > For non-fiction books, reading needs a reset. > > - **Learning is non-linear**: > - A book is a treasure map not a prison sentence. You are free to bounce around. > - Bouncing around allows a zoomed out, a big picture view. > - Bouncing around allows you to prioritize and re-prioritize. > - Bouncing around allows you a way to play around with finding Flow. > - **Books are for thinking, not reading**: > - Finishing a book means nothing and is a harmful goal. It doesn't matter if you've read 100 books in the last year. > - ***What matters is what the book got you to think!*** > - A book is only static when you aren't reading it. Once you start reading, a book becomes a tool for thought 🛠. > - Books allow conversations with the author. > - **Context is king**: > - The faster and better you build context, the more robust and enjoyable your understanding of every page you read. > - Context allows you to relate the new to the known. > - Context allows you to intuit patterns and make insights. > > With these 3 paradigms in mind, we can prioritize our actions into 3 decrees... > [!Idea]- 3 Decrees for Reading > *What should I prioritize while reading?* > > - **Build context** > - **Engage with the author** > - **Nurture your enthusiasm** > >  # How to Work a Book: Basic Walkthrough Ready to work a book? Pair your efforts with [[LYT's Book Note-Making Template]]. > [!Info]- 🕸 Rapid Context-Building > Rapid context-building is the key to learning better, remembering more, and more easily applying the things that matter to you. Context is king; optimize for it! ## Get the gist - **Front cover** - What's it about (on the surface)? What's the title? Subtitle? Above title? Anything else? - **Spine** - Extra Credit: Is the publisher's logo there? Do you recognize it? What type of books does this publisher usually publish? - **Back cover** - Is there a revealing back title? Who wrote the blurbs? Recognize anyone? Resonate with what they are saying? - **Back flap** (if you have the hard cover) - Who wrote this? What do they look like? This is who you'll be engaging with, so keep that in mind. What does the author's bio say? Where does the author live? - **Front flap** (if you have the hard cover) - Is there a revealing flap title? - Read the book's synopsis. What do you expect from this book? A how-to guide? An informative journey? At this point, you probably know if you want to read the book. If you don't, put it down. If you do, keep building context... ## Explore the story behind the book > [!Info]- 🕵🏻 Book Secrets Hidden in Plain Sight > *"No man is an island,"* and no book is written in isolation. Your goal here is to start seeing "the story behind the book", so you can to build phenomenal amounts of quality context. > > You are not a robot here; you are Sherlock Holmes. Every piece of information a clue; every clue helping you explore the story behind the book. ### Front - **Copyright page** - What year? Who was the US President? Where was I living? What was I doing at the time the author was writing this? - Who is the publisher? Is there an imprint too? Do I know of any other books from them? - **Other front matter** - More blurbs? Other works by the author? A dedication? - **Table of Contents** - What is the structure of the book? How many parts? How many chapters? Any chapters stand out as more relevant to you? - Notice any themes or patterns? - Any through lines or narrative arcs? - What type of back matter is in the book? An Index? Chapter Notes? An appendix or two? Acknowledgements? Bounce to the back of the book now. ### Back - **Acknowledgements** - Recognize any people? Any institutions? Anything else? What does it say about the author? - Who was the agent for the book? The literary editor(s) from the publisher(s). Just one? Or several? Can you get a feel for the author? - **Chapter Notes** - Keep this one brief. Thumb through the chapter notes, or references, or bibliography. Get a general feel for them? Is it two pages? Or 40? What is the level of the book? Recognize anything? Okay, that's enough. Don't get bogged down here. - **Appendices** - What is so important that the author felt like they had to include this at the end? - **Epilogue, Coda, Final words of the author** - Is there one? What context does it give to the book? ## Build rapid context with the index > [!Info]- 🗺  LiDAR for Books > LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) measures how long it takes light to reflect back from objects, which creates a *depth map* of its surroundings. > > As you bounce from page to page—picking up clues, reading sections that capture your curiosity—you are creating your own depth map. It's your personal X-Ray of the book. > > > They who make a better map, make a better mark! > > The best way to build rapid context is by using the index. > > The key is to keep it interesting, so your enthusiasm continues to drive your efforts. - **Mark the index** - Go through a make dots next to terms that spark with you. - The reason they spark is because you already have some familiarity with them, which means you can "connect the known to the new", where "the new" is the author's words on the matter. This is how you grow your knowledge—and keep things fun. - **Bounce to and from the index** - It's okay to get lost. It's okay if this is all the get done in a sitting. This is the work. It's fun. You're building context, deepening understanding, and being led by your natural enthusiasm—which you'll need whenever a book gets marshy. - You might jump to the page and the writing doesn't interest you. No worries, do another. - **Start reading and keep reading** - Inevitably, the index will lead you to a section that resonates. When it does keep reading! ## Read, get stuck, get unstuck Stuck? Here's how to regain Flow. > [!Info]- 🍨 Have Dessert > It may seem like there is never any linear reading in "How to Work a Book", but the reality is that you still will be reading a book for long stretches of time. As you do, your desire to keep reading will naturally wane. > > Maybe it's a difficult section. Maybe you've lost interest. There are countless reasons why reading feels hard sometimes. It's normal. The key is to know how to "make it interesting" on demand. > > Your best friend? The index. - **Go back to the index**: Go to the Index and find something that sparks. Start reading that section. If you get stuck, either stop for the day, or simply "go back to the index". ## Make notes that actually matter > [!Info]- ✨ A note on what to make notes about > Remember the main goals of non-fiction: *to learn*, *to remember*, and *to apply*. > > With that in mind, there are three types of notes to make, so you make the most out of your reading. > > - 🎙 **Articulate Insights**: Can I turn sparks I read into remarks I remember? > - 🌱 **Add Knowledge**: Can I effectively build my knowledge? > - 🔥 **Apply Ideas**: Can I actually apply what I'm reading? > > Use the emergent questions in [[LYT's Book Note-Making Template]] to make sure you keep the main thing the main thing. You'll notice they include the phrase "sparked by this book". That's because... > > > Books should spark thoughts and ideas that *are not* contained within in the pages of the book itself! > > Don't be a stenographer; be a thinker. Make sure to use [[LYT's Book Note-Making Template]]. # Coda > [!Info]- A final note on LYT's "How to Work a Book" Walkthrough > I hope you enjoyed this basic overview on "How to Work a Book". I already mentioned that this single note is not the complete "working a book" experience for two reasons. > > 1. The fullest version includes the [live session](https://www.linkingyourthinking.com/how-to-work-a-book) (and [recording](http://lyt.com/hwab-lesson)). > 2. The fullest version includes ==you==. > > But there is a third reason. > > 3. The fullest version includes best practices to mark a book. > > Long story short: Don't just highlight. Make comments. > > Longer story: Use [[LYT's Book Note-Making Template]]. > > The emergent questions there will continue to powerfully orient your mind and create an environment that coaxes out your best thinking. > > It will ensure you don't just read a book, you *work* it. # Appendix > [!Info]- Learn more about LYT > "How to Work a Book" was created by us at Linking Your Thinking. We hope you enjoyed it, but it's actually not our main thing. > > Our main thing is the **LYT Workshop**. The LYT Workshop trains you to sustainably think better and create more value over your lifetime. > > If you want to build a custom system to support your best thinking, then the [Linking Your Thinking Workshop](https://www.linkingyourthinking.com/) will teach, train, and support you to create a trusted space to support and power your thinking efforts. > > --- > > If you simply want to get better at using Obsidian, we also offer the one-of-a-kind self-guided training experience known as [Obsidian Flight School](https://www.linkingyourthinking.com/obsidian-flight-school). > > --- > > Whatever is next for you, we hope we have given you plenty to think about. > > Stay connected, > > Nick