📚 Reading
So many books, so little time.
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🍀 Benefits of Reading
(if you don't know already)
Boosts vocabulary | Kain & Oakhill, 2011
Better at identifying emotional state, strengthen empathy | Kidd & Castano, 2013
Helps prevent cognitive declines | Uchida & Kawashima, 2008 | National Institute on Aging
Reduce stress | Rizzolo et al, 2009
Contributes to a longer life (lower mortality risk) | Bavishi et al, 2017
Better sleep at night | Healthline
🍀 Reading for Study
Article
It's getting harder to find decent article in the deep sea of internet, thanks to the witches and wizards of SEO. Can't blame them though, it's an occupation born from demands + marketing strategy for the sake of appearing in search engines' top pages.
My sources to read new articles:
Many people like Pocket. I don't frequently visit the websites above, I subscribed to their email newsletter and pick whatever articles that looks interesting.
Nonfiction
I suggest to be extremely selective on the self-help and entrepreneur book types, especially those written by author with dubious background (doesn't possess decent real life experience and/or degree of study related to the book topic—thus compromising credibility of their writings).
Academic Journals
Journals and other study publications have a different target "market". I assume researchers and students know how to read a journal article because they are obligated to stay updated on their relevant fields.
For general public, I suggest to first and foremost read the abstract and conclusion(s). Academic article is already formatted in such a way to help finding the main ideas in those two parts. Then if necessary, proceed to read the method and discussion for detailed context.
Textbook
Don't read your textbooks like a novel. Be careful of falling into the illusion of competence (tricks your mind into believing you understand the material, such as highlighting and re-reading texts, which in reality does nothing much).
How to retain information
Keeping notes — possibly the oldest and most proven method to this day. Then improvise and adapt on the note-taking method that works best for you. I like Cornell note-taking system and bullet points.
Write summary with your own words (recall) — this help to check how much information you've absorbed, and can be used for quick review anytime. Take 30 seconds, no more and no less, to write down the most important points immediately after you finish learning or reading.
Making connections (knowledge tree) — keeping track of similar ideas/developed ideas from the same topic that you gain from different books/authors.
Read several books of the same topic — to gain different perspectives. I had fun when I noticed two authors of opposite views takes on the same topic, it's like watching them debate in long-forms inside my mind.
Have fun. Seriously, when you have fun reading, it doesn't take much effort to retain the particular information. To me, this means start with topic that interests me, no matter how weird it is. If it works, it works. Learning too, should be fun.
Further:
🍀 Reading for Pleasure
Manga
As for manga, to say that I'm passionate about it is an understatement. Aside from personal to-read list, I also use the 1001 Comics to Read Before You Die when I feel up to something classic.
Below are some manga recommendations:
Fiction
I highly enjoy series like Animorphs and The Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque du Freak), though I don't read young adult fiction as first picks. Unlike manga, with novels I mostly read slow or awfully slow. It could take me either one-sitting or months to finish one book (Solo Leveling webnovel took me four years).
When in doubt, I go for the old masters, for example this 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list.
🍀 The Art of Skimming
Some references put a distinction between skimming and scanning (and not to be mistaken with speed reading). In brief, skimming is reading rapidly to get general overview of a certain content. Helpful to determine important / highlight parts of the text.
Further:
🍀 The Art of Deep Reading
I call it deep reading to make it sound cool and elite. Taken from Mortimer Adler, in brief this is where we do more than just read (finishing the book and move on). We digest the book for comprehension, to dissect the book's topic thoroughly for a certain goal.
Analytical reading
Syntopical reading
🍀 Reading Notes
As mentioned before, keeping a reading notes is one (if not the best) method to retain information of what we've read.
I do dog-eared my book when I can't get any bookmark-like things nearby. Very practical.
I scribble on the margins and highlights phrases on the book (only if it's mine, of course, I still want to live).
Reading notes/summaries I like:
🍀 Start a Reading Habit
Anyone who calls herself or himself a reader can tell you that it starts with encountering great books, heartfelt recommendations, and a community of readers who share this passion. -Donalyn Miller, The Book Whisperer
I think all it takes is just one book. That one book, that fits and engages you so well, got you hooked, left craving and keep looking to repeat the same enjoyable reading experience ⬅️ feels like describing drugs addiction 😂
Don't overcommit all of sudden. Start small. 5 pages a day, then 10, then 25 pages a day. Then keep doing it for a week. Then a month. Habit is build on repetition. You might even proceed to do 100 pages a day.
Choose book you really want to read as your first. It could be a curiosity because people keep talking about it, or because it's a New York Times bestseller, or you feel you can relate to the protagonist, or you want to know what makes classic novels a classic. Anything that can get you started. I believe, whatever the motivation is: if it works, it works.
Don't give in to bookshaming. It's an ego thing, the problem is on the bookshamer, not you. If everyone is already reading Sapiens in 2016 and you're just starting this year, so be it. If they're reading Murakami and you prefer fantasy webnovels, so be it. Go explore. We'll sort our options as we read; what's important is being comfortable in our own choices, and not being a jerk to other people's preference.
🍀 Re-starting Reading Habit
Used to be voracious reader then real life takes over and now you feel like you don't have time for it anymore? I get it. In high school I was in the go-home club, I got a lot of free time to pick up any title I wanted and read them in my own pace. After entering the working society, I barely squeezed in reading manga in my spare time.
💡 Small steps. Don't re-start with a complex book right away. Find one that suit your energy level.
💡 Re-read your favorite book. This always works for me, especially when I'm in reading slump. Since I already know what happened in the story, I read again just to re-ignite the excitement. Most of the time I become able to recognize easter-egg details I previously missed.
🍀 Digital or Physical
Choosing suitable reading platforms
E-books vs Physical Books: The Great Debate | Classical Conversations
Digital vs Physical Book Distribution | Spines (for authors)
Physical is always my first pick, it helps me focus. I try to borrow it from public libraries or book rental. If it's something that I really want to read and can't be obtained anywhere else, I'll rent or purchase the digital version. If it's a really really must-showoff must-have, I consider buying the physical.
✅ Digital - Pros
doesn't take up space, no need for cleaning/decluttering
usually cheaper
extremely practical, can be taken anywhere in your gadget
environmental friendly
〽️ Digital - Cons
can't share or lend the book with others
eyes gets tired faster than reading physical books
✅ Physical - Pros
the deliberate touch, the sensation of flipping pages...
less distraction (no notifications, etc)
better focus
better reading experience for the eyes
can lend/donate after reading, the sharing benefit doesn't stop on personal use
〽️ Physical - Cons
not environmentally friendly
takes up space
prone to careless accident (fires, getting wet, ripped, lost, worn-out, molds, etc)
My Reading Platforms
Physical
Public libraries
Indonesia - Salatiga
Indonesia - Yogyakarta
Indonesia - Jakarta
Indonesia - Depok
Book rentals
Indonesia - Salatiga
Dino Book Rental and others who had fallen victim to online comics (closed permanently forever in my heart 💐)
Indonesia - Yogyakarta
Digital
Books
iPusnas (for old Indonesian books/archives)
Comics
Subscription/Rent
Purchase Only
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Google Sites
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