Books
Reading is one of the highest-leverage learning activities. Books represent distilled expertise—years of someone's experience compressed into a few hours of reading time.
Why Track Books?
- Retention: Writing about books dramatically improves what sticks
- Recommendations: Having a curated list ready when someone asks
- Patterns: Seeing what topics draw your attention over time
- Connection: Linking book ideas to personal projects and other notes
Book Note Framework
For each book worth noting:
- Core thesis: What's the main argument or insight?
- Key takeaways: 3-5 ideas worth remembering
- Personal application: How does this connect to my life/work?
- Quality rating: Would I recommend this? To whom?
Reading Philosophy
- Abandon freely: Life's too short for books that don't engage you
- Re-read classics: Great books reward multiple readings
- Balance genres: Mix fiction and non-fiction, deep and light
- Apply actively: Knowledge unused is knowledge lost