I’ve read some great books in the last few months. I’d love to summarize them. Not just to share them, but to solidify their lessons for myself. Alas, it’s not a priority. What little time I have next to my job I spend writing my own books.
Yesterday, when going to the toilet, I randomly grabbed one of those good books. I spent 10, maybe 15 minutes going through it, reviewing all my highlights. Many of them triggered the same feeling of inspiration I had when I originally read them. It was probably better for my long-term retention of the book than any summary could ever be.
Writing summaries is a great way to process what you learn. It’ll show you how well you’ve understood and can communicate the material. Plus, you get to share with others and hear their thoughts. An interesting summary is the best book recommendation.
But when you want a book to really seep into your soul, the only way is to read it, re-read it, and then read it again. You need to spend time with the real deal, and lots of it. Those books will, and probably should be, far and few between—but when you find them, remember that if push comes to shove, highlights beat summaries, and little echoes longer in our hearts than other people’s memorable words.
