Not necessarily read faster, but more so how can I read more without losing comprehension?

For context, I finished 10 books and in the same time frame I added 106 books to my to-read list. That's fucked up.

My schedule right now is to read one book, finish, then read the next book but I realized at school we tackle multiple different topics and we still somewhat retain some information of all of them.

How can I tackle books like that?

What kind of changes can a book bring about in a person and to what extent can you all have your views on this?

I am writing a book about overcoming addiction and general awareness in hopes to honor my dad who passed away. I always hoped he could get sober because i know in my heart if he ever did he would go on to help others.

I wanted to know if anyone had stories to share. Could be losing a loved one to addiction and how that impacted you, or you yourself have overcame an addiction. Or how you’re dealing with anxiety and depression. I myself have anxiety and depression and i’m about to start therapy. I haven’t overcome that yet but i don’t know what it’s like to do drugs. I want to really understand what my dad went through and how to help others with all kinds of perspectives not just mine.

Trying to find a book for a family member who works in corporate, constantly gets passed over for promotions, I believe due to being shy and reserved and I’m hoping to find a good book to help them come out of their shell.. any suggestions would be great

I'm looking for the best parenting books. Not for expecting parents, but for those with kids who are still young but growing. I have two girls: 9 and about to turn 8 and I feel like they're in a new stage that I struggle with.

Hey everyone,

I'm a 21-year-old female, and lately, I've been feeling like I have no real personality or sense of direction. The past few years have felt like I haven’t learned anything meaningful from life, and I’m realizing now that I’ve been stuck in a daydream, imagining myself as this badass version of me, but not actually doing anything to bring that person to life.

So, I’ve decided to stop just wishing and actively work on improving myself and expressing my true self. I’ve broken this process into different stages, and the first stage is all about fixing what I feel needs to be fixed right now. For me, this involves:

Learning to handle and regulate my emotions (whether I'm alone or in public) Identifying my triggers and dealing with them in a healthier way Expressing healthy anger and practicing healthy boundaries In addition to this emotional work, I’ve also started taking better care of my physical health by working out regularly and drinking more water.

I’m currently reading How to Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LePera, and I’m almost done with it. It’s been really eye-opening, but I’m eager to continue this journey. I’d love some book recommendations or other resources that can help me with this process. Also, if anyone has suggestions on other areas I could focus on improving during this stage, I’d really appreciate it.

Thanks in advance, and I hope to hear from you all!

Lately, I've been diving into self-help books, hoping to boost my social skills and personal discipline. While some books have great insights, I often find myself struggling to connect with their content on a personal level, as if I'm just passively consuming information. Has anyone else experienced this?

I've tried various methods, like taking notes or discussing with friends, but somehow, the engagement feels impersonal. It's as if I'm reading to tick a box rather than genuinely transforming my understanding. What strategies have you used to integrate insights from these genres into your daily life more meaningfully?

I'd love to hear about what’s worked for you or maybe discover that my experience isn't that unusual after all. The goal is to feel a more profound connection with these books, translating theory into practice without losing the essence of personal growth.

I've been battling with pure laziness recently, not the kind where it's tied to fear or inefficiency, just a complete lack of motivation. I've read a few books on procrastination that delve into deep psychological factors, but none have really addressed the 'I just can't be bothered to do anything' feeling.

Has anyone found any books or resources that specifically tackle this issue? Not looking for quick fixes, but rather something that offers insight into why some of us find it so hard to even start on productive paths. Any personal experiences or breakthroughs would also be greatly appreciated. Trying to create a more structured approach to getting things done, but need a more tailored perspective on laziness.

So I struggle to understand people, read their emotions and don't know the right way to comfort them.....so can I get a book recommendationon this?

I kept seeing people recommend The Psychology of Money but I put off reading it for a long time because I was somewhat sceptical of a pop psychology/finance book. But the overall advice is solid and I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to.

You can read the full summary on my website but here are the key points:

Key Takeaways

• How to be successful with money:
  • It’s more about psychology and behaviour than being smart.
  • Aim to be reasonable, not rational — what matters is what helps you sleep at night, not what is optimal in theory.
  • The key steps involve:
    • saving (even if you don’t have a particular goal);
    • investing for the long-term; and
    • surviving.
  • Know what game you’re playing and be wary of taking cues from others. Everyone thinks about money differently, based on their own experiences.
• The future is highly uncertain:
  • It’s hard to understand the past, because luck plays a role in outcomes—and a bigger role in cases of extreme success or failure.
  • It’s harder to predict the future because what surprises us keeps evolving over time. (But some basic features of human psychology are pretty stable.)
  • It’s even hard to predict what you will want in the future because people change over time.
• How to deal with uncertainty:
  • The good news is you can be wrong half the time and still make a fortune.
  • Build in a margin of safety to increase your chances of staying in the game.
  • Avoid risk of ruin — be wary of leverage and single points of failure. And don’t risk things that aren’t worth risking, like your reputation or freedom.
  • Stay away from extremes to minimise your chance of regret.
• The value of wealth:
  • Wealth won’t make people like or respect you. Wealth is what you don’t see—the financial assets that haven’t been converted into tangible things.
  • The real value of wealth is flexibility and control over your time.

Please share your thoughts on the book or my summary. Thanks!

Note: I see I accidentally screwed up the title of this post but can't seem to change it. Oops!

Hi, it’s Ryan here 👋🏼 I love this subreddit and have been following / posting here on and off over the last few years.

Given the many avid book readers here, I am curious how’s everyone using AI to read / learn from books? Are you even using AI for books at all? If not, why?

I am an AI engineer but as I am using tools like perplexity and others for books, I quickly realised that it’s more useful for thinking than to understand a single book…

As I uploaded a book that I have never read before, I realised I don’t even know what to ask to get the information from the book but if I have a question to explore / dive in, the book can help..

So I am curious, how’s everyone using AI to read / learn from books? What’s something you wish AI can help you with when reading a book?

Seeking book recommendations that help one become more socially adept-- ideally something that teaches how to become more likable, charismatic, magnet, and influential. This include learning to know when to speak less vs more, becoming the popular member of a friend, psychology of social hierarchy, etc.

I've already read:

• How To Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie
• The 48 Laws of Power - Robert Greene
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey
• Thinking, Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman

Is "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" by Robert Cialdini worth a read? Any other recommendations?

I'm super lazy. My day is 70% in my bed. I spend my time watching youtube videos, texting people, searching for things to watch on netflix. I'm even too lazy to game now. I have alot of things I value, but I don't spend enough time on them. And by enough time, I mean ANY. Like I'd spend 2hours a week MAX on my goals. Usually like 30min/week.

I've gotten into reading alot, since COVID, I've built a reading habit, and it's improved me forsure. The issue I've had with most books, is the advice is super similar, and not applicable to me. Right now I'm reading Four Thousand Weeks by Burkerman, it's the complete opposite book I needed. It tackles the problem of trying to fit too much into limited time, but not of getting off your ass and doing anything you really need.

For procrastination, the advice is typically: "You procrastinate because you are afraid of failure", this is not true for me. I've been fortunate to have been introduced to books early on that teach to be okay with the outcome, and to only focus on what's in your control.

For example: After years of making music, I recently finally started and finished my first album, and was completely satisfied that I finished it, and how it sounded to me. I never cared how it would be received. However, the last 10% of the album took MONTHS, just because I would take weeks to get back to it. It was always just small tweaks, I'd think about them, say I'd do them tomorrow, but like wouldn't touch them for a month. And then last week before releasing, I grinded it. The last few hours of work tooks months to get to. Just out of laziness.

This pattern is everywhere in my life, I do things last minute. I'm not disciplined. At the same time, I don't believe I'm scared of failure. I just don't do things.

Ideally I would like to spend 1-2 hours a day minimum working on my goals. As long as I put in the time, I'm happy. I need the discipline.

I know in the end, I need to just put in the work, and books are meaningless unless I apply them. But I need help applying them, I don't apply them. I'm lazy.

Also, I know I'm not completely lazy and have accomplished alot, just most my days are wasted doing absolutely nothing. I lift almost everyday, but that's it. I feel I just get by. When I put in the work, I get results, but I don't put in the work. Even when I don't get results, I'm happy. Putting in the work makes me happy.

I'm fortunate to be 25 years old, and have a job that gives me ALOT of free-time and a great income to fund my dreams. But I don't put in the work. I have like 90% of my waking day free to do anything, and now I have money too. But I just stay in bed and and do nothing valuable.

I like actionable book that are actionable, where its clear what I need to do, and are harsh. These work for me. I don't like books that are like 'you're doing enough' at this stage in my life, I'm not. I don't want books on the feeling of doing enough, I want do get out of bed right now, and work on the things I value.

Books, programs, other ideas?

---

Some books I've read, that have helped me on my journey:

Book on Mental Toughness/75 Hard - Andy Frisella. This was good advice, and actionable. I now workout everyday after attempting 75 Hard. This was the most impacting book by far. I failed 75 hard, and will attempt again. Had a 42 day run, followed immediately by a 26 day run. Doing those 5 tasks, for that many days felt great. Knowing I could do that felt great. But, my laziness did show. I often spent all day in bed, then grinded the tasks last minute at night, causing me to sleep at like 4am some night, once I had went to bed as late as 8am, just to do the tasks. Which would've been avoided if I was disciplined and did my tasks in the day when I was in bed doing nothing.

Easy Peasy Method (on quitting porn, is the Allan Carr method). This book stopped my porn addiction. I read it on New Years, and have been porn free since. I read atomic habits, and other habit books prior. The Allan Carr method is basically just reading/learning about how bad the addiction really is, and reflecting on your life with it, while still participating in it. Was super effective for me.

Atomic Habits. The ideas of making easy things easy, hard things hard, importance of streaks, etc. However, most habits I tried to implement/get rid of after reading this book only worked for a bit. Some did stick, or I came back to a few years after and adjusted habits based on the principles of this book in the back of my mind.

Can't Hurt Me - Goggins. Super motivating, motivation did fade tho (which is why discipline is needed). I like how harsh it was,

Books on living in the now and stoicism. I read various books these topics earlier in my life. Definitely what instilled the idea of not caring about things outside of my control. However, am still too lazy to make the most of what is in my control.

I read up to analytical reading and some approaches to different types of kinds of reading matter for now because that's the level of reading I'm aspiring to reach, even though the author says to read the whole book.

Reading it and then trying to apply analytical reading made me realize how little structure there is to my thought patterns or to my writing skills.

I realized that I'm just absorbing information and the newest information has the most chance of feeling "correct" (which is why it's easy for me and majority of social media users to fall for shit information)

I don't exactly know why I'm telling everybody I'm an idiot, I guess acceptance is the first stage of growth.

and If I had to advise somebody interested in this book, I'd say ask yourself "Do I have critical thinking skills?" if not, then learn about that first. That's what I'm planning on reading before I come back to this lovely book.

Ironic, eh? I gotta read a book of "critical thinking skills" to better understand "how to read a book" and then I'm probably gonna use "analytical reading" to again read the "critical thinking skills" book.

Then perhaps use "syntopical reading" to expand.

@.@

I loved reading 'The Tipping Point' as it taught me so much about how to share an idea that had the best chance of reaching the most amount of people, so I was excited to read this new book.

• Book Name: Revenge of the Tipping Point
• Author: Malcolm Gladwell
• Year Published: 2024

"Revenge of the Tipping Point", expands on his previous best seller, "The Tipping Point".

What's it about:

This book explores the darker aspects of social epidemics, revealing how tipping points can be manipulated and the profound consequences that can result. It demonstrates that epidemics follow specific rules, are shaped by dominant narratives, and are often driven by influential & powerful people.

Key Learning Points

🔥 Overstories:
Overstories are the dominant narratives and cultural beliefs that shape community behavior, much like a forest canopy influences the life below it. Recognizing the overstory is key to understanding why certain social movements thrive. These narratives can be intentionally crafted to shift perceptions on issues like minority representation or social norms.

👫 Group Proportions:
The makeup of a group affects how it behaves and when it reaches a tipping point. The book shows that the number of minority and majority members can change how people see each other and what the group achieves. When there are enough minority members, it can break stereotypes and show everyone's true abilities. By changing the number of different groups within a larger group, we can create fairer and more balanced outcomes.

🌟 Superspreaders:
In social settings, "superspreaders" are people who have a big impact on spreading ideas and behaviors. These individuals have special qualities that make them very effective at driving social trends. Finding and focusing on these superspreaders is crucial for managing how trends spread, showing how just a few people can greatly influence larger social issues.

Important Frameworks

The Passive Voice and Denial:
The book introduces "the passive voice" to describe our tendency to avoid taking responsibility during epidemics. We often think epidemics are mysterious and out of our control, which makes us deny our role in their start and growth.

Evolution of the Opioid Crisis:
Gladwell uses the opioid epidemic to show how overstories, group proportions, and superspreaders work together:

• Madden Overstory: California's strict prescription rules created a careful narrative about opioids, making doctors less likely to prescribe them.
• Purdue's Targeting: Purdue Pharma took advantage of states without these strict rules, launching aggressive marketing for OxyContin.
• McKinsey and Superspreaders: Using advice from McKinsey, Purdue focused its marketing on doctors who prescribed a lot, increasing the epidemic.
• Shifting Group Proportions: The crisis got worse as heroin and fentanyl became more common, replacing prescription opioids as the main cause of death.

Action Steps

1. Actively Shape the Overstory: Pay attention to the main stories being told and work to promote those that encourage positive change. Challenge harmful or false narratives by joining community discussions, creating content that offers different viewpoints, and supporting organizations that push for social progress.
2. Strive for Critical Mass in Key Areas: Push for more representation of marginalized groups in leadership roles, decision-making bodies, and other important positions. Support policies and initiatives that aim to diversify these areas to achieve fairer and more balanced outcomes.
3. Identify and Address the Influence of Superspreaders: Develop ways to recognize and reduce the impact of superspreaders in different situations. This could include raising awareness about their influence, creating targeted interventions, and promoting responsible behavior among influential individuals.

Memorable Quotes

• “Communities have their own stories, and those stories are contagious."
  • This quote emphasizes the power of overstories, or the narratives that shape a community’s understanding of the world and influence their behavior. Gladwell uses the example of Miami to illustrate how a confluence of events (Cuban refugee influx, the cocaine trade, and a race riot) can shape a community's overstory and influence behavior for decades.
• "The best solution to a monoculture epidemic is to break up the monoculture.”
  • This emphasizes the concept of Group Proportions. Poplar Grove's high suicide rate, Gladwell suggests, is rooted in its intense pressure to succeed. Everyone in the town subscribes to the same narrow set of values and expectations, creating an unhealthy environment for those who don't conform. By diversifying the range of acceptable values and experiences, the town could potentially break free from the stifling pressure that contributes to its suicide problem.
• "It’s not the media pushing this button to get that effect. It’s the media creating a climate in which things can happen."
  • This quote examines the media’s role in shaping the overstory. Gladwell points to the impact of the TV miniseries Holocaust on shifting public awareness and understanding of the Holocaust in the late 1970s. The miniseries didn't force people to change their minds but created an environment where conversations about the Holocaust could happen more openly.
• “The great lesson of COVID is that… an epidemic doesn’t need a lot of recruits. It just needs a single superspreader…"
  • This illustrates the concept of Superspreaders. Drawing on research about the COVID-19 pandemic, Gladwell highlights that certain individuals, due to their physiology or behavior, can play a disproportionate role in spreading contagions. This realization raises ethical questions about how to identify and manage superspreaders in future outbreaks.
• "Overstories matter. You can create them. They can spread. They are powerful. And they can endure for decades."
  • This sums up the enduring impact of Overstories. He argues that these narratives can be deliberately constructed and have a lasting effect on societies. Understanding how overstories work is crucial for understanding social change and influencing its direction.
• “The passive voice… implies somehow you and your family were not aware of exactly what was taking place…"
  • This quote highlights the issue of accountability. Gladwell criticizes the Sackler family's use of passive language when discussing their company's role in the opioid crisis. This language, he argues, suggests a lack of awareness or responsibility, even as evidence points to their active role in promoting OxyContin despite its addictive potential.
• “If you can write the songs of a nation, I don’t care who writes their laws.”
  • This quote, from a Scottish writer, underscores the power of cultural narratives. Gladwell uses it to illustrate how stories and cultural messages can be more influential than formal laws in shaping beliefs and behaviors. He cites research showing that television viewership, a proxy for exposure to cultural narratives, is a stronger predictor of political attitudes than voting history.
• “It’s like eating noodles, Dorf. Once you start, you can’t stop.”
  • This chilling quote, from the television miniseries Holocaust, illustrates the escalating nature of an epidemic. Gladwell uses it to emphasize how social contagions, like genocide, can gain momentum and become increasingly difficult to control once they reach a certain point.

My Recommendation:

If you're fascinated by how small changes can lead to big shifts in society, Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell is a must-read.

Who Should Read This:

• Marketers looking to understand viral trends,
• Community leaders aiming to foster social change, or
• simply someone curious about the forces that shape our world,

...this book offers invaluable insights breaking down complex social dynamics into relatable concepts, making it easy to grasp how narratives, group compositions, and influential individuals can drive significant movements.

Whether you're striving to create positive change in your community, enhance your leadership skills, or just enjoy thought-provoking analysis, Revenge of the Tipping Point equips you with the knowledge to make a meaningful impact.

Here are some of my other posts, in this sub, you might find useful:

1. 'Authentic Happiness' Book Summary
2. 'Can't Hurt Me' Book Summary
3. 'Psychology of Money' Book Summary
4. 'Great Mental Models Vol 1' Book Summary
5. 'Indistractable' Book Summary
6. 'The Untethered Soul' Book Summary
7. 'The One Thing' Book Summary
8. 'Tiny Habits' Book Summary
9. 'Building A StoryBrand' Book Summary
10. 'Think Again' Book Summary
11. 'The Challenger Sale' Book Summary
12. 'Positioning' Book Summary
13. 'The Book You Were Born to Write' Book Summary

Grew up gay, Mormon, American, with social media, laser precise algorithms and marketing, influencers, media bias, how do I know what’s me and what’s not? Can anyone recommend a book on deconstructing and figuring this out?

The problem with self-help books is that the more content I read, the more I realize how less I know, the more panic it creates, then before taking any action in real world I dive into reading more self-help stuff just to make sure that I know "just enough", so that you can begin safely.

And ultimately I find myself stuck in the endless cycle of paralyses of analyses.

Last year, I saw the post of a person that survived their suicide attempt and they were not upset over the situation nor their missing limbs.

They were happy with who they are and the person they have become through their hardships. They did not regret their past and saw it as essential for their betterment.

Are there any books that help you get a positive mindset over your past, like theirs?

Hey everyone!

I’m looking for fellow book lovers to share my thoughts, discuss(or sometimes debate about) the content, and motivate each other to reach our goals.

We can choose a book monthly and meet virtually or in person (I live in Berlin and speak Tamil, English and a little German). What genres or books excite you?

Is anyone Interested? I am also open to join the existing group/community!

Edit 1: I have created a WhatsApp group for now, where we can discuss how to begin, take it further. Please feel free to join the group using the following link. See you there 😉

Hello friends. I've been looking to learn more about posting content amid times of tension, where you know the public is enraged with, let's say, the Government and other key national issues, and because you represent an institution that can be easily associated thereto, you have to contend with rather nasty comments not associated with the content you posted.

That said, are there any books on the matter at hand?

I think I started to listen to “how to do the work” I can’t recall why I didn’t finish it, possibly if i had activities that would make it more preferable to do on a physical book.

I’m considering checking out “how to be the love you seek” what have your thoughts been reading it, especially if you’ve dealt with some emotional neglect.

Does anyone have any good recommendations for books to get to know yourself/ building self efficacy in specific? Prefereably a workbook or something with reader participation. Thanks!

Until the age of 18, children are usually kept in a protective environment and then suddenly left on their own to figure out everything by themselves. Schools and parents usually focus on technical things & idealistic/positive things and children are never trained to regulate their emotion, coping mechanisms, identify manipulators, effect of peer groups, negative things in society, financially responsible and some other social aspects of life.

Right now I am working on this problem for age 11-14, are there any books for this problem - to help prepare them for future? Although this book will not be read by an adolescent, instead used by me to develop a solution, but it has to be suitable for that age group.

Any advice appreciated, thanks!

It feels like I have millions of great ideas in my head, and they all contradict each other in some way. So, I can't stop myself from learning(reading) more and connecting the dots that will never end.

That's becoming a huge problem for me. It's holding me back from working on the things that will make any difference. I spend most of my attention and energy on writing and most of the day ends like this.

Please recommend any book that will help with

- Letting go of things.

- Perfectionism.

- Becoming Mindful.

- Finding Purpose.

Thank You.