READING · 3 MIN READ

Keep what a book leaves behind.

Start with one sentence

After finishing a chapter or a book, write one sentence about the idea that stayed with you. It can be a question, an observation, or a detail you would otherwise forget. There is no need to turn it into a review.

Keep a place for questions

A useful reading note records what remains unresolved as well as what you understood. Write down a question and leave a little space beneath it. A later book may offer a different answer.

Make quotations findable

If you copy a short passage into a private notebook, include the title and page number. Keep your own reaction beside it. The reaction often tells you more about why you saved it than the quotation alone.

Return occasionally

Read a few old notes before choosing your next book. Look for subjects you keep returning to. A small record of your attention is more useful than a perfect list that is difficult to maintain.