We get this question all the time:
How do I engage more deeply with my reading besides annotating and asking the text/author basic questions? I want to think deeply about the text in front of me, remember more than just the main themes and ideas, and be able to fully formulate my thoughts on books, authors, genres or eras.
A few of our go-to tips:
- Make your annotations the start, not the end, of deep reading. When you finish a book, go back through your notes, underlines, and marginalia and synthesize them into a more cohesive reflection on the work. This can be in the form of a reading journal, a review (even if you don’t post it anywhere), or even a voice note to a bookish friend.
- Don’t just read the book, read about the book. Look for editions that include introductions from experts. When an annotated or expanded edition isn’t available, seek out reputable reviews, essays by literary critics and scholars, and other supporting material to help you contextualize the work.
- Pay attention to the questions you have after finishing the book. What are you still wondering about? What new ideas does it spark for you? How does it connect to or diverge from other books you’ve read?
Becoming well-read is a journey, not a destination, and like most adventures, it’s better with friends. Come along with us on Zero to Well-Read, where I sat down with Rebecca and Jeff for a summer mailbag episode to answer our listeners’ burning questions. From reading habits and readalikes to episode feedback and a family cameo, a good—and informative, and sometimes silly—time was had.
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