Hey, museum worker and professional historian here. I have led a very successful history book discussion group for almost ten years. I just want to say that it's ok to not retain everything. Seriously. There's no award at the end of life for remembering everything you read. It's sufficient that you get a "takeaway idea" from each book or maybe you just know that you found something interesting along the way. Don't stress!

If you want, maybe just keep a journal or spreadsheet with the basics of the book. If you ever think "hey, what did that author say about this topic that just came up in my life," then look the book up again.

The book discussion group also helps retain information and digest it with multiple perspectives. Check out your local library and other organizations.

Depending on your reading speed, hammer through the book once with no notes, nothing. Think about what you read, you'll remember the bits that interested you more. Write them down and reread the book, making notes as concepts interact with the things you were interested in.

For self-helps, how-tos, autobiographies, or historical books, I treat them as if the author is sending me a really long letter or email. Or like a random blog post or article on the internet. I usually go chapter by chapter. I can never read a nonfiction book in one sitting.

There are different types of non-fiction book: textbooks, creative non-fiction, popular non-fiction, and so on. Which are you referring to?

I'm currently reading a narrative non-fiction book in my back yard with the evening sun on my back, a beer at hand, and the radio playing in the background. Shortly, I will continue reading, listening, and drinking beer while I cook dinner on the barbecue.

How i read? One page at a time.

I'm not that great with remembering either. But maybe look at it like this: Do you actually retain more information for longer by taking notes to warrant the effort? I'd hazard a guess, that it doesn't work very well. You'd presumably have to make flashcards and use spaced repetition, which is even more effort, but probably your best bet if you actually want to be able to recall information off the top of your head.

But I don't do this. Instead, I find it enjoyable to talk to a friend about what I read recently if I want to retain it better. Trying to explain something a bit after you've read about it is more engaging than jotting down excerpts or dot points from the text. Hopefully, that's then enough to retain a rudimentary recollection, which you can then use to look up the more complete picture from the book or another source later, if you want it.

For fiction and nonfiction, I annotate as I read (lately on kindle, but I mark up physical books too). This isn't like, brilliant or systematic annotation I just highlight stuff and add notes that can be anything from "lol" to "I wonder how this relates to..." to "this reminds me of..." I only look back at these notes if I am rereading the book or occasionally if I am looking for a quote.

Additionally, I have a note on my phone for whatever I'm currently reading. In between chapters, sections, or just at good stopping points I do pause and put in the main points from the chapter + my own thoughts. I find it more useful to do this after reading a section in my own words rather than taking notes as I go. I only revisit these notes if I take a long break from the book, in which case it is a useful refresher. For me doing it is more important than having it.

Finally, part of my wake-up routine in the morning is basically a memory game. While I'm getting ready for the day I try to reflect on the stuff I read or watched the day before and see if I can remember what it was about. If it's important - related to my job or just something I really want to learn - ill sometimes retread parts I can't recall or realize that I fully havent understood. With philosophy books for example I will sometimes think I have a handle on the content while reading and realize during my morning recall that I in fact do not.

Still, memory is a fragile thing and I'll generally forget a lot of the details of a book after a while away from it. I'm fine with that - in this case too I think doing is better than having. It's more important to me that I can deeply understand s book once than know it forever, and my recall method is in service of that.

Me too! I’ve been approaching them like textbooks hahaha

When reading non-fiction I treat it as if i'm sitting in a college class and the author is giving me a lecture on something, except I take a lot of pauses to digest, otherwise I find that I just keep going without integrating much. I have to stop every ten pages or so to grab some water or change music or w/e. It's only for a couple of minutes but it helps me a lot to think about what i just read and kind of keep it fresh in my head, and eventually it just registers haha (Note that most non-fiction I read is either research or history books)

I mostly read digitally so I'll highlight or bookmark parts I find interesting or think I'll want to find again. Otherwise I just read it like any other book. I don't usually have a hard time remembering what's in a book and generally find it easy enough to go back and look up details if I need to. which I do do every once in a while.

With determination

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I have a steel trap memory, but I will keep a phone near by to look up words i haven't seen before. I either read non fiction in the same dedicated reading time or i keep non fiction by my side when I have an inconsistent work tempo and I don't know if the break in the action will last 5 min or 2 hours.

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I am in a similar situation and haven’t found the best way yet either. What I can recommend

• reading/watching a summary of the book to get the gist of it before reading
• listening to it and taking notes while you listen to it
• reading the actual book (digital or paper) and take notes the good old way
• use an app like Obsidian that allows you to link your notes from different books and create a network of ideas and concept

The last one is the one I’m not fully doing yet but it’s a really fascinating concept. Here’s an intro but there’s a ton on YouTube too.

https://www.keepproductive.com/blog/obsidian-beginners-guide

I will pause on sections and think about it for a bit, if I feel I need some notes I’ll jot them in the margin. Sometimes I need to reread that section or paragraph, then make notes. I guess I just read the book twice on one reading.

It may affect presentation but I have a list of sticky post it notes - whenever there's something you find it interesting, jot it in a post it note and stick back in the relevant page - you can always read back and what you've written may jot back your memory on it

Most of my reading is non-fiction. My book collection is mostly non-fiction.

My motto is : if I can’t get into it, I don’t read it. That goes for nonfiction, fiction and everything in between, even if I’m halfway through the book. There are so many books and so little time, I don’t think it’s worth it forcing ourselves to read something we don’t enjoy.

It depends on the type of nonfic I'm reading; I don't often take notes, but sometimes I'll snap photos of paragraphs that strike me as especially relevant - I did this several times while reading books about the 1918 Influenza pandemic (or I will annotate them on a re-read if it's a purchased/personal copy, like my Mary Roach books) - and text or share them with friends on social media.

For me, the best way to remember what I've read is to talk (or type!) about it with other people, either folks who've read the same book or friends I'm trying to convince to read it, because I connect my excitement about something cool/interesting/maddening I learnt from the book to that conversation.

Oh, and I read some nonfic at a much slower rate than I read fiction, so it may take me months-and-months to finish a "heavy" subject with a lot of technical language but I'll blow through a 400pp novel in like a day. I don't worry; I don't judge.

Depends on the book.

Reference books: I read what I want, when I want. That's the point.

Textbooks: Chapter by chapter. First, I skim the section headings of the chapter, to get a sense of what the chapter is about and how it's developing the ideas and concepts. Then I skim again, but with more attention to the sidenotes, figures, and other supplementary material. Then I go back and skim each paragraph. This is where I start making notes, relating what jumps out at me in each paragraph to the themes established by my previous skims. Then, I go back and read some or all of the chapter paragraphs in detail. Finally, if the book includes quizzes or study prompts, I read those, compare them against my notes, and decide if I need to re-read the chapter to pick up something I may have missed.

Histories other than textbooks (biographies, popular histories, etc.): I read them just like fiction. Beginning to end, as a linear narrative.

I find it helpful to listen to the audiobook and follow along on my kindle to highlight and make notes.

I'm reading Lies My Teacher Told Me (history/commentary) and it's a slog if you try to read it continuously like fiction. I'm enjoying it much better and retain a lot more if I only read 2-10 pages per day.

Not slow reading or anything, just reading at a normal pace but limiting the page numbers. Gives me a chance to ponder the people involved throughout the day without being overloaded.

I prefer to read nonfiction while being very attentive too, and i mostly highlight them at points so i can look back. However i am making a habit of writing down about it once i finish the book, so if you want to write notes you can do it at the end of each reading session.

I read nonfiction often, but not all nonfiction is worth taking notes on. If I read biographies or memoirs I treat them like a fiction novel, I read to enjoy the story, and other than remembering some details, I'm fine if I forget parts.

Over the years I've read a lot of nonfiction to learn. For these books, I would often read or listen to them cover to cover, if I felt they were worth diving in deeper, I'd get a physical copy, take notes, highlight, and do any exercises in the book. I would refer back to them frequently until I feel I'd mastered the skill.

Another category for me is more "motivational" those I often listen to every year or 2 to remind myself why I make the choices I make or to keep me on track.

I’d say reading the same few pages you last left, is always a good indication you’re taking it in. If not, just keep going back until you’re comfortably remembering everything you’ve previously read

A book that was built for note taking I’d say, is Quintin Tarantino’s newish release, “Cinema Speculation”. It’s full of recommendations when it comes to certain scenes, actors and mostly films.

I tend to skip around in non-fiction books, which is something I'll never do with fiction. Like there's a great massive history of Europe by Norman Davies (it's just called "Europe") and I'm pretty sure by this point I've read the whole thing, but I didn't read it front to back, I just read different chapters and sections on different eras, cultures, and concepts when I was in the mood for that particular subject.

Audio books still count.

When I first allowed myself to listen to audio books I did like 30 non fiction titles that year. I would have never done that in print with non fiction, and I certainly wouldn't have retained as much as I have.

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The only way I can take in non fiction is to download the audible version and listen to it. If I read it it takes forever and I don't remember any of it.

It all depends on why I am reading a non-fiction book. I much prefer a good fiction since I am not longer reading for school.

There was a time when I read a lot about finance. I had to make some decisions at work regarding benefits and I wanted to be well informed. I used the old yellow marker in those books. They belonged to me and I still occasionally check them out.

I went years without reading non-fiction and then my daughter suggested Quiet:: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't stop Talking by Susan Cain. I got it in audiobook and just loved it. I've known for years I was an introvert and suspected as much about my son. I could see us both in places in that book.

With my eyes.

If it's good I just read it.

If it's not good I don't.

Man. I never expected that this sub would show me how complicated some people can be in their reading rituals. People keeping count of not only how many pages per sitting but word counts. People who can only read certain types of books in certain places or with the need to create notes... all types here. Interesting stuff.

It’s weird but I don’t read them in order. I read where intrigued first and maybe make a mental list of covered chapters.

Audible.

I'm always puzzled by posts claiming they are unable to read or understand books. You have the knowledge within you to understand anything. Nonfiction especially has to be completely transparent and faithful to the subject. A great recent nonfiction book is The White Devil's Daughters, which covers human trafficking in San Francisco. It's clear, carefully written, features a coherent history and the chapters are punctual. It is telling you the purpose of the book with every word. You could also try a Naomi Klein book - she is very clear, persuasive and in love with everything she writes. And every nonfiction book is describing some shocking or unaccountable discrepancy between what we believe and the truth of the matter. Every book does that, really, but most pointedly nonfiction. I would just get lost in the facts of the book itself. The actual "purpose" and "importance" is something the reader has to decide.

And I don't think there would be much use in taking notes. Most information in a book just serves to frame the narrative overall. Most of the facts in a nonfiction book do not need to be committed to memory. A book should be able to convey a general theme or thesis that you CAN remember and remark on throughout the text.

Look up a summary online. Usually, someone has already condensed the crucial ideas into a streamlined summary. I do this for skill/self-improvement books. Some search-bar examples would be "How to Win Friends and Influence People summary" and "Never Split the Difference summary". You could read the book once without taking notes to get a good understanding of the ideas within, and for the experience, but then look at the online summaries to study. If you want to really remember these ideas, get a journal, and copy the ideas from the summary. Over and over, until you have it memorized well. Then, apply the ideas in your life. Good luck!

I find 1. Audiobooks help most. I personally digest information better that way. Some folks will listen to an audiobook with the physical copy in hand as well. 2. I’ll write down only what I want to remember if feel is important. Little aha moments. Or a line that reminds me of something. Or a book suggestion in the book that the author has read or is referencing. I’m certainly not filling pages and pages on one book (though you could do so).

I have a nice, but boring job, state reports and all. I listen to audiobooks while I work. Since I’m working I don’t, and probs shouldn’t be writing all that I find important while reading. So I’ll rewind where I need to and screenshot my screen, so that later I can go back and re listen to or write down what I liked about that section. But this could possibly take the stress of writing it down immediately while reading/listening. Put one of those little reading sticky tabs on the edge of the paragraph you’d like to return to. You can write it down at a time in your day when you want to!

3 I think information starts being retained when we listen to/read more sources of the same topic. To the point that we can talk about a new subject without needing to reference a book or google a subject. If you truly want to retain information, repetition is always key. Weather that’s thru writing, listening, or both.

4 It’s ok to not retain it all. I used to worry about this so much. I wanted to be smarter, to be “smart enough”, etc. but it became a source of stress. Not a huge one, but enough that learning kind of became unenjoyable.

So, without minimizing your problem, I’d say just read what you’d like to and don’t over stress about what you’re retaining! Hobbies should always be fun!

I'm not a huge nonfiction reader, but one thing I do with my school textbooks is to get a bunch of sticky notes (the small, thin kind) and whenever I see a sentence or paragraph that's important, I put one in that spot, then go back later and take some notes.

Book Darts. Amazon has them. It's really cool when you look at the side of the closed books and see the book darts.

There's a classic book called "How to Read a Book" by Mortimer Adler (written in 1972), which describes the various types of reading and how to get good at each type. I've found it interesting and helpful in both my academic studies and my regular life.

Here's a blog about it: https://fs.blog/how-to-read-a-book/

And here's a PDF of it: https://textbookequity.org/Textbooks/HowtoReadABook.pdf

Like any other book, one page at a time. :)

But seriously, don't stress yourself too much about remembering every little detail you read in non-fiction, it takes time and repetition to get it down. Just enjoy learning and reading, if you make it too much like a job or a chore then you might stop doing it altogether.

As you read more about a topic, you will be surprised what you start to remember. You'll start to see the connections and think "Oh yeah didn't I read about that in X..". Or even in daily conversation you will start to find places where it relates to some topic of discussion.

It just takes time, you can't force it. Just try to follow the big picture and patterns rather than specific details.

What type of non-fiction are you reading?

I read like 90 nonfiction books last year and have remembered maybe 1 books worth of content. Doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth my time