Use a Layered Approach to Reading to Cope With the Accumulation of Books
So many books, so little time. If you find it difficult to finish reading the books you started, or just want to read books faster , consider this “layered reading” technique.
The method comes from Design for Hackers author David Kadavi , who describes himself as a mindless person who doesn’t respect authority. Thus, the method recommends reading the book not in the sequential order from cover to cover in which it is written, but rather, moving on to those parts that pique your curiosity. This system is designed for nonfiction paper books.
In a layered approach, you first read the table of contents, and for each chapter title, think about the “argument” of the book and the questions that might arise for each chapter. In the next few levels, you start with the chapters that piqued your curiosity the most, and then ponder the questions that arise, and then move on to other chapters to fill in the knowledge gaps.
It’s a smarter approach to reading nonfiction, and while you won’t get the same experience or get all the content unless you read the book cover to cover, it’s a quick way to get a general idea of the book in one sitting. Kadavi says:
The essence of this methodology is to follow where your curiosity leads you. Instead of spending weeks and months on tiring books, you will find and “read” the books that really interest you in a very short time.
Reading for Absent-minded People Who Respect Neither Patience nor Authority | Observer