Thanks! In a world of "do it faster, quicker, shorter" there's someone spreading the benefits on going deeper and building real and meaningful conections is just amazing.
i had depression about 2 years ago. the first stepping stone in me getting out of it was taking a book in my hands and start reading and summarising it, chapter by chapter.
Love this channel,No unecessary editing and sounds. I have been collecting words from various subjects and its worth it. Sometimes note taking in words and then a description to it would help in understanding a book/subject or just to keep a data of what you have learnt till now.
"I committed to improving my writing because I want my words to carry more weight." That statement is heavy! I stumbled upon your channel! Kudos to you for the excellent content!
A quote I once read that goes something like this came to mind: "Words are the most powerful thing. Arranged in the right way, they can shake the world a little."
Being honest I am taking notes since I found your channel, but everything is on a notebook and I wrote a few mini essays in a single page, is quite the mental workout. My hand writting is getting better, less shaky and more confident on my words. Wll thank you.
Hello I follow your channel since about 1 year. - Slow reading, i finished THE BOOK OF DISQUIET by Fernando Pessoa. That's the epitome of slow reading. - Re-reading, most difficult to me, I am (65) in returning to the same reading, I like the new, but - HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITIDUDE by Marques, I read 4 or 5 times, form start to finish. - Never finished: ULYSSES, by Joyce, The Magic Mountain by Mann. Cheers to you and all.
I found your channel today. I am 31 years old and always saw myself as someone wise for my age. It is only after watching a few of your videos that i understand Socrates' famous line. You have inspired me to pick up learning once more and find a way to make reading important to me. Thank you.
When I started doing notes on books I read, I've never felt so much better. I understand the ideas and remember them. I even can explain them to others like they're mine. Great tips!
I'm pleased to say that this just made my year. I'm buidling a reading habit I dedicate 30mins to reading at least 30 pages of a book each day. So in a month I'd have read an average of 900 pages. Your video just helped with the final ingredient; (intentionally writing) as I'd love to share what I learn from time to time with the world maybe on a podcast of some sort. Just stumbled on your channel And I'm here to stay; gave you a sub and would recommend to others. Thank you.
Wonderful content. Glad it popped up in my feed. As a middle-aged first time undergrad student, I’m finding that all of the learning and processing skills I’ve taken for granted are things that need to still need to be improved, expanded, and nurtured. This idea for me began with the act of thinking. I realized that, while I am a pretty good thinker, there are skills and methods that I did not have that could be learned and applied. I think therefore I am is one thing. But I think therefore I am a thinker wasn’t as true. So, after much self-exploration and seeking new perspectives from others, I found that writing about the ideas I was attempting to process was the best way for me to learn anything and produce my own ideas around the subject. I did this by writing the same “mini essay” approach you’ve described. It has been life changing for me. Like thinking, my reading skills are ripe for improvement. The knowledge and experience shared here is wonderfully helpful. Thanks.
I do wonder if "The Great Works" is too heavily skewed to western thought though. There are more ways of understanding than western modes of thought which yield very positive results in different ways.
Of course, it is very clear on it's purpose. I realize the way I framed it might skew the picture. I did not mean to imply that the collection is excluding anything in regards to its scope.@@odysseas__
Agree. This is a fabulous resource for the Western tradition and I'm so grateful to have them! It would be good to have a similar list or lists for other world literature and one that suggests post 1950 works. Does anyone know of any?
I wish there was a separate video on your note-taking process, especially on how to use Obsidian too for the non-familiar readers. Really like your system explained here.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 *📚 Tailoring a Reading Strategy for Maximum Insight* - Developing a reading strategy focused on analytical insights. - Emphasizing simplicity over complexity in the reading process. - Choosing books strategically to maximize learning potential. 01:12 *📜 The Great Works List Criteria* - Discussing the criteria for inclusion in the Great Works list. - Emphasizing relevance, engagement with great ideas, and depth for rereading. - Highlighting the significance of structured learning through canonical works. 03:19 *📚 Supplementing with Modern Reads* - Adding modern books to supplement the Great Works list. - Simplifying the process of choosing new books for reading. - Utilizing Goodreads and recommendations for diversifying reading material. 04:01 *📝 Active Reading through Annotation* - Advocating for active reading through annotation. - Discussing the benefits of writing notes for comprehension and retention. - Exploring strategies for effective note-taking during reading. 06:22 *📝 Processing and Cementing Knowledge* - Transitioning from reading to processing and cementing knowledge. - Highlighting the importance of extensive note-taking post-reading. - Discussing the role of thorough note-taking in deepening understanding. 07:06 *📝 Benefits of Slow, Detailed Note-Taking* - Arguing for the benefits of slow, detailed note-taking over speed reading. - Emphasizing the importance of patience and thoroughness in learning. - Highlighting improved comprehension and retention through meticulous note-taking. 08:15 *🖋️ Practicing Writing Skills through Note-Taking* - Discussing the role of note-taking in improving writing skills. - Advocating for consistent practice and improvement in writing. - Exploring personal experiences and strategies for enhancing writing abilities. 10:03 *🧱 Building Blocks of Knowledge and Writing* - Conceptualizing books as collections of building blocks for future writing projects. - Exploring the hierarchical structure of book notes and their utility in larger writing endeavors. - Highlighting the efficiency and effectiveness of detailed note-taking for future writing tasks. 13:47 *🔗 Creating Connections through Atomic Notes* - Introducing the concept of atomic notes and their significance in knowledge integration. - Discussing the power of disconnected notes to form unique connections. - Exploring how atomic notes facilitate the emergence of personal insights and perspectives. 15:10 *📝 Structuring Mini Essays for Comprehensive Notes* - Detailing the structure and format of mini essays for comprehensive note-taking. - Discussing strategies for engaging readers and conveying ideas effectively. - Highlighting the versatility of mini essays in accommodating diverse learning objectives. Made with HARPA AI
So I read because I want to expand my horizon and empathy. I like stories but I also like perspectives. The world is vast. From what I see most of these books on the list you provide are mostly western centric. I want to read about all types of stories, from every type of people and cultures. I do try annotating when it is my book. Unfortunately the book I am reading now is the library’s (The Tale of Heike). If I write my thoughts about the book at the end I would forgot most of the book haha. I guess I just have to try to write summary every couple chapters to keep my brain going. Though I do prefer writing by hand. And I also pretty dumb. I can’t catch themes, foreshadow or symbolism. But I guess that will come with more reading.
I get you. This list is "...of the Western World," so it's limited on purpose, but I agree with branching out to works from all over the world. Having a notebook by your side is also a great help when you can't annotate directly. Good luck in all!
Excellent point about note-taking and mini-essay writing being a uniquely personal endeavour. One of the goals for reading is to go beyond knowledge accumulation and to train the mind how to think. The more effort we make in putting the ideas we read into our own words, the more creative we get, and also achieve deeper insights, eventually leading to personal growth.
I love this channel! I just found it, which has already taken my reading to the next level. I would love to see a video about how you set up and format your notes in Obsidian.
I have been taking notes from books for years and one thing I'd add to your process is to remember they're YOUR notes, not a book report on the entire book. If there's a section, story, chapter, etc. that's not relevant to your reason for reading the book, you don't have to find a way to incorporate or distill it into your own notes.
Ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ, Odysseas. You've been so, so, SO inspiring to me - I've started using Obsidian to takes notes on a daily basis since I saw one of your videos about it, and it has become a staple for my studies ❤
This channel is fantastic. I’ve had 3 issues with my work lately and all 3 have been nailed in 3 videos purely by a chance find. Keep up the great work
Started this conceptual theory of reading for real learning 40 years ago--initial reading, just cruise through the book--it is pleasurable, then, re read and underline and write down marginalia. Reread for a third time and type out a synopsis using the previous underlined stuff and original thinking in the marginalia. This will help you remember everything and increases vocabulary, speaking skills and writing ability. You are loading the human computer, synthesis occurs and, sometimes, new knowledge.
Great video! Can’t say though I really agree reading following a canon list, because they always give a sense these are ALL the important oldies, but they always leave out the best books. I have the impression they are always just pick the most famous titles, not necessarily the best. A true western canon would have to had more than a thousand titles. But what I really wanted to say is that I’m really amazed to your approach to note taking. I’m a student, and I’ve always struggled to how to organize my notes, and this is incredible! Will definitely get obsidian and I’ll wait eagerly for your set up video which is in the works!
I wanted to rewatch your video but i could not find it again! It's been days that i search so glad that i refound it !! ❤ Thanks for sharing your knowledge! I found mind map intriguing and thought about started it one. Your video is the little kick that i need for started it
Impressive list. Allow me to suggest two of the finest Swedish authors to add to your list: Hjalmar Söderberg's "Doctor Glas" and Torgny Lindgren's "The Way of a Serpent". I have read both several times - they are not long, but amazing - and find something new every time. I think you would enjoy them. 🙂
Here is my approach, which I apply when I study (pure) mathematics: I completely rewrite every chapter I read, following my style and own perspective (of course, I also provide solutions to the accompanying problems that I'm able to solve, but that's common practice). It's a meticulous process, but I find it effective in reinforcing my understanding.
Just found this channel and I am amazed. I am focused on Greek Tragedies this year and following as well the Mortimer Adler's list. So it was like I just found a friend to talk about this new way of mine of living: reading and understanding humanity. Greetings from Brazil.
This content is absolute gold. I am an academic skills tutor in a UK university and I spend a lot of time practicing different approaches to learning so I can pass that wisdom on to my students. Thank you so much for making this! Question: In your first set of notes, do you copy direct quotes from the book or your margin notes or both? I get a lot of questions about this, and have heard of all kind of approaches to this step. I think students sometimes get too bog down on this step and I can't quite figure out why yet.
Thanks, and that's cool to hear! For the first set, I usually elaborate on the notes I made in the margin, along with any supporting quotes. It's usually way more than needed, but I like it that way. Hope that makes sense
Bro, I wanted to say this now because you're blowing up, and might be my last chance for you to see my comment but your content is great I remember seeing you a little bit ago and thinking about how much potential you have, most accounts are just making content for views and just aren't really knowledgeable lol but yours is great and it seems as if you have a real passion. Keep it up you're doing great, and I and many others are cheering from the sidelines and learning from you.
I think your approach is spot-on. Back in the day when I was reading my way through the Western Canon, I kept a commonplace book for recording great lines and ideas. But the Personal Knowledge Management systems of today, like Obsidian, would have been a big help!
@@odysseas__ Thanks. I've seen you had Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit. Philosophy books like the one I mentioned have the characteristic of being holistic and organic, it is important to know the various parts sufficiently to understand the whole, and therefore there is a need to "save" many passages and take notes about them. Can I ask how you approach books that are so content-heavy? This is till now the biggest problem with my pseudo-zettelkasten method.
@@thewicked8040 I struggle there too. Most of the time, I brute force it and just spend a long time fleshing out each idea, if I truly believe they are valuable to me. Sometimes, I can't be bothered and will take a break for a while. Other times, I might restrict myself to only the best ideas and save the rest for another time.
I’ve been agonizing over building my PKM and second brain for the past two years. Like you, I wandered in search of the perfect system. Naturally (?) I tried Obsidian along the way, but it was far too complex, so I abandoned it. After watching this video, though, I feel tempted to give it another shot. That said, I discovered this channel through your video praising paper notebooks, so I’m still a little conflicted... 🤣 I’d love to see a video someday where you share detailed tips on how you set up your Obsidian system-maybe even how you manage daily tasks or to-dos. I have a feeling it wouldn’t just be about productivity but would have a unique twist only you could bring!
You're supposed to control your system, not let your system control you. Bro the "second brain" is only a tool to store information, just find anything that works and gradually improve from there. Don't be a perfectionist in this field, there is no point in fine tuning every single aspect of note taking and PKM. The biggest difference in your ability to recall information is just having any sort of system in the first place, this is what composes 95% of the progress. You'll maybe remember like 5% more information for the hundreds more hours put in to create that "perfect" system which will probably become obsolete in a couple years anyway as new technology emerges. Don't know if you needed to hear this but I also fell into the same trap when I first discovered PKM.
I'll listen every video you have to offer to us. Your voice is pleasant and you argument with lucidity and clarity. I use Obsidian but i'm in a great tedium of not utilizing it properly trying with guides and another tips saved from varuous sites and videos, but with your points i think i will try better and with more focus.
Unless you are reading classics. Many of the self help books are regurgitating the same message in the different way. The problem is finding that nugget book with would give you that aha moment.
This is really interesting, I have been doing this for a long time but now that I see, your video, it sort of gives me a positive validation of being on the right track. I approached it in a different way, so there are two techniques that I sort of used one was 'Spaced Repetition' where the Documenting for archival is the key to getting back to your previous books and the other was 'the Feynman technique' which you did as well, writing in your own word or as if Feynman explains; write it like you are explaining a five-year-old. Also, your obsidian looks like a mind castle. Thanks for the video man. Cheers!! from India, discovered you today and already subscribed.
Thanks @Odysseas 🤓 My summary: 🧑🏫 Take book recommendations to read (from experts). 🔥Pick from it what seems relevant. ⏳🤔🧩 Read slow, think about what you read and highlight crucial chunks. ✍️ Write about what you read. 🖇️ Make connections across materials.
Amazing ! Could you go into more detail about your essays in terms of how you come to your own conclusion or make sense of the text? I find when I read the Greek myths I have to Google meanings and watch lectures to get the deeper meanings. I noticed you pick quotes out and expand. ❤
I would love some advice for working with books from the library. Because some books can get very expensive and they need a whole lot of space in the living room 😅 I mean maybe it is kind of obvious: use post-its (maybe clear ones) and add page numbers for reference if I want to find the paragraph again and get everything done in four weeks or pray that no one else wants to read the book…
I say often that every time you come to be proud of doing something good fast, you could have done it great if slower. I happened to see madness and rage on people of all ages because of my words. Sometimes, it hurts to be right.
subscribed because you make the content I wish more channels made ─ that's why I'm creating something similar, and you serve as an amazing inspiration your new videos have been popping up, good job man! you're sharing many amazing ideas I'll definitely check this list you've mentioned
This was so insightful and well structured. Spoken in a very kind humanistic way. Cheers from Spain. Would love a look into your tags, hyperlink method
I appreciate this channel. I have 3 highly technical books on my shelf that I have been putting off reading … analytical analyses of the works of Messiaen, Ligeti, and Joji Yuasa, respectively.
I'm very grateful to TH-cam for recommending your videos to me. I relate with everything you've said and have a similar passion for writing and wanted to improve. Your advice really hit home for me. I'll definitely put it into practice now. Thanks so much! Genuinely impressed by your work🤍
I started using Obsidian recently. Got all my previously read books in there, now just have to add notes and build links I also realized I’m gonna have to reread most of the Greek plays/poems and take notes this time. I suppose I can use lulls between my monthly book purchases for that lol One last thing: You said that when writing something, most of the writing is done if you take good notes (especially with a “second brain”). It’s the same thing for me as a copywriter (by profession) - I “assemble” sales copy from notes rather than writing from scratch. Interesting parallel
I like your path on trying to embody the ideal of a renaissance man. Thanks for sharing your visions on reading, note taking and keeping other useful supporting interests and hobbies. As I'm trying to craft a similar path myself, I have two questions for you. 1) How do you treat the natural sciences? I see that the "Great Books" list contains works of Newton etc. But as a physics & philosophy major, I can say that reading the original is very hard from a modern perspective. I've read some Newton passages, but I can safely say that most of my deep understanding of mechanics and gravity comes from reading modern textbooks with modern math notation and doing practice problems. (A notable exception is Darwin, which is still very readable) How do you treat the natural sciences? 2) As far as I can judge from your videos you seem to read exclusively in English. How do you think about reading in other languages too? Myself, I'm constantly struggling the trade-off. This year I started also reading some philosophy in French, Latin and German (the languages I learned to an intermediate level in high school) and while I find it very fulfilling to read the original words of an author (and I feel my reading competence in these languages grow), I saw the total amount of books read this year dwindle fast. Still, I'm thinking of starting to learn ancient Greek to read some original Greek pieces. How do you think about reading in other languages?
Thanks, grateful to hear it. You're right with the sciences, they're hard for laymen. Adler explained that they're included less for learning the science/maths itself, and more for understanding how humans solved major problems in the field -the history. As you say, popular science and textbooks are great for understanding the meat of the subject. Reading in other languages sounds great. I don't have an experience to share, but I've heard it's eye-opening to read books in their original language. If you can, go for it! Hope that helps
@@odysseas__ I think your system is excellent by the way and I’m sure it serves your purposes very well. My comment is written in quite a harsh way but I do think that you would gain a lot from taking a look at some of the Chinese classics like the Romance of the Three Kingdoms or the Dream of Red Mansions for example. There is a lot of Indian and Middle Eastern literature that I’m sure would certainly be worth a look. It can never hurt to gain a fresh perspective.
How do you structure your sessions? You first read the whole book, then write down the notes, and then derive mini essays from them? Or do you do all this in parallel? Your channel could actually become a book on how to read and write. You covered every info I needed on your channel, a true goldmine.
Thanks, I really appreciate this. My handwritten notes happen in parallel, but only after I finish the book do I give them a more formal write up. Otherwise, it would be too interrupting.
I also really like writing in the books I read! I'm currently in university and some of the books for the course I really have no interest in keeping and plan to sell when I'm done, so I don't annotate most of what I read currently, which really bums me out.
In order to link notes in Obsidian, as far as I know, you need the foresight to make a word a [[keyword]] or tag. How do you determine which words should be [[keywords]] to link future notes?
I struggled with this question too. I create tags based on if I believe I will be interested enough to explore the topic further. For example, I like reading about sex roles according to anthropology, so I have a tag called 'sex roles,' because I know I will add more notes to it in the future
The Great Books are clearly a good list, but lacks some of the best literature from the romanic languages. Take a look after "The Lusiads", from Camões. The greatest work ever written in Portuguese.
Love this! One quick question I had, not sure if you have addressed this in a video, but how does one get over the taboo of writing in books? It seems like marginalia is the general consensus for good note taking/active reading, but what holds me back personally is the fear of "contaminating" a book. Would love to hear any tips/thoughts you have on how to get past that.
Thanks, and this is something I ran into a lot. Writing in pencil helped me get over the mental barrier: 'Its reversible so I'm not doing any damage' But more importantly, I was convinced writing is how you make a book your own, beyond physical ownership. It's how you make it 'intellectual property' personal to you, and I liked that idea. You could also buy second hand books, and since they're already worn out a bit, it might be easier to add your own annotations. I hope those help!
I never thought about it that way when it comes to the intellectual property idea. I'll definitely use these tips going forward. Thank you so much! Keep up the great work.
While Mortimer J. Adler does talk about about a form of speed reading in "How to Read a Book," Inspectional Reading, the purpose of this kind of reading is to get a quick sense of a book to determine if it's worthy of a deeper read. I've read 46 books so far in 2024, and I don't speed read. In praise of slow!
that’s a good way to do it, but i actually LIKE going through this list chronologically-for the most part each subsequent author had read the great authors on the list before him/her (not in all cases ofc) but it feels like you’re rediscovering the path of human (well, mostly Western here) thought.
Thank you, Odysseas! You have given me the tools I needed to write, especially with your mini-essay video. All this time, I could have used my teaching outlines with quotes, text from spiritual literature and my own thoughts to create my own mini-essays on the subjects I taught. Honestly though, I didn't think I was smart enough to write a book. And over the years (since 2003 to date I've read nearly 5000 books) and I did this at the beginning mainly to catch up with everyone else whom I thought was smarter than me. And what's your suggestion on Obsidian for beginners? I tried to use it before but I became frustrated with trying to set it up so I just scrubbed it. Thanks again for your videos! I really feel more encouraged now to write!
Much appreciated! 5000 books is crazy too, with all that, there's hundreds of potential books hidden in your mind. Obsidian can be tricky at first, but it's easy once you overcome that hurdle -I'll be making a setup guide soon
Do you have any thoughts on the "All-TIME 100 Novels" list? I'm reading the first novel of my choice since my childhood, and that list is part of why I chose The Grapes of Wrath.
Hey Can You Please Make A Video On Your Note Taking system In the obsidian, I also want to make a note taking system inside obsidian but I don't know where to start and i really liked the concept of your note taking system
@@odysseas__ Btw Thanks For Reply And I Also Wanted To Say That I Really Really Love Your Content It Provides So Much Value And Always Encourages Me To Read And Read More And It Creates A sort of hunger inside me for knowledge and wisdom Thanks ❤️
I am enjoying your content and have started using Obsidian. Can you do a video on your method of how you organize your notes and settings for Obsidian? I've researched it a bit, but I like your approach and would like to understand it better. Thanks
I find this truly informative. I’m 17 and I’m currently reading crime and punishment and this helps to find other books like it. Do you have the specific link to the list that you have with the pictures of the authors that you used? The Wikipedia link isn’t as detailed as the one in your video
"Good learning is slow"
The perfect explanation for how criminally under-appreciated your channel is!
Thank you, once again.
Thanks man!
ye
Thanks!
In a world of "do it faster, quicker, shorter" there's someone spreading the benefits on going deeper and building real and meaningful conections is just amazing.
Thanks, this means a lot to hear
Totally concur!
i had depression about 2 years ago. the first stepping stone in me getting out of it was taking a book in my hands and start reading and summarising it, chapter by chapter.
Amazing to hear that, glad it provided a way out
I'm going to try this. If it helps I'll report back. Thanks for sharing
@@C12341 if it doesnt help please try something else, it doesnt have to be books, just keep trying
How many books have you read since then? Has it imporoved your intellect?
What was the first book you did that with? 😊
Love this channel,No unecessary editing and sounds. I have been collecting words from various subjects and its worth it. Sometimes note taking in words and then a description to it would help in understanding a book/subject or just to keep a data of what you have learnt till now.
I know, right? He is a gem.
Thanks, and that's a good idea
I'm learning so much from your videos. Thank you!
@@patsybholai3484 Really appreciate it, thanks
"I committed to improving my writing because I want my words to carry more weight." That statement is heavy! I stumbled upon your channel! Kudos to you for the excellent content!
Cheers man, I appreciate it
ye
A quote I once read that goes something like this came to mind: "Words are the most powerful thing. Arranged in the right way, they can shake the world a little."
Would love to see you go though your Obsidian process like how you set up your links/tags and organise your notes. Great video.
I have a set up video in the works. Thanks too!
@@odysseas__thanks for doing this bc I just started using obsidian a week ago to help with taking notes while reading. looking forward to it!
@@odysseas__this would really help a lot legend
Second that, would love an overview of your Obsidian system@@odysseas__
@@odysseas__I'm looking forward to seeing it! I had just started using Obsidian and I really need your tutorial to be able to use it as you do.
Being honest I am taking notes since I found your channel, but everything is on a notebook and I wrote a few mini essays in a single page, is quite the mental workout. My hand writting is getting better, less shaky and more confident on my words. Wll thank you.
Hello
I follow your channel since about 1 year.
- Slow reading, i finished THE BOOK OF DISQUIET by Fernando Pessoa. That's the epitome of slow reading.
- Re-reading, most difficult to me, I am (65) in returning to the same reading, I like the new, but - HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITIDUDE by Marques, I read 4 or 5 times, form start to finish.
- Never finished: ULYSSES, by Joyce, The Magic Mountain by Mann.
Cheers to you and all.
Your channel is an absolute GOLDMINE for a self-learner. Thank you!
Thanks!
I found your channel today. I am 31 years old and always saw myself as someone wise for my age. It is only after watching a few of your videos that i understand Socrates' famous line. You have inspired me to pick up learning once more and find a way to make reading important to me. Thank you.
When I started doing notes on books I read, I've never felt so much better. I understand the ideas and remember them. I even can explain them to others like they're mine.
Great tips!
Glad to hear it, thanks!
I'm pleased to say that this just made my year.
I'm buidling a reading habit
I dedicate 30mins to reading at least 30 pages of a book each day.
So in a month I'd have read an average of 900 pages.
Your video just helped with the final ingredient; (intentionally writing) as I'd love to share what I learn from time to time with the world maybe on a podcast of some sort.
Just stumbled on your channel
And I'm here to stay; gave you a sub and would recommend to others.
Thank you.
"Good learning is slow" - an important truth in our instant / i want it now world.
Well said
Wonderful content. Glad it popped up in my feed. As a middle-aged first time undergrad student, I’m finding that all of the learning and processing skills I’ve taken for granted are things that need to still need to be improved, expanded, and nurtured. This idea for me began with the act of thinking. I realized that, while I am a pretty good thinker, there are skills and methods that I did not have that could be learned and applied. I think therefore I am is one thing. But I think therefore I am a thinker wasn’t as true. So, after much self-exploration and seeking new perspectives from others, I found that writing about the ideas I was attempting to process was the best way for me to learn anything and produce my own ideas around the subject. I did this by writing the same “mini essay” approach you’ve described. It has been life changing for me. Like thinking, my reading skills are ripe for improvement. The knowledge and experience shared here is wonderfully helpful. Thanks.
I do wonder if "The Great Works" is too heavily skewed to western thought though. There are more ways of understanding than western modes of thought which yield very positive results in different ways.
The full name is "...of the Western World," so it's limited on purpose. I get you though, it's not a global picture.
Of course, it is very clear on it's purpose. I realize the way I framed it might skew the picture. I did not mean to imply that the collection is excluding anything in regards to its scope.@@odysseas__
Agree. This is a fabulous resource for the Western tradition and I'm so grateful to have them! It would be good to have a similar list or lists for other world literature and one that suggests post 1950 works. Does anyone know of any?
@@angelaking9619 The link in the description has a collection for other groups/regions, but I'm not sure how good they are
Western thinking is what built the modern world
I wish there was a separate video on your note-taking process, especially on how to use Obsidian too for the non-familiar readers. Really like your system explained here.
Thanks, got a step-by-step in the works
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 *📚 Tailoring a Reading Strategy for Maximum Insight*
- Developing a reading strategy focused on analytical insights.
- Emphasizing simplicity over complexity in the reading process.
- Choosing books strategically to maximize learning potential.
01:12 *📜 The Great Works List Criteria*
- Discussing the criteria for inclusion in the Great Works list.
- Emphasizing relevance, engagement with great ideas, and depth for rereading.
- Highlighting the significance of structured learning through canonical works.
03:19 *📚 Supplementing with Modern Reads*
- Adding modern books to supplement the Great Works list.
- Simplifying the process of choosing new books for reading.
- Utilizing Goodreads and recommendations for diversifying reading material.
04:01 *📝 Active Reading through Annotation*
- Advocating for active reading through annotation.
- Discussing the benefits of writing notes for comprehension and retention.
- Exploring strategies for effective note-taking during reading.
06:22 *📝 Processing and Cementing Knowledge*
- Transitioning from reading to processing and cementing knowledge.
- Highlighting the importance of extensive note-taking post-reading.
- Discussing the role of thorough note-taking in deepening understanding.
07:06 *📝 Benefits of Slow, Detailed Note-Taking*
- Arguing for the benefits of slow, detailed note-taking over speed reading.
- Emphasizing the importance of patience and thoroughness in learning.
- Highlighting improved comprehension and retention through meticulous note-taking.
08:15 *🖋️ Practicing Writing Skills through Note-Taking*
- Discussing the role of note-taking in improving writing skills.
- Advocating for consistent practice and improvement in writing.
- Exploring personal experiences and strategies for enhancing writing abilities.
10:03 *🧱 Building Blocks of Knowledge and Writing*
- Conceptualizing books as collections of building blocks for future writing projects.
- Exploring the hierarchical structure of book notes and their utility in larger writing endeavors.
- Highlighting the efficiency and effectiveness of detailed note-taking for future writing tasks.
13:47 *🔗 Creating Connections through Atomic Notes*
- Introducing the concept of atomic notes and their significance in knowledge integration.
- Discussing the power of disconnected notes to form unique connections.
- Exploring how atomic notes facilitate the emergence of personal insights and perspectives.
15:10 *📝 Structuring Mini Essays for Comprehensive Notes*
- Detailing the structure and format of mini essays for comprehensive note-taking.
- Discussing strategies for engaging readers and conveying ideas effectively.
- Highlighting the versatility of mini essays in accommodating diverse learning objectives.
Made with HARPA AI
So I read because I want to expand my horizon and empathy. I like stories but I also like perspectives. The world is vast. From what I see most of these books on the list you provide are mostly western centric. I want to read about all types of stories, from every type of people and cultures.
I do try annotating when it is my book. Unfortunately the book I am reading now is the library’s (The Tale of Heike). If I write my thoughts about the book at the end I would forgot most of the book haha. I guess I just have to try to write summary every couple chapters to keep my brain going. Though I do prefer writing by hand. And I also pretty dumb. I can’t catch themes, foreshadow or symbolism. But I guess that will come with more reading.
I get you. This list is "...of the Western World," so it's limited on purpose, but I agree with branching out to works from all over the world. Having a notebook by your side is also a great help when you can't annotate directly. Good luck in all!
Indeed, the list is supremely flawed and lacking at best.
Excellent point about note-taking and mini-essay writing being a uniquely personal endeavour. One of the goals for reading is to go beyond knowledge accumulation and to train the mind how to think. The more effort we make in putting the ideas we read into our own words, the more creative we get, and also achieve deeper insights, eventually leading to personal growth.
Amen to all, and thanks
I never comment on youtube videos but I LOVE your channel so much. Keep it going !
Grateful to hear it, thank you!
I love this channel! I just found it, which has already taken my reading to the next level. I would love to see a video about how you set up and format your notes in Obsidian.
I have been taking notes from books for years and one thing I'd add to your process is to remember they're YOUR notes, not a book report on the entire book. If there's a section, story, chapter, etc. that's not relevant to your reason for reading the book, you don't have to find a way to incorporate or distill it into your own notes.
You're a fine thinker. Your channel has influenced how I approach learning in my chosen field.
Ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ, Odysseas. You've been so, so, SO inspiring to me - I've started using Obsidian to takes notes on a daily basis since I saw one of your videos about it, and it has become a staple for my studies ❤
This channel is fantastic. I’ve had 3 issues with my work lately and all 3 have been nailed in 3 videos purely by a chance find. Keep up the great work
Wow, amazing to hear that. Thanks too
Started this conceptual theory of reading for real learning 40 years ago--initial reading, just cruise through the book--it is pleasurable, then, re read and underline and write down marginalia. Reread for a third time and type out a synopsis using the previous underlined stuff and original thinking in the marginalia. This will help you remember everything and increases vocabulary, speaking skills and writing ability. You are loading the human computer, synthesis occurs and, sometimes, new knowledge.
How the hell you're so good at this man , an efficient polymath in making good luck
Cheers, it's all simple consistency
This was super helpful. Thank you. You're the first person to convince me to finally start marking up my beautiful books!
Great video! Can’t say though I really agree reading following a canon list, because they always give a sense these are ALL the important oldies, but they always leave out the best books. I have the impression they are always just pick the most famous titles, not necessarily the best. A true western canon would have to had more than a thousand titles.
But what I really wanted to say is that I’m really amazed to your approach to note taking. I’m a student, and I’ve always struggled to how to organize my notes, and this is incredible! Will definitely get obsidian and I’ll wait eagerly for your set up video which is in the works!
I wanted to rewatch your video but i could not find it again! It's been days that i search so glad that i refound it !! ❤ Thanks for sharing your knowledge! I found mind map intriguing and thought about started it one. Your video is the little kick that i need for started it
Thank you! And best of luck with it
Impressive list. Allow me to suggest two of the finest Swedish authors to add to your list: Hjalmar Söderberg's "Doctor Glas" and Torgny Lindgren's "The Way of a Serpent". I have read both several times - they are not long, but amazing - and find something new every time. I think you would enjoy them. 🙂
Here is my approach, which I apply when I study (pure) mathematics: I completely rewrite every chapter I read, following my style and own perspective (of course, I also provide solutions to the accompanying problems that I'm able to solve, but that's common practice). It's a meticulous process, but I find it effective in reinforcing my understanding.
Just found this channel and I am amazed. I am focused on Greek Tragedies this year and following as well the Mortimer Adler's list.
So it was like I just found a friend to talk about this new way of mine of living: reading and understanding humanity.
Greetings from Brazil.
Love to hear it, and thanks
This is so awesome. Tks man! Great detailing of your method! I used to do it quite similar, but not as long process as yours. I had some ideas.
This content is absolute gold. I am an academic skills tutor in a UK university and I spend a lot of time practicing different approaches to learning so I can pass that wisdom on to my students. Thank you so much for making this!
Question: In your first set of notes, do you copy direct quotes from the book or your margin notes or both?
I get a lot of questions about this, and have heard of all kind of approaches to this step. I think students sometimes get too bog down on this step and I can't quite figure out why yet.
Thanks, and that's cool to hear! For the first set, I usually elaborate on the notes I made in the margin, along with any supporting quotes. It's usually way more than needed, but I like it that way. Hope that makes sense
It does, thanks for the reply!
Bro, I wanted to say this now because you're blowing up, and might be my last chance for you to see my comment but your content is great I remember seeing you a little bit ago and thinking about how much potential you have, most accounts are just making content for views and just aren't really knowledgeable lol but yours is great and it seems as if you have a real passion. Keep it up you're doing great, and I and many others are cheering from the sidelines and learning from you.
Thanks man, real grateful to hear that. Still don't know what I'm doing, but I hope we can build something truly valuable.
The video we've all been waiting for! Thanks a lot, man! 🙏🏾
Fascinating, how some of your ways approaching reading almost identical to mine, but you definitely have so much more useful tips!
Can you do a live demonstration of your notes some time. Maybe a detailed video of your notes or like a study with me?
I think your approach is spot-on. Back in the day when I was reading my way through the Western Canon, I kept a commonplace book for recording great lines and ideas. But the Personal Knowledge Management systems of today, like Obsidian, would have been a big help!
Thanks, I wish I found it earlier too
"Just be kind" K.Vonnegut.
I have to say you are releasing great content! Thank you I have only just come across your channel and already you have helped massively.
Grateful to hear that, thanks
Nice stuff! Would you do a video walkthrough where you show step by step your note taking process? I use obsidian too for that.
I have a setup guide coming soon, but this video is pretty much my entire system
@@odysseas__ Thanks. I've seen you had Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit. Philosophy books like the one I mentioned have the characteristic of being holistic and organic, it is important to know the various parts sufficiently to understand the whole, and therefore there is a need to "save" many passages and take notes about them. Can I ask how you approach books that are so content-heavy? This is till now the biggest problem with my pseudo-zettelkasten method.
@@thewicked8040 I struggle there too. Most of the time, I brute force it and just spend a long time fleshing out each idea, if I truly believe they are valuable to me.
Sometimes, I can't be bothered and will take a break for a while. Other times, I might restrict myself to only the best ideas and save the rest for another time.
Now you should do a video of how to take notes from videos and other medias
I love your channel and i'm glad I found it... great and authentic content
thanks you !
Grateful for your words, thanks
I’ve been agonizing over building my PKM and second brain for the past two years. Like you, I wandered in search of the perfect system. Naturally (?) I tried Obsidian along the way, but it was far too complex, so I abandoned it. After watching this video, though, I feel tempted to give it another shot. That said, I discovered this channel through your video praising paper notebooks, so I’m still a little conflicted... 🤣
I’d love to see a video someday where you share detailed tips on how you set up your Obsidian system-maybe even how you manage daily tasks or to-dos. I have a feeling it wouldn’t just be about productivity but would have a unique twist only you could bring!
You're supposed to control your system, not let your system control you. Bro the "second brain" is only a tool to store information, just find anything that works and gradually improve from there. Don't be a perfectionist in this field, there is no point in fine tuning every single aspect of note taking and PKM. The biggest difference in your ability to recall information is just having any sort of system in the first place, this is what composes 95% of the progress. You'll maybe remember like 5% more information for the hundreds more hours put in to create that "perfect" system which will probably become obsolete in a couple years anyway as new technology emerges. Don't know if you needed to hear this but I also fell into the same trap when I first discovered PKM.
@ thank you 🙏🏻
Another great video, packed with practical info.
Thank you for another great video! very lovely that the algorithm picked u up and quadrupled ur subs, deserved
It's crazy... thanks!
I'll listen every video you have to offer to us. Your voice is pleasant and you argument with lucidity and clarity.
I use Obsidian but i'm in a great tedium of not utilizing it properly trying with guides and another tips saved from varuous sites and videos, but with your points i think i will try better and with more focus.
Unless you are reading classics. Many of the self help books are regurgitating the same message in the different way. The problem is finding that nugget book with would give you that aha moment.
For sure
This video produced a lot of epiphanies for me, literal gold.
Cheers, glad to hear it
This is really interesting, I have been doing this for a long time but now that I see, your video, it sort of gives me a positive validation of being on the right track.
I approached it in a different way, so there are two techniques that I sort of used one was 'Spaced Repetition' where the Documenting for archival is the key to getting back to your previous books and the other was 'the Feynman technique' which you did as well, writing in your own word or as if Feynman explains; write it like you are explaining a five-year-old.
Also, your obsidian looks like a mind castle.
Thanks for the video man. Cheers!! from India, discovered you today and already subscribed.
Thanks! Spaced repetition is also great, it's important to revisit ideas from time to time. The app is obsidian. Good to have you also
Thanks @Odysseas
🤓 My summary:
🧑🏫 Take book recommendations to read (from experts).
🔥Pick from it what seems relevant.
⏳🤔🧩 Read slow, think about what you read and highlight crucial chunks.
✍️ Write about what you read.
🖇️ Make connections across materials.
Cheers!
Amazing ! Could you go into more detail about your essays in terms of how you come to your own conclusion or make sense of the text? I find when I read the Greek myths I have to Google meanings and watch lectures to get the deeper meanings. I noticed you pick quotes out and expand. ❤
Dope content, subscribed!
Thanks, good to have you
I would love some advice for working with books from the library. Because some books can get very expensive and they need a whole lot of space in the living room 😅 I mean maybe it is kind of obvious: use post-its (maybe clear ones) and add page numbers for reference if I want to find the paragraph again and get everything done in four weeks or pray that no one else wants to read the book…
I say often that every time you come to be proud of doing something good fast, you could have done it great if slower.
I happened to see madness and rage on people of all ages because of my words.
Sometimes, it hurts to be right.
Extending the timeframe of a project is underrated. Always ends up better.
subscribed because you make the content I wish more channels made ─ that's why I'm creating something similar, and you serve as an amazing inspiration
your new videos have been popping up, good job man! you're sharing many amazing ideas
I'll definitely check this list you've mentioned
Thanks, it's good to have you
This was so insightful and well structured. Spoken in a very kind humanistic way. Cheers from Spain. Would love a look into your tags, hyperlink method
I agree, advance notetaking is better than on-set research. Thanks so much!
Yep, and you supplement your notes with some extra research. Much appreciated
I appreciate this channel. I have 3 highly technical books on my shelf that I have been putting off reading … analytical analyses of the works of Messiaen, Ligeti, and Joji Yuasa, respectively.
Cheers, hope you can tackle them well
Thanks friend. By your videos, you taught me of the Zettelkasten method in obsidian. It is totally amazing....❤
Really great work bro
I really Appreciate what you are doing
I'm very grateful to TH-cam for recommending your videos to me. I relate with everything you've said and have a similar passion for writing and wanted to improve. Your advice really hit home for me. I'll definitely put it into practice now.
Thanks so much! Genuinely impressed by your work🤍
Got to love the reading list graphics from the chans...
They're good at making charts, I'll tell you that
You're a damn G, keep pushing 🤝🏽
I started using Obsidian recently. Got all my previously read books in there, now just have to add notes and build links
I also realized I’m gonna have to reread most of the Greek plays/poems and take notes this time. I suppose I can use lulls between my monthly book purchases for that lol
One last thing: You said that when writing something, most of the writing is done if you take good notes (especially with a “second brain”). It’s the same thing for me as a copywriter (by profession) - I “assemble” sales copy from notes rather than writing from scratch. Interesting parallel
Yeah it's long to transfer/reread everything, I'm still doing it... So worth it in the end though
Seriously, thanks for adding sense And wisdom without the usual BS on this topic 🙏
Thank you!
I like your path on trying to embody the ideal of a renaissance man. Thanks for sharing your visions on reading, note taking and keeping other useful supporting interests and hobbies. As I'm trying to craft a similar path myself, I have two questions for you.
1) How do you treat the natural sciences? I see that the "Great Books" list contains works of Newton etc. But as a physics & philosophy major, I can say that reading the original is very hard from a modern perspective. I've read some Newton passages, but I can safely say that most of my deep understanding of mechanics and gravity comes from reading modern textbooks with modern math notation and doing practice problems. (A notable exception is Darwin, which is still very readable) How do you treat the natural sciences?
2) As far as I can judge from your videos you seem to read exclusively in English. How do you think about reading in other languages too? Myself, I'm constantly struggling the trade-off. This year I started also reading some philosophy in French, Latin and German (the languages I learned to an intermediate level in high school) and while I find it very fulfilling to read the original words of an author (and I feel my reading competence in these languages grow), I saw the total amount of books read this year dwindle fast. Still, I'm thinking of starting to learn ancient Greek to read some original Greek pieces. How do you think about reading in other languages?
Thanks, grateful to hear it.
You're right with the sciences, they're hard for laymen. Adler explained that they're included less for learning the science/maths itself, and more for understanding how humans solved major problems in the field -the history.
As you say, popular science and textbooks are great for understanding the meat of the subject.
Reading in other languages sounds great. I don't have an experience to share, but I've heard it's eye-opening to read books in their original language. If you can, go for it!
Hope that helps
I like your "So what?" atomic notes.
“All the greatest minds from history”
“The world’s greatest…”
Exclusively European and North American thinkers
A mistake on my part, but it's not far from the truth. These are a good chunk of them.
@@odysseas__ I think your system is excellent by the way and I’m sure it serves your purposes very well. My comment is written in quite a harsh way but I do think that you would gain a lot from taking a look at some of the Chinese classics like the Romance of the Three Kingdoms or the Dream of Red Mansions for example. There is a lot of Indian and Middle Eastern literature that I’m sure would certainly be worth a look.
It can never hurt to gain a fresh perspective.
@@LordSpuggy I agree, I read from all over the world if the chance arises
And all but two were male.
@@venus_envylol... keep crying
Then feeding this into AI creates a superpower! Seems like this setup is already a superpower! Nice work!
Thanks, and there's a lot of potential I'm not even aware of yet, like you say
The best I've seen.
Thanks
Thank you!
Super! Best I've ever heard!
Thanks!
I just discovered your channel and subscribed. Outstanding content.
Thank you!
Good stuff. Not in my time line based on your previous vid. Ty
We need a detailed obsidian walkthrough please.
We would love to see it
Coming today!
How do you structure your sessions? You first read the whole book, then write down the notes, and then derive mini essays from them? Or do you do all this in parallel?
Your channel could actually become a book on how to read and write. You covered every info I needed on your channel, a true goldmine.
Thanks, I really appreciate this. My handwritten notes happen in parallel, but only after I finish the book do I give them a more formal write up. Otherwise, it would be too interrupting.
would you ever do a video on your workflow related to writing in obsidian? It would be something i'd love to see
A full obsidian guide is releasing in the next few days!
awesome!@@odysseas__
I also really like writing in the books I read! I'm currently in university and some of the books for the course I really have no interest in keeping and plan to sell when I'm done, so I don't annotate most of what I read currently, which really bums me out.
Yeah that's a shame, best you'd be doing is helping the next owner
Great contents ...simple yet deep❤
Thanks!
In order to link notes in Obsidian, as far as I know, you need the foresight to make a word a [[keyword]] or tag. How do you determine which words should be [[keywords]] to link future notes?
I struggled with this question too. I create tags based on if I believe I will be interested enough to explore the topic further. For example, I like reading about sex roles according to anthropology, so I have a tag called 'sex roles,' because I know I will add more notes to it in the future
The Great Books are clearly a good list, but lacks some of the best literature from the romanic languages. Take a look after "The Lusiads", from Camões. The greatest work ever written in Portuguese.
I agree, I'd supplement it with books from all around the world
Love this! One quick question I had, not sure if you have addressed this in a video, but how does one get over the taboo of writing in books? It seems like marginalia is the general consensus for good note taking/active reading, but what holds me back personally is the fear of "contaminating" a book. Would love to hear any tips/thoughts you have on how to get past that.
Thanks, and this is something I ran into a lot.
Writing in pencil helped me get over the mental barrier: 'Its reversible so I'm not doing any damage'
But more importantly, I was convinced writing is how you make a book your own, beyond physical ownership. It's how you make it 'intellectual property' personal to you, and I liked that idea.
You could also buy second hand books, and since they're already worn out a bit, it might be easier to add your own annotations.
I hope those help!
I never thought about it that way when it comes to the intellectual property idea. I'll definitely use these tips going forward. Thank you so much! Keep up the great work.
@@bsearles72 Thanks, and you're very welcome
You deserve more attention
While Mortimer J. Adler does talk about about a form of speed reading in "How to Read a Book," Inspectional Reading, the purpose of this kind of reading is to get a quick sense of a book to determine if it's worthy of a deeper read. I've read 46 books so far in 2024, and I don't speed read. In praise of slow!
9:33
can you give us the link of the app or the website you used to do that map
forget abt it i just saw it right now in the vid lmao
Great video. Thanks for your ideas..
Much appreciated
that’s a good way to do it, but i actually LIKE going through this list chronologically-for the most part each subsequent author had read the great authors on the list before him/her (not in all cases ofc) but it feels like you’re rediscovering the path of human (well, mostly Western here) thought.
Thank you, Odysseas! You have given me the tools I needed to write, especially with your mini-essay video. All this time, I could have used my teaching outlines with quotes, text from spiritual literature and my own thoughts to create my own mini-essays on the subjects I taught. Honestly though, I didn't think I was smart enough to write a book. And over the years (since 2003 to date I've read nearly 5000 books) and I did this at the beginning mainly to catch up with everyone else whom I thought was smarter than me.
And what's your suggestion on Obsidian for beginners? I tried to use it before but I became frustrated with trying to set it up so I just scrubbed it. Thanks again for your videos! I really feel more encouraged now to write!
Much appreciated! 5000 books is crazy too, with all that, there's hundreds of potential books hidden in your mind. Obsidian can be tricky at first, but it's easy once you overcome that hurdle -I'll be making a setup guide soon
Excellent suggestions! This video alone is great incentive to subscribe.
Thanks!
Do you have any thoughts on the "All-TIME 100 Novels" list? I'm reading the first novel of my choice since my childhood, and that list is part of why I chose The Grapes of Wrath.
Hey Can You Please Make A Video On Your Note Taking system In the obsidian, I also want to make a note taking system inside obsidian but I don't know where to start and i really liked the concept of your note taking system
I will, coming soonish
@@odysseas__ Btw Thanks For Reply
And I Also Wanted To Say That I Really Really Love Your Content It Provides So Much Value And Always Encourages Me To Read And Read More And It Creates A sort of hunger inside me for knowledge and wisdom Thanks ❤️
@@AnchalKumar886 Cheers man, I really appreciate that
I recommend "the denial of death" by Earnest Becker as it fits the 3 criterion and is also one of my favourites
Heard good things about it, excited to get there
I feel like there should be a discord server for this channel so I can communicate to more like minded people efficiently!
I am enjoying your content and have started using Obsidian. Can you do a video on your method of how you organize your notes and settings for Obsidian? I've researched it a bit, but I like your approach and would like to understand it better.
Thanks
Thanks, and it's in the works
Good one! Thanks a lot
wow this is great😍
Thank you
Please make a video about how you use obsidian!
I find this truly informative. I’m 17 and I’m currently reading crime and punishment and this helps to find other books like it. Do you have the specific link to the list that you have with the pictures of the authors that you used? The Wikipedia link isn’t as detailed as the one in your video
Thanks, but I'm afraid the website it was on is no longer active. If you search 'Mortimer J Adler How to Read a Book Reading List,' you might find it.