I told my wife I was going to write a few words about my reading habits, and she replied: \u201cYou should be able to do it in one.\u201d\u009d I knew the word she meant: \u201cConstantly.\u201d\u009d After 20 years of marriage to a constant reader, she has the right to make that pronouncement.<\/p>\n
The most important advice I can give about reading is to make decisions in advance about what you want from the book you\u2019re about to read. You\u2019ve got to stay in charge, and not just let yourself accidentally fall into the reading experience. Before you really engage the book, decide if it\u2019s the kind of book you need to read slowly, repeatedly, taking notes, and pondering. Or is it the kind of book that covers familiar territory and will only offer a few new details? Is it a book you want to immerse yourself in and get lost in, or the kind you want to dip into for bits of information? Or is it a book that you need to figure out so you can put it on your shelf and know how to use it for reference later on? Some books contain analysis and perspectives that are brand new for you, and require slow assimilation. But others just confirm, deepen, or extend things you already know. And it\u2019s fine to read for fun and entertainment, or even to read haphazardly. But you need to have made a decision that you\u2019re going to do so.<\/p>\n