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[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

I love to read, but I have a problem with remembering the information I just read. I especially have a problem with history books. For instance, I Just read a book that I loved on Abraham Lincoln, but damned if I recall any specific details from it.

My question is do you do anything special to remember things in books like highlighting, taking notes or any other tricks? Or do you just do nothing and you automatically remember it which means unfortunately that I am slightly on the slow side.

[Buccaneer]

As one who constantly reads history-related books, I think the key is patience, and practice too. By patience, I mean taking your time to read, read while alert (as oppose to being half asleep), look where you had left off and review the preceeding pages, and read every word. By practice, I mean you are building a knowledge of history and how to think like a historian (by putting events into perspective) and therefore, you are building a bibliography in your mind about certain subject areas and adding to what you have read before.

For example, you mentioned Lincoln. I have read several books on Lincoln but as part of my Civil War library. I can pick up a Lincoln bio (like Benjamin Thomas') or a topical book like the 1864 Re-Electing Lincoln and can remember how they fit in to the bigger picture of the period. No one, I believe, can remember all of the details but you are working on getting a higher resolution view of a subject matter the more you read, if that makes sense.

As far as tricks, none that I can think of (I abhor highlighting) except that I really need maps when I read. If the book doesn't provide maps, I get one out and follow along geographically. This helped me with the Lincoln bio as I can mentally give you a timeline because I can trace his life geographically (as well as a locale, like the relationship between the WH, War Dept, Capitol, etc.).

What was the Lincoln book?

[Drake]

I use post-it notes, underlining and marginalia to remember what I read and/or record my thoughts on issues the text raises. I find that it helps me tremendously by forcing me to be an "active" reader.

[st.cronin]

I'm not sure I understand - what did you love about the book? If you can remember that, not sure what else you need to remember. If there's some reason you want to remember other details, I would suggest some sort of note-taking. Nothing comprehensive, maybe just at the end of each chapter jot down the main events, main ideas, questions you have. When I'm reading, whether history or something else, I often make notepad documents on my laptop with those sorts of notes. Often I don't ever look at them after reading, but they are a help in focusing my efforts.

[Groundhog]

The only way that works for me is repitition, as well as reading a lot of books on the same topics. Eventually I get a pretty good knowledge of the whole period I'm reading about, so when I pickup a new book I'm familiar with the subject and am able to slot what I'm reading in to that bigger picture. It's only when I'm at this point that I begin to remember specifics like dates and names etc.

Bucc's point about maps is very true as well, especially with military campaigns. Helps prevent what you're reading turning in to a big pile of dates and places.

[LastWhiteSoxFanStanding]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

As one who constantly reads history-related books, I think the key is patience, and practice too. By patience, I mean taking your time to read, read while alert (as oppose to being half asleep), look where you had left off and review the preceeding pages, and read every word. By practice, I mean you are building a knowledge of history and how to think like a historian (by putting events into perspective) and therefore, you are building a bibliography in your mind about certain subject areas and adding to what you have read before.

For example, you mentioned Lincoln. I have read several books on Lincoln but as part of my Civil War library. I can pick up a Lincoln bio (like Benjamin Thomas') or a topical book like the 1864 Re-Electing Lincoln and can remember how they fit in to the bigger picture of the period. No one, I believe, can remember all of the details but you are working on getting a higher resolution view of a subject matter the more you read, if that makes sense.

As far as tricks, none that I can think of (I abhor highlighting) except that I really need maps when I read. If the book doesn't provide maps, I get one out and follow along geographically. This helped me with the Lincoln bio as I can mentally give you a timeline because I can trace his life geographically (as well as a locale, like the relationship between the WH, War Dept, Capitol, etc.).

What was the Lincoln book?

Thanks for the responses. I think just reading slower and being more active should help a lot for reading. The Lincoln book was Lincoln's Melancholy, by Joshua Wolf Shenk . Basic thesis of the book was that Lincoln's bouts with depression actually helped him view politics and the world in a more realisitic way which in turn helped him make the tough, but needed decisions that helped the country during the Civil War.