Do You Read Nonfiction Books Strategically or Sequentially?
Introduction
Reading nonfiction books can be a great way to gain knowledge and understanding about a wide variety of topics. However, how you read these books can greatly affect how much you retain and understand from them. In this article, I’ll explore the different strategies for reading nonfiction books: reading them strategically or reading them sequentially.?
I’ll examine the benefits and drawbacks of each approach and introduce you to the concept of leadership reading.
The Benefits of Reading Nonfiction Books Strategically
Reading nonfiction books strategically means focusing on specific sections or chapters that are most relevant to your current needs or interests. This approach allows readers to gain knowledge and understanding on specific topics without having to read the entire book.
One of the main benefits of reading nonfiction books strategically is increased retention and understanding of information. By focusing on specific sections, readers can absorb and process the information. Reading strategically allows readers to apply the information they have learned to their work or personal life more quickly.
Another benefit of reading nonfiction books strategically is that it saves time. By only focusing on specific sections, readers can quickly gain the information they need without having to spend hours or days reading the entire book. This approach is particularly useful for busy individuals who want to learn new things but have limited time.
When reading nonfiction books strategically, it allows the reader to have a deeper understanding of specific topics. When reading strategically, the reader can focus on the details of a specific subject, and by doing so, gain a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the topic.
Leadership reading means reading books strategically. However, I’d like to add more information to the process. Leadership reading is reading to learn what you need to know. It’s just in time reading. Here are the steps I train executives to follow when they read nonfiction books.
This may sound odd to you, but it’s important to prepare your mind for reading so you absorb more of the information. You want to be relaxed yet alert - to get into the alpha brainwave state. A way to do this is to do brain gym exercises. A quick Google search will let you know what these exercises are. But jumping jacks and marching bands are two examples.
Write your purpose for reading the nonfiction book? Craft questions you want the book to answer. Write an outcome statement. What do you want to do after reading the book that you cannot do now? Find a good summary of the book and read it to get the helicopter view of the book’s content.
The next step is to preview the book. Read the preface, foreword, and introduction. The main and secondary ideas are often in the introduction. View the table of contents and zero in on the chapters and sections that align with your purpose and answer the questions you have. Read only those sections of the book.
Later, your purpose for reading that book may change and you can always dip in and read those relevant sections.
The Benefits of Reading Nonfiction Books Sequentially
Reading nonfiction books sequentially means reading the book in its entirety, from start to finish. This approach allows readers to gain a comprehensive understanding of the topic by following the author's logical progression of ideas and arguments.
By reading the book from start to finish, readers can fully grasp the author's argument, the context of the topic, and the underlying assumptions and premises. This type of understanding is especially important for complex subjects that are hard to grasp without a big picture perspective.
Reading nonfiction books sequentially allows readers to identify patterns and connections between different sections of the book. By reading the book in its entirety, readers are able to see how different sections relate to each other and how they contribute to the author's overall argument.
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The Drawbacks of Reading Nonfiction Books Strategically
While reading nonfiction books strategically can have many benefits, there are also potential drawbacks to this approach. One of the main drawbacks is the risk of missing important information or context. When reading only specific sections, readers may miss important background information or context that is necessary to fully understand the topic. This can lead to misunderstandings or misconceptions about the subject.
Another drawback of reading nonfiction books strategically is that it's difficult to identify patterns and connections between different sections of the book. By focusing only on specific sections, readers may miss the broader narrative or argument that the author is trying to convey. This can make it difficult to fully grasp the author's perspective and the book's overall message.
Readers may not appreciate the author's style and voice when reading nonfiction books strategically. By only focusing on specific sections, readers may miss the nuances of the author's writing and storytelling.
Now having presented what appears to be the drawbacks of reading nonfiction books strategically, I’d like to add more information. Educator Russell Stauffer found that only four to 11 percent of the text on the average page of a nonfiction book carries meaning. That’s about one sentence. The rest is context and examples. How much context and examples do you need?
Traditional publishers have word counts. Therefore, authors often add in more information to satisfy the word count. Do you really need to read all that extra information?
The Drawbacks of Reading Nonfiction Books Sequentially
Reading nonfiction books sequentially can have many benefits, but there are also potential drawbacks to this approach. One of the main drawbacks is that readers may become bogged down in details and lose sight of the overall argument. When reading the book from start to finish, readers may become overwhelmed with information. And find it difficult to separate essential from non-essential information.
Another drawback of reading nonfiction books sequentially is that it can take a significant amount of time. By reading the book from start to finish, readers may spend hours or even days reading the entire book. This is often not feasible for busy individuals with limited time.
When reading nonfiction books sequentially, readers may not apply the information they have learned to their work or personal life as quickly as they would like. By reading the book from start to finish, readers may have to wait until they finish the entire book before they can start using the information.
Conclusion
I’ve explored the different strategies for reading nonfiction books: reading them strategically or reading them sequentially. I’ve examined the benefits and drawbacks of each approach and have concluded that both methods have their own advantages and disadvantages.
However, mastering the art of leadership reading enables professionals to get exactly what they need from a nonfiction book. Reading nonfiction books strategically allows readers to quickly gain knowledge and understanding of specific topics, increase retention and understanding of information, and save time.?
Follow the leadership reading process I outlined in this article and you’ll be able to get through your pile of unread books.
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Frontend Engineer at Qonto
9 个月Avil Beckford, thanks for the article. I found the "strategic" approach particularly helpful because I often fall into the trap of reading non-fiction books in the same way I would read fiction books. Therefore, I lose a lot of time reading about topics I don't really need. Sometimes though, It's interesting to read non-fiction books sequentially, it stimulates my curiosity and ability to connect the dots. :)
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1 年Avil Beckford, I must confess, mostly Strategically. You are right I usually have to revisit because I mistook something by trying to pick and choose.
Risk Management
1 年I have to admit I read fiction for pleasure and relaxation everyday and non fiction for courses. I am pretty much full up
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1 年Avil Beckford I most certainly try. Sometimes I just want to get to the nitty-gritty. Can't wait to check out your newsletter!