Introduction: Lifetime Learner’s Guide to Reading and Learning

I loved Lifetime Learner’s Guide to Reading and Learning. It has lots of information that will last you a lifetime. It felt good to hear someone say something that I've been saying for years. The author, Gary Hoover, says that most business books should be a 20-30 page journal article. I’ve been saying for years that most books are longer than they need to be. And many times while I’m reading a book, I feel like I’m constantly experiencing déjà vu.

An important point that most people may not be aware of is that publishers have word counts. Therefore, there are many instances when authors have to pad a book to satisfy the word count. Before I dive into Lifetime Learner’s Guide to Reading and Learning, I wanted to share a quote by Francis Bacon that gives you insight into how to read any book. I’d like you to memorize it.

“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few are to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.”

The quote means that you have to approach every book differently. All books are not created equally.

The Lifetime Learner's Guide to Reading and LearningDigest 30 Books in 30 Days

Summary: Lifetime Learner’s Guide to Reading and Learning

This book is about reading to learn intentionally.  Curiosity is the key to success. Being broadly educated will help you to understand the world you inhabit. The author walks you through the process of digesting a book in about 15 to 30 minutes. Hoover wants you to do these things before you buy a book. That’s not the way I approach books though. I do what he recommends after I have the book. You’re welcome to try it his way.

Based on information that I’ve gathered from other books, I say that you can digest the average nonfiction book in 30 to 60 minutes. Once you’ve mastered the process, imagine how many books you can digest to help you to accelerate your business and career.

Have you read?

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Lifetime Learner’s Guide to Reading and Learning: Previewing & Inspecting a Book

When you’re previewing and inspecting a book, your intent is to gather data about the book. Quickly get your mind around the content of the book, then dive in deeper. Write a one-sentence purpose for why you want to read the book.

First, these are the sections of the book you should focus on.

• Read the front and back flap if it’s a hardcover book.
• Read the Book Description and About the Author.
• Read Introduction, Foreword, and Preface.
• Read Table of Contents.
  • What do the chapter titles tell you?
• Look at the charts, diagrams, and other images in the book.
• Review the Index. The terms with the largest number of references gives you insight into what the author thinks are important.
• Pay attention to Chronologies, Glossaries, and Footnotes.
• If the book covers a topic that you’re familiar with, take time to write down everything you know about it.

The most important section above is the Table of Contents. After you’ve inspected and digested  the above sections, you should have a sound understanding of what any nonfiction book is about. I also find that you will know what the main idea is in the book. Books, especially the well written ones, have a main idea and secondary ideas that support it.

When you’re reading the Table of Contents, place a check mark beside the chapters and sections that you want to read. The chapters and sections that you choose to read need to align with your purpose for reading the book. This information is not in a Lifetime Learner’s Guide to Reading and Learning. But it’s information that I learned, so I added it here for you.

I wanted to add that when you’re reading the above sections, think about the information, and make up your mind about it. Does the author have any biases that you’re aware of? Effective reading is like having a conversation with the author. Listen to what she has to tell you about her book. Another reason why it’s so important to inspect a book first before you read it, is that you’ll have a place to hang the information you find when you start to actually read the book.

With most nonfiction books, what you’ll find is that after you give the book a proper inspection and read the chapters and sections to explore more deeply, that’s all you’ll need from it. While taking the PhotoReading course designed by Paul Scheele, I learned that only four to 11 percent of information on a page in a book is important information. Please keep that in mind.

If you feel like you’re not getting anything from a book, abandon it. Don’t waste your time reading it.

Lifetime Learner’s Guide to Reading and Learning: 5 Ways We Learn

Study: Traditional way to learn. And reading books comes under this category. This also includes browsing the internet, taking courses, watching documentaries, visiting museums, attending lectures, and watching TED Talks. Study doesn't have to be formal. The best study is taking action. And make sure that you take notes when reading and learning.

Conversation: Networking, meeting people and talking to them. You can learn something from everyone. Ask deep questions, probe, and listen. There are a couple of options here for you for when you’re reading to learn. You can either learn with someone. Or you can teach what you’re learning to cement the information in your long-term memory.

Observation: Study what’s around you. People watch at museums, and hotel lobbies. Observation can lead to breakthrough thinking. It can teach you a lot about the world. There is so much in front of us.

Experimentation: This is trial and error. Learn by doing. Fail fast and try again. Find low risk ways to try out things.

Thinking: Think before you act and speak. Do the first four things, then take time to think about what you're learning. Play with the ideas. Think about the subject you’re learning. When you're studying a subject, context is everything. You have to go around it.

Everything is Connected: Thinking About Things

Everything is related and a part of something bigger. And is composed of smaller parts. When you're first studying a subject, what is it a part of? What are the subject’s parts and components? This could be as simple as a Wikipedia search. What are the subject’s parts, types or components?

Hoover says that you cannot understand a product or service without understanding the company that makes it. You cannot understand a company, unless you understand its parent company, owners or stockholders. And you cannot really understand the company, unless you think about its industry and the part it plays in the economy. You have Parent/Child relationship.

Seeing What Others Don’t

Develop the habit of piecing information together. That means when you read, connect what you’re learning to what you already know. Question everything and never take things at face value.

• What does that headline mean?
• What event happened before this one?
• What effect did the previous event have on this one?
• How does this story relate to my life?
• What information was left out of the story and why?

Try to understand the underlying history. This will allow you to understand the future. Your colleagues will not be asking these kinds of questions or thinking this way. These strategies will give you an edge over your peers.

Conclusion: Lifetime Learner’s Guide to Reading and Learning

I may be biased about this book because it confirms what I’ve been saying for years. And who doesn’t like validation. Lifetime Learner’s Guide to Reading and Learning is worth the read. If you digest the information, you will never read a nonfiction the same way again.

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