Why I Re-Read My Favorite Books Multiple Times A Year

Here's an interesting article by Darius Foroux that ties in with my post a couple of weeks ago about having a reading plan.

From Darius:

About four years ago I decided to read 100 new books a year. I’ve kept up that habit until recently.

I stopped reading two new books a week because I forgot almost everything I learned more than a year earlier. And there’s no way you can remember even a quarter of a book you read three years ago.

While reading many books per year seems admirable, what good does it do if you can't remember anything that you've read? Most of us don't have photographic memories.

Once I realized that knowledge disappears quickly from our minds, I’ve been re-reading and studying at least one good book a week. We must arm ourselves against the challenge of life by repeating the things we learn so often that they become a habit.

If you want to master a particular skill, don’t assume that reading a few books on the topic will help you do that—it requires endless repetition. Ryan Holiday said it best in The Daily Stoic:

“When we repeat an action so often it becomes unconscious behavior, we can default to it without thinking.”

Also:

After re-reading close to 40 books this year, I want to share 5 tips with you that can help you master the skills that you value in life.

1. Keep your all-time favorite books close
2. Make sure you’ve highlighted your books
3. Grab a book and go through it in a day (or two)
4. Make personal notes about the book in your journal
5. Repeat this process every week with a new book—multiple times a year

There’s nothing new about this learning principle. It’s exactly the same strategy Bruce Lee used to become one of the biggest martial artists and actors in history. He said:

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”

Similarly, I don’t admire the person who has read 1,000 books, but I admire the person who has read one book 1,000 times.

I don't highlight my books very often, maybe I should start doing that. And maybe start a journal (I know I've said it before!). And include listening to an audio version of the same book (I have done this occasionally).

Are there books that you have read multiple times? I do re-read many of my books, but not on a regular basis.

And what will this re-reading mean to our reading plan? This sounds like a subject for a future blog post!

Interesting days

October will be Cyber Security Awareness Month, Mental Health Month, International Black Cat Awareness Month, Family History Month, Dyslexia Awareness Month, Computer Learning Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Pizza Month, Fair Trade Month and Emotional Intelligence Awareness Month

Today - Lincolnshire Day, World Day of Bullying Prevention, International Coffee Day, World Habitat Day, Older Peoples Day, World Vegetarian Day, CD Player Day and World Architecture Day

Tomorrow - World Farm Animals Day, Custodial Worker Day, Name Your Car Day and International Day of Non-Violence

Next Monday - Physician Assistant Day, World Octopus Day, Bring Your Bible to School Day, American Touch Tag Day, Native American Day and Pierogi Day

November will be World Vegan Month, Native American Heritage Month, Manatee Awareness Month, Pomegranate Month, Peanut Butter Lovers’ Month, Novel Writing Month, Adoption Month and Movember

November 1 - French Fried Clam Day, Vinegar Day, Authors’ Day, World Vegan Day, International Project Management Day, Extra Mile Day and Go Cook For Your Pets Day