Well written book with tons of tips (not only speedreading but also concentration, memory, organization…).

Tips

• state your reading purpose clearly (general idea/information/pleasure)
• motivate yourself (visualize outcome)
• get excited, interested
• empty (your mind, desk, etc…)
• break the routine
• build the context/framework before you start
• meditate, concentrate, be present
• use five step reading system (below)
• read actively (use as many senses as you can (multisensory reading))
• make notes, highlight, mark, underline, circle, argue, ask questions, draw, mind-map, talk
• chunk your reading
• extract the message, don’t read every word
• evaluate
• listen to music to improve concentration (eg bach-largo from harpsichord concerto in f minor)
• use imagination
• push yourself
• eat & drink properly (small & often)
• warm up, stretch
• take breaks often
• once you start something don’t let anything distract you
• do relaxing/breathing exercises (slowly and deeply)
• do eye-robics (close, sun, blink, swing, refocus, stretch, massage, acupressure…)
• use pacer
• practise!
• have fun
• teach others

Facts

• the faster you go the less you will vocalize and the more you will concentrate
• memory relies on perception, attention, reasoning, framework
• memory can be trained by using it often
• what’s good for the body is also good for the mind
• memory = acquisition + retention + retrieval
• retention = organization + revision
• retrieval = using accesspoint
• 10 am = peak performance, afternoon = performance drop

Five step system

• prepare (why am i reading this? what i know about the subject?...)
• preview (10 min intro to book structure – cover, t.o.c., foreword, index…)
• passive reading (scan, highlight, look for words, language, arguments…)
• active reading (extract the idea from each paragraph/chapter)
• selective reading (read selected passages for specific information)

Conclusion

• well structured book, each chapter starts with list of objectives and ends with a summary
• introduces useful 5-step system for effective reading
• provides practical exercises
• emphasises importance of mindset, concentration, active reading, interest and flexibility
• gives practical lists (vocabulary roots and prefixes)
• explains function of memory and why it’s important to build a framework in your mind before starting to fill it with new information