Reading the Books Wrong?

[mr_lewington]

Having just finished both Stalingrad and The Fall of Berlin 1945, It seems to me that I have not really taken much in, specifically names and armies. It took me maybe 15 hours to 30 to finish Stalingrad. Do you generally read these kinds of books more than once to take in the knowledge or should you just read them slower?

 

[CruelDwarf]

Beevor's Stalingrad? If so - take this book with some healthy criticism in all parts which tells about Red Army.

 

[Sharwood]

Like all books, you take more in if you read them slowly, and focus on them as you do so. One of the reasons why fiction is easier to read is because good fiction draws you into the story; you don't think about what's happening, you experience it. You can't really do that with non-fiction, so you have to concentrate, not allow distractions (we've all done the "read the same sentence ten times in a row" trick) and if you're studying it for a reason, such as school or university, underline and/or take notes. But if you're reading just for fun, there's no need to do anything other than that.

 

[REDY]

Well generally its good read it twice because first time you cant perfectly decide whats realy important. After first read you get initiatory orientation in book. IMHO its much more useful read it twice or more than read it carefully one time.

 

[Dragonlord]

If you really need to remember details like names and armies - like for a test or something - the best way to fix them in your memory is to take notes. Actively writing something fixes it better in your memory than just reading it or underlining it.
What I always did at Uni was make short summaries on one page, just as if it had been a crib for cheating (w/o actually using it as such, of course ). The mental act of collating and condensing information fixes it in your memory better than any amount of rereading, I always found..

 

[mr_lewington]

I'm thinking of making a map on MS paint and moving the armies along as I go along. Is that similar to what you are saying?

 

[Dragonlord]

I'm thinking of making a map on MS paint and moving the armies along as I go along. Is that similar to what you are saying?

Assuming that question is meant for me: yes!

Anything you do that involves actively using facts will fix them better in your mind than a comparable amount of passive reading.