We have an extra Thursday this month, so I want to share a quote with you that I find particularly profound, and I’m excited to hear what you think about it! In today’s episode of the Life Writers Vlog, we revisit Meditations for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman, which I introduced in episode 132.
It’s a great book, and this passage really stuck with me. Burkeman says, “Most of the long-term benefits of reading arise not from facts you insert into your brain, but from the ways in which reading changes you, by shaping your sensibility, from which good work and good ideas will later flow.” Really?
I’ve always struggled with retaining what I read. I’ve made systems and even attended Huntington Learning Academy to learn to read better—and yes, I was relieved not to be in with all the little kids! Still, retention has never been my strength.
But Burkeman’s take on reading felt like a relief. I may not remember every line, but books—especially memoirs—have deeply changed me. In Life Writers, we studied Solito by Javier Zamora, which left a lasting mark. Zamora’s story walked me through a life I could barely imagine and made it real.
So, what about you? How do you approach reading? When you pick up a book, what do you hope to gain by reading it? Do you struggle with, or even care about, retaining what you’ve read?
In the comments section below, tell us about the kind of reader you are, and if you have a simple method that helps you retain what you’ve read, please share it.
But regardless of your desire, when you pick up a book, always remember, the only way to do this wrong is to not do it at all!
Until next time, happy writing!