Reading and Memory

[Freyasfire]

Lately, I've been thinking quite frequently about the way in which I read. I read voraciously, whenever I have a spare moment. I try to fully immerse myself in the work I am reading. However, my memory of the content that I have read is next to nil, sometimes even days within having finished reading a book. I will remember how I felt about the book, the atmospheres and impressions that it left upon my mind and emotions, but very rarely do I remember content. There have been times when I have re-read a book a few years after having initially read it, and it has almost been like reading it for the first time. At times I'll remember bits and pieces as I am re-reading, but often, it is almost as if I had never read the book at all. But if I enjoyed the book the first time, chances are I will like it just as much upon multiple readings, and often the sense of familiarity I feel will be based upon the memory of similar impressions. I don't know if I am making myself at all clear...

Anyhow,I am just curious how other people approach the act of reading, and how they retain information. I am constantly amazed by how much people can retain, from giving detailed plot summaries, to analysis, to actually quoting passages they have read!

[Cnev]

It depends on what I'm reading. Whenever I read science or history books, I tend to read in a more study-oriented way and do a lot of highlighting and underlining because I have absolutely no ability to retain information beyond a few hours. I HAVE to go back and re-read a great deal if I have any hope of it sinking in.

When it comes to fiction, I read in a much more casual manner, usually in bed or curled up in a chair with tea or coffee. It's kind of a ritual, honestly. It's hard for me to get into that frame of mind without either of those things. But, I am usually left with the emotional impact of whatever I finished reading rather than plot details or even major plot points. Oh, I can't ever remember titles either. But to be honest often times I find them pointless anyway.

During depressive/anhedonic moments, I have learned to not even bother attempting to do any kind of reading whatsoever as I can't seem to receive any kind of emotional or intellectual response from anything I'm reading, and it will be forgotten the moment it is read. I haven't finished a book or story in quite some time. Frustrating.

Interesting topic.

[Derek]

For me, poetry is something which I find very easy to remember (I can spout Yeats until the cows come home). For fiction and non-fiction, much less so. Which is why I usually try to copy down passages and phrases of interest in a 'commonplace book' when I'm reading. I also find that this practice makes me more engaged with the text, rather than just superficially skimming through.

[Uitarii]

I never forcefully attempt to retain any information and simply enjoy the reading experiences as they arise. Unless there is a specific need, eg to write a review, article etc, I would not worry about it. However, I do mark and tag very special passages or quotes and revisit these over time.My problem is the opposite. There are books that my memory preserves far too rigidly that I wish to completely forget in order to have the same reading experience again. These are invariably the best books I have read.

[waffles]

In my teens - 20s (1980s - 90s), I was a voracious reader and I could focus on several texts at once. I retained most of what I had read. I also read anything. It helped that this was before the internet.

In my 30s, I slowed down. I took time to reread favorite passages. I bought fewer books and used the library more.

In my 40s, I'm a lot more selective about what I read. I only buy books from authors I know I will reread. I don't retain as much as I would like, but rereading helps and each time I do I retain more. I keep a notebook around and jot down random thoughts as they are inspired by what I've read.

[ramonoski]

It's mostly the same for me. I'll read something, think it's great (if it's great, that is...), then a couple weeks later realize I couldn't really quote anything or am having trouble recalling sequences of events or even wondering if X thing happened in Y book or in Z... so more often than not I find myself re-reading things I like.

Lately I've found that if I highlight or underscore A LOT it helps me remember better. But with some books, well, the thought of defacing them like that hurts a bit

[symbolique]

nil

[Pan Michael]

For me, the main difficulty is remembering the names of current day human beings with whom I associate. I've worked with people for years, and I honestly have no idea what their names are. When I hear them mentioned, I know who the person is, but that's about it. However, I tend to think of most of them like Ligotti characters: Dopey, Mr. Blowhard, Droopy Dog, Ms. Superficiality, The Mumbler, etc. And when I do that, I remember them! Usually I'm good with historical figures. If I forget someone like Belisarius, Stauffenberg, or Horace Walpole, that annoys me. I'm not too bad with recalling the general plot of a good novel. But short stories tend to blend together in my memory. So for example I have the general feel of Chekhov's short stories (which I read ten or so years ago), but I'd be very hard-pressed to give you names or much at all in the way of plot.

Nevertheless, it's the daily life stuff that is trying. I lose my keys and wallet nearly every ten minutes--very irritating. That said, if only I could forget everything about the last twenty years of my life, and just recall the first twenty!

[Murony_Pyre]

Quote Originally Posted by Pan Michael

...I have the general feel of Chekhov's short stories (which I read ten or so years ago), but I'd be very hard-pressed to give you names or much at all in the way of plot.

That's perfectly understandable, as happily, there's not much in the way of plot in Chekhov.

[Nemonymous]

All books I read slip away from me ... Unless I do a public real-time review of them as a sort of dream-catcher.