How I Take Notes in Books

A peek at the process I've used to prep for 1,000+ podcast episodes

I read a lot of books for my work.

To prepare for Art of Manliness podcast interviews, I read the guests' books. When I research articles for the Art of Manliness or Dying Breed, I read books.

And because I have to use the info I read, I need to take notes on the key points in these texts.

Readers and listeners have often asked me over the years for tips on reading and taking notes. Today, I'll get into how I take notes when I read. While my notetaking system helps me create podcasts and articles, taking notes while reading can be useful for anyone who wants to better retain and understand what they read. I also think taking notes while reading makes reading a bit more interesting since you’re actively engaging with the content.