I read this a few years ago, and after practicing some of the principles here I recently did a reread of it. My take is now that the book is an excellent book for taking smart notes to boost writing, learning, and thinking (as it says in the subtitle). IMHO, the first half is the strongest part of the book.
Find my earlier review here.
Although not stated this way in the book, Odysseas on Youtube has an excellent summary of the note taking process.
- Take literature notes (in your own words, as much as possible) to help you understand
2. Atomic notes (his word for smart notes) are more conceptual, stripped of context, which enables linking to other atomic notes, and to help generate new ideas
Overall, a recommended resource to study to help you read better and to help generate new ideas.
