TL;DR (Too long; Didn’t read) version: audiobook

No matter what I’m doing–driving, running, or watching my kids at the playground–I am usually listening to an audiobook. This habit allows me to multitask efficiently, ensuring that I am always learning, even when I am on the move.

Why do I read?

Reading for me is about growth and learning—whether it’s personal development like running faster, professional skills like writting better research papers, or understanding others better.

Yang Jiang once wrote: “Your problem is worrying too much, but reading too little.” I aim to never fall into that trap of reading too little.

What do I read?

There are a few sources I use to find the next read.

1. Bill Gates wrote about the books he read from time to time. I had read many great books follwoing his recommendations including Project Hail Mary and Educated
2. Goodreads choice Award. According to the website, it is the “only major book awards decided by readers”. I have voted for a few books before. My favorite category is Memoir & Autobiography.
3. Peer Recommendations. For example, I have interviewed my high-school and undergraduate classmates and ask them what books they recommended.
4. Douban’s Yearly List. Similar to Goodreads, Douban provides a curated list of Chinese books across various catogoris.
5. Inter-book References. Sometimes one book leads to another, creating a chain of learning and discovery. I found I don’t want to talk about it from another book outlive.

How do I read?

Stephen King wrote in his memior On Writing: “Waiting rooms were made for books”–a sentiment that applies well to audiobooks. Here’s how I my workflow of reading:

Listening to the audiobook

• Apps: I rely on Audible, YouTube (using tools like yt-dlp to download the audio files), and Himalaya for my listening needs. For local files, the Castro App lets me play audio directly from my Apple Watch without needing my iPhone.
• Devices: My iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Apple Watch, paired with AirPods Pro, make an efficient setup for listening anywhere, anytime.

Taking notes

I prefer eBooks for a simple reason: note-taking and revisiting content are easier. Here’s my process:

• Apps: I use Calibre and Kindle for eBook reading and note-taking.
• Voice Memos and Reminders: When running or driving, I use voice memos on my Apple Watch or iPhone to record thoughts and reminders for later review.

Publishing notes

I publish my notes online to stay motivated and keep a handy reference for myself. It also allows me to share insights, like memorable quotes from books like this one about time management #123. I have not cleaned the notes from many books that I read before 2021, yet.

Keepng lists

Maintaining a list of books to read and those I’ve read keeps me motivated. Participating in reading challenges since 2016, I’ve gradually increased my annual goal from 12 books in 2016 to 52 this year.