The Step Most Readers Skip

The Reader’s Edge | Charlie Samways | October 4, 2026 |

If you’ve ever read a book and then weeks later find that you can’t recall the information, you’re not alone.

For years I believed that the more books you read, the better your brain gets at remembering the information.

Eventually I realised this approach was completely wrong, and I started to apply steps to get books to stick.

The biggest change I made was how I started to log books.

In 2017, I started to properly keep a log of every book I read. It was a very simple document that had a list of the books I read and my to-be-read list. 

As I started to add more techniques to retain information, I started to see this system wasn’t enough. I needed something that actually primed my brain to recall what I’d been reading.

I added categories to log my intentions for reading a book, as well as asking what I thought the main idea was, what surprised me about the book, and something it challenged me to think differently about.

Over the years, this reading tracker has helped me retain the information from most of the books I read. It’s stayed relatively simple intentionally. Every time I’ve tried a flashy alternative, I’ve always come back to my version.

And if this sounds like something that you need too, the good news is that members can download this and start utilising the same system that made the difference for me.

Three Steps To Retain More

Alongside a reading tracker that logs more than just books, there have been three steps that cement the information I’m reading.

The first step is one to complete before even turning the first page of a book. It’s to set an intention for why you’re reading it.

Right now, I’m reading Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism, and my intention is: How does Newport’s digital minimalism compare to my system for intentional tech use?

Having a clear intention allows me to read with a purpose in mind. Whether that’s highlighting, making notes, or in my review, I know what I want to get out of the book.

That connects to the next step: keeping highlights concise.

When I was in school, I had a history teacher who used to set homework to read parts of a book and make highlights of the key points.

When I submitted that first homework piece, nearly every page was like a colouring-in of the text. I’d highlighted everything.

The feedback from my teacher was to highlight no more than a sentence that really captured the essence of what the author was trying to say. It took some time (I’m still guilty of over-highlighting occasionally), but now I aim to keep highlights to one sentence. If it’s any longer, I’ll try to add a note.

Highlighting this way keeps me alert to points that deserve recognition and those that don’t. As a result of this, my engagement with the book is heightened as I read along.

The final part of retaining more information from your books is reflection.

The three stages of reflection in my reading are: after every reading session, after every book is finished, and once a month. 

I make time to write down what I’ve taken from each book at these stages, to start the process of actively recalling what I’ve read.

This step is supported by a study published in Psychological Science by Henry Roediger and Jeffrey Karpicke, where students who tested themselves by writing down what they remembered had better recall after one week than students who used re-reading as a learning tool.

If you don’t feel comfortable writing this down initially, start by taking the time to reflect on these ideas in your head. I am a big believer in the power of writing things down, though, so I’d advise you to move towards this at your own pace.

If you need support on what sorts of questions to ask, the prompts I use are inside the reading tracker.

This Week’s Question

Without checking your notes, what's the one idea you still remember from the last book you read, and why do you think that one stuck?

Reply to me at hello@charliesamways.com. I read every one.

From The Channel This Week

Retaining information from the books you read is the theme of the channel this week, and I’ve just released a video about getting more out of your books using the Kindle App.

My favourite feature on the app is being able to copy and paste directly from a book into your notes. The time you save on typing or writing out the quote can go into putting down your own thoughts about why this is important.

If you’re someone who reads on your smartphone or tablet, then this is worth watching:

Unlock Your Kindle App's Secret Powers

And if you haven’t already, keep an eye on my free resources page. Alongside the Reading Tracker that helps books stick, there's also a Free Kindle Guide and notes from some of my favourite non-fiction books. Available to all website members.

Wishing you all the best this week, and retaining more of the information from the books you read.

Catch up next week,

Charlie