Why Am I Reading This?

The Reader’s Edge | Charlie Samways | September 13, 2026 |

Have you ever read a book, enjoyed it, but then struggled to tell someone about the key points weeks later?

I’m in the process of building a new guide for Kindle readers that solves this exact problem. This ties into the future project I asked for your help with a few weeks back, so a big thank you to everyone who sent in their responses.

One of the opening sections I’ve been writing is on those moments before you even open the book.

It can be so easy to dive straight in, but from experience, following a few steps can make the difference in retention and what you take away.

The first thing to do is set an intention – what am I hoping to get from this book? Not only does it make every interaction with the book purposeful, but it also creates a filter for any annotations you make.

I’m currently reading Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, and I asked myself this same question before starting. My hope for this book was to learn how a brand can develop to become a cultural icon. The reading I’ve been doing is framed through that lens.

From asking this question, with non-fiction, I preview the chapter summary or headings to get an idea of what I’m about to read. This might sound like spoiling what’s to come, but our brains actually process information better when they know the shape of what is coming. 

With Shoe Dog, there’s no summary, but the chapter headings are the years being written about. It’s not a perfect example of this strategy, but it points you in the direction of where the author is taking you.

Combining these two steps with my non-fiction helps my brain to engage actively with what I’m about to read. If you’re not sure about this for you, start off by just thinking about it. It doesn’t have to be anything too formal if it will prevent you from trying it. 

And even though my fiction reading is there for relaxing, I still set my intentions. Sometimes that intention can be a more general intention: relaxing. But occasionally I might choose a book based upon a certain experience I’m looking for, such as finding something that makes me laugh (The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer) or challenges my emotions (The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah).

Once you start thinking about this before you start reading, you’ll be amazed at how you engage with every book you read.

The Purpose Filter

Researchers studying reading comprehension have found that setting a reading purpose improves how well readers accomplish that intention, compared to reading without one.

There is an important caveat to be aware of here – if the subject of your book drifts from that purpose, ask yourself what unexpected thought has come from this section. 

In my example of Shoe Dog, not every part is going to directly answer how Nike became the brand it is today. Some elements cover personal relationships and Knight’s family life. Even though they aren’t directly tied to the brand, there’s a clear connection through Knight himself, and I can question whether actions taken are something I would do myself.

Broadening in this way reduces the risk of focusing too specifically on one intended outcome. If we go into reading with our blinkers on, concerned only with one specific intention, we risk missing something else on the page that could be valuable to another part of our life.

Combine a clear purpose for why we’re reading something with an openness to navigate the book’s many messages. And those days of forgetting books will start to fade into oblivion.

This Week’s Question

What’s your purpose for reading the book you’re currently on, or about to read?

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

From The Channel This Week

This week, I got a hands-on look at the Xteink X4 Classic, comparing it to the X3. If you’re interested in mini e-readers, then you’ll enjoy this.

Xteink X4 Classic Hands On - Better Than The X3?

And I’ve just updated my Free Kindle Guide with a bonus section on speed reading, which is available for all members to download here

Wishing you all the best this week, and determining the purpose of your reading.

Catch up next week,

Charlie