Being able to remember what you read is almost the entire point of reading. Here are some good habits to develop when approaching a book

Before

Don’t skip the introductions!

Do read the reviews (Good Reads is great for this.)

During

Read with a pencil in hand

Look up words that you don’t know

Remove all barriers and distractions (my phone is the worst distraction for me when reading)

Be cautious about reading for sake of ticking the box of “Being a Reader”

Talk about what you are reading with others

Practice summarizing in your own words the points, plot, etc.

Talk about what is different about this book or similar to other books

Share quotations that stuck with you

Keep a Commonplace Book

After

Talk about it with others

If you have chosen a good book based on the best information available to you, and it’s presented in an interesting way, you probably will want to talk about it. So write a review of it. 

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