A thorough reading of the book, including using marginalia to converse with the author.
Four rules of analytical reading1:
- Classify the book according to kind and subject matter.
- State what the whole book is about with the utmost brevity.
- Enumerate its major parts in their order and relation, and outline these parts as you have outlined the whole.
- Define the problem or problems the author is trying to solve.
1. Parrish, S. How to Remember What You Read. (2021).