Taking Book Notes (How to Start)

What's the best way to turn any book into a Second Brain of insights you can grab off the shelf anytime?
In this video, book-reading influencer Alex & Books walks us through his notetaking method for physical books (hardcover or paperback) that allowed him to build a following of over 700,000 book-reading fans.
👉 Follow Alex & Books: alexandbooks.com/start-here
📝 Pick your notes app (4-part series): • Pick a Notes App: Your...
🧠 How to remember everything you read: • How I remember everyth...
📲 Get the Second Brain Quickstart Guide: fortelabs.ck.page/b0c4d2241a
📗 Buy the Building a Second Brain book: www.buildingasecondbrain.com/...
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Is physical notetaking worth it?
00:34 Full notetaking method explained (back & front covers)
02:42 Should you avoid notetaking during active reading?
03:28 How to use digital notes with physical ones
05:29 Most of us pick the wrong notes app
---------------
Building a Second Brain is the proven method to organize your digital life and unlock your creative potential.
We're on a mission to help you increase your productivity, and lead a more fulfilling life with more ease and less stress.
🤓 TEST YOUR PRODUCTIVITY POTENTIAL
If you had a Second Brain, how much more organized, effective, calm, and creative could you be?
Take our quiz & find out: fortelabs.com/productivity-po...
🧠 HOW YOU CAN BUILD YOUR SECOND BRAIN
Order the book: www.buildingasecondbrain.com/...
Take the course: www.buildingasecondbrain.com/...
📬 JOIN THE FORTE LABS NEWSLETTER
Level up your productivity and life with new essays, videos, event invites, and other resources every Tuesday. Join 125k subscribers exploring the frontier of modern work, experimenting with new ways of doing more with less, and discovering what it means to fulfill our human potential.
Subscribe here: fortelabs.com/subscribe
🐥 FOLLOW US ON SOCIALS
Always get the latest updates and insights around Building a Second Brain.
Twitter: / fortelabs
LinkedIn: / tiagoforte
Facebook: / fortelabs
Instagram: / fortelabsco
===
🎥 CONTRIBUTORS
Video Editor: Nikolay Ofitserov
Producer: Billy Oppenheimer / bpoppenheimer
Animator: Keshav / strnmns
Thumbnail Designer: Dillon Toma
Executive Producer: Marc Koenig
Host: Tiago Forte
Guest: Alex Wieckowski (Alex & Books) / alexandbooks_

[@AlexandBooks]

This was a lot of fun Tiago, thank you for allowing me to share my note-taking strategy. PS: If anyone has any questions, ask away!

[@unclejunebug7178]

I know you answer this but it seem like you brushed past it but how do you know what notes to capture? or is it really just as simple as capture what resonates

[@AlexandBooks]

@@unclejunebug7178 look for IQ + AA (Insights, Quotes, and Actionable Advice)

[@corgikun2579]

your TOC reminded me of the "Index of Ideas" that Maria Popova (Brain Pickings) writes on the back of every book cover.

[@AlexandBooks]

@Roynin 30 mins a day is great, that's 3.5 hours a week!

[@dergrantelbart7802]

Hey Alex, do you have some tipps about implementing your notetaking system on ebooks? Besides all my physical books I recently got a kindle and still trying to figure out if there a descent way to take notes like your system.

[@littlechay]

Years ago I read "How to read a book", by Mortimer J. Alder - This is very close to his methods. It changed the way I read a book forever because I was brought up to never mark a book... Now I own all of my books :)

[@hafizirfanraza9712]

I’ll read then this book, thank you

[@tianzhao6080]

A huge fan of this book! This is the very first book in English I finished. From time to time, I'd love to refresh my memory with it. Not only are the ideas quite inspiring, but also the author's articulation is very attractive.

[@AdityaRaj-kb1uo]

Bro, what a great book that is. So happy to find someone who has gone through it. The depth that Mortimer J. Alder has touched about the process of reading in this book is just phenomenal.

[@phamawa]

Yeah, Tim Ferriss actually had a blog post and video before this guy so I'm sure Tim read Mortimer's book as well; it's just being passed on

[@maxvcollenburg]

Loved this! Never thought about using the covers like that, makes so much sense. // Notes Beginning of the book - Make your own table of contents at the beginning of the book -- Write down what really resonated, and why. - Add date when you started reading the book at the beginning of the book Highlighting - Highlight things on the page when you finished that page, otherwise everything will seem interesting - Add a star to highlights that are very interesting - At the end of the chaper, add highlights/stars to table of contents End of the book - Date finished reading the book - Page 'Actionable Advice" → how I'm going to apply those lessons How/when to make it digital & take action - Let the book sink in for a few days - Go back to the 'Actionable Advice' page & pick 3 things to take action on. -- Taking action on everything can be overwhelming - Put notes in digital system so they're searchable -- Mainly actionable advice, and things with stars

[@AlexandBooks]

this is 100% spot on summary, glad you enjoyed the video Max!

[@davidvonungern-sternberg1231]

Thanks!

[@ikramalaa953]

Thx!

[@brunovitola6278]

I'm a bit lost about when to destill the information you've just read.

[@ruttkowa7909]

Quick tip for all the iPhone users. Your camera has now a „scan text“ feature. Just hold your iPhone above a text like you would take a photo of it and a small little button with some lines in it will appear in the bottom corner. You can temporarily snap a picture, highlight the text passage you want and freaking copy it! Then you can paste it into your digital journal for further reference. This made my process so much easier!

[@priscillafrye2951]

I was also thinking, if you use OneNote, you could take a picture (with any kind of phone) and paste the photo onto a OneNote page then use the the copy/paste text function. So, this process could be applied to OneNote esp if you are using a library book.

[@tuprofesoraonlineboston]

It is the same with Google Translate. With the camera on, you can copy and paste it in another place or even do a translation to your preferred language (if you need it).

[@vCtrlAltDelv]

I love the animations and visualizations in these videos. They really enhance and reinforce the discussed topics and aren't superfluous like in lots of other KZbin content.

[@iamjamesgill]

It's a small detail, but I really appreciate how the guest differentiated 'information' and 'knowledge'. Turning the former into the latter is a process, and the two are not equal.

[@AlexandBooks]

you're 100% right, information is different from knowledge!

[@NumanSyed]

It's like a supplemental addition to BASB. I love it. Thanks to both of you!

[@e.b.ramirez2140]

I love these new habits to build, they will truly help me move forward at a faster, more focused pace. As someome with the attention span and focus of a kitchen cabinet, this is a real eye opener. I usually read about 15 books per month, a the beginning of the year, then seem to dwindle off and find it diffcult to read one or more i the subsequent months. I reall hope this gets me past that hump of losing interest and finding that sweet reading spot.

[@anishamoudi3185]

Like always, each video is a masterpiece. Thank you for the awesome content.

[@abhishekmajumder6582]

Tiago, I am so glad you are really focusing on the concepts and its implementation across all formats of content, not just digital. There is always this urge of only talking about shiny productivity apps and don't succumb to that! Got your book, you are my new hero! Love from India. 🙂

[@enhmurron]

dont succumb to productivity apps, better succumb to productivity books lmao.

[@j.d.5709]

I think a better approach is to read 1 full chapter and just underline and highlight all the parts then go back and add those to your digital notes for that chapter. Then do it all over again for the next chapter. This I have found for me allows me to essentially meditate and chew on what I just read and I found it sticks better. Also I think writing in the book then having to later transfer it into digital notes is an extra step you don't need.

[@JustAGuyWithThoughts]

That extra step is timed repetition. I do something similar when studying videos etc., in that I take notes on paper while watching, then the next day transcribe them to Obsidian, then a few days later re-read the notes before filing them. This builds in repetition of the notes, increasing retention and recall. It has worked very successfully for me, it allows me to handwrite my notes which has been shown to improve retention, recall and increase learning, has a built in system for recall which is easy to implement, and allows me to keep everything tidy and organised. The writing of notes can also be done digitally, I did all of my written notes on an iPad mini during my degree, then transcribed on my laptop manually. Post graduation I found I was going through a notepad every week or so and far too much ink as well, so I have recently picked up an iPad again. Works like a charm. In summary: Handwrite notes. Transcribe the next day. A few days later or on a set day (say Sunday), re-read the transcribed notes, then file digitally.

[@Danielarellano959]

this guy jusf reads 100s of books a year and is known for his insane knowledge base and reading efficiency but no, the method you thought of is better! think ab what youre saying sometimes dude no way youre acting like his method isnt absolutely idealized and perfected

[@SMHH....]

I don't view transcribing written notations into digital format as "timed repetitions." I view it as taking the time to let the information percolate and become perfectly distilled & useful comments.

[@JustAGuyWithThoughts]

@@Danielarellano959 I mean, you are aware that people learn in different ways and what this guy has perfected is only perfected for himself right?

[@GeorgeDole]

Excellent book notation video. Many Thanks! My Freshman year English teacher at Villanova Univ. recommended "How to Read a Book" by Mortimer Adler to me. I tell all my tutor clients about its 4 main concepts to efficiently and effectively read any book on any topic. It's my best game-changing "unfair advantage" tip for anyone.

[@Captain.Mystic]

This gave me so much more context as to how i should actually capture and distill, as for the most part it was really difficult for me to realize how much of the text was actually important while i was reading. Thank you so much for this video in particular.

[@AlexandBooks]

glad the tips were helpful Capt!

[@kathryncainmadsen5850]

I am inspired to always buy PDFs so I can bring them into Noteshelf or Notability. But I like having a separate set of notes.

[@fdov4]

This technology called: ‘Book’ with infinite battery is interesting, eager to try it.

[@kathleen4376]

I do this too! It helps a lot. Also why I prefer paper books vs e books

[@scrapin4mhe]

This is awesome! I love this organized approach. 🤩

[@AlexandBooks]

thank you!

[@seamless_skies]

Appreciate this so much! Thank you!

[@AlexandBooks]

thank you Shafiq!

[@bookwarmtee7750]

This was such a good video! I hope this made sense to people. Notes are such a powerful tool! Thank you for the message.

[@AlexandBooks]

glad you enjoyed the video!

[@1stNoelJensen]

Wonderful video! The tip about using a system until it breaks...is money!!!

[@stevemcclure2879]

I'm considering a Kindle Scribe as I have a huge selection of Kindle Books. This video might very well have justified that decision! I have also been experimenting with Apple Pages and converting the documents to Apple Books This makes me feel good about my decision :)

[@marcopruefer]

How amazing is this technique. So simple yet so good. Will try out immeadiatelly.

[@AlexandBooks]

glad you liked it Marco, lmk how it goes!

[@ThePiMan0903]

Thanks for this sir! Will try this one!

[@AlexandBooks]

go for it!

[@BrunoCheuicheVC]

Thanks for sharing, Alex. Lots of insights.

[@AlexandBooks]

Glad you enjoyed it Bruno! =]

[@velanche]

This is so great! I’ve listened to the “Second Brain” book on Audible. Because of my vision issues, I find audiobooks much easier to consume. Any resources, or even tips, on how to best “read” audiobooks and use the principles in this video to apply it to audiobooks? Thanks!

[@sandeep_hegde]

This is fantastic !! Loved it ❤

[@AlexandBooks]

thank you Sandeep!

[@billyoppenheimer2257]

Really cool Alex, will definitely be implementing the index.

[@AlexandBooks]

glad you liked the note-taking method Billy!

[@callmejobson]

I like the idea of if the system breaks then you upgrade!

[@MuhammadArnaldo]

05:29 this is the most resonate part to me

[@samuelshi5320]

Thank you so much for your kind sharing. Let's take book notes and read books more effective.

[@AlexandBooks]

glad you enjoyed the video Samuel!

[@PinkSheep2005]

I do this and consider it interactive reading😂 and often I remember about where it was in which book

[@annjfk]

6:30 is a pretty good point about maximizing the simplest tools first and moving up when you hit the limitations. I’m guilty of doing that, where I try to find the best and least limiting experience and end up not using 75% of the features or I end up getting exhausted looking for that one “perfect” app or system. And another thing is to work with “what works” for you as the reader or consumer.

[@AlexandBooks]

glad you liked that tip!

[@WyndoMitraBuwana]

this is great! i like custom table of contents, makes me think what to put and whats interesting for me so i can revisit it later if needed

[@AlexandBooks]

glad you found the video helpful Wyndo!

[@leaslesesessel]

That‘s a method I‘ve never seen before but it really intrigues me. I read more fiction than non fiction and I keep my notes in a reading journal. But i‘ve been trying to find a better system for my notes on non fiction. I like handwriting notes but also like the idea of it being searchable. I loved Alex‘s high school/college analogy.

[@AlexandBooks]

glad you enjoyed the video Leas! =]

[@rickdavis32]

I dont see it as a bad thing for fiction,first if I enjoy a book I enjoy the prose. I find great examples of that style and use those quotes,also for characters and great examples of characters or areas that highlight character strengths or motives. Also general takeaways why you like a book or a general theme or philosophy.

[@keepproductive]

What a cracking summary here! 📚

[@AlexandBooks]

glad you enjoyed the video!

[@ciscoponch67]

Zettelkasten is a german word which translates to 'note box'. The definition explains what material to work with and the filing system used. Let's break it down into its parts: A 'zettel' is a slip or note of paper.

[@JezArnold]

Love the “rule of three” / three lessons and three pieces of actionable advice.

[@AlexandBooks]

glad you liked that rule Jez, read on! =]

[@rubenjuanjuan7494]

Excellent video! Is there a tutorial on how to build the Notion page used by Alex?

[@Jeremy_Walker]

There has never been a time in history when the common man has had greater access to life changing information than we do today.

[@sahil.shaikh_9t]

Wow . Subscribed

[@audreydaleski1067]

Have my own way. Highlight with yellow highlighter too.

[@JTA1855]

Wow. just stumbled on this- thanks!!

[@alexwiec8835]

glad you liked the tips!

[@mikevanoverbeek]

Awesome video! Information & editing are on point 🔥

[@SG-es2hf]

Great ideas! Thank you

[@AlexandBooks]

Thank you so much!

[@khadidja.polyglotte]

Came in the right time ✅ ⏲ my books 📚 are waiting for me . Thank you Tiago 😊 I always find inspiration and good advice in your channel 😍 I read your book 📖 Building a second brain 🧠 and I rate it as life-changing 👏💎🌷

[@miles6875]

Love your content tiago

[@knittingnovice]

Great video. However, what video are we supposed to watch next? I didn’t see a clickable link and not able to find video. I’m guessing it’s the Bullet Journal video, but KZbin has made it hard to find while using the app (vs desktop) ☹️

[@macLoscope]

This is the most interesting note taking process I heard of, i definitely want to try. I also find it much better to wait until the end of the chapter to pause and gather the most important informations, because as you keep reading there will be more informations to support and add to what you just read and you have a better global picture when you went throught the whole chapter.. otherwise yeah you just highlight the whole thing

[@AlexandBooks]

Glad you liked my note-taking process and that's a great add-on!

[@MrGamislife]

"Notes app is the foundation and when the system breaks/can't handle it or you need more features then you go to the next app" Get your thought out regardless of the tool, start with what you have already!!

[@squadette]

Reading the contents of the "Business Bestsellers" stand in the airport, year after year after year.

[@inmintealucagula]

I take notes in UpNote, the best app ever...I suggest try it...is like Evernote. I started at the begining to write in Goodnotes but is so hard and annoying to write with the hand....is way easier with the keyboard.

[@aaronbell5994]

Yay! Someone has the same questions as I do on notetaking!

[@AlexandBooks]

I'm here to help Aaron! =]

[@Sixty4hands]

This is so good

[@AlexandBooks]

Thank you!!

[@MarcusBiskobing1]

Awesome video!

[@AlexandBooks]

glad you liked the video Marcus!

[@ofofomat]

I use readwise to do so. I take a picture, select the part I want to highlight and the app does the resg for me.

[@omarsalt1515]

obsidian is the best app for taking notes from books to be honest because everything is connected to eachother and its very easy to access, it builds more of that second brain that most of us want to create using the graph that connects different points together. thats what makes obsidian different from the other apps.

[@htchamber2776]

I personally don’t like taking notes in books but what I recommend is downloading a pdf file of the book and a hard copy that way while you read on your tablet you can take notes

[@jiyan2220]

I found see through clear sticky notes or like sticky notes that are really long which u can use instead of highlighters and maybe u can use those if it’ll help

[@miguelgsousa]

Brilliant!

[@AlexandBooks]

thanks Miguel!

[@ChenHaziza]

awesome video. some should teach him the difference between a start n a pentagram tho

[@skalzey]

Hey. I use Readwise to capture my notes from Kindle and the web. It’s great. I know a lot of people import to Notion from Readwise. I wonder if anyone uses both and what the advantage is of including Notion as a step. Why not do everything in Readwise?m thanks

[@eessausman2695]

Wow, this video is amazing

[@AlexandBooks]

glad you liked it Eessa! =]

[@lexlex5555]

This was surprisingly not bullshit advice. It’s something I actually want to do and what I think makes sense.

[@AlexandBooks]

thank you Lex! =]

[@chefkero]

always start small. but routine.

[@MrSingh369]

I will always be in debt of Ryder Carroll and Tiago Forte...

[@peaceridge]

HATE Doodley - why should I have to watch it before getting to your video? Your video is great. I downloaded it and at the end it says click on the next video, but I can't due to it being downloaded - it would be nice if you embedded the address of the next video in the actual video, so I can just go to youtube and enter it.

[@SevenExousia]

Watched several of your videos and liked them but I also realize that all of your videos and interviews with note takers are Apple based (or should i say Apple-centric). A lot of people are not mac users and I would very much like to see more videos and people talking about creating a system based on Windows and Android use. Also, another thing I realized is that most are also using Kindle but is there anything based on Google Play books or other book apps and platforms?

[@TiagoForte]

Agreed, we need to expand into Windows-based tutorials long-term. Thanks for the feedback

[@mckennamike1]

Don't ignore us Chrome O/S users too. There are a lot of users in the Google ecosystem too.

[@diegofrota]

Hi Tiago! You always do great interviews... a really interesting person would be Leonard Mlodinow! I am questioning my self now, how is Mlodinow's second brain?

[@jason2b29]

can you make a video on how to take notes from research articles

[@user-od1sj3ze1u]

Oiee ouvi o podcast nO CAFÉ COM ADM e já ordenei meu livro creio que é tudo que estava procurando muito obrigado

[@dknight8119]

Unless I missed it, how do you get the written notes into digital? Great video and ideas.

[@corgikun2579]

They don't mention it. What I do is use my iPhone to scan text directly from the book and paste the quote in my notes app. I'll edit the text later, not when actually reading

[@PatrickStaMaria-co2rh]

It is a pleasure to listen to both of you. I love this note-taking approach. Unfortunately I am constantly traveling and can only read on kindle. I work with highlights that I turn into literature notes in Obsidian. I was thinking about writing takeaways after each read - so far I was always a little tired after reading, writing notes, writing ideas… But this definitely motivated me to go all the way. I like the book-list rating system, but I recently switched note-taking from notion to obsidian… Anyone knows how to create a list like Alex did on Obsidian?

[@sh0]

Great question - I am another person who reads on Kindle, but I also read a lot of library books, or books I borrow from friends.. while this system is sort of cool, it also forces you to both buy vs borrow, but also forces you the KEEP the book

[@0x3C]

What I have been doing with all of my Kindle reading is highlighting entire passages. Readwise then syncs those highlights into Obsidian, and I can go in and *progressively summarize* the highlights.

[@FeelSoAliveMkGp]

@@0x3C Brillant! thanks for sharing, 'cause I had that same question. Connecting Readwise to Notion now.

[@misheeruwakesho1417]

This shit should be longer. Make this longer!

[@TiagoForte]

Noted

[@kathryncainmadsen5850]

Yeah, but I never read paper books and it hard to find a page number in a digital book...Any tips for reading library books you can't keep. I guess just noting the chapter if not the page ...

[@user-to9sv3xq8z]

Благодарю за информацию!

[@pbartkus]

I drive around town and like to listen to Audible books. Do you have a suggestion on taking notes in traffic? 😊

[@moder_nord2475]

Yes…. DON’T!!

[@ZiadNasser138]

I like that❤️

[@davidb6089]

Great

[@robertquilindo8853]

we can extend the notes taking space by using 3M sticky notes

[@michaelsolimini5843]

does anyone have a simple way of doing this method utilizing digital books such as kindle? separate notes file in apple notes?

[@youtubelearning2990]

If you don't want to write in the book. Index cards and a rubber band. I bought a bag of bigger rubber bands and tons of index cards.

[@bennoreuter4393]

Nothing tops notepad.exe. No formatting, no loading time, just pure information. Remember to save.

[@j.m.hunter6022]

I’m. On the fence. Does this book work well for people with ADHD/executive dysfunction and working memory or Fibro fog issues?

[@KishoreKumarmaistry]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:43 📚 *Create your own table of contents in the front pages of the book, noting interesting pages, subjects, and ideas with corresponding page numbers.* 01:54 📝 *Distill the most important lessons from the book in your own words on the back cover, serving as a quick reference for key takeaways.* 02:23 📅 *Document the day you start and finish the book on the front and back covers, providing a snapshot of your journey and the impact on your life.* 03:33 🔄 *Transition from paper to digital notes after finishing a book, allowing time to cool off before revisiting and distilling actionable advice.* 05:14 📱 *Use a simple note-taking foundation like Notion, and only consider transitioning to a more specialized tool when your current system no longer meets your needs.*

[@raonei2339]

Benjamin McAvoy came with a similar concept years ago! I recommend you to check on him method. He focuses on literature

[@Ameera_ve_books]

I can only imagine about taking notes like this 😂😂😂😂😂

[@AlexandBooks]

give it a try!

[@N-A-uw5fp]

Wish I had known this 30 yrs ago!

[@AlexandBooks]

It's never too late to try it out!

[@dimoire]

Shoutout for leaking a couple pages of GTD for free! Comment for the algo

[@bogxd]

I need a video on how you make your thumbnails, they're sick

[@_sonicfive]

Maybe actionable advice on reading for 6th graders

[@PhantasusRex]

What if the front cover does not have enough space for the amount of good quotes I want to write down? 😅

[@AlexandBooks]

Use the next blank page/the title page

[@PhantasusRex]

@@AlexandBooks that should be enough! Thx for the reply! :)

[@IRVremy]

This is how I read books on my iPad

[@angelmauriciopicoreyes2705]

Me gusto mucho interés libros importante aprender las cosas pero repasar yo no entiendo porque poco palabras más leer como hacer mi vida objetivo futuro mejor cambiar deber pero muy triste yo necesito importante

[@jesuspardo3232]

hola, amigo Angel Mauricio...humildemente te aconsejo: trata de encontrar este libro: "Como leer un libro", de un autor clásico. Está en muchas bibliotecas públicas y librerías...lo que es importante: trata de disfrutar leyendo, y leer cosas que te interesen. Trata de subrayar con lápiz o portaminas lo que te parezca más importante o interesante...Un saludo desde España

[@BrianHallmond]

What if you're a minimalist/kindle reader?

[@AlexandBooks]

highlight key quotes in your kindle, export the quotes after you finish the book into a google doc or notion, then summarize the most important lessons

[@phimema]

Isn’t this exactly the same technique Tim Ferriss talked about in one of his videos a few years ago?

[@minaa.2453]

Yup, pretty much.

[@FoD1975]

This is great, but I guess you have to then keep the book forever?! 🤔👍🏻

[@alexwiec8835]

yes or transfer the notes to Notion/your digital notebook so you always have them there

[@abiajis8506]

I lost my apple pen. Can I get another pen but cheaper and as good as apple pen?

[@bernga6077]

cool

[@AlexandBooks]

thank you!

[@stephenstephen1505]

I refuse to desecrate books!

[@mzamilbr]

Great content. Btw have anyone say you look like Elon musk

[@MrCharlieTech5]

My bookworm brain is like 😮

[@AlexandBooks]

glad you enjoyed the video Charles!