Five (5) Tips For Reading a Book Thoughtfully (such as 'Becoming Hannah') #LeadersAreReaders December 2024

Many people misunderstand Hannah Yeoh’s book, Becoming Hannah (Sarcastically speaking, some people took 10 years to read it and suddenly decided something was ‘wrong’ with the book!). Some assume it reveals a hidden agenda to make Malaysia a Christian country. This is far from the truth. The book focuses on her personal journey, faith, and challenges in serving as a politician. Unfortunately, many critics haven’t read the book or fully understood its content, relying instead on hearsay.

To avoid misunderstandings like this, here are five tips for reading a book thoughtfully. These can be applied to any book you read:

1) Read the Entire Book - Don’t judge a book based on a few pages or isolated quotes taken out of context. Take time to read the whole book before forming an opinion. This ensures you understand the author's full message. If you haven’t read it, don’t criticize it. Simple.

2) Check the Author’s Purpose - Ask yourself: Why did the author write this book? Look for clues in the introduction or foreword. For example, Becoming Hannah was written to share Hannah Yeoh’s journey and inspire readers, not to push any agenda.

3) Avoid Prejudgments - Approach the book with an open mind. Avoid making assumptions based on the author’s religion, background, or what others say about the book. Prejudgments can distort your understanding.

4) Pay Attention to Context - Take note of the context of any statement or story. A single sentence can be misinterpreted if you ignore the surrounding paragraphs or chapters. Always ask, “What is the bigger picture here?”

5) Discuss with Others Who Have Read It - Engage with people who have also read the book. Sharing thoughts can help clarify your understanding and correct any misinterpretations.

Books like Becoming Hannah deserve to be read carefully and fairly. Avoiding misunderstandings not only helps you gain true insights but also prevents the spread of false assumptions. So, take time to read responsibly! Read widely and with an open mind. Don’t fear strange ideas or foreign beliefs. If your faith is strong and true, and you stay critical and thoughtful while reading books outside your comfort zone, you won’t be easily influenced (Although, I fully recommend you read the Bible or the New Testament too, because “the truth will set you free” 😉)

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The Science of Self-Learning (2018) by Peter Hollins, Sort-of Book Review

The Science of Self-Learning: How to Teach Yourself Anything, Learn More in Less Time, and Direct Your Own Education (2018) by Peter Hollins, Ebook

 
The title and subtitle say it all. Some books are easy to read and quick to finish simply because you already agree with the main theses of the book. And extra if you already applied most of the ideas. So, what is the benefit of reading a book that doesn't challenge me to do or think about something new? Well, for one, the feel-good effect I had due to confirmation bias. And the other, for self-reminder, that it is the right thing for me to continue to pursue. Peter Hollis, a psychologist by profession, wrote in such a way that is engaging and balances theories with practicality. He reminds me that the path - for me, not necessary for everyone - to education is through self-learning.

We all should've realized that the process of acquiring information has changed significantly over the last few decades. The author seriously joking that 30 to 40 decades ago, one of the main ways for people to look up general info was inside an encyclopedia! Today, all we have to do is just Google-ing absolutely anything and find out very specific info about any subject of interest in less than a few seconds anywhere, anywhen. What hasn’t changed, sadly, is our educational system. It is still based mostly on a traditional model, where students still learn what somebody else has decided for them to learn. Although there are exceptions and some positive sides to it, the outdated model is overall limiting and intimidating. Mr. Hollins writes, "[Motivating] someone to learn by threats or reproach isn’t just ineffective - it’s impossible. If one is feeling hurt or mistrusted, or if they’re dealing with depression, stress, difficult personal issues, or fear, they don’t have any resources left to help them learn."

Enter the keyword: autodidact (or a self-educator). It simply means a self-taught person. He or she is both a teacher and a student at the same time. Self-taught is not a new pursuit. There are famous people like Mark Twain, Albert Einstein, and Leonardo da Vinci who are autodidacts. The advantage for us today is that it is easier and faster for us to be one. “Courtesy of the Internet, the world is your oyster,” writes Mr. Hollins, “and we have the ability to learn anything we want these days.” Due to my personality and learning style, classroom-type, professor-guide, assignment- dateline like Bible seminary is not suitable for me. My process of directed personal education growth is via proactive intellectual curiosity. Thus, my motivation is not from the outside forces but from the inside a.k.a. intrinsic. Nobody can 'force' me to learn, I WANT to learn. The author puts it like this: "Rather than performing a task to gain rewards or avoid punishment from someone else, a person experiencing intrinsic motivation does an activity for how it will enrich them on an intangible level." Right!

If you are an autodidact, reading Chapter 1: Principle of Self-Learning is a good reminder for you to keep doing what you are doing (probably Chapter 1 is just enough). If you are aspired to be one, reading this book is a good starting point. You will learn the Learning Success Pyramid, the classic SQ3R Method, the Cornell Note-Taking System, Speed-Reading tactics, and more. The author is generous with his resources. I love this quote, "Anyone can be an autodidact - there aren’t any restrictions on age, gender, or background. All that’s required is the willingness to actively find new knowledge and to do so with a discerning, evaluative mind." Yes! ☕

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheScienceOfSelfLearning #AutodidactForever #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.