Reading technical literature is an essential routine for every engineer or technical expert. Despite the significant changes in the world and the ways we consume information, books remain the best source of knowledge. They pass down gained experience and best practices through generations.
“The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest (people) of the past centuries.” ― René Descartes
How to choose a good book for studying? First, you can search for "Best books about X" on Google. This will likely give you a list of the most popular books on the topic. Then, check the ratings and reviews on platforms like Goodreads or directly on Amazon. After some investigation, you can confidently pick one of the best books on the market.
Reading serious literature is hard work; it requires diligence, patience, and high concentration. It's a good idea to start by reading through the table of contents to get an overview of the whole book. Depending on the book, you can start reading it sequentially or by picking the needed chapters. Read slowly and try to understand the topic. If you find that you don't understand what you are reading or start thinking about something else, stop, take a pause, and read it again. If, after multiple tries, you still cannot grasp the idea, try finding the information on the internet. Most likely, someone has already explained it in a different way. If there is a way to use the acquired information in your work or personal projects, go ahead. Applying what you've learned will boost your understanding and help the material stick in your mind better.
When reading, don't focus on the number of pages—it's not a competition. The goal is to learn and understand the material. Aim to blend your own experiences with the author's insights by reflecting on the ideas presented in the book.
After finishing a book, it makes sense to reread it after a while. When reading something for the first time, there is often an urge to quickly grasp new information, leading to skipped or overlooked important details. During subsequent readings, with the content already familiar, it's easier to focus on those overlooked details and extract even more value from the book.
Thin or thick books
Consider a situation where you need to gain expertise in a technical topic and you find several appropriate books. Which would be the better option: reading five books of 200 pages each or one book of 1,000 pages? I would choose the larger one, and here's why. Let's assume all the books are for complete beginners and each thin book explains the topic from scratch. You would end up reading the same basic information five times. If you value your time, this probably isn't the best choice. Additionally, because the books are thin, you won't go beyond the basic concepts, as 200 pages are likely insufficient for delving deeply into a serious topic. On the other hand, reading one comprehensive book provides you with valuable, structured information from zero to expert level. So don't be afraid of large books; they offer the most value.
General recommendations
- Technical reading requires a deep concentration, if you feel fatigue or you notice you're thinking about something else. Make a break or even stop learning and continue tomorrow. Reading without full concentration is just wasting your time.
- Use stickers and highlighters to emphasise the most valuable and interesting parts, to quickly find them in the feature.
- Start reading by repeating previous chapter's, highlighted parts should help you with that.
- If you don't understand some part of chapter, read it again. If it doesn't help, find another source and try to understand it first. (i.e Wikipedia, articles, etc)
- Write short summaries and draw diagrams if needed. Use own words for it.
- Try to apply acquired knowledge in practice. If you cannot apply it in practice, no worries. Anyway you just learn that something exists (remove unknown unknowns) and maybe even learned how something works (in theory of course).
- Read smaller, but regularly.
Few words about articles / Reflections on Technical Articles
Most technical articles on popular platforms contain low-quality information, primarily targeting beginners. Occasionally, valuable pieces can be found, but these are exceptions to the rule. In my opinion, articles are best suited for practical, highly specialised information such as "How to configure X" or "How to get X to work." Another use case is to get an initial understanding of a topic before diving into specialised literature or, in other words, as prerequisites.
In summary, books remain the best source of fundamental and structured knowledge you can find. Reading even 10 pages a day can make you a better professional, both compared to others and to your past self.