Reading by AI

calendar Apr 17, 2026 · 3 min read · ai  ·
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This blog documents my recent practice of using AI to enhance my reading process and the benefits I’ve gained from it.

I maintained my book list in a spreadsheet, which helped me track what I’ve read, what I’m currently reading, and what I plan to read. While this works well, I wanted to improve a few things:

  • Group books with similar content
  • Have a better tool for writing reading notes, spreadsheets aren’t ideal for that
  • Preview a book’s content before committing time to read it fully
  • Enhance my reading experience, such as digesting key information more effectively

AI helped me address all of the above. Here’s how I did it:

  1. First, I converted my book list into individual markdown files, one per book.
  2. I used Claude to review each markdown file and generate a book summary, giving me a first impression of the content.
  3. I asked Claude to group books by relevant topics, such as investing or AI. This was possible because each book now had a summary, allowing AI to cluster them automatically—saving me significant manual effort.
  4. For each topic, I created a separate markdown file that links to the relevant book files using Obsidian’s linking format, making it easy to navigate relationships.
  5. I then created a project in NotebookLM for each topic and uploaded the related digital books.

For each book, I ask the following set of questions:

  1. Full Overview Prompt​: Can you help me get familiar with everything I need to know? I’m looking for a full overview. Tell me about key characters, plot points, themes, chapter summaries, and any important quotes or turning points.
  2. Chapter-by-Chapter Summary: ​ Provide a detailed chapter-by-chapter summary. For each chapter, include key plot points, character development, and any themes or symbols introduced. Note any foreshadowing or callbacks to earlier chapters.
  3. Core Arguments Extraction​: What are the 5 most important claims in this book? For each claim, quote the exact sentence and cite its location.
  4. Essential Questions​: Based on all inputs, generate 5 essential questions that, when answered, capture the main points and core meaning of the book.
  5. Surprising Insights​: What are the most surprising or counterintuitive pieces of information in the book? Focus on findings that contradict common assumptions, and quote the relevant passages.

Based on the answers, I explore further questions to deepen my understanding. This process gives me a solid grasp of the book, helping me decide whether to stop there or invest more time in a thorough read - saving me considerable time in the long run.

I can also treat an entire topic project as a whole and ask broader questions, such as:

  • What are 5 core mental models used by experts in this field?
  • Where do experts fundamentally disagree? What are the strongest arguments on each side?
  • Generate 10 questions that distinguish deep understanding from rote memorization.

Written by Binwei@Shanghai