# problem with reading

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-reading/94524>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 21, 2001, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-reading/94524 "2001-11-21T02:54:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![toker420](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@toker420](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toker420)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-reading/94524/1 "2001-11-21T02:54:51Z")

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ok… my problem is this, whenever i read books i have problems remembering them afterwards. I mean, i can remember the key points and all, but the specifics,details,etc i cant remember at all… and a month from reading a book, i hardly remember it… does anyone have any advice or know of any sites that can improve reading skills for free?

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**Author:** ![donotprodme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@donotprodme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donotprodme)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-reading/94524/2 "2001-11-21T02:59:04Z")

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I have a similar problem. Generally all I do is if I don’t completely understand something than I will re-read that section aloud or aloud in my brain if you can understand what I mean. If it is imperative that I know the information I will generally reread the book. This works surprisingly well; atleast for me 🙂

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**Author:** ![ejrn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a6a055/32.png) [@ejrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ejrn)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2001, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/problem-with-reading/94524/3 "2001-11-21T04:11:57Z")

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Been there - am still there. Feels like a problem with my hardwiring. I’ve found it best to go with the flow - why beat yourself up?

The advantage I have is that I just save books I like and can read them again a year or two later - It’s all new to me.

If you really want or need to remember, try reading it twice. I found my recall improves with successive readings.

BTW, I don’t seem to have this problem reading material related to my profession so I suspect it is caused by some minor variant of ADD.