Sönke Ahrens

This book is focused on something called a slip box, which is a literal box where you keep all your notes from researching a specific topic. There are many examples of how to use it, but it assumes you already know the topic you want to research and write about. It is not particularly helpful for learning how to take notes while reading things for exploration and for figuring out what topic you might want to research or write about in the future.

The two big takeaways: read with a pen in your hand, and add your own thoughts as to why you felt a particular passage was worth copying or highlighting.

Could be very helpful for people learning how to study a known specific topic, but not as helpful for just building general knowledge.… (more)

Shorter would be even better

The idea at the centre of this book it brilliantly simple, and simply brilliant. Which might be its shortfall.

My reason for not giving it 5 stars is a tendency for repetition. Reading between the lines, I sense Ahrens' possible frustration that fellow academics just don't "get it" (because Zettelkasten is too simple) so it must be said multiple times. Perhaps he's trying to make it more complicated?

Overall, the central thesis - and practice - is something I wish I'd discovered a long time ago. And will recommend it to anyone seeking to improve their thinking.
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Interesting read! This book is almost required reading for anyone interested in PKM (Personal Knowledge Management) right now, and I can see why. It makes good points, but it's very very theoretical. If you actually want to make practical use of the ideas in this book, you're still left with heaps of questions, especially on how to actually connect notes.

Still, inspiring and motivating and a very good starting point for some literature notes you can then turn into permanent notes etcetera. Even if you don't intend to actually write there's a lot here. I might actually reread this in a year or so, I think it's very different whether you're just starting out or dealing with a mature Zettelkasten.… (more)