My Reading Journey

Introduction

I aim to cultivate a reading habit to enhance both my reading and writing skills. Recognizing a deficiency in my vocabulary, despite having read numerous English books, I’ve decided to embark on an experiment to significantly improve this aspect in the coming year.

Reading Plan

I’ve formulated a plan that is both feasible and geared toward achieving both short-term and long-term goals. My plan involves dedicating at least one hour every day to reading. While doing so, I intend to make a note of any words or vocabulary that I find unfamiliar. This approach is aimed at facilitating better learning and understanding of these words.

In contrast to my previous method of immediately looking up unfamiliar words on my phone, which resulted in a temporary understanding, I now plan to write down these words in a journal or post. Later, I will look them up and construct sentences using them, aiming for a more lasting retention.

Progress Tracking

Additionally, I want to monitor my progress by planning the books I intend to read throughout the year or month. After reading a book, I plan to summarize what I have learned, testing my comprehension of the main ideas or thoughts conveyed by the authors.

Book List

Here is a table containing the books I read last year, some of which I may revisit for a better understanding or enjoyment, and the books I plan to read this month or year:

Title	Author	Category	Finished
Atomic Habits	James Clear	Self-improvement	✅
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck	Mark Manson	Self-improvement	✅
How to Talk to Anyone	Leil Lowndes	Communication	✅
The Last Lecture	Randy Pausch	Motivational self-help	✅
The Alchemist	Paulo Coelho	Life Purpose	✅
Engineering’s Survival Guide	Merih Taze	Engineering, guide, Computer	✅
How to Win Friends & Influence People	Dale Carnegie	Communication & social skills	✅
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living	Dale Carnegie	Mental Health	✅
Stop Overthinking	Nick Trenton	Mental Health	✅
How to Talk to Anyone About Anything	James W Williams	Communication	✅
Think and Grow Rich	Napoleon Hill	Personal Finance
The Millionaire Next Door	Thomas J. Stanley	Personal Finance	✅
Before the Coffee Gets Cold Book 2	Toshikazu Kawaguchi	Time Travel, Fiction	✅
The Lessons of History	Will Durant	History, Philosophy
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success	Carol S. Dweck	Finance, Self-help, Psychology
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People	Stephen R. Covey	Career Success, Development
System Design Interview – An insider’s guide	Alex Xu	Interview
System Design Interview – An Insider’s Guide: Volume 2	Alex Xu	Interview