Reading more by reading less is a hot trend in 2020 — here's how to do it
Listen, we get it. It’s hard to pick up a paperback when there's a full season of Cheer waiting for you on Netflix. But what if you could speed through a whole novel in less time than it takes to watch a single episode? Now that might change your mind.
That’s exactly what book summary and speed reading services accomplish. With one of these tools in hand, you can read (and more importantly retain) some of today’s biggest titles by reading fewer actual words. But it’s not just New York Times bestsellers you’ll be able to fly through — emails, work documents, and those ridiculously long terms and conditions on iOS software updates are just the start of what you’ll soon be able to read like *snaps* that.
To get you started, we're rounding up some of the best speed reading apps, online courses, and book summary services on sale right now.
Speed reading resources
The Speed Reading Mastery Bundle, on sale for $21
Speed reading isn't about reading harder; it's about reading smarter. When you learn how to tap into the cognitive and neurological factors that enable smarter learning, and start avoiding bad reading habits (like re-reading the same sentence over again or losing your place in a book), you'll be surprised how many aspects of your life — from clocking chapters of Tolstoy to cleaning up your email inbox —will be more streamlined. This Speed Reading Master Bundle, which comprises of six key lectures and 13 hours of training, will give you all the techniques, tips, and tricks to help get you started. And right now you can digitally enroll in the course for a paltry $21.
Become A Speed Reading Machine for $25
In this course, popular online instructor Brandon Hakim takes digital students through a tried and true blueprint to help them get through 300 books in a year (yes, you read that right). And no, you don't have to quit your day job in order to do so. Instead, the 43 lectures led by Hakim cover everything from speed reading tricks to time management hacks, helping readers get the most out of their books. For $25, the online course also happens to be less than the price of a hardcover.
ZapReader Speed-Reading: Lifetime Subscription, on sale for $39.99
There are plenty of services that give you the tools to speed read, but ZapReader also holds you accountable for your progress. ZapReader "coaches" you on a variety of digital texts by removing potential roadblocks in your text that could lead to single word fixation or other bad reading habits. Along the way, its dashboard will give you detailed reports and personalized tips. And because practice makes perfect and nobody learns to speed read overnight, currently readers can get lifetime access to ZapReader for $39.99.
Book summary apps
BookNotes Book Summaries: Lifetime Subscription, on sale for $29
When people ask, you say you love to read. But what that actually translates to is "I'm only a voracious reader when I have spare time"... which is rare. BookNotes, a digital service that provides readers with limited-time access to 15-minute synthesized summaries of over 1,000 best-selling books, will help hungry bookworms on a time crunch tackle a variety of books. The titles span across a variety of genres, from the classics to career coaching, and allow users to digest content either through its text-based app or through a variety of audio books. Right now, lifetime membership to this top-rated App Store app (which has a solid 4.4-star rating) is on sale for $29.
12min Micro Book Library: Lifetime Premium Subscription, on sale for $39
What do Barack Obama and Bill Gates have in common? They both read...a lot. While digesting as many books as they do won't automatically turn you into one of the richest people in the world or the next leader of the free world, it will help broaden your horizons and expand your knowledge. And isn't that just as good? 12min Book Summary Library helps you tackle a slew of new titles on your phone, laptop or tablet. True to its name, 12min Micro Books gives readers a 12 minute, high-level breakdown of the books on their reading lists. And every month, 30 new titles are added to the app, so you never run out of a good book to read. Read every title it offers with a lifetime membership, currently on sale for $39.
Readitfor.me Standard Plan Memberships, on sale for $99.99
Business books can be particularly dense reads. But that's not to say you should forgo them altogether. For entrepreneurs, executives, business coaches, and change-makers who have itineraries full of meetings, Readitfor.me can help condense over 300 best-selling books including Made to Stick and Creativity Inc so that catching up on today's biggest business trends can be done in a matter of minutes. Like some of the other steals on our list, its lifetime membership plan features the steepest discount, ringing it at just $99.99 (as opposed to its typical price of $840).
SumizeIt Book Summaries: Lifetime Membership, on sale for $19
SumizeIt takes today's most coveted titles, such as Michelle Obama's Becoming and Michael Lewis' The Big Short, and turns them into bite-size, three to five minute long summaries. And to help ensure your reading list never feels sparse, at least one new summary is added to the app every week. Get in on a lifetime pass for 80% off right now, just $19.
Topics Books
Miller Kern is the Deputy Editor of Shopping and Reviews at Mashable, where she writes and edits reviews, roundups, deals, and news stories about tech products, including headphones, skincare devices, laptops, sex toys, e-readers, robot vacuums, and more. She's been covering all things shopping and tech, including shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday, for Mashable since 2019. Miller can tell you which products are actually worth your money. She also explores trends in the shopping sphere, such as dupes and viral TikTok moments.
