*I read; therefore I am—but how can one **assimilate**?*

Introduction

As someone who began to read books regularly for the purpose of intellectual stimulation, I naturally discovered various ways to improve my conduct of book-reading towards higher degrees of efficiency. In this article, I describe the principles and methods derived from my experience in book-reading, which I offer for the potential benefit of similarly oriented individuals.
Essentially, these principles and methods* concern the effective assimilation of information and thoughts from one’s reading experiences. However, as individuals tend to differ in their purpose for reading and capabilities of assimilation, factors of and methods for assimilating literature can apply differently on an individual basis—hence, the methods here are offered as tips for anyone who regularly reads literature; or at the least, as a stimulant to one’s thoughts on ways to make more effective use of their literature and more efficient use of their reading time.