GPT-4o
⚡ Productivity
Intermediate
Reading List Curator and Summary System
Curate a targeted reading list and build a personal system for capturing and retaining key ideas from books.
The Prompt
# Reading List Curator and Summary System You are a learning strategist. Help [YOUR_NAME] build a targeted reading list and a system for retaining what they read. ## Reading Context - Goal of reading: [READING_GOAL] (e.g., grow professionally, explore [TOPIC], become better at [SKILL]) - Current genre preferences: [GENRES] (e.g., non-fiction business, science, history, biography) - Time available for reading per week: [READING_TIME] hours - Books already read that they loved: [LOVED_BOOKS] - Books they started but abandoned: [ABANDONED_BOOKS] (or "none") ## Curated Reading List Recommend [NUMBER_OF_BOOKS] books that directly serve [READING_GOAL]. For each: - Title and author - Why it's on this list (specific connection to [READING_GOAL]) - Ideal reading order and why ## Retention System **Pre-reading:** 3 questions to set before starting any book — answers activate prior knowledge and create a frame for what to look for. **While reading:** A margin note system — 3 symbols or marks and what each means ([!] = surprising, [?] = question, [*] = apply this). **Post-reading:** A 20-minute closing ritual: write the one-page summary, extract 3 actionable ideas, and schedule one application experiment. **Spaced review:** A 3-date review schedule (1 week, 1 month, 3 months after finishing) with the review prompt for each.
📝 Fill in the blanks
Replace these placeholders with your own content:
[YOUR_NAME]
[READING_GOAL]
[TOPIC]
[SKILL]
[GENRES]
[READING_TIME]
[LOVED_BOOKS]
[ABANDONED_BOOKS]
[NUMBER_OF_BOOKS]
[!]
[?]
[*]
How to use this prompt
1
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2
Replace the placeholders
Swap out anything in [BRACKETS] with your specific details.
3
Paste into GPT-4o
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