(One of the frequent excuses for lottery tickets is, “What else can you do to change your life for $1? Didn’t have a very good answer until I came home from Borders with a discount-table $2 book on self-employment today. Obviously, if it’s on the discount table, it’s not the best book on self-employment. But has more information in it than yesterday’s powerball ticket.)

That’s a great idea Eric, I’ve never thought of it that way. Almost like mini-presents since weeks to months can pass by before the book is available.

As for speed reading, I’m still hesitant on that. I don’t know what the comprehension and retention rate is. Sometimes the best nuggets are just one line. Or the appropriate reading of a single word can completely change the context of a sentence, even paragraph!

Plus with speed reading you don’t have time to ponder or to mark up the book

It’s a small world after all! Thanks for commenting, especially since it’s originally from you.

Other great “common sense” insight.

I go to many seminars and always get nuggets out of each one, even repeating the seminar.

I don’t have the same reading pace as you, but my library card is well used. I know that you prefer to have the book so you can mark it up and refer to it later. I do have a few bookcases full of books as well but the 3 weeks return schedule imposed by the library is an incentive for me to finish the book.
I also reserve/waiting list for books, this acts as my must read list. It is sometimes a treat to go pick up my book on hold(they send me a voice mail saying I have a book on hold, not the title)and to discover what it is, as I often have over 10 books on the list.

On the investment and ROI: I will make sure to check the fall continuing education catalogues for a speed reading course. I am a slow reader and have often played with the idea of taking a course, the ROI would be multiplied as I would increase my books/month and increased comprehension/retention.

Great post!

When you’re paying $10-$15 (or even a little more) per book, that’s the best ROI you can get!

PS – I’m the Paul that Ramit quoted.