Yarrow's Book Log
💀 Hamlet: Transcribed into Modern English by Shakespeare with translations by SJ Hills
Impressions
First thoughts and feelings about the reading.
• Reading through the preface I'm glad this is the version of Hamlet that I picked up. I've been very frustrated by trying to read Shakespeare dry without any assistance and this translator seems to really care about making Shakespeare's plays accessible to all. Feeling hopeful about this one.
• The book already does a good job of explaining Shakespeare's playwrite style, what he's doing with his writing, and why he's doing it. Apparently he switches between prose and blank verse to give his characters "more depth and variety by breaking the rhythm."
• With the appropriate setup that SJ Hills has done here I feel like I understand the setting the characters are in. Rather than just thinking of them in a blank space I'm mentally picturing them in Denmark on a castle in the bitter cold in darkness so thick you can barely see through it.
• If believing in ghosts is typical in Shakespeare's time, and everyone does, then why does Horatio doubt the ghost? Is it because as a scolar he's somehow above popular belief, or did he doubt that it looked like the King?
• I know it's my own worldview as a gay person reading shit from hundreds of years ago plus period correct sexism but Hamlet jr you sure do seem kinda gay my guy.
• I enjoy Laertes lecturing his sister and in turn his father lecturing him despite the fact that Laertes is now running late. Some family dynamics are eternal.
Actionable Takeaways
Learning points from the reading that I want to put into action in my own life.
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Quotes
Favorite literal quotes, word from word, from the book.
• "Give every man thine ear but few thy voice." - Polonius
• "I do not set my life at a pin's fee." - Hamlet
• "Murder most foul, as the best it is; But this most foul, strange, and unnatural." - Ghost
Bonus
Some books have great frameworks for thinking, questions, formulas that I’d like to save - they go here
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🧠Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte
Impressions
First thoughts and feelings about the reading.
• Because of DID I really struggle with maintaining good memory so this author recalling their own struggles with memory and health meant a lot to me. I am hoping this reading can teach me to value my memories and things I've learned instead of accepting and being complacent in the idea that I'll just forget it anyway so what's the point.
• It's interesting that there was an entire part in chapter 2 about commonplace books considering I was just watching a youtube video earlier in the day about commonplace books. Is it the algo working as intended, or divine intervention?
•I actually went ahead and already grabbed an Obsidian account before I got to the CODE part of this book since I felt it coming on and I feel like I'm actually pretty good at the Capture part already. I think art school already had me pretty prepared to know intuitively what I like what what moves me on an emotional level without thinking about it too deeply. Thank you, art school!
•Some of the capitalist language in this book is really cringy but for the most part I've been able to ignore it and still get a lot out of this book but I really did just cringe and wrinkle up my nose at the author really just sincerely writing that there's no point in learning anything without producing something after retaining that knowledge. Dude no? There's so much merit to just learning for learning's sake what are you talking about???
Actionable Takeaways
Learning points from the reading that I want to put into action in my own life.
• Take actionable accountability of health by keeping detaiked notes and asking questions. Become your own health advocate.
• The stages of the "second brain journey" are remembering, connecting, and creating. pg 41
• Organize things for action, meaning make folders directly related to project names and etc rather than subjects such as geology or art.
• Make patterns and connections between notes- That's the esscense part, maybe this'll become more obvious to me when I actually get it, I don't super understand this part right now.
• Make future notes as easy to interpret in the future as possble for myself.
Quotes
Favorite literal quotes, word from word, from the book.
• "Your mind is for having ideas, not holding them." - David Allen pg 9
• "Treating my thoughts as treasures worth keeping has been the pivotal element in everything I've overcome and achieved."
• "Think of yourself not just as a taker of notes but as a giver of notes--you are giving your future self the gift of knowledge that is easy to find and understand."
Bonus
Some books have great frameworks for thinking, questions, formulas that I’d like to save - they go here
•It's not at all clear what you should be taking notes on.
•No one tells you when or how your notes will be used.
•The "test" can come at any time and in any form.
•You're allowed to reference your notes at any time, provided you took them in the first place.
•You are expected to take action on your notes, not just regurgitate them.
•Capture: Keep what resonates
•Organize: Save for actionability
•Distill: Find the esscense
•Express: Show your work (pg 43)
📕 Freedom is a Constant Struggle by Angela Y. Davis
Impressions
First thoughts and feelings about the reading.
• Angela Davis is a person I only know a brief bit about so it's been a pleasure to get to know more about her life in much more detail.
• I am enjoying the way the book is broken down into an interview question and answer format. It makes the really important information about her life and what she has to say really digestable and easy to understand.
Actionable Takeaways
Learning points from the reading that I want to put into action in my own life.
• Push forward the collective narriative of getting shit done vs the media narriative of singular heroes.
• Further readings on G4S.
Quotes
Favorite literal quotes, word from word, from the book.
• "Trying. Trying and Trying Again. Never Stopping. That is victory in itself."
• "What we have lacked over these five years is not the right president, but rather [a lack of] well-organized mass movements."
Bonus
Some books have great frameworks for thinking, questions, formulas that I’d like to save - they go here
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Being Ace: An Anthology of queer, trans, femme, and disabled stories of asexual love and connection edited by Madeline Dyer
Impressions
First thoughts and feelings about the reading.
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Actionable Takeaways
Learning points from the reading that I want to put into action in my own life.
•
Quotes
Favorite literal quotes, word from word, from the book.
•
Bonus
Some books have great frameworks for thinking, questions, formulas that I’d like to save - they go here
•
Based on Elizabeth Filips' work, copyright infringement not intended.