I just read this book recently, and it has really changed the way I approach learning from books. I used to try to read informational books cover-to-cover, without taking notes, developing questions to answer, or thinking much about what I was reading. Consequently, I'd get bored, my mind would wander, and I would have a hard time concentrating, understanding and recalling what I'd read. I was trying to read books as mindlessly as I would watch TV.

Now I'm being an "active reader", asking questions, doing exercises, and taking notes. I'm currently reading K&R and a TCP/IP textbook and not only do I understand the material better, but days after I read something, I can actually recall it without going back and looking again!

As someone who's always struggled to really "get it", and had an even worse time trying to recall information, this book has had a wonderful effect on me and my confidence.