I read entire non-fiction books precisely because they revolve around a few central ideas. My retention and ability to apply the concepts is significantly bette

I read entire non-fiction books precisely because they revolve around a few central ideas. My retention and ability to apply the concepts is significantly better if I expose myself to the same ideas day after day. A well-written book that takes weeks to go through can leave it's mark far more effectively than a quick summary I'd forget after a few months. That said, I prefer to read a summary of the book before the book itself so I can focus on the details instead of exhausting mental energy figuring out what is going on.