Read to Succeed: The Power of Books to Transform Your Life and Put You on the Path to Success

by Stan Skrabut

In Read to Succeed learn that there are countless benefits to reading including idea generation, longevity, and increased mental functions among many others. Developing a reading habit that will open you up to new ideas is easy to start and by reading this book, you will learn how to develop a reading habit that will last.

The book recounts the reading habits of our Founding Fathers. In addition, it shares the reading plans of well-known successful business leaders such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, and Oprah Winfrey. These pillars of our society all have similar reading habits. This book uses their strategies to help anyone become a more effective reader. Further, this book lays out realistic ideas on how to incorporate reading into your personal game plan to succeed and accomplish your goals. Whether you are a beginning college student or already on your way to success in the professional world, this book has something for you to hasten your path.

Highlights of What You Will Learn

Benefits of Reading
How to Improve Reading Skill
How to Take Proper Reading Notes
Tips for Building a Powerful Personal Library
The Optimum Way to Share What you Learn
And Much More!

Genres: Nonfiction, Books About Books

220 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 11, 2018

About the author

Stan Skrabut is a lifelong learner who has spent his career helping people and organizations achieve improved performance. He earned a Doctorate in Education from the University of Wyoming. He specializes in using technology as a force multiplier to achieve greater results with less effort..

He lives with his wife and two dogs in Rhode Island. Nomadic in nature, he loves to travel and has lived in Germany, Belgium, Holland, Turkey, and various locations across the United States. His number one passion is helping others achieve their goals.

Reviews

[Bruce Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skrabut presents a strong argument for reading and life long learning. I strongly agree with both statements. The author thoroughly researched and cited publications in support of his arguments and statement. He offers several ideas and technological tools for improving your reading skills and building a collection that improves both yourself and your organization.

I plan on reading this book again to better grasp the concepts and tools.

[Tom Deinzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book to kick off my New Year's resolution to read more. It was a perfect choice. Inspired me and provided practical strategies to find time to read. Looking forward to a year of learning!

[Frank Frisson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read to Succeed: The Power of Books to Transform Your Life and to Put You on the Path to Success is a practicable non-fiction novel by Stan Skrabut, a writer who has noticed that there is a strong rift between people who think about succeeding and those lucky ones that have succeeded. He also made a correlation between successful people and the books they read versus struggling people who do not. This is an interesting fact to take note of as I myself see this every day.

Successful historical figures must have a common reason for how they got where they were. Stan Skrabut jots this down entirely to a promising reading habit. He also implies that luck can increase due to this habit. His main intention for writing this book is to help people that will escalate their chances of success. Fascinated by all the great things he could learn from books, Stan Skrabut enjoyed reading from the time that he was a boy. His reading journey is educational and pleasant to read, setting readers on a path to learn what the benefits of reading are and much more. If you're running out of ideas concerning your profession, than this book is meant for you.

Making use of famous quotes, lists, and subchapters, the format of this book is very appealing. This novel has thirteen chapters, starting with the one subtitled Why Reading Has Been Important to Me, which highlights the benefits Skrabut received through reading, and ending with the one Doing Something with What You Read, where Skrabut teaches readers how to put what they've read into practice. The author's introduction comes in handy for showing readers what to expect throughout the course of reading this book. The order in which the chapters are listed also offers readers a clear vision of a path that readers should follow to become successful.

The author stresses the importance of developing a regular reading routine. It is good for expanding one's ideas whether it be for professional or personal reasons. The third chapter revolves around a couple of famous people who have greatly benefitted in their careers due to reading. Some of the famous names includes those of former American presidents like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Bill Clinton, and Barrack Obama. Obama's own reading journey has given him a higher level of empathy.

Warren Buffet, chairman and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway, is one of several business leaders whom the author uses as an example of those that have benefited from reading along names like Bill Gates, Mark Cuban, and Oprah Winfrey. Some of these business leaders have spent a lot of time reading and it's a bit crazy to consider how much these leaders read. Buffet, who has spent eighty percent of his day reading, is a sure shocker. Mark Cuban, also a successful businessman, has read up to three hours a day. His reading materials only involved things that were relevant to his business.

"Like any skill, the more you work at it, the better you’ll become." This is so true. My own reading capabilities started at a slow pace and I only became faster with time. In the fifth chapter of the book, the author explores methods of improving reading skills in general. He writes about ways to improve your vocabulary and even games (Scrabble, crossword puzzles, Boggle, etc.). The author also gives readers methods of bettering themselves as readers. In Chapter Six, the author gives readers ways for building their vocabulary. He explains how important building ones vocabulary is when it comes to understanding what someone is saying or writing. It is also good for improving ones communication skills.

People generally have different reading speeds. The author writes something in his introduction that is difficult to believe. "However, President Theodore Roosevelt would read a book a day on a busy day and two to three books when he wasn’t busy." This sounds too unrealistic for me to even want to attempt and it's something I just glanced over with my eyes. The author points a lot to the fact that books are good for learning. I didn't find this to be overly annoying, but I felt that this is a point that the author makes too much. The pro that this offers is that it puts the readers' focus on what this book is about.

While at the Air Force Academy Prep School, the author reveals that he picked up a reading skill known as speed reading. I'm not entirely unfamiliar with the term as I, as a book reviewer, had always wanted to increase my own reading speed. The speed reading techniques that the author learned increased his speed up to two thousand words per minute. It's a magnificent amount of words to consider and I myself have never been that speedy of a reader. Other than how to improve your reading speed, the author also explores the importance of note taking while reading. In actual books, the author one hundred percent encourages readers to write notes in their books. He gives readers useful methods for taking notes in both physical and digital books.

One of my favorite things that the author writes is that books are idea containers. It sounds like a saying that I think I'll remember for a long time. In Chapter Four: Benefits of Reading, a chapter that deals mainly with showing readers the many different things they can gain from reading books, another one comes to mind from this intense mental activity that the author says is: "... a gymnasium for the mind."

Stan Skrabut's knowledge is extensive thanks to the broad research he has done. Though he teaches us that reading is a sure way to improve our quality of life, we should absolutely share what we learn from the books we read. His novel surprises us with the manner in which it can interest people into taking up reading and also what they can gain from doing so.

[Sheetal Maurya - Godse (Halo of Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is reading? Some will say that it is entertainment or some will say that it is a source of knowledge. Many of you love fiction; many of you love non-fiction, with each book we get to learn something. Reading has always been an integral habit of the leaders in the world, but as we are moving towards technology we are getting far away from reading. Today parents don’t have time to read a book for kids or read them a story in bedtime. I grew up in a family where my grandfather was the only one who use to read, my grandmother was uneducated but she always makes sure me to tell me a story and I think this is the reason, I find reading beautiful and I am still holding it like a treasure.

Though we all have our reasons for reading, it includes various aspects which I think every one of us needs to know. This book is written to present all these aspects. So, let’s check more about this book further.

Summary:

The author of this book, Mr. Skrabut is a voracious reader and with the time, he realized that reading is necessary and he achieved various milestones in life just because of reading.
The first chapter is why reading has been important to me. The author has elaborated how reading has impacted him and how it has benefited him to become a better person as well as achieve growth in professional life.

Next, the author has given some awesome points to tell the people ‘why you must read’. He has mentioned some research which depicts how reading shapes life for the better.
In the next chapter, the author has extensively talked about the reading habits of the various leaders. These people recognized the power of reading and that helped them to become a successful leader. If we are talking about India, then how can we forgot Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar who use to read a lot.

‘Benefits of reading’ introduces us to the end number of benefits we get from reading.
If you are struggling to develop the habit of reading then this chapter ‘Developing a reading habit’ is for you. The author has given some easy and practical method to improve the reading habit.
People do speed read, there are techniques through which one can improve their reading speed. The author has talked about these techniques in the book.

Every reader has a different method of reading a book and this chapter ‘how to read a book’ summarize this topic very well.

Highlighting a phrase and paragraph is a part of reading, and there are various ways through which you can manage your notes. The ‘Note-taking’ chapter tells about this.

Having a personal library is a dream of every reader and this chapter ‘Build a personal library’ talks about the importance of owning a personal library.

Reading is not useful, if you are not making good use of it, the last chapter ‘Doing something with what you read’ gives insight on how we can utilize our reading knowledge.

Writing style:

Thought it is an informative book, the author has written this book amazingly. The language is very easy and everyone can easily read this book.

My perception:

I can’t believe that reading includes so many aspects, this book is powerful, insightful and a must-read. The experience of the author reflects in the book. Through this book, I got to know about speed reading techniques and currently, I am working on it. I also got to know that we can accumulate our reading notes. Earlier I used to just write that, but that is not always possible. If you are a non-reader and struggling to develop the reading habit then this is a must-read book for you.

A highly researched, well-written and informative book on reading, do not miss it.

[Betty Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review – Read to Succeed – An Engaging Conversation With Stan Skrabut
Disclaimer: I was sent a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
“Read to Succeed” is an engaging conversation with the author. While I was reading it, it didn’t really feel like a book. I truly felt like I was listening to Skrabut describing his passion for reading. The book is well laid out and easy to get into. I would even call it a page turner.
Skrabut starts by explaining the different ways reading is important and how it can improve someone’s life in various ways. Several chapters go into explaining the reading lives of various famous readers from Ben Franklin to Bill Gates. The book is peppered with fun quotes from great readers of the past.
The meatier chapters go into how you can improve your own reading life. It touches how and where you can get your hands on books, the various forms books can come in, and how to most efficiently consume your books.
This is an easy book to dip into. Each chapter is essentially self contained and equally entertaining and informative on its own. It is, in many ways, the perfect coffee table book. Overall I enjoyed it and would recommend it.

[Matt McAvoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As somebody who reads prolifically in the course of my work, the title and tagline of Stan Skrabut’s “Read to Succeed” struck a particularly resounding chord with me, and I was very eager to find out more from what I assumed was a study into the nurturing power of reading as exercise for your brain; reinforcement of my own belief that reading increases ones wit, intellect, wisdom, logic and general capacity to improve one’s character. This book does all that and more – it is incredibly holistic – though its focus is on increased chances of success, which, in this case, is measured by professional achievement. In this respect, then, I have to admit that I found myself a tiny bit disappointed when I realized that Stan particularly focuses on reading for professional development, therefore draining the mysticism slightly from the wondrous concept of literature’s gifts, and rendering the success which is therefore promised a little more obvious. Still, although Stan does pay particular attention to industry reading and study, he does discuss the merits of reading generally, and the value of this book (if not the romanticism) does not suffer too much – its immense quality remains intact.

Reading more like a textbook, or perhaps Stan’s dissertation, and loaded with references and bibliography, “Read to Succeed” is reference literature of the very highest quality – it is extremely well-written, packaged and polished. Stan has worked very, very hard proposing his thesis then providing piles of empirical evidence and accounts of famous and notable figures to support it. There are, of course, references to the benefits of reading fiction, thankfully (President Obama believed it helped foster empathy and understanding of difference). There is also a good argument, in the case of Elon Musk, that one should read and read, without niches, because one never knows where inspiration will strike from next. The examples Stan gives make for some fascinating reading, and has done his research well. Seeing how and what historical figures read to develop political and military insight, business knowledge and philosophical enhancement is hugely inspiring, and Stan achieves this aim perfectly.

Following this, the book then goes on to discuss how reading generally enhances one’s personal development, intelligence and social interaction, and here it becomes very encouraging, although from here on, Stan seems devoid of evidence per se, and seems to be simply sharing his love of books with us. That said, I read a huge amount of variety – fiction and non-fiction – often not knowing what will be next, and I can certainly vouch for Stan’s belief that it has enriched my life in many ways, including those I would never have anticipated, so the direction he chooses to take this book in is fine with me. Stan is clearly an incredibly passionate reader and he should be very proud of his message and the huge amount of work he has put into delivering it. He is also an author of the highest quality and I am delighted that he was the one to write this book – it is such an important one (particularly in these digital media days) and I don’t believe anyone could have done so better. But it isn’t all literature – Stan knows his new media well and enthusiastically celebrates the most up-to date applications and software as tools to optimize his passion for reading.

Holistically leaving no stone unturned in promoting every aspect of reading, “Read to Succeed” not only iterates the benefits of putting aside time to read, but presses the importance of doing so, and even delves into speed reading. He is obviously not the same as many, not only for his obsession for books, but in that he organizes his reading with the approach of a lecturer, with a voracious appetite for learning; if books are food for the soul, then Stan’s book is the menu. Most people will probably not want to break their reading down into denominators and procedures, the way that Stan does here, and may subscribe to the idea that treating reading as a skill, and breaking it down into the taking of notes for future personal gain, will take away much of its pleasure (even though this book does present well the positives for doing so). In this respect, I think most people will only glean bits of his advice, and a very small niche may choose to follow it all.

[Gary C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stan Skrabut’s Read to Succeed will benefit anyone who wants to gain and retain more from their reading. If you are already a dedicated and omnivorous reader consider recommending this book to others to encourage the development of strong literary habits.

(note - I was sent a pre-publication copy for review)

Written plainly and with clarity the book presents facts and numbers on the science of how we read and presents ways to fully process literary content – how to best retain and build on the insights that develop as books are read.

Giving life and form to the science are up-close insider anecdotes about past & present famous achievers notable for their reading enthusiasm. For example if the U.S. founding fathers (“... well-bred, well-fed”, and particularly “well-read”…) were to have had accounts on Pinterest or Twitter.

The latest knowledge about how we read is imparted, towards “reading with a purpose” – reading effectively, reading for practical gain, and reading with enjoyment. There are interesting comparisons and concepts – think of books as updates to your personal operating system.

Surprising findings are presented such as that reading can improve E.Q. (emotional intelligence). Strategies for achieving active readership are outlined – engaging with what is read. Goals for reading are discussed along with ways that ambitious goals can be made more realistic through good time management and effective reading techniques.

Current digital tools available for finding and making full use of worthwhile books are described as are ways to employ a reading list in a social group or for an organizational team. Along with electronic & hardcopy methods for note-taking and managing content the author describes the social media platforms he uses to broadcast and discuss ideas, based on his experience as an educator and as a coach helping businesses communicate with their customers.

Recurring themes within the book are of having a passion for life-long learning, that character is destiny, and of the exponential return from gaining and sharing knowledge. While “book-centric” the book is more broadly about ideas – how we inform our own worldviews and convey understanding to others.

Thank you for looking at this. Bye for now ... got reading yet to do today.

[Gina Rae Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book, but since I have been an avid reader my entire life, it seemed worth a read.

I am so impressed by the research and hard work the author has put into the book. You can tell it was a labor of love. Only a person truly in love with the written word could have tackled this project so efficiently. The history of reading from our founding fathers to current entrepreneurs was fascinating.

There are so many essential points listed that it would be easy to lose track of them. I appreciated the “wrap up” at the end of each chapter; it helped me lock the critical points into my brain and gave me a chance to make sure my notes captured the highlights.

If you are looking to better your reading skills, learn to get the most from what you read, or even to build your library, this is an excellent resource to guide you.

[Lynelle Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received the ARC Mobi from the author for an honest review.

What a remarkable book...filled with so many golden nuggets that you can not help but be inspired to read.

I thoroughly enjoyed the part about the American Presidents and their reading habits, it inspired me, even more, to continue with my own reading habit.

An avid reader myself this is the cherry on the cake book to endorse many readers to action. It inspires, guides and motivates you to be a better person - just because of reading. The author points out how all walks of life can benefit from reading and the many advances you have when you take time to read. Your skill is improved in every part of your personal and professional life. A "cheap" way to be equipped for your road ahead.

This is not a book I will ever put away, it will stay on my Kindle in the first slot to continually refer to in my own life as a broadcaster where I speak to single women and as a blogger and motivational writer. As well as in my fiction writing it would be a brilliant referral book.

The writing is superbly done and written in an everyday writing style so that the person in the street can understand.

A must-have for every bookshelf.

[Michael]

Great book with ways and approaches to read.
if you need the why, this might help.

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking & Informative

Reading this book helped reintroduce me to the joy of reading. As a child I was an avid reader. In early adulthood I slipped away from my reading habits. Later in my life I rekindled my reading habits and then fell away again. I recently suffered a stroke and started reading again to aid in my recovery.

[Bob Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Reading is like going to the gym for the brain” (p 81). This quote encapsulates the message of “Read to Succeed.” Stan is an educator rightly concerned about the unwillingness to read by many of today’s students, and presents a case for the benefits of his favorite activity.
The first one-third of the book shows all the benefits of being a strong, fast, competent and prolific reader.
The second major component is how-to instruction. Logically, the third part applies the learnings of the foregoing to situations like within an organization, establishing a personal library, and putting the information to use.
The content is somewhat repetitive, but this is a strength rather than a fault. Repetition drives in certain lessons, and each time, the same concept (e.g., a book club) is used in a different setting, for different purposes, and yielding different lessons.
Think of this book as a powerful textbook on how to get the most benefit and enjoyment from your reading, but one that is written in a clear and enjoyable style.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Information, but a little repetitive

The author gives good reasons to read, and why its important to read. His list of those who endorse reading is impressive. But the information he gives halfway through the book is repetitive.

[Monsop Collado · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Powerful Wake-Up Call for Readers Who Want to Gr

“Read to Succeed: The Power of Books to Transform Your Life and Put You on the Path to Success” by Stan Skrabut is a concise, powerful guide that completely reframed the way I think about reading. I give it five stars without hesitation and recommend it to anyone who wants to use books not just for leisure, but as fuel for real transformation.

This book reminded me that reading is not just about consuming information—it’s about applying it. One of the most valuable lessons I took from the book is to always take one or two actionable ideas from each book I read and put them into practice. That shift alone is worth the price of the book many times over.

Skrabut also underscores how reading more books in your professional field can dramatically increase your expertise—and even your income. That statistic stuck with me and has motivated me to read more intentionally within my area of work.

I also appreciated his emphasis on reading with purpose and using every moment wisely. Thanks to his encouragement, I’ve started reading more on the go using eBooks and being more selective in what I consume, focusing on what solves real problems in my life.

One especially helpful takeaway was the idea of curating a personal library of books that I not only read but use. I’ve started investing in books not as expenses, but as long-term assets for my growth in every area—personal, spiritual, professional, and relational.

Finally, Skrabut inspired me to start writing about what I read—whether through reviews like this or in my own notes. The act of reflecting and sharing multiplies the value of what I’ve learned.

This book is short, practical, and packed with wisdom. It’s the kind of book that doesn’t just inform you—it moves you to take action. I’ll be recommending it often.

[Jaclyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book through social media and I am glad I did. As a lover of books and a self-proclaimed life-long-learner, I thought “Read to Succeed” would just highlight things I already knew. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to learn a vast amount of new information, discover rabbit holes to research further, and reignite even further my love for reading. The author does a great job of discussing how to navigate one’s life to accommodate a reading habit, finding something worthwhile to read, and much more. On a personal note, I have always been a little embarrassed by my lack of vocabulary skills. I appreciated in chapter 6 how Skrabut discussed ways to boost one’s vocabulary skills. I feel this book would benefit all, i.e. the avid readers and non-readers.

The layout of the book flowed so well. Each chapter ends with a ‘wrap up’ that highlights the key points while the beginning of each chapter briefly reviews what was previously discussed. In chapter 3 it talks about famous people who valued reading and each segment ended with a ‘lessons learned from’ that highlighted vital information. The overall layout makes for a great read but also a useful quick reference to continuously grab off your shelf.

While reading the book I have been inspired to do the following: read even more books, get a Goodreads account and declare a reading goal for 2019, take on the Modern Mrs. Darcy reading challenge, attend my first ever book club meeting, and rearrange my children’s homeschooling schedule to accommodate a weekly ‘reading day.’

Overall, I am thoroughly pleased with “Read to Succeed.�� I have walked away with more knowledge, more fuel to my reading fire, and more motivation to instill in my children a love of reading. Kudos to the author.