Ask HN: How are you reading (nonfiction) books/pdfs in 2025?
4 points by kanodiaashu 8 hours ago | 9 comments
Everytime I start reading a book, I feel like uploading it in NotebookLM/ChatGPT to get QA; but these don't let me read in their app, and its not easy to get digital copies of books. I also want to ask questions adjacent to what I'm reading easily; I wonder if there are great apps/hacks people have for this.
  • lysace 7 hours ago |
    Two-page-layout, fullscreen, 43" 4k display, great chair.
    • kanodiaashu 7 hours ago |
      that's a large large display..
    • philomath_mn 3 hours ago |
      Do you set the screen in your lap?
  • throwaway888abc 7 hours ago |
    no hacks for me - google books (laptop/mobile) and in-app notes
  • broken-kebab 7 hours ago |
    Could you elaborate a bit about what exactly do you do with ChatGPT? Because in 2025 I mostly read books like I did a decade before (except e-ink is nicer today). Sometimes I want to search, or use AI to clarify something, but if there are too many cases for it then either the book isn't great, or I need to sleep
    • kanodiaashu 7 hours ago |
      Two big things immediately: 1. I often ask it to summarize specific chapters or parts of the book after a particular point because the book has started feeling repititive from that point; and then I go into rabbit holes about that content 2. I ask ChatGPT to find related podcasts/content online for specific parts of the book
  • billconan 7 hours ago |
    I need to read research papers. I just implemented my own paper reader ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU_WeER2PSs but it doesn't have an AI agent.
  • wannabebarista 6 hours ago |
    I read a lot of public domain stuff on Google Books or HathiTrust (usually pdfs). I use a small eink tablet.

    This was a gamechanger for me. No more eye strain from reading on a monitor.

    I will occasionally ask Gemini if I'm confused or need context. Luckily, most models are trained on public domain books!

    Edit: I also take notes. Most of the time it's to connect what I'm reading with another book/paper rather than just summarizing.

  • chistev 3 hours ago |
    Google drive