Library
- First you have to find you Kindle serial number.
- Then you can follow this instructions to instal the DeDRM_tools plugin
I'm delighted with my library in an Obsidian Bases table
There are some posts on my blog about books I’ve read, and, of course, their notes in Obsidian are categorized with properties, making it pretty easy to create a super-cool Bases table. The one below is one of the views of my Blog.base file, created by filtering notes with the type:Blog and tag:Books properties.
I enjoyed this aesthetic so much that I created a similar view for the Library page on my website. Of course, they are organized in reverse chronological order, and even with only nine books, it’s easy to see how my reading choices changed in 2025.
I remember saying to many friends and family members a few times that I needed a pause from the real world, as it is too crazy to bear. Maybe that’s why I’m reading a lot of fiction this year.
Anyway, because this represents just a tiny fraction of the books I’ve already read, I can’t stop thinking about how cool it would be to have my entire collection displayed like this.
Returning to a beloved book universe.
The last time I was so deeply involved with a universe, a book universe, was when I was reading my favorite author to this day, Fernando Sabino.
He would repeat sentences, ideas, and situations across all these completely unrelated stories and books, so I always thought he was talking about his life, but with a little touch of fiction. One could say that there was a universe—the author’s life universe—a parallel world with countless things that readers could relate to and understand.
This was many, many years ago. Decades ago. I read several other authors after finishing all his books, but none of them were able to create the same type of connection.
I’m currently on book two of The Expanse series. About 70 percent of that book, and I can’t wait to read book three. By the way, are there six or nine books? Anyway, what I know is there’s an end to the saga, and I’m already sad about that.
What am I supposed to do when I read all the books?
I freed my Kindle library and have it synchronized with all my devices
First, I converted the books to ePub using Calibre. Next, they joined my Timeline System in Obsidian for automatic synchronization across all devices, Supernote included.
Like many other modern conveniences, the Kindle ecosystem is built to keep us locked in. As you know, I’ve been taking down walls around digital goods I won, and now it’s time to do it with my books. This project has been on my list for a long time, but it was a recent feature removal from Amazon that motivated me to finally pull the trigger.
We used to be able to go to Amazon.com and download our Kindle books, but that’s not possible anymore. A while ago, when Amazon announced the policy change, I downloaded all my books. If you haven’t done that, I believe you can still have access to them by connecting your Kindle to a computer and manually coping the books.
But having the books is just part of the process, as the majority of them are linked to your account via what’s called DRM. Additionally, Amazon uses a proprietary format instead of ePub, which is more widely adopted by e-book readers. In other words, it’s like having your books locked in a box that is locked in another box.
Calibre is the master key that can help us with all of these locks. Additionally, it works as a library management software, keeping all the books in a folder on our computer. That’s just perfect for the Digital Caveman project, right?
When you are first installing the app, it will suggest a folder for your library, but you can change it to what better suits you. In my case, I created a new Static Container (folder) called ‘eBooks’. And because the files in my Timeline System structure synchronize with multiple devices, my library is now widely available. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
As a tip, you can also move the library to a different folder in the future. Just click on the ‘eBooks’ button on the toolbar to choose a new location.
Next, we need to prepare Calibre to be able to remove the DRM from our books. This is done in two parts. First, we need to install and set up a plugin. It’s only after doing this that we’ll be able to tell Calibre to remove the DRM and convert the books to ePub.
Preparing Calibre
Add the serial number to the box and that’s it.
Converting to ePub
With all the above done, go to Calibre’s main window and click on the ‘Add books’ buttons. Select one or more books, and they will be added to your library’s folder.
Next, select one or more books in the list and click on the ‘Convert books’ option. You’ll see a new window with countless details that you can tweak on each book. There are even several formats available in addition to ePub, which is the pre-selected on. In my case, I kept everything as it was and clicked on the button to convert.
The Supernote
To understand how my books are being automatically sent to my Supernote, I suggest watching the video below.
But remember, the books are in my Obsidian Vault. And looking at how Calibre creates folders for each author, I’m already having insights about making those folders somehow connected to other content I have in Obsidian. Especially the ‘Knowledge Base’ notes, which share a strong relationship with the books I read. And that’s one of the reasons I chose to set the ‘eBooks’ folder as a Static Container.
The Digital Caveman Project
There are plenty of details I still would like to adjust, but all the digital content I create and own is now local first and free from walled gardens. In other words, 100% under my control.
In addition to my notes and website being created in Obsidian, my music, photos, now my books, every single file I use for my personal life and work, and even my passwords, are on my computer first. I even have my own ‘cloud’ system and a backup strategy.
🪨 I did it!
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Blade Runner is one of my favorite movies of all time, and, for that reason, the book Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? has been in my TBR pile for a very long time. It finally happened during a trip to Oxford, where I probably spent too much money on books. No, I take it back. As long as you read them, there is no such thing as spending too much money on books.
Anyway, it is a quick read that I completed by the end of the trip, yet it proved to be highly enjoyable. The essence of what I watched many years ago was there, but it felt like traveling to a parallel universe where there was another version of the movie.
And that brought up many thoughts about another passion of mine, moviemaking. While I was reading, I kept thinking about the director’s process of deciding to change this or that aspect of the movie.
The Most Important Journey
A few days ago, I finally got to the part of this book I wanted to read about: India’s independence. I first learned of Mountbatten many years ago, when I was preparing myself for a trip to India and reading everything I could about the subcontinent.
I eventually came across Freedom at Midnight, which is a brilliant book centering on Gandhi’s biography and perspective. Mountbatten’s biography, which is the one I’m reading now, is, of course, based on his perspective. And this is what makes reading both books so unique.
This is a history with other important players, and I hope to learn more about their perspective in the future. For now, I am simply fascinated by what I’m learning from this book, enjoying each new page more than the previous one. To be honest, this moment is what kept me reading it. Even though it is a well-written book, it is also massive, and each chapter has so much detail.
In any case, although it was an almost boring read so far, looking back, I now find it invaluable to have learned more about Mountbatten’s personal life and professional trajectory before his role in India’s independence. But his participation in the country’s history was definitely what I was looking forward to since the day I started reading this book.
I have always been fascinated by history, which ultimately led me to pursue a postgraduate degree in international affairs. But what you may not know is that after that I began a master’s degree program in history. Unfortunately, life had other plans for me, and I never finished it.
I’m a huge fan of history because the paths we took as a society in the past explain a lot about the world we live in today. Which also makes me sad because it seems like as a society we often take too long to learn. It appears to be so difficult for our species. We frequently start over again after moving forward.
Anyway, I feel that after this book, it is time to take a break and invest more time into another passion of mine, cognitive psychology. I don’t know if that will make me less sad about humanity, though.
Recently, I realized why I find reading e-books to be much more comfortable than paper books. I thought it was something related to weight, shape, size, etc., but it turns out to be something that makes more sense.
Reading the electronic version of Mountbatten has proven to be considerably more comfortable and fluid, and that’s what prompted me to start exploring this situation. The pages in the real book are pretty big, and the book itself is super heavy, but none of that is related to the act of reading.
The customizable font and line spacing make all the difference. I noticed this the other day while I was flipping through a book at a bookstore. My eyes were uncomfortable with the lines. Picking up a random book off the shelf confirmed my theory. Again, the lines seemed to be too close together.
Maybe I got used to spacing the lines, maybe my eyes are getting worse, whatever the reason is, it doesn’t really matter. What matters is how simple it is to fix this when reading e-books 😉
Have a lovely week, Vlad.
PS. If you’re looking for some inspiration for books to read, you can always check out my library.
This book weighs 1.1 Kg
That’s insane. It is likely the 786 pages containing text plus four inexplicable blank sheets at the end. Anyway, I picked this one up secondhand because it’s out of print and there’s no e-book version I know of.
I love reading on subways, trains, and planes, but, as you can imagine, bringing this book with me is always a challenge. It’s like reading and doing cross-fit at the same time 😂. Not to mention how unbalanced it was to hold when I began reading it. Now that I’m reaching half of it, it’s easier to manage. But as soon as I cross to the other side, things will become unbalanced again.
That’s probably why it’s taking me ages to finish it, so I came up with a plan to make it more portable. I started testing my idea yesterday and just completed the process. I can now read it on my Supernote, and you can learn how I did it watching the video below.
The best productivity and organization books in my library (not what you think)
People often ask me for book recommendations on topics such as productivity and organization, but I can never think of anything to suggest. Instead, I tell them that the books that help me are usually not the traditional ones explaining methods or techniques.
We are all unique and have different needs. Furthermore, we are exposed to such diverse environments. How is it possible that a single method will be effective for everyone? Some authors even claim that, although their method is excellent if fully implemented, you are free to use the parts and processes that best fit you. How convenient is that?
Containers
The way I organize my information is through what I call containers. I have notebooks in Evernote or folders in Obsidian that let me quickly switch from one project or reference material to another whenever I need to or want to do so. And by the way, there’s no archive in my system. Everything is always exposed because that’s where creativity feeds from.
For example, if I’m working on something and have an insight for another project, all I have to do is open the other notebook or folder, take some notes, and then go back to what I was doing before. The cmd + j (Mac) or Ctrl + q (Win) commands on Evernote make it a breeze. Unfortunately, I am still looking for something as efficient on Obsidian.
But if what comes to my mind is entirely new, I will create a new container and decide what to do with it in the future.
I have a video on my organization system coming soon. For now, I suggest you watch the one below to give you an idea of when a new container is created and how it evolves.
When I have reached my limits working on a topic and need a moment or two to relax, switching to another personal or work-related project is what helps me.
I can leave and work on another container because I have all the information and progress in each one. So, when I arrive at the subsequent container or revisit a previous one in the future, everything will be there exactly as I left it.
The Best Books
Let’s get back to the books. The best ones usually have nothing to do with productivity or organization. The more I read about different topics, the more it seems like every book has something that can help me become more efficient. Sometimes, it’s a single sentence, other times a paragraph or two from a 600-page book.
I’m currently reading the biography of Louis Mountbatten, and I came across two strategies that I’ve been using for a while and that I’ve seen mentioned repeatedly in the oddest books and articles.
My System
I learned very early on that I had to take notes to make sure I didn’t forget something. It took me a long time to figure out a system, but when I stopped looking for external solutions and focused on my needs, it all came together.
Creating my own version of a basic CRM with notes about everyone I met was the first thing I did. This happened before Evernote, so I used the description section of each contact on my Palm Pilot to take my notes about the person and each meeting. It was both simple and extremely helpful. People were always amazed at my memory. And every time I told them about my secret, they were even more impressed.
I have never stopped doing it, and the system evolved when I moved to Evernote and then to Obsidian. But what if I told you this idea is as old as time? Take a look at the passage below. Mountbatten was doing the exact same thing in the 1930s.
Do you remember my containers with information? Those were also born on my Palm Pilot, but they were in the Memo Pad app. The topics were organized so that I could easily add or find information.
However, it was only when I started using Evernote that I was able to create containers that would allow me to switch from one project or topic to another when I needed to escape exhaustion. Once again, I will soon release a video detailing my approach to managing all the information I keep in these containers. For now, let’s take a look at the other strategy used by Mountbatten.
When he needed to relax, he would turn his attention to another project. Isn’t that cool?
Now, who is Mountbatten, you ask? A last-century specialist in organization and productivity? Far from it, but I’ll let you do your investigation on that.
677 pages to go...
…but every journey starts with the first step, right? Are you looking for inspiration for your next literary adventure? Check my library to see what I am currently reading and some of the books I have read.
Coincidentally, or should I say incidentally 🤔, a few days ago I started writing my next book.
The first book of 2024
I still prefer eBooks and my Kindle for a multitude of reasons, but bookstores and used bookstores are still the kings of discoverability. I found this one in a random store during my last trip, and I am really enjoying it (affiliate link).
Prisoners Of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics by Tim Marshall.
Back to the Source: Revisiting Weaving the Web by Tim Berners-Lee
To give you a sense of how long ago I read the book Weaving the Web, I still had a Walkman lying around, and since I accidentally picked it up in cassette format, that’s how I “read” it. Yes, you got that right: cassette tape.
Regardless, I remember hearing Tim Berners-Lee explain that his original concept for the Web was a more interactive knowledge-building and linking process. I don’t recall his exact words, but this was the idea. At least, this is what my memory tells me. Which reminds me of another great book, Memory Illusion by Dr. Julia Shaw. But I digress.
That stuck with me for a long time because, for many years, all we had were websites with static pages. No interaction at all. It was more like a one-way knowledge flow, but it was a start. Then came the blogs and the comments, but it still didn’t feel like what he meant in his book. When social media started gaining popularity, I thought to myself, “Maybe this is it.” Well, I was wrong. We ended up with a lot of “islands” and too much misinformation.
I don’t think a Web based on the ActivityPub protocol is precisely what he meant, but connecting all these online “islands” feels to me more like his vision. Another step in that direction, if you will.
Anyway, it’s been too long since I read it, and I’ll use the last week of 2023 to revisit it. It’s a great book! Dr. Shaw’s book is also excellent, but it’s more recent, and I have already read it twice.
That’s it for this one. I hope you have a lovely day!