The Art of Organizing Thoughts:
Slow Wisdom for a Fast World
Shigehiko Toyama, 1983
Read in 2026.05
Check the synopsis and details on amazon.com
(Available in English from November 2026)
🔽 Summary and quick note 🔽
✔ The most read book by all the prominent universities in Japan since 1983
✔ Practical advise on how to organise your thoughts, e.g. taking "meta notes"
✔ Though written over 40 years ago still a valid book also relevant in the age of AI
★★★★☆ The most read book by students of prominent university in Japan since the 80s is finally getting translated into English in 2026. With practical advices on how to take meta notes and critical thinking, it's still relevant and important in the age of AI.
🔽 Book review 🔽
This book is famous and popular in Japan over 40 years also known as "the most read book by students of Tokyo University and Kyoto University" and all the other prominent universities in Japan.
After 40 years, the book is finally translated into English and will be realised in the end of 2026 (which I only found out now that I was prepping this review!)
But the book is not only for students of the best universities, it is a book with practical advices for anyone who think.
Organising means you get rid of unnecessary things, and definitely not stuffing your life with clutters.
To do that, for example, the author suggests taking a "meta note" with details of how to do it - he is already giving practical advices on metacognition in everyday life.
He also warns us of the changes that computers were to bring back in the day, but as we all know we're facing a similar critical changes in our society with AI, but the way we tackle these changes hasn't changed.
You will have to think with your own, organised, head.
And that is why the book is still relevant and is loved in Japan today.
🔽 Related pages 🔽
🔽 Where to buy / Summary and more info 🔽
●●● Amazon.com (US) ●●●
The Art of Organizing Thoughts: Slow Wisdom for a Fast World
赤パンの本棚 akapan's bookshelf 