Shortform sponsored this post, but they didn’t tell me what to write. Here’s my honest take on a service I’ve been using since 2023. MacSparky readers get a free trial and $50 off the annual plan at Shortform.
I have a shelf full of books I’ve read but can’t quite remember. Not the titles. The ideas. The specific thing I was supposed to do differently after finishing them.
That’s the problem with most reading. You finish the last page, feel smart for a moment, then move on. The insights vanish within a week.
I’ve been using Shortform for three years now, and it’s changed how I read. What started as a way to preview books before buying them became something more useful. It became how I actually retain what I read.
Two Ways In
Shortform gives you two ways into any book. There’s a one-page summary you can read in about five minutes. Then there’s the full guide that goes deep, chapter by chapter, with analysis and commentary.
Most summary services give you brief, AI-generated overviews that only scratch the surface. Shortform’s team of writers and editors actually analyzes each book. You get real depth, not a skim.
I usually start with the one-page version. If it hooks me, I’ll read the full guide. Sometimes that’s enough. Sometimes it convinces me to buy the book.
The Part That Actually Works
What keeps me coming back to Shortform are the exercises built into each chapter. Not quiz questions to test if you paid attention. Real prompts that make you apply the ideas to your own life.
Questions like “Where in your life does this apply?” and “What will you do differently?” These aren’t comfortable questions. But they’re the ones that make reading actually stick.
Beyond Books
Shortform has grown well past book summaries. The library now covers thousands of titles across more than 30 genres, and they add new guides every week. But the newer additions are what surprised me.
Master Guides pull together multiple books on a single subject, giving you complete coverage from several viewpoints. Article Guides cover faster-moving topics that books can’t keep up with. And their newest addition, Podcast Guides, brings the same treatment to audio content.
There’s also a browser extension that summarizes content across the internet. Emails, articles, YouTube videos. One click and you get a summary. Every guide comes in PDF and audio versions too, so you can read or listen however you prefer.
The summaries cross-reference other books in the library, which helps you spot patterns across different authors. Everything syncs to Readwise if you use that system, and you can export to Kindle.
The Honest Assessment
I renewed my subscription again this year. For the price of one book a month, you get access to thousands with the ability to learn from them faster. The exercises are what make the difference. Without them, it would just be another summary service.
If you’ve ever finished a book and thought “I should really do something with this,” give Shortform a look. MacSparky readers get a free trial and $50 off the annual plan.