keep an organized notebook while you read this book. of characters, ideas, events (which happen non-chronologically), etc.
not being pretentious -- you will actually need it. I've been reading this book on and off for about four years now, and wish I had started with a notebook from the beginning.
don't get discouraged if some passages are boring -- make a note of them and just power through them.
it's so, so worth it. I think I'm probably really only "getting" 10% of this book but it's still incredible.
