Lucid: Learn Visually

Busy teens could get a lot out of these super condensed versions of some very popular non-fiction titles, though they'll miss out on all the details and finer points. The book summaries in Lucid: Learn Visually will give readers enough information to have a surface level conversation about the book, or inspire them to think about things in a new way. And, with big name authors like Malcolm Gladwell, Michelle Obama, Michael Pollan, and Ibram X. Kendi or long popular titles like The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, there are lots of cultural hot points to explore. The developers seem to have done a good job condensing long books and big ideas into simple key sentences. Visual learners may find the graphics helpful, though not all ideas lend themselves easily to graphic representation and some graphics seem pretty meaningless. Purists may feel that such condensed summaries don't do justice to the author's work and, without the opportunity to dive deep into the details, readers won't actually be learning or enriching their minds. And for many, it'll make more sense to get a subscription elsewhere that allows access to the full texts. However, with so many demands on time and attention, teens may find Lucid: Learn Visually a great way to expose themselves to new ideas. Plus, for teens who struggle with reading, this could be a great way to get them interested in longer texts.