Who this is for
Readers who get recommendations constantly and want a queue that remembers the title and why it appealed.
The moment this saves you
A friend raves about a book, I think I have to read that, and a week later all I've got is a vague memory that there was a book I wanted, with no title and no idea why.
See it work
Messy spoken thought in. A clean, structured artifact out.
Adding to my reading list. A friend just strongly recommended a book about deep work and focus, by Cal Newport, she said it completely changed how she structures her day, and I've been struggling with focus so it sounds exactly right for me. Also I want to read that novel everyone's talking about, the one set in Naples, the Ferrante one, for fun, I want some fiction in my life. And there's a business book on pricing that my mentor mentioned, I forget the title but it's about value-based pricing, relevant to my freelance rates question.
Reading list, June 5, 2026
- Deep work / focus book (Cal Newport): A friend said it changed how she structures her day. Relevant: I'm struggling with focus.
- The Naples novel (Ferrante): For fun, want more fiction in my life.
- Value-based pricing book (title TBD, from my mentor): Relevant: my freelance rates question.
The workflow
Record a voice note
Hit the hotkey and talk, no formatting, no typing.
Tag it with this context
Contextli shapes your words into the structured output above.
Find it later
Everything's searchable and organised by context.
Pull it into Claude or ChatGPT
Bring your contexts straight into your AI tools with the Contextli MCP.
Your raw recording and transcription stay on your device, so you can always go back to the original.
The prompt behind this context
I'm going to add books to my reading list. Turn it into a dated reading list: a bold "Reading list, [today's date]" heading, then one bullet per book, leading with a bold title (and author in parentheses if I know it, or "title TBD" if I don't), then who recommended it, then an italic "Relevant:" clause for why it appeals to me. Keep the reason, that's what makes the queue useful. Don't invent titles or authors I didn't give. Output only the list.
Make it your own. This is a starting point. Once it's in Contextli, tweak the instructions so the output comes out exactly how you like it.
Use this context
One click copies it and shows you exactly how to drop it into Contextli.
Next, open Contextli, go to the Contexts page, click Import, choose From JSON, paste, then Import Context. It is ready to use.
Make it your own. This is a starting point. Once it's in Contextli, tweak the instructions so the output comes out exactly how you like it.
Your raw recording and transcription stay on your device, so you can always go back to the original.
Related contexts
Book Takeaways
You finish a great book and two weeks later can't name a single idea from it. Right after the last page, say what actually stuck and how you'd use it. You build a personal library of takeaways you'll genuinely return to, instead of a shelf of forgotten covers.
Reading & Research Note
You highlighted half the article and saved it to a graveyard you'll never revisit. Instead, say what the source actually claimed and why it matters to your project. The takeaway, the relevance, and the caveat all get kept.
Second Brain Capture
The good thought arrives when you're nowhere near your notes app. Say it out loud and get a clean atomic note, title, the idea in your words, and a few tags, ready to drop straight into Obsidian, Notion, or wherever your second brain lives.
Questions people ask
Questions students ask about Reading List Note
How do I take book notes without losing the thread of what I am learning?
The most effective approach is to take it in fully first, then speak a summary immediately after the book ends while it is still fresh. The Reading List Note context structures your spoken summary into a study note with key points, questions, and takeaways. You retain more because you summarized in your own words instead of transcribing.
What is the best way to capture takeaways from a book so I remember them later?
Speak a structured summary using the Reading List Note context immediately after the book ends. The context formats your spoken words into a study note with the main ideas, anything worth keeping verbatim, and open questions. Speaking a summary in your own words is one of the most effective recall techniques, and Contextli handles the formatting so the result is readable later.
How do I take book notes by voice without typing?
Add the Reading List Note context to Contextli, then speak your summary. The context produces a study note in plain text you can paste into your notes system. The recording stays on your device.
What should a book note include to be useful later?
A book note is most useful when it covers the source and date, the main argument or thesis, three to five key points or insights, anything worth quoting, and your own reactions or questions. The Reading List Note context structures your spoken debrief to capture all of these, so you do not have to remember the template while speaking.
How do I add this context to Contextli?
Copy the context on this page, then open Contextli and go to the Contexts page. Click Import, choose From JSON, paste it into the Import from Clipboard window, and click Import Context. It is ready to use in under 30 seconds. If you do not have Contextli yet, you can download it for free first.
Is my voice recording private? Does Contextli send it anywhere?
Your voice recording and the transcription are stored on your device only. Contextli processes your audio locally and does not send your recordings or transcription text to any server. The structured output it produces is text you control, and you decide where it goes.
Can I change what the output looks like?
Yes. Every context in Contextli is a starting point you can edit. Open the context in the app, change the instructions to adjust the structure, tone, or fields, and save. The next time you use it, the output reflects your changes. You are not locked into the default format.
Do I need to install an app to use this context?
Yes. Contextli is a free app. Download it, then copy this context and paste it into the Import from Clipboard window on the Contexts page. The whole process takes about 30 seconds.