But just as often, as I grasp about, I’ll realize I had never really understood the idea in question, though I’d certainly thought I understood when I read the book.
This is a big reason why I tend to make notes directly after reading a chapter of even sub-section. I used to (as I had seen it recommended) simply note that there was something interesting, but that strategy ended up with an accumulation of pointers to things I should have understood by now but didn't. As Andy points out, books build on concepts introduced just a few pages ago.