You asked:
After you have read a book, the next day/week/whenever, do you begin to actually formulate your own opinions and theories steming from the book?
Well, yes. If you want to. Your purpose formalises what you're curious about, and what you're curious about in the books lets you get what you're after. It's pretty down to earth, really. By knowing what you're after you get more curious, and you follow your curiosity with increasing skill to the information you want.
When I've read a number of books on specific subjects that common themes emerge very quickly. I get especially excited when I see the same patterns repeated across multiple disciplines, because then I'm really making big connections.
The most important thing in PR is to explore what you're curious about.
Inchiki, when I stopped trying to "get it to work" and instead focused on reproducing the technical skills of Photoreading in a relaxed way, it started to work.
I especially enjoyed the moments of learning photoreading when I closed and acknowledged feeling stressed by the process. I then found myself wondering why I was so stressed by it and discovered that I was expecting to read whole books and have them flash on my inner eye. So I adapted: I photoread only as much of the book as I felt relaxed reading. When I felt tense I stopped and relaxed again until I felt the desire to start photoreading again.
Looking back that was probably the small 'insignificant' moment of attentiveness that opened the door on my photoreading skill.
I also notice that a peaceful environment is paramount for me to learn. I gave myself six months to learn PR because of this factor, and to give myself time to really learn the process thoroughly. That way if I wasn't feeling up to 'studying' Photoreading I didn't do it. It think the complete lack of pressure makes a big difference.
Learning PR by reading school texts seems a big goal to me. But if you're passionately interested in them then it'll be easier. Have fun with it!
Pveitch