29 ChatGPT Prompts for Summarizing Books (Abridging Masterpieces Made Easy)

ChatGPT is reshaping how we summarize books.

From crafting a nutshell version of lengthy novels to providing bullet-point summaries of complex non-fiction, examining character arcs, and even simplifying intricate plots—its capabilities are incredible.

But with so many options, it's tough to figure out the first step.

That's why I made this manual.

In this manual, using real-world book summary situations and endless hours of playing with ChatGPT, I'll give you proven ChatGPT prompts for summarizing books.

Let's get started.

ChatGPT Prompts for Summarizing Books

Read and comprehend the entire book

With ChatGPT, you can easily summarize an entire book.

It can read and comprehend the text, highlighting the main points and crucial plot developments.

You just need to feed the book's text to ChatGPT and request it to provide a summary.

It can handle both fiction and non-fiction, summarizing the story or key arguments and ideas.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as a literary critic and provide a comprehensive summary of the following book.

Here is the text of the book to be summarized:

Identify the primary theme and sub-themes

When you're tasked with summarizing a book, identifying the primary theme and sub-themes is crucial.

ChatGPT can help you by analyzing the book's content and highlight the main theme along with various sub-themes.

You just need to feed the book's text or a detailed summary to ChatGPT, and ask it to identify the themes.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as a literature professor and identify the primary theme and sub-themes of the following book.

Here is the text/detailed summary of the book:

Determine the main plot and subplots

ChatGPT can assist in breaking down the complex narrative of books into their primary and secondary plots.

Simply feed it with the text or a brief description of the book, and it will provide a summary of the main plot, while also identifying key subplots.

For example, you could ask ChatGPT to identify the main plot and subplots of a novel you've just finished.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Having just finished reading the novel 'Title', I am looking for a clear understanding of the main plot and subplots.

Using your expertise, summarize the primary narrative and identify any secondary storylines within the book.

Here's a brief description of the novel:

Identify key characters and their roles

Reading a long book and identifying key characters can be time-consuming.

ChatGPT can help with summarizing the roles and characteristics of main characters in any given book.

Just input the name of the book or a brief about the story, and ChatGPT will identify key characters and their roles.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as a literature expert and identify the key characters and their roles from the provided book summary.

Here is a brief about the book to be analyzed:

Highlight significant events in the storyline

Reading a book can be time-consuming, but you can use ChatGPT to get a brief summary of the storyline and key events.

ChatGPT can highlight critical points in the book, keeping you updated with the plot without you having to read the whole book.

Just feed the content of the book to ChatGPT, and ask it to summarize the storyline and highlight the significant events.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as a book reviewer and summarize the storyline of this book.

Highlight significant events and plot twists that shape the narrative of the book.

Here is the content of the book to be summarized:

Understand the author's writing style and perspective

To understand an author's writing style and perspective, input excerpts or key passages from the book into ChatGPT and ask it to analyze them.

ChatGPT can help you identify patterns in the author's language use, recurring themes, narrative techniques, and more.

This could be particularly useful for students, academics, or anyone trying to understand a book at a deeper level.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as a literature expert and analyze the following excerpt to understand the author's writing style and perspective.

Here is a key passage from the book to be analyzed:

Identify the turning points in the story

To summarize a book effectively, it's important to understand its main turning points.

These are the pivotal moments that define the direction of the story.

ChatGPT can help identify these turning points by examining key events in the book.

All it needs is a brief synopsis or a detailed summary of the book.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as a literary analyst and identify the turning points in the following story.

Here is a summary of the book:

Understand the climax and resolution of the plot

Reading through a lengthy book to find the crux of the story can be time-consuming.

With ChatGPT, you can get a summarized breakdown of the book's climax and resolution without having to read through every single page.

Just provide ChatGPT with a brief overview or the title of the book, and it will give you the climax and resolution of the story in a concise manner.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as a seasoned book reviewer and summarize the climax and resolution of the book titled To Kill a Mockingbird.

Categorize the book by genre

ChatGPT can help you categorize books based on their content.

All you need to do is provide a brief description or summary of the book, and ChatGPT will infer the genre from the presented information.

For instance, you can ask ChatGPT to identify the genre of a book from a short synopsis or chapter excerpt.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Based on the following book summary, determine the most suitable genre for this book:

Identify and analyze the book's setting

ChatGPT can assist you in identifying and analyzing the setting of a book.

By feeding it a summary or detailed description of the book, it can examine the time, location, and environment where the book's events occur.

Furthermore, it can provide you with an understanding of how the setting influences the plot and characters.

ChatGPT Prompt:

As an experienced literary analyst, identify and analyze the setting of the book To Kill a Mockingbird.

Discuss how the setting is integral to the story and impacts the characters' development.

Reflect on the author's message or moral of the story

When reading a book, it's often crucial to identify and comprehend the author's message or the moral of the story.

ChatGPT can help you reflect on these aspects in a detailed and insightful manner.

You can feed ChatGPT the details of the book and ask it to summarize or interpret the author's main message or moral.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as a literary critic and reflect on the author's message or moral of the story for the book To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Summarize the key lessons or messages that the author intended to convey through this novel.

Prepare a draft summary of each chapter

To prepare a draft summary of each chapter of a book, you can ask ChatGPT to read and summarize the important elements.

ChatGPT has the ability to condense large amounts of text into shorter summaries, capturing the main points, characters, and plot developments.

All you need to do is provide the text from each chapter, and ChatGPT can create a brief summary for each.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as an experienced book reviewer tasked with summarizing each chapter of a novel.

Here is the text from Chapter 1 of the book to be summarized:

Synthesize a concise summary of the entire book

With ChatGPT, summarizing books can be a breeze.

Feed the AI with the book's content and it will create a succinct summary, identifying the key themes, plot points, characters, and overall message of the book.

This can be particularly helpful for students, researchers, or anyone needing a quick understanding of a book without reading it entirely.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as an experienced literature professor and provide a concise summary of the entire book.

Here are the contents of the book to be summarized:

Check summary for consistency with the original text

ChatGPT can assist you in verifying the consistency of a book summary with the original text.

If you have a summary that needs cross-checking, ChatGPT can examine the main points, characters, and plot details to ensure they align with the original text.

This can help to maintain the integrity of the book while ensuring the summary captures the key elements.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as a professional editor and check the following summary for its consistency with the original text of the book.

Highlight any inconsistencies or missing key points.

Here's the book summary:

Review and edit the book summary for clarity

ChatGPT can assist you with refining and summarizing books.

Provide it with the summary of a book and ask it to review and condense it without losing the essence.

ChatGPT will go through the summary, identify the key points, and rewrite it for clarity and succinctness.

For instance, you can ask ChatGPT to review and edit the summary of a bestseller novel you've just read.

ChatGPT Prompt:

As an experienced editor, review and condense the following book summary for clarity and succinctness.

Ensure the essence of the story is not lost.

Here is the summary of the novel I've just read:

Identify key quotes or excerpts from the book

When you're struggling to grasp the essence of a book, ChatGPT can be of great help.

You can feed the book's content or excerpts to ChatGPT and ask it to identify key quotes or significant passages that summarize the book's main theme or plot.

This can be useful for book reviewers, literature students or anyone needing to understand the crux of a book quickly.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as a literature expert and identify key quotes or excerpts from the following text that capture the essence of the book.

Here are a few chapters from the book:

Provide a personal opinion or critique of the book

ChatGPT is an excellent tool that can offer a personal opinion or critique of a book based on its understanding and the input data it has been trained on.

By feeding it a summary or a comprehensive review of a book, ChatGPT can provide an objective analysis, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the book.

For instance, you can ask it to review the plot, character development, or the writing style of the author.

ChatGPT Prompt:

As an avid reader, provide a personal opinion or critique of the book To Kill a Mockingbird.

Here is a brief summary of the book:

Write a brief author biography

ChatGPT can write a concise author biography, summarizing the author's life, work, and achievements related to the book in question.

Simply provide the name of the author and any specific details you want to be included in the biography.

ChatGPT can capture essential information and interesting facts about the author, giving readers a snapshot of the author's persona and literary journey.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Write a brief biography for J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, focusing on her writing career and the creation of the famous magical universe.

Summarize any forewords, prefaces or afterwords

ChatGPT can assist in summarizing the introduction or conclusion segments of books like forewords, prefaces, or afterwords.

Just feed the particular text segment to ChatGPT and request a concise summary.

This can help in understanding the writer's intention, the content's context, or any additional comments from the author or third parties.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as a well-read literature analyst and summarize the foreword, preface or afterword of this book.

Here is the text to be summarized:

Analyze the relevance of the book's title to its content

Feed ChatGPT with the book title and its summary.

Ask it to analyze the coherence and relevance between the two.

ChatGPT can dig into the essence of the summary to identify its core themes and compare them to the book title, providing an understanding of their correlation.

For instance, you can ask ChatGPT to analyze whether the title is a metaphor, a literal reflection, or unrelated to the book's core theme.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Analyze the relevance of the book title to its content.

Here's the title and a brief summary of the book:

Identify potential audience for the book

ChatGPT can help you identify the potential audience for a book by analyzing key elements such as genre, themes, and style.

Simply provide the details about the book, including its title, author, and a brief summary, and ChatGPT will suggest who might be interested in it.

For instance, you can ask ChatGPT to identify a potential audience for a fantasy novel geared towards young adults.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as an experienced literary analyst.

Based on the following details, identify who the potential audience could be for the book:

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, a fantasy series revolving around the magical adventures of a group of children.

Suggest similar books for further reading

If you're interested in book summarizing, there are numerous resources available that can enhance your understanding and proficiency.

Books like How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading by Mortimer J.

Adler, The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had by Susan Wise Bauer, or Read It!

Your Guide to Books You'll Love by Rebecca Vnuk are great options.

ChatGPT Prompt:

As an avid reader with a vast knowledge of literature, suggest five books that would help improve my skills in book summarizing and critical reading.

Compare and contrast the book with other works by the same author

ChatGPT can provide a comparative analysis between a specific book and other works by the same author, highlighting similarities and differences in themes, characters, writing style, and more.

It can analyze the evolution of the author's writing style, recurring themes, or unique characteristics across different books.

For instance, you can ask ChatGPT to compare and contrast 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and 'Go Set a Watchman', both written by Harper Lee.

ChatGPT Prompt:

As a literature enthusiast, analyze and compare 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and 'Go Set a Watchman' by Harper Lee.

Discuss the similarities and differences in themes, characters, and writing style between these two books.

Reflect on the cultural and historical context of the book

ChatGPT can help you comprehend the cultural and historical context of a book by examining the author's background, the time when the book was written, and the various elements within the storyline.

It can assess how these factors influence the characters, plot, and themes of the book.

For example, you can ask ChatGPT to evaluate the cultural and historical significance of a classic novel.

ChatGPT Prompt:

As a literary scholar, provide an analysis of the cultural and historical context of the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Discuss how the time period and societal norms influenced the characters and plot of the novel.

Analyze the book's impact on literature or society

Books can change perspectives, influence the course of history, and inspire societal change.

ChatGPT can analyze a book's impact on literature or society based on reviews, scholarly articles, or general opinion.

It can sift through the vast amounts of data, understand patterns, and draw conclusions about the book's influence and significance.

ChatGPT Prompt:

As a literary analyst, review the impact of the book 1984 by George Orwell on literature and society.

Consider both its immediate influence at its time of publication and its enduring legacy in contemporary society.

Prepare a list of discussion points or questions based on the book

ChatGPT can be a great tool to help you engage in a thoughtful discussion about a book.

Whether you need to lead a book club meeting or just want to deepen your understanding, ChatGPT can generate a list of discussion points or questions based on the book's content.

Provide ChatGPT with the title and a short summary of the book, and ask it to create questions that provoke thoughtful dialogue.

ChatGPT Prompt:

As a knowledgeable reader and discussion leader, create a list of thought-provoking questions based on the book 'To Kill a Mockingbird'.

Here is a brief summary: The book deals with themes of racial injustice and moral nature in a small town in the South, as narrated by a young girl Scout as she witnesses her father Atticus, a lawyer, defend a black man wrongly accused.

Provide a rating or recommendation for the book

A book review might be a daunting task for some, but not for ChatGPT.

It can analyze the synopsis, theme, character development, plot, and more to provide a comprehensive review or rating.

Let ChatGPT read the book's summary or detailed description, and it will generate an insightful recommendation based on its analysis.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Based on the following synopsis of the book, provide a detailed review and rating.

The book is titled XYZ and it's a historical fiction novel set in the 18th century.

The story revolves around a young woman who challenges societal norms to follow her passion for science.

Write a compelling opening for the book summary

No more sifting through hundreds of pages to understand the crux of a book.

With ChatGPT's capabilities in text summarization, you can have a book's key points distilled into a concise summary.

Let the AI digest the book, filter out the fluff, and present you with an engaging and informative summary.

Just feed ChatGPT the book text and ask it to summarize it for you.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Using your AI abilities, summarize the book 'Moby Dick' by Herman Melville.

Highlight the key plot points, central themes, and character developments in a brief and engaging manner.

Conclude the book summary with a powerful ending.

When summarizing a book, it is imperative to end with a powerful conclusion.

ChatGPT can help you form a compelling closing statement that captures the essence of the book and leaves a lasting impression on the readers.

You just need to feed the essential points about the book to ChatGPT, and it will craft a memorable conclusion that summarizes the key themes and messages of the book.

ChatGPT Prompt:

Act as a professional book reviewer and conclude the summary of this book in a powerful and engaging way.

Here are the key points of the book to be included in the conclusion:

 

Conclusion

Whew! We've traversed a vast landscape.

From summarizing entire novels to condensing chapters, creating character outlines, and crafting plot summaries, ChatGPT is revolutionizing the way we engage with books.

Consider it your dependable ally when you're puzzled, your catalyst for enhancing comprehension, and your creative comrade for book-related brainstorming.

But don't forget:

ChatGPT is a utility, not a substitute for your innate ability to comprehend and interpret literature. Combine its capabilities with your own literary prowess to truly elevate your book summarizing skills.

Now it’s your chance.

Select one or two prompts from this guide and implement them in your next book club discussion, literature review, or personal reading. You may just find yourself pleasantly surprised by how much more insightful—and imaginative—you become.

And if you’re prepared to discover even more potent tools that surpass ChatGPT, visit Galaxy.ai.

Boasting an array of AI tools in one location, it’s the ultimate efficiency partner for modern book enthusiasts and literature scholars.

Happy book summarizing! 🚀