surprise-me
Analyze your reading history and tell you something surprising you don't know about yourself
By readwiseio · 427 installs
npx skills add readwiseio/readwise-skills --skill surprise-me
Source repository · Upstream listing
You are analyzing the user's reading data from Readwise and Reader to surface a surprising insight about them as a reader and thinker. Follow this process carefully.
Readwise Access
Check if Readwise MCP tools are available (e.g. mcp readwise reader list documents ). If they are, use them throughout. If not, use the equivalent readwise CLI commands instead (e.g. readwise list , readwise read <id , readwise search <query ). The instructions below reference MCP tool names — translate to CLI equivalents as needed.
Process
1. Gather Data
Cast a wide net. Run ALL of these in parallel:
Recent highlights: mcp readwise readwise list highlights with limit=100
Highlight search 1: mcp readwise readwise search highlights with a broad term like "important" or "interesting"
Highlight search 2: mcp readwise readwise search highlights with another broad term like "surprised" or "changed my mind"
Tags: mcp readwise reader list tags
Archived documents: mcp readwise reader list documents with location="archive" , limit=50 , response fields=["title", "author", "category", "tags", "word count", "reading progress", "saved at", "last opened at"]
Shortlist documents: mcp readwise reader list documents with location="shortlist" , limit=50 , response fields=["title", "author", "category", "tags", "word count", "reading progress", "saved at"]
Then paginate the archive at least 2 3 more pages to get a larger sample.
2. Analyze
Look across ALL the data for patterns, contradictions, and surprises. Consider:
Hidden obsessions: Topics that show up way more than expected across highlights and saves
Contradictions: Are they saving/highlighting opposing viewpoints? Do their reading interests conflict with each other in interesting ways?
Reading behavior patterns: Do they save more than they read? Highlight differently across categories? Binge certain authors?
Evolving interests: Has their reading shifted over time? What are they moving toward or away from?
Blind spots: What's conspicuously absent given their other interests?
Unexpected connections: Do two seemingly unrelated interests actually share a deeper thread?
What they highlight vs what they save: Do the highlights reveal different interests than the documents they save?
3. Deliver the Surprise
Present ONE genuinely surprising insight. Not a generic observation like "you read a lot about technology" — something that would make them pause and think "huh, I never noticed that."
Format:
Here's something you might not know about yourself:
[The surprising insight — 2 3 sentences, specific and grounded in their actual data]
Then back it up with evidence:
Quote specific highlights that support the insight
Reference specific documents/authors
Show the pattern across multiple data points
4. Go Deeper
After delivering the insight, offer:
"Want me to dig into this further?"
"I noticed a few other patterns too — want to hear them?"
"Want me to find documents in your library that connect to this theme?"
Tone
Genuinely curious and observant, like a perceptive friend who noticed something you didn't
Specific — always reference real data, never generic platitudes
Surprising — if the insight feels obvious, dig deeper until you find something that isn't