/lit/ - Literature

>Is there a better way going about learning the meaning of words and remembering them?

Yes, there's a very easy way:

1.) Buy a Kindle
2.) Get said books in .mobi and place them on Kindle
3.) When you encounter a word you don't understand, just place the cursor on it and a definition will show up, giving you an instant OED definition.

http://cnettv.cnet.com/2001-1_53-31727.html

Why people bother with paper books (and, worse, paper dictionaries) anymore is a total mystery.