Exporting Mac OSX Book Highlights into an Obsidian Vault or Markdown Files

Readwise is a powerful tool, but its full potential is unlocked for users who extensively annotate across multiple platforms. My primary use case was importing ebook highlights and notes into Obsidian. While I also annotate web pages, the Obsidian Web Clipper, coupled with the Orion browser (allowing Chrome extension use), directly sends these to Obsidian, even on my iPad.

This led me to search for a subscription-free method for importing highlights.

Importing Readwise Highlights into Obsidian

Readwise's semi-automatic highlight retrieval is limited to Kindle books; a simple in-app button initiates the import. For other sources like Apple Books, manual intervention is necessary: select all highlights within the app and email them to Readwise.

The Readwise Obsidian plugin then imports these as notes. Its configuration is straightforward and effective:

However, Readwise's import settings extend beyond the plugin itself. The export configuration page on the Readwise website offers additional customization:

The Obsidian integration card allows further refinement:

The default highlight template generates notes like this:

Although I intended to customize the export template using "Use Custom Formatting" to add YAML frontmatter, I never did. The template's flexibility is apparent:

Given my limited use to ebook highlights, I explored alternative subscription-free methods.

Obsidian Plugin for Importing Emailed Ebook Highlights

My initial approach involved creating a plugin to handle Gmail imports, mirroring my existing Readwise workflow. While functional, it proved cumbersome and unwieldy. The Gmail API proved challenging, requiring a dedicated service for community release. Furthermore, emailed highlights provide limited metadata.

Subsequently, I discovered that the macOS Books app stores highlight and note data in an accessible, albeit obscure, SQLite database. Calibre's import mechanism demonstrates this. Since I import most ebooks into Books and purchase many from Kindle (where a Readwise-utilized API might exist – a topic for another post), a script and a potential Kindle API could solve my problem.

Importing Apple Books Highlights into Obsidian with Python (or Manually)

While the title mentions Python, no coding experience is required. The Python script below also functions independently to export highlights in Markdown format.

Requirements

• Obsidian Python Scripter plugin (community plugin).
• Optional: Python ebooklib library (for enhanced metadata and cover images).

To install ebooklib (if unfamiliar with Python library installation), use your Terminal:

pip install ebooklib

Python OSX Book Highlight Export Script

Download this Python script as osx_book_notes.py:

import os
import glob
import sqlite3
import logging
import sys
from typing import List, Tuple, NamedTuple

# ... (rest of the Python script remains the same) ...

Place it in your Obsidian vault's YourVault/.obsidian/scripts/python/ folder. (The .obsidian folder is hidden; use Command Shift . to reveal it. Create the scripts and python folders if needed.)

Configuring the Obsidian Python Scripter Plugin

Enable the Python Scripter plugin. In its settings, locate osx_book_notes.py. For direct import into your vault's root, no changes are needed. To specify a directory, use the "Add Argument" button (Arg 3) and enter the desired path.

Running the Import

To import highlights, press Command P, search for "Python", and select "Python Scripter: Run osx_book_notes.py".

Results

Example note:

Future: A Dedicated Obsidian Plugin

While proficient in both JavaScript and Python, I prioritized the Python script to prototype the database interaction and ensure functionality before tackling Obsidian plugin API complexities and UI design. The Python script exceeded expectations, extracting more data than Readwise.

A future Obsidian plugin will offer enhanced features:

• Selective import based on last highlight/access date.
• Customizable YAML frontmatter.
• Template configuration for note customization.
• Automatic synchronization on vault opening.

This Python approach provides a Minimum Viable Product (MVP). The initial run on my main Apple account revealed numerous accidental highlights, prompting cleanup in the Books app before re-running the script. A dedicated plugin would address this by:

• Utilizing metadata to identify recently updated books.
• Providing options for default YAML entries (e.g., reviewed: false, #book/notes tag).
• Offering selective import.

The current solution offers a functional workaround, while a future plugin will provide a more polished and refined experience.

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