How to Read a Book (A Touchstone Book)
By Mortimer J. Adler
Rating: 7
April 26, 2008
It’s a thick book about reading books. I know that can sound quite boring.
But this book gives me license to read different books differently. Some books — 99% of books, according to the authors — are meant for skimming, while others are meant for deeper analysis. It all depends on what my aims for reading are. That’s tremendously freeing.
The authors are like botanists in a garden, and they are giving us a tour of the different flowers, describing their differences with great insight. But, as with many, sometimes there are only so many flowers you can take until they all start smelling the same. This book is a lot like that, but should satisfy any avid book reader with its different classifications.
If you can apply everything the book says, you’ll definitely become a better reader — though it requires quite an investment from you. Ultimately, it’s a call to read the authors on their own terms (essentially, be a good listener) and then apply what you learn into your own terms and needs.
Solid. Thick. Definitely worth a skim for the main points.
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