HOW TO READ A BOOK
"Enlightenment is achieved only when you know what the author means and why he is saying it."
"Wonder is the beginning of wisdom in learning from a book as well as from nature."
Chapter 1
Readers are people who are accustomed to gain a large share of their information and understanding of the world from the written word.
Art of reading: the process whereby a mind elevates itself by the power of its own operation just operating on symbols and without help). One can either read for information or read for understanding.
The art of reading includes all of the skills that are used by the art of unaided discovery: keen observation, readily available memory, range of imagination and an intellect trained in analysis and reflection.
Knowledge is not a prerequisite to understanding, as commonly supposed. We don’t have to know everything or all of the technical aspects of something in order to understand it. I found interesting that it says in the book that too many facts are often as much of an obstacle to understanding as too few; I guess when one knows to much about a subject it is harder for one to be more open and accept new ideas.
A book consists of language written by someone for the sake of communicating something to you. Our task is to try to understand what the author is telling us. In my personal opinion I believe it is very hard to achieve total and perfect understanding of the author, since everyone has a different perspective.
Art of reading: the process whereby a mind elevates itself by the power of its own operation just operating on symbols and without help). One can either read for information or read for understanding.
The art of reading includes all of the skills that are used by the art of unaided discovery: keen observation, readily available memory, range of imagination and an intellect trained in analysis and reflection.
Knowledge is not a prerequisite to understanding, as commonly supposed. We don’t have to know everything or all of the technical aspects of something in order to understand it. I found interesting that it says in the book that too many facts are often as much of an obstacle to understanding as too few; I guess when one knows to much about a subject it is harder for one to be more open and accept new ideas.
A book consists of language written by someone for the sake of communicating something to you. Our task is to try to understand what the author is telling us. In my personal opinion I believe it is very hard to achieve total and perfect understanding of the author, since everyone has a different perspective.
Chapter 2
Levels of Reading
4 levels of reading:
4 levels of reading:
- Elementary reading
- Inspectional reading
- Analytical reading
- Syntopical reading
Chapter 3
Elementary Reading
Stages in learning how to read:
It is really amazing to think that most people who enter college don’t have a great reading level. People have been taught to read since they are small, and if in about 15 years we are not able to achieve an excellent reading level it is because there is something wrong with the system or with the way that reading is taught.
Stages in learning how to read:
- Reading readiness (physical, intellectual, language, personal)
- Reading simple materials
- Rapid progress in vocabulary building and increasing skill in unlocking words through clues.
- Refinement and enhancement of skills.
It is really amazing to think that most people who enter college don’t have a great reading level. People have been taught to read since they are small, and if in about 15 years we are not able to achieve an excellent reading level it is because there is something wrong with the system or with the way that reading is taught.
Chapter 4
Inspectional reading
I find it interesting that this chapter says that we should read the preface. This goes against what Susan Wise Bauer I also find interesting how in order to increase your reading speed, it says that you should follow the rate of your finger. I found that this works and it also helps you concentrate more.
Chapter 5
How to Be a Demanding Reader
Basic questions:
Devices for marking:
Note taking:
What is it about as a whole?
What is the structural order of the work whereby the author develops his conception or understanding of that general subject of matter?
Consilience of themes.
By forming the habit of reading, it means passing this operation of system 1 to system 2. In order to have a habit, one must learn the rules. One must learn to forget separate acts in order to perform all of them (skiing, driving). To learn how to do the whole thing, we must learn each part.
Basic questions:
- What is the book about as a whole?
- What is being said in detail, and how?
- Is the book true, in whole or in part?
- What of it?
Devices for marking:
- Underlining
- Vertical lines at the margin
- Star, asterisk or other markings at the margin
- Numbers on the margin
- Numbers of other pages in the margins
- Circling of key words or phrases
- Writing in the margin/top/bottom of the page
Note taking:
- Inspectional reading
What is it about as a whole?
What is the structural order of the work whereby the author develops his conception or understanding of that general subject of matter?
- Analytical reading
- Syntopical reading:
Consilience of themes.
By forming the habit of reading, it means passing this operation of system 1 to system 2. In order to have a habit, one must learn the rules. One must learn to forget separate acts in order to perform all of them (skiing, driving). To learn how to do the whole thing, we must learn each part.
Chapter 6
Pigeonholing a Book
Rule 1 of analytical Reading:
ONE MUST KNOW WHAT KIND OF BOOK ONE IS READING.
There are two kinds of books:
2. Practical:
Rule 1 of analytical Reading:
ONE MUST KNOW WHAT KIND OF BOOK ONE IS READING.
There are two kinds of books:
- Theoretical:
- Tries to show something true.
- Kinds: history (chronotopic, how a specific thing happens), science (how things happen) and philosophy (general truth).
2. Practical:
- Art of how to show something that should be done or made and dew points of view.
Chapter 7
X-raying a Book
Rule 2:
STATE THE UNITY OF THE WHOLE BOOK IN A SINGLE SENTENCE, OR AT MOST A FEW SENTENCES.
Rule 3:
SET FORTH THE MAJOR PARTS OF THE BOOK, AND SOMEHOW THESE ARE ORGANIZED INTO A WHOLE, BY BEING ORDERED TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO THE UNITY OF THE WHOLE.
Rule 4:
FIND OUT WHAT THE AUTHOR´S MAIN PROBLEMS WERE.
I find it interesting how Adler says that there are only a few essential plits and most books repeat them. They only differ, or what makes a book different, is the details that the author uses to express his plot. So really it is like if we had read a few books over and over again with different scenarios.
Rule 2:
STATE THE UNITY OF THE WHOLE BOOK IN A SINGLE SENTENCE, OR AT MOST A FEW SENTENCES.
Rule 3:
SET FORTH THE MAJOR PARTS OF THE BOOK, AND SOMEHOW THESE ARE ORGANIZED INTO A WHOLE, BY BEING ORDERED TO ONE ANOTHER AND TO THE UNITY OF THE WHOLE.
- How many major parts and what are the parts about
- Subdivision of major parts.
- Point of the subdivisions of the major parts.
Rule 4:
FIND OUT WHAT THE AUTHOR´S MAIN PROBLEMS WERE.
I find it interesting how Adler says that there are only a few essential plits and most books repeat them. They only differ, or what makes a book different, is the details that the author uses to express his plot. So really it is like if we had read a few books over and over again with different scenarios.
Chapter 8
Comming To Terms With An Author
In order to come to terms with an author, both the author and the reader have to use the same words with the same meanings. Terms occur in the process of communication. We should think of terms as skilled use of words for the sake of communicating knowledge.
Rule 5:
FIND THE IMPORTANT WORDS AND THROUGH THEM COME TO TERMS WITH THE AUTHOR.
Separating rule 5 into grammatical and logical reminds me of how Sister Miriam Joseph made the Trivium. Starting from grammar in order to advance to the next leves, logic.
Euclid´s definitions are his important words. He even guesses the exact meaning of those words. “a point cannot be physical”. This is what Adler says about Euclid’s definition of a point.
In order to come to terms with an author, both the author and the reader have to use the same words with the same meanings. Terms occur in the process of communication. We should think of terms as skilled use of words for the sake of communicating knowledge.
Rule 5:
FIND THE IMPORTANT WORDS AND THROUGH THEM COME TO TERMS WITH THE AUTHOR.
- Locate words (grammatical)
- Determining the meaning of such words (logical).
Separating rule 5 into grammatical and logical reminds me of how Sister Miriam Joseph made the Trivium. Starting from grammar in order to advance to the next leves, logic.
Euclid´s definitions are his important words. He even guesses the exact meaning of those words. “a point cannot be physical”. This is what Adler says about Euclid’s definition of a point.
Chapter 9
Determining the Author´s Message
“A proposition in a book, is a declaration, an expression of the authors judgment about something, affirming it or denying it.”
First, the reader must come to terms with the author in order to find out what the author is proposing.
The presence of arguments is indicated by other words that relate statements, such as if this is so, then that; since this, therefore that; it follows from this, that that is the case.
Arguments are a series of statements of which some provide the grounds or reasons for what is to be concluded.
A book consists of a group of words, taken as unites, and sentences taken as units. A good reader should be attentive of words, sentences and paragraphs.
Rule 5:
FIND THE IMPORTANT WORDS AND COME TO TERMS.
Rule 6:
MARK THE MOST IMPORTANT SENTENCES IN A BOOK AND DISCOVER THE PROPOSITION THEY CONTAIN.
Rule 7:
LOCATE AND CONSTRUCT THE BASIC ARGUMENTS IN THEBOOK BY FINDING THEM IN THE CONNECTION OF SENTENCES.
Important sentences: the ones that express the judgments on which the author`s whole arguments rest. The major affirmations and denials he is making and the reasons he gives for doing so.
In order to know if one understood propositions one can:
Rule 8:
FIND OUT WHAT THE AUTHOR`S SOLUTIONS ARE.
“A proposition in a book, is a declaration, an expression of the authors judgment about something, affirming it or denying it.”
First, the reader must come to terms with the author in order to find out what the author is proposing.
The presence of arguments is indicated by other words that relate statements, such as if this is so, then that; since this, therefore that; it follows from this, that that is the case.
Arguments are a series of statements of which some provide the grounds or reasons for what is to be concluded.
A book consists of a group of words, taken as unites, and sentences taken as units. A good reader should be attentive of words, sentences and paragraphs.
Rule 5:
FIND THE IMPORTANT WORDS AND COME TO TERMS.
Rule 6:
MARK THE MOST IMPORTANT SENTENCES IN A BOOK AND DISCOVER THE PROPOSITION THEY CONTAIN.
Rule 7:
LOCATE AND CONSTRUCT THE BASIC ARGUMENTS IN THEBOOK BY FINDING THEM IN THE CONNECTION OF SENTENCES.
Important sentences: the ones that express the judgments on which the author`s whole arguments rest. The major affirmations and denials he is making and the reasons he gives for doing so.
In order to know if one understood propositions one can:
- Translate the proposition to your own words.
- Create an exemplification of the proposition.
Rule 8:
FIND OUT WHAT THE AUTHOR`S SOLUTIONS ARE.
Chapter 10
Critizicing a Book Fairly
Make your opinion once you have finished reading the book (until the author has given his whole “opinion”). Once you have completed all the reading stages.
The only way to learn something is to make up your own ideas of something, after being instructed in it.
Rhetoric: the art of being understood while talking.
Good listener: responsive and responsible.
Adler mentions that the arts of grammar, logic and rhetoric help regulate the process of writing and reading, and thus communicating. Much like what the Trivium says.
Rule 9:
YOU MUST BE ABLE TO SAY, WITH REASONABLE CERTAINTY “I UNDERSTAND”, BEFORE YOU CAN SAY ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING THINGS: “I AGREE” OR “I DISAGREE” OR “I SUSPEND JUDGEMENT”.
Rule 10:
WHEN YOU DISAGREE, DO SO REASONABLY, AND NOT DISPUTATIOUSLY OR CONTENTACIOUSLY.
Rule 11:
RESPECT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE ANS MERE PERSONAL OPINION: BY GIVING REASONS FOR ANY CRITICAL JUDGEMENT YOU MAKE.
Make your opinion once you have finished reading the book (until the author has given his whole “opinion”). Once you have completed all the reading stages.
The only way to learn something is to make up your own ideas of something, after being instructed in it.
Rhetoric: the art of being understood while talking.
Good listener: responsive and responsible.
Adler mentions that the arts of grammar, logic and rhetoric help regulate the process of writing and reading, and thus communicating. Much like what the Trivium says.
Rule 9:
YOU MUST BE ABLE TO SAY, WITH REASONABLE CERTAINTY “I UNDERSTAND”, BEFORE YOU CAN SAY ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING THINGS: “I AGREE” OR “I DISAGREE” OR “I SUSPEND JUDGEMENT”.
Rule 10:
WHEN YOU DISAGREE, DO SO REASONABLY, AND NOT DISPUTATIOUSLY OR CONTENTACIOUSLY.
Rule 11:
RESPECT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE ANS MERE PERSONAL OPINION: BY GIVING REASONS FOR ANY CRITICAL JUDGEMENT YOU MAKE.
Chapter 11
Agreeing or Disagreeing with the Author
After you read a book, one either agrees or disagrees, but in order to do this, there must be a complete understanding of the book as a whole.
If one does not understand the book, it is either a sign that the reader has read the book wrong or that the book is unintelligible.
Conditions for controversy:
Points of criticism
After you read a book, one either agrees or disagrees, but in order to do this, there must be a complete understanding of the book as a whole.
If one does not understand the book, it is either a sign that the reader has read the book wrong or that the book is unintelligible.
Conditions for controversy:
- A knowledge for emotions.
- Leave out and notice all prejudgments.
- Try to take the others point of view.
Points of criticism
- Author is uninformed
- Author is misinformed
- Author is illogical
- Authors analysis is incomplete.
Chapter 12
Aids to Reading
Intrinsic reading: reading a book in itself.
Extrinsic reading: reading a book in the light of others (aids).
Extrinsic aids:
Intrinsic reading: reading a book in itself.
Extrinsic reading: reading a book in the light of others (aids).
Extrinsic aids:
- Relevant experiences.
- Other books.
- Commentaries and abstracts.
- Reference books.
To use well (what to know):
- Have an idea of what you want to know.
- Where to find it
- How the book is organized
- Know a good deal.
Chapter 13
Kinds of Practical Books
What is the author´s objective?
What means for achieving them is he proposing?
What means for achieving them is he proposing?
Chapter 14
How To Read Imaginative Literature
Imaginative literature pleases rather than teach
Imaginative literature pleases rather than teach
Characteristics of imaginative literature:
Negation: (How not to read imaginative literature)
General rules:
Interpretive rules:
Critical rules:
- Imaginatives try to communicate experience.
- Fiction appeals to immagination.
- End: have a profound experience.
- Different use of language.
Negation: (How not to read imaginative literature)
- Don´t look for terms, propositionws or arguments.
- Don´t criticize fiction by the standards of truth and consistency that properly apply to communication of knowledge.
General rules:
- Kinds of fiction
- Unity of the whole book (plot)
- The parts of a whole
Interpretive rules:
- Become acquainted with the story (characters, events, etc).
- Find the connections that bring the story alive.
- Follow through the adventures. (Join them in their imaginary world).
Critical rules:
- Dont criticize until you have lived the experience.
- Criticize according to beauty (pleasure).
- Be sure of what you like, what you don´t like and why.
Chapter 15
Suggestions for Reading Stories, Plays and Poems.
To read well, one has to experience the book.
Stories:
Plays:
Lyric poetry:
To read well, one has to experience the book.
Stories:
- Read quickly (in as short time as possible) with total immersion (let it get to your heart, live the world).
Plays:
- Read like a story.
- Try directing a play (imaginative).
- Read puzzling passages out loud.
Lyric poetry:
- Read through the poem without stopping.
- Read it a second time out loud.
Chapter 16
How to Read History
History is the story of the past.
Questions:
Criticizing history:
Biography / Autobiography:
When we read news (current events):
History is the story of the past.
- Read more than one version
- Read to learn of the past, present and future times.
Questions:
- Know the specific subject.
- How is the book divided (dates, years, generations, topics).
Criticizing history:
- Judge
- Think
Biography / Autobiography:
- Kinds of biographies:
- Definitive (history).
- Authorized (biased).
- Ordinary.
- Autobiography.
When we read news (current events):
- What does the author want to prove?
- Whom does he want to convince?
- What special knowledge does he assume?
- What special language does he use?
- Dies he really know what he is talking about?
Chapter 17
How to Read Science and Mathematics
Grasp the problem that the author is trying to solve.
Classical scientific books:
Difficulties:
Reading mathematics:
Grasp the problem that the author is trying to solve.
Classical scientific books:
Difficulties:
- Arguments (inductive, deductive)
- Becoming acquainted with the experiments.
Reading mathematics:
- Read elementary level first.
- Skipping parts is acceptable.
Chapter 18
How to Read Philosophy
Philosophy asks basic fundamental questions:
Change / Becoming
Good / Evil
Philosophical questions are divided into two categories:
Philosophy asks basic fundamental questions:
- Examples:
Change / Becoming
Good / Evil
Philosophical questions are divided into two categories:
- Theoretical / Speculative:
- Normative / Practical:
Chapter 19
How to Read Social Sciences
Social sciences: anthropology, economics, politics, sociology.
Difficulties:
Social sciences: anthropology, economics, politics, sociology.
Difficulties:
- The terms can be ambiguous and make it harder to read
- Our own opinions can interfere with those of the author and might not let us hear what he is saying.
- It is a mixed kind of expository writing and this mixture shifts from book to book (it is part history, philosophy, science, etcetera)
- In order to understand a topic, one must read more than one book about it.
Chapter 20
Syntopical Reading
Reading several books on the same subject.
Once you have a bibliography of books of a subject you must:
Steps to read a books syntopically:
Step 1:
FINDING THE RELEVANT PASSAGES.
(another inspection to find the passages that we need).
Step 2:
BRINGING THE AUTHORS TO TERM
(facing the authors to use your own language rather than using theirs)
Steps 3:
GETTING THE QUESTIONS CLEAR
(our questions that we want answered)
Step 4:
DEFINING THE ISSUES
(ordering the answers to our questions)
Step 5:
ANALYZING THE DISCUSSION
(in order to have understood our problem)
The syntopical reader tries to look at all sides and takes no side. A sort of objectivity. He might not make it, for we are always biased, but he must try.
Reading several books on the same subject.
Once you have a bibliography of books of a subject you must:
- Read all of them inspectionally, in order to reduce the size of your reading list, and get an idea of your subject.
- Read books syntopically (Read a whole bunch of books analytically at the same time).
Steps to read a books syntopically:
Step 1:
FINDING THE RELEVANT PASSAGES.
(another inspection to find the passages that we need).
Step 2:
BRINGING THE AUTHORS TO TERM
(facing the authors to use your own language rather than using theirs)
Steps 3:
GETTING THE QUESTIONS CLEAR
(our questions that we want answered)
Step 4:
DEFINING THE ISSUES
(ordering the answers to our questions)
Step 5:
ANALYZING THE DISCUSSION
(in order to have understood our problem)
The syntopical reader tries to look at all sides and takes no side. A sort of objectivity. He might not make it, for we are always biased, but he must try.
Chapter 21
Reading and the Growth of the Mind
At the end this book might give us many advices on how to read, but it is our own choice whether to follow them and obtain the benefits, or ignore it.
We also have to keep in mind that not all books will help us read better. We have to step out of our comfort zone in order to “stretch our minds”. The books must make demands on us.
At the end this book might give us many advices on how to read, but it is our own choice whether to follow them and obtain the benefits, or ignore it.
We also have to keep in mind that not all books will help us read better. We have to step out of our comfort zone in order to “stretch our minds”. The books must make demands on us.