How to Read a Book

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Summary: A book everyone should read...
Review: This book was recommended to me 3-4 times before I finally picked it up and read it. I wish I would have read it sooner.

This is an invaluable read for people of all ages. If you know any kids in school (middle, high, or college) do them a favor and get this book for them.

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Summary: Foundational to all non-fictional reading
Review: "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested" (Francis Bacon). This is one of those books.

How to Read a Book is a classic guide to intelligent reading and my opinion is that it should be standard reading, particularly for the college-bound student. Don't let the title fool you. This book is not a simplistic review of what you learned in the second grade. The book is divided into four parts.

Part one includes what Adler calls the first two levels of reading: elementary and inspectional reading. In total he sets forth four levels of reading: elementary reading, inspectional reading, analytical reading and synoptical reading. He proceeds to tell us that reading is an active process since the teacher is not available to deliberate. In keeping with this activity we are told how to read faster while comprehending more, how to find answers to our questions from within the book and how to make the right kind of notes in the book.

Part two contains the third level of reading: analytical reading. "Reading a book analytically is chewing and digesting it" (p.19). We now learn how to determine the type of literature we are reading, what type of structure it has and we learn that we must come to grasp with the author's vocabulary. The point of all this is to understand the message of the author. If we are unable to state the author's message concisely in our own terms, we have learned nothing. Only after we first understand what the author is saying, can we begin criticize him fairly. Once we have read analytically, we can agree with the author, disagree with him or we can postpone judgment until we have learned more if we wish. Adler suggests that we do not consult other study helps until we first have read the book analytically. This will deaden our ability to read and think for ourselves as well as confuse the message of the author.

Part three tells us how to read different types of literature including practical books, imaginative literature, stories, plays, poems, history, philosophy, science, mathematics and social science. Each type of literature has it's own vocabulary, propositions, arguments, and questions that must be asked of it. This section is particularly helpful in applying the basic rules of reading to the type of literature that is to be read.

The final part of the book is dedicated to the ultimate goals of reading. The first goal is the fourth and final level of reading: synoptical reading. Synoptical reading is the reading of different works on the same subject with a view to constituting a general view on the subject. The idea is to read a number of books on a given subject, as objectively as possible, and withhold judgment and criticism of all the books until you understand the different perspectives. This is the bread and butter of research and is the best way to understand any given subject matter, which is why this book is vital to the college student as well as anyone with academic pursuits. This is also the way to become educated as opposed to being indoctrinated. The last of the two ultimate goals of reading is to expand your mind for further understanding. Your mind is like a rubber band in that when it is stretched, it never fully returns to its original shape.

I found this book to be highly organized and thoroughly outlined. The back even contains two appendices with a list of recommended books and exercises at the four levels of reading. It is essentially a "how to" book therefore it's contents are very practical and immediately helpful.

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Summary: Good information, ponderous writing
Review: The information contained within How to Read a Book justifies its price, yet it is apparent that Mortimer Adler may need to read a book entitled How to Write a Book. His prose isn't terrible but it makes the book noticably longer. As one other reader pointed out, he tries to evince the flaws in the education system, but he fails to acknowledge that it isn't an advertisement and the reader recognizes that reading education is faulty, otherwise he wouldn't buy the book. This is flaw this excellent book has. The content is superlative, yet it took me several reads to get through his desultory style of writing. But I feel the time invested has raked in 200% returns, and I am definately indebted to How to Read a Book for giving me more enjoyment out of the books I read. The reason I give it 5 stars is because the content surpasses the 5 star limit and the writing falls in the 3-4 * range. The content is just so important... This book is essential. Stocks are down so invest in How to Read a Book and reap in the returns :)

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Summary: How to read more deeply
Review: How To Read A Book by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren is a very useful book for anyone wishing to give their books a more thoughtful, in-depth reading.

The book does have an agenda to push. That agenda is to see more people go beyond high school reading levels. The authors begin by reviewing how America got to the point where almost everyone could read, but very few people could read well. They offer the techniques in this book as a path from this superficial knowledge of reading to a deeper understanding of how to read more effectively and more deeply.

The book breaks down the levels of reading. They present four levels of reading: Elementary, Inspectional, Analytical, and Syntopical.

The most time and attention is given to Analytical writing. The authors present ways to read more analytically. They also lay out rules for giving a book a fair analytical reading. I found this part very helpful personally.

The other three levels of reading are treated in much less detail. Each is more presented than taught. The authors demonstrate how each level is dependent on the one preceding it.

This book is very well put together and nicely laid out. One can tell that this was a labor of love by the authors. A feature that I found particularly interesting was the suggested reading list in the back of the book.

How To Read A Book will be helpful to any reader who desires to learn how to read more deeply. I recommend it.

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Summary: Irritating but useful
Review: As the title suggests, this book professes to be a how-to manual for literacy. However, a large portion of the book is devoted to bemoaning the decline of education in America. It is interesting to observe the similariy of the complaints noted in this book and the complaints of today's education critics.

In any case, the tips and suggestions offered in this book are sound. Adler advocates a structured approach to reading to increase comprehension. The general gist of his recommendations hold equally well for writing as for reading.

The reader should be warned that Adler's writing style can be irritating. His tone ranges from nagging to condescending to hectoring. However, once you get past the tone and down to the actual material, this book provides for some very instructional reading.

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Summary: Changed My Life
Review: I know that the title of this review may seem over the top but this little work has in fact changed my life. A friend of mine recommended this book during my first year of college. I had been struggling through my literature and history classes, bogged down with reading. In the book Mr. Adler taught me what it means to really read and listen and to extract meaning from a work. I have applied my reading skills not only to books but also my relationships. My GPA rose a full point after reading this and my critical listening skills were greatly enhanced. The book may seem a bit dry at first but it is well worth reading. Every high school student should have a copy.

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Summary: How to read a book?
Review: Mortimer J. Adler has written a book entitled, "How To Read A Book." Instead, he should have read a book entitled, "How to Write A Book."

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Summary: A Primer on "Critical Thinking" and The Hidden Agenda
Review: In searching for The Lifetime Reading Plan by Clifton Fadiman I serindipidiously tripped over this book. I discovered that this was what I was taught in my Public Education in The United States; namely, how to read anything, get out of that which I was looking for while enjoying the author's view of the world while writing a Book, a Newspaper Article, a Bible Study, a Witches' Manual, a Scientific Article, say like one about crop production in Canada that would stir me to move there after reading about rust and crop circles...This has a list of recommended reading, but does not compare with Fadiman's Third Edition of "The Lifetime Reading Plan" See my review there. One should also read of Van Doren and his Patriotic works Of The United States of America. He's quite a Patriot. If you feel afraid that every time you read a book that YOU MIGHT CHANGE, learn how to filter out stuff through this tomb. Of course, if you read at all, and do not change any in your view point, well.....Also available in Hard Back on sale at some National Booksellers' in Major Cities near you!

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Summary: ESSENTIAL
Review: how to read "how to read a book": flip to chapter 21 entitled "reading and the growth of the mind." written in simple yet elegant english, it is perhaps the single best essay on what makes certain books great and why (and how) we should read them. magnificent stuff for all readers, young and old alike.

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Summary: Syntopicon
Review: Just thought people would be interested in some information on the Syntopicon mentioned in an earlier review. The full title is "The Great Ideas: A Syntopicon", and was part of the "Great Books and Great Ideas Series" published by Britannica. Use a used book search engine such as ABE books to find copies. They sell for around $15. Apologies if this was innapropriate.