How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading
- Mortimer J. Adler
- Charles Van Doren
How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading
Different rates of reading to read better
Variable speed reading
Reading is ACTIVE, more the better
Made of Acts, each requiring skill
Reading types
Understanding
Information
Comes from our betters
Insights > understanding
Facts
Enlightened: When we understand author (becoming informed is first)
Sophomores - widely read but with poor understanding
Learning types
Other requirements while learning:
Levels of reading
1.Elementary
Identifying individual words to understand them
Requires work
a. Skim intentionally/pre-reading
For deeply understanding
Work, asking questionals
Read many books for comparison and to a subject
analysis of subject beyond the books
b. Superficial reading
Speed reading
different rates for different books/sections
optimising fixations and regressions > thumb + 2 fingers as rabbit across page > use to increase concentration also
Comprehension and concentration
Rules of reading (analytical)
Active reading questions
RULE 1. YOU MUST KNOW WHAT KIND OF BOOK YOU ARE READING, AND YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS AS EARLY IN THE PROCESS AS POSSIBLE, PREFERABLY BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO READ
RULE 2. STATE THE UNITY OF THE WHOLE BOOK IN A SINGLE SENTENCE, OR AT MOST A FEW SENTENCES (A SHORT PARAGRAPH).
RULE 3. SET FORTH THE MAJOR PARTS OF THE BOOK, AND SHOW HOW 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 PROBLEMS WERE
RULE 5. FIND THE IMPORTANT WORDS AND THROUGH THEM COME TO TERMS WITH THE AUTHOR.
RULE 6. MARK THE MOST IMPORTANT SENTENCES IN A BOOK AND DISCOVER THE PROPOSITIONS THEY CONTAIN
RULE 7. LOCATE OR CONSTRUCT THE BASIC ARGUMENTS IN THE BOOK BY FINDING THEM IN THE CONNECTION OF SENTENCES
OR
FIND IF YOU CAN THE PARAGRAPHS IN A BOOK THAT STATE ITS IMPORTANT ARGUMENTS; BUT IF THE ARGUMENTS ARE NOT THUS EXPRESSED, YOUR TASK IS TO CONSTRUCT THEM, BY TAKING A SENTENCE FROM THIS PARAGRAPH, AND ONE FROM THAT, UNTIL YOU HAVE GATHERED TOGETHER THE SEQUENCE OF SENTENCES THAT STATE THE PROPOSITIONS THAT COMPOSE THE ARGUMENT. (mark up pages to make this connection)
argument—a sequence of propositions, some of which give reasons for another
tautologies, common notions - self-evident propositions, status of indemonstrable but also undeniable truths
RULE 8. FIND OUT WHAT THE AUTHOR’S SOLUTIONS ARE.
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 JUDGMENT (argument is not convincing).”
RULE 10: HEN YOU DISAGREE, DO SO REASONABLY, AND NOT DISPUTATIOUSLY OR CONTENTIOUSLY
RULE 11: RESPECT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE AND MERE PERSONAL OPINION, BY GIVING REASONS FOR ANY CRITICAL JUDGMENT YOU MAKE.
Disagreeing with author rules
Special Criteria for Points of Criticism
click to edit
5 steps in syntopical reading