How to Read a Book

How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler

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To apply the learned professors' heuristics: this is a practical book of exposition that I read for information. The unifying whole of this book was centered around the problem of answering the question of “what are the virtues that make for excellence in reading.” The unity is broken down by addressing four “levels” of reading, starting with the bare art of deciphering writing, to the cursory overview of reading, to analytical reading which asks the reader to apply the virtues of reading, and, finally, to “syntopical” reading where various “related” books are read to expand the reader's understanding on a particular subject. This book is also broken down in its second part to a demonstration of these virtues - or skills - to particular genres of writing, such as poetry, fiction, history, social sciences, science and other topics.

I understood the book, which Professor Adler and Van Doren, teach must be affirmed before anything else can be said. I thought this book properly covered its subject matter, was not illogical and was not misinformed or uninformed. Therefore, I have no choice but to agree with it.

That said, I first read this book back in 2008, some 30 years after graduating from college. I wished then, as I wish now, that I had been introduced to this book when I was 18, rather than 48. Certainly, I could read books at the time, but I think that my reading was only partly formed and moved more by instinct than reason. I definitely learned from my first round of reading the importance of being willing to mark up a book.

From that time, I would say that I have been applying a lot of the insights of the book, although I don't think I was doing so consciously. A lot of my reviews ask the question of what problem the book I'm reading is addressing and I've learned to tear down books to their elements in order to understand the text.

This time around, I think I obtained a more solid foundation of a model for being a book reviewer. I think that the tips and skills used for reading also make for excellence in reviewing.

Let's see what happens.