How to Read

Interesting - reading about reading.

It got a little abstract at times, but it was helpful. There are four levels of reading: (1) elementary: knowing what the words are. (2) inspectional: skimming a book to see what it's about and if it's worth reading further. (3) analytical: reading to understand the argument the author is making. (4) syntopical: reading several books on one topic to understand differing views on that issue.

The authors make the point that of the many books written, few are actually worth reading. Quality, not quantity is key. To be well-read is to read the right books often, not to read a lot of books.

Here's a sample:

"Poetry and fiction are not nearly so concerned with the unambiguous use of words as expository works... the best poetry is that which is the most richly ambiguous.... If every word had only one meaning, if words could not be used ambiguously... the reader would see straight through the writer's words to the content of his mind. If that were the case... interpretation would be unnecessary.... The only thing to do... is to use language as skillfully as possible when you want to convey, or to receive, knowledge.

"Because language is imperfect... it also functions as an obstacle to communication.... The likelihood of a meeting of minds through language depends on the willingness of both reader and writer to work together.... no author, regardless of his sill in wrtiing, can achieve comunication without a reciprocal skill on the part of readers." (pgs 98-99)