/lit/ - Literature

he says to read every book 3 times

why don't you read it and find out you retard

>>15511478
I've seen it described in enough detail to see that it's shit unless you're dealing only with nonfiction that you have to learn.

>>15511611
>didn't read it
it's actually made for pseuds like you. give it a read.

>>15511611
>i haven't read this book but it's shit because other people said so
lol

>>15511478
Very good if you want to struggle through hard exit level books and don't know how.

It's a great book if you want to learn how to read very difficult non fiction books well or maximize what your getting out of your analytical reading.

>>15511727
Nah, I've read quite enough literature and literacy criticism over the last decade to be comfortable with my methods of reading and analysis.

>>15511737
Actually, my judgment of it is based on the posts and charts that just honestly try to summarise the book's theses. Such as this one >>15511751. It's meant for non-fiction, not for aesthetic experience of a book.

>>15511788
Comfort is the clearest symptom of your mediocrity.It is funny that you are indulging in discussion about a book that you have never read.

Books NOT worth reading are a cope for pseuds on /lit/.
Read it or don't, but judging it's value without ever opening it is just retarded.
I personally enjoyed it, even if I didn't adopt every suggestion.

>>15511788
just stop posting about books you haven't read bro. quality of this board would go up a lot if everyone followed such an obvious maxim.

>>15511867
Comfort, of course, meaning that my reading is on a good path. My manner of reading will of course still profit in the future as I read more critics and theoreticians, and, I believe, far more profoundly than from reading a book that literally recommends skimming books to check if they deserve further attention. I suppose I might do precisely that with "How To Read a Book" itself.

Adler is pretty cool and many of his books are worth reading. His aim with the great books series was actually very noble.

>>15512092
another misconception about the contents of this book. Spare us and just read the fucking book

>>15511478
Where do you think your reading is missing anon, if you feel you need a methodology, then this book has you covered.
Basically it goes on a lot of big picture pontificating about how books can bring your an understanding of the world in addition to a framework for extracting that understanding from the book which is basically to do three, sometimes parallel types of reading, One is where you figure out what a book is really about by classifying it and looking at its structure, Two is to identify the arguments the author uses and how they build those arguments, Three is to critique those arguments (remember critique doesn't not mean 'criticize' - it means to evaluate if something is successful). He says that since books are static, you have to treat the third step in particular like you were investigating natural phenomena, because you can't just ring up the author and ask.

>>15512154
Oh and then there's Four in later editions "synoptic" reading which is not how to read a book, but how to read many books to understand a subject

This

Yes, it points out several things about reading that you don't notice but can greatly help reading comprehension.

>>15511519
this is incorrect.
>>>15511611
>I've seen it described in enough detail to see that it's shit
in a single post you admit you didn't read it but attempt some armchair critique
2/10
>>>15511741
not exist level at all
>>15511751
this is wrong. Everything in the book can be applied to fiction
>>15511788
>Actually, my judgment of it is based on the posts and charts
even more laughable.
>my judgement is legitimate because 4chan infographics are just as good as reading the book!
maybe reddit is more your speed.
>It's meant for non-fiction, not for aesthetic experience of a book
this is 100% incorrect but you wouldn't know because you didn't read it.

Further I've taken a series of notes on the book I'll post below

*** How to Read a Book
**** Chapter 1 Activity and Art of Reading
People know more about the world than we used to, insofar as knowledge is a prerequisite to understand.
But knowledge is not as much as prerequisite to understanding as commonly supposed.
We do not need to know everything to understand it.
Too many facts can are often an obstacle to understanding as too few.
TV, Magizines, videos come with selective date to pre package opinions.
p4

# Stresses active reading

To increase understanding, you must read books that are above your level, then over come the inequality between you and the writer. Or else you're just aquriing facts not understanding
p10

Enlightenment(understanding) is achieved when, in addition to knowing what the author says, you know what he means and why he says it.
p11
**** Chapter 2 Levels of Reading

Most people even good readers are unaware of ~inspectional~ reading, they start a book and plow through it without even reading the table of contents.
The are faced with achieving a superficial knowedge of the book /at the same time/ that they are trying to understand it.
This compounds the difficulty.
Best reading you can do given short amount of time.
p.19

Best reading you can do given unlimited time
~analytical~ reading is preeminently for the sake of understanding.
p.19

***** 4 levels of reading
1. Elementary school level - basic reading
2.Inspectional reading, emphasis on time
3.Analytical Reading emphasis on quality/understanding intensly active.
4.Syntopical Reading. complex heavy demands. Comparitive reading many books.
**** Chapter 3 History of education. *Not important*
**** Chapter 4 Inspecialional Reading
All Levels contain the previous level.
p31
Read table of contents, blurb, epiloge, prelude, last pages and paragraphs often sum up what the other is saying
*prevents not knowing what you just read*
p35
Pay attention to what you understand pass over what you don't. Do not get stalled on what you do not understand.
If you expect to know every thing on every page you will not get very far.
p36-38
**** Chapter 5 How to be a Demanding Reading
Ask Questions while you read and try to answer them as you read.
1. What is the book about as a whole
2. What is being said in detail
3. Is the book true?
4. What of it, significance of information. ask /what else follows/

Ask no question, get no answer.
**** Chapter 6 Pigeonholing a book
Identifying whether a book is philosophical or practical
**** Chapter 7 X-raying a book
Be able to tell concisly what a book is about.
Be able to say *approximatly*:
1. The book is about so and so and such and such. The first part is about so and so the second about such and such the third about this fourth about that and fifth about another thing.
2. First of these major parts is divided into three sections, first considers X second Y and third considers Z
3. In the first section of the first part
(example on page 87)
p.84

notes cont.

**** First Stage of Analytical Reading aka Rules for Finding what a book is about.
1. Classify the book according to kind and subject
2. state what the whole book is about.
3. list its major parts.
4. define problem or problems the author is trying to solve
5. comes to terms with the author by interpreting his key words
6. Grasp the author's leading propositions by dealing with his most important sentences
7. know the author's arguments by finding them in or constructiong them out of sequences of sentences.
8. Determine which of his problems the author has solved, which he has not and decide which the author kneew he had failed to solve
**** Chapter 8 Coming to Terms with an Author.
Note key words and important terms by making words you do not understand.
p. 106
**** Chapter 9 Determining an Author's Message
Two processes to determing an author's message
1. work down to propositions and arguments by dividing the book into its parts.
2. you work up to arguments by seeing how they are composed of propositions and ultiately terms.

The most important sentences are the ones that express the judments on which his whole argument rests.

"The heeart of the author's communication lies in the major affirmations and denial he is making and the reasons he gives for doing so."
p.121

Pause at sentences that *puzzle* you not ones that *interest* you.
p.125
**** Chapter 10 Criticizing a Book Fairly. part 4a 39:49
**** Chapter 14 How to read imaginative literature

Be able to grasp the unity. The unity of literature is its plot.
You cannot know a story until you can summarize its plot.
p209

We do not agree or disagree with fiction but explain *why* we *like* or *dislike* something.
p.213-214

>>15511478
First 3 stages good.
4th is an advertisement for his Synopticon.

>>15512205
Thanks for convincing me not to read it.

>>15511478
yes. it's worth it if you haven't read a lot of books or if you want tips for reading difficult books.

>>15511478
Very informative and quite comfy, would recommend.

>>15511907
seriously this

>>15513413
Thanks for showing how small brained you are

>>15511478
No, don't even bother wasting your time. This book is a gigantic meme

>>15513809
I don't need to read a book on something I already know how to do. Have you had to read a book on addition too?

>>15513864
I don't need to read a book on something I already know how to do.

>>15513864
>I don't need to read a book on something I already know how to do.

>>15511478
This book as useful to someone wanting to learn to read as a locker combination written on the inside of a locker door is to someone who wants to get inside. Seriously, though, it looks good for improving comprehension of philosophy and other nonfiction and I’m planning on reading it as soon as my semester ends.

>>15514145
it works just as well with fiction. You'd know this if you bothered to read it.

>>15514247
Worry not anon I was merely joking about the apparent futility of the title: something like a website of instructions on how to connect to the internet. Merely being facetious. If it works just as well with fiction, all the better. My semester ends in two days so I'm looking forward to reading it then.

>>15511478
it's a bit dry so it's not the most enjoyable read but it's clear the author is passionate about literature and philosophy and wants to help people step out of their comfort zone and teaches how to approach more difficult books, it's worth a read purely for that. see >>15512104

>>15511611
>>15511788
to review and criticise as well as pass judgement on a book you haven't even read makes it real easy to dismiss your posts entirely when you don't even understand what the book is trying to get at, never mind that when you do try to understand parts of the book you're getting them blatantly wrong. there's some good advice on reading fiction for enjoyment in the book and the overall goal of the book, what it tries to teach, is fundamental to reading and understanding fictional books beyond a passive level and goes a long way to reading purely for the aesthetic experience. but hey, an anonymous review only mentioned a checklist of things to follow and clearly you can't enjoy fiction by following a checklist, better not attempt to read the book to learn what the author actually has to say, right?

>>15512092
you're gloating about your own literary competency while attempting to legitimise other peoples opinions rather than to form your own. bravo.
that you're comfortable with your own ability to read is fine, but please, stop shitting up a literary board fishing for excuses to not read a book you clearly don't want to read

>>15511907
listen to this anons

>>15512195
not enough people are recognizing an effort post, thank you for contributing to this shit board

>>15512195
>>15512205
Nice effortpost. Also interesting how our note-taking forms are completely different despite being (roughly) based on the same book.

>>15512195
Thank you

>>15512188
>this is incorrect.
It is correct

>>15512195
10/10 input, ty anon-chan

>>15512195
thank you