| There is so much information out there that | | | | There are two types of inspectional reading, (1) |
| professionals can become overwhelmed just | | | | systematic skimming or pre-reading and (2) |
| thinking about it. How can you keep pace? Do you | | | | superficial reading. With inspectional reading, the |
| know how to read effectively? | | | | emphasis is on time - getting the most out of a |
| How to Read a Book which was originally written | | | | book within a short time frame. Analytical Reading |
| in 1940 and updated in 1972 is packed with lots of | | | | deals with classifying the book, coming to terms |
| useful information, and it isn't the type of book | | | | with it, determining the book's message, criticizing |
| you read once. I thought that on my second | | | | the book and the author. Analytical reading is a |
| reading it would be very helpful if I discussed the | | | | very active type of reading. And finally, syntopical |
| contents with a group of people, then and only | | | | reading or comparative reading, the most |
| then would I be able to really make use of the | | | | complex form of reading, is the reading of multiple |
| wealth of knowledge that it contains. | | | | books on the same subject and placing them in |
| The stated primary goal of How to Read a Book | | | | relation to each other. |
| is to "know how to make books teach us well" if | | | | If you actively read a book, you should be able to |
| we are open to continuous learning and | | | | answer the following questions - |
| discovering. Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van | | | | (1) what is the book about? |
| Doren define the art of reading as "The process | | | | (2) What is being said in detail, and how? |
| whereby a mind, with nothing to operate on but | | | | (3) Is the book true, in whole or in part? |
| the symbols of the readable matter, and with no | | | | (4) What of it? If you are able to answer these |
| help from outside, elevates itself by the power of | | | | questions, you truly understand what the author is |
| its own operations. The mind passes from | | | | trying to say. |
| understanding less to understanding more..."Adler | | | | Adler and Van Doren made an interesting |
| and Van Doren suggest that before reading a | | | | comment. They suggest that if you are reading |
| book you should decide if you are reading for | | | | to become a better reader, or in other words |
| entertainment, information or for the sake of | | | | reading for understanding and enlightenment, you |
| understanding. Making this kind of distinction | | | | cannot read just any article or book. You must |
| determines how you would read the book. | | | | read material that stretches and grows your mind. |
| The authors describe four levels of reading in | | | | I recommend this book, but be prepared to read |
| How to Read a Book - Elementary Reading, | | | | it at least twice to get the most out of it. This |
| Inspectional Reading, Analytical Reading and | | | | extra effort will save you lots of time later when |
| Syntopical Reading. Elementary Reading is the level | | | | you are using the information to read other |
| of reading that you learn in elementary school. | | | | books. |