Reddit reviews How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading
We found 105 Reddit comments about How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Simon & Schuster
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I personally don't put much stock into the whole speed reading thing. You lose the sense of the prose and you likely take less away from the material (I do).
I'll echo what others have said and work on comprehension. Also, you could read "How to Read a Book" by Adler and Van Doren. It's an insightful look at what constitutes a text and how you should approach it. It focuses not only on literature but other texts (history, science, poetry, etc.) as well.
Off the top of my head, in no particular order:
The Undercover Economist: Easily the best of those "Economics in everyday life - books"
The Blank Slate: Steven Pinker on the nature/nurture debate. This really opened my eyes on questions like "Why are the same people who fight against abortion for the death penalty", for example.
Complications: This and his second book, Better, gave me an incredible insight into medicine.
Why we get sick: Very good explanation of the defence mechanisms our bodies have and why treating symptoms can be a very bad idea.
How to read a book: An absolute classic. Turns out I've been doing it wrong all those years.
The Art of Strategy: Game Theory, applied to everyday situations. Always treats a topic like Nash equilibrium, Brinkmanship etc. theoretically and then goes into many examples.
A Random Walk Down Wall-Street: Made me see the stock market completely differently.
The Myth of the Rational Voter: The shortcomings of democracy.
The White Man's Burden: Fantastic account of the problems faced by the third world today, and why it is so hard to change them.
I got you my man.
Try this on for size: https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Classic-Intelligent/dp/0671212095/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=how+to+read&qid=1570602870&sr=8-4
How to Read a Book. Actually really good and useful.
I've heard good things about this:
How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading
It's just going to take practice. If you've spent your whole life reading popular scifi and fantasy (I don't know what you read), then jumping straight into something like Dostoyevsky or Joyce will be incredibly challenging at best. For many of these classics you can find annotated versions and countless online resources.
Personally, I'd start with an annotated edition to help curb your desire to jump on the internet every time something curious comes up. That can really take away from your enjoyment of the book.
Another thing would be to try and familiarize yourself with Ancient Greek and Roman texts, the Bible and other religious texts, Shakespeare, world history--basically the classics. You'll find that a good deal of the references, symbols, and allusions are likely rooted in these sources, and will be easier to spot and understand as you read more.
The problem isn't the book usually, but the method towards digesting the material.
Here is the only book needed on that subreddit:
How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading https://www.amazon.com/dp/0671212095/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8cSXAb37CK2ZK
Because it has the ability to change any book into a long term influence.
I'm currently reading "How to Read a Book"; it outlines and illustrates exactly how to read different types of books. So far I'd highly recommend it. There's also an Audible version.
Off the top of my head:
You can google "how to improve reading comprehension" for more suggestions/strategies.
Edit: I've heard good things about the Feynman Technique. You could look that up, as well.
I think we may be looking for the same things. I read a book a few weeks ago called Pragmatic Thinking and Learning that I found really helpful and interesting. Its not too expensive and if you have the money I'd recommend it. Don't be intimidated by the programmer talk, none of it is really relevant.
Last week, I discovered a wiki that gave great advice on learning and memory techniques that seemed like it would have been extremely useful. I've spent the last hour searching for it but I just can't find it. When I come across it, I will let you know.
Another book that I found useful a few months ago was How to Read a Book. Don't let the title undermine the books value; its an awesome book. Definitely worth looking into. I don't follow the advice given in the book very rigidly, but since I've read it, I've found that I approach books much more methodically and absorb the information much more easily.
Its great to see that there is someone else out there looking for the same sort of resources I'm looking for. The way I look at it, learning is a skill that can be developed and mastered. It is an interesting pursuit in and of itself.
I haven't found any single resource for this sort of thing but maybe we can put together a subreddit where we can pool our resources for things that may be particularly helpful.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Read_a_Book
http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Intelligent-Touchstone/dp/0671212095
Most of it, to me, is putting yourself in the author's shoes and internalizing the argument and asking yourself what fact set and thought process is leading him her to that conclusion, and how someone else's or your own view of the world might lead to a different conclusion.
Play devil's advocate and ask yourself how you would prove the author wrong (antithesis)... what would happen if you take the author's thesis to an extreme? Then maybe try to find the broadest, highest-level principles at stake and combine the antithesis with the relevant pieces of the author's thesis to arrive at a synthesis.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Intelligent-Touchstone/dp/0671212095
It's a real book.
How to Read a Book. This would have saved me a lot of time and I would have gotten a lot more out of my reading had I read it before seminary.
These are good resources. I'd also add the classic How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler. I use it as the first text in my reading methods course and it works well with undergrads despite being a half-century old.
>I got about 2 paragraphs in and knew exactly who must have posted this.
I'm surprised it took you that long! You do know my username is prefixed to every one of my comments, don't you? But perhaps it's not all that surprising after all, in light of your "analysis" of what little of the article you managed to read. For it does NOT state that "you must be an intellectual." On the contrary, what it actually says is that "There is something 'magical' in art that cannot be explained intellectually, which touches us in ways we cannot put into words." (Emphasis mine.)
Perhaps this basic ability to understand what a sentence actually says is still beyond you. If so, then I recommend that you get a copy of Mortimer Adler's How to Read a Book? In it you will read the following:
>The first level of reading is what we will call Elementary Reading. Other names might be rudimentary reading, basic reading or initial reading; any of these terms serves to suggest that as one masters this level one passes form nonliterary to at least beginning literacy. In mastering this level, one learns the rudiments of the art of reading, receives basic training in reading, and acquires initial reading skills. We prefer the name elementary reading, however, because this level of reading is ordinarily learned in elementary school. The child's first encounter with reading is at this level. His problem then (and ours when we begin to read) is to recognize the individual words on the page.... At this level of reading, the question asked of the reader is "What does the sentence say?"
Just as in the grades of school, one must pass beyond this first grade of reading comprehension before proceeding to the more advanced levels—among which is included what might be termed analytical reading. It is at this stage that one is first able to offer a critique of a work; but if we have not graduated to this level of comprehension, then we not competent to provide any such critique—whether positive or negative.
Still, I must give you some credit: for you were at least able to follow the advice given at the end of the second paragraph, where the invitation to stop reading was extended to those for whom the author's thesis might fall on deaf ears!
As far as finding the article "off-putting" or "condescending," I cannot do better than to quote Francis Bacon, who once remarked that "some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested." This applies to the articles from Occult Mysteries as much as to my own comments. If you find that they are not to your tastes, then by all means pass them by in favor of something more sugary.
If you are interested in reading as a hobby/practice, I would honestly recommend you read Mortimer Adler's How to Read a Book next. It is basically a capital investment in your ability to read and greatly increases your reading comprehension and memory of concepts.
Right now I am reading How to read a book and would recommend reading it before you read any other book.
As someone said, ''All books are mute till you have read this one''.
The following suggestion is by no means condescending or even insulting at the least bit but How to Read A Book is a pretty useful resource in learning how to properly read, absorb and be engaged with any piece of literature that comes your way. Hope this helps!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0671212095?pc_redir=1414393418&robot_redir=1
Excellent book. This was given to me as a gift before college, and I single handedly give it credit for getting me through the tough literature of my theory and philosophy classes.
How To Read A Book.
A great novel that will teach you about the different types of books, how to take notes, make outlines, and read for understanding in general.
> Unfortunately, since that last class, I've fallen out of it and I'm not entirely sure how to get back in. I'm not very good at teaching myself things.
I think that self-studying is a skill. And just like any other skill, you become better at it the more and the better you practice it. If you aren't very good at it yet, then you probably just haven't done it much, or perhaps you haven't done it properly.
If you don't know where to start developing the skill, I highly recommend reading the article The Making of an Expert (PDF) by K. Anders Ericsson, published in the Harvard Business Review. It is a concise introduction to Ericsson's research on acquiring expertise, full of valuable insights. Some of the more useful and relevant ones are the importance of deliberate practice in acquiring expertise, how long it actually takes to become proficient in a field of expertise, and the fact that the final stage in acquiring expertise involves no instructors (i.e. it is characterized by self-studying).
I also believe How to Read a Book by Mortimer J. Adler to be useful in developing this skill. This book describes the difference between present teachers, like the ones you can interact with in an educational institution, and absent ones, such as the authors of books. It then lists a number of very useful general guidelines on how to approach learning from these absent teachers, followed by some more specific ones describing how to approach different kinds of reading matters. It is essentially a self-studying guide.
And since this is /r/logic and you expressed an interest in getting back into the subject, my final recommendation is A First Course in Mathematical Logic by Patrick Suppes and Shirley Hill, which is an exceedingly lucid, accessible, elementary and rigorous introduction to logic. It is very well-suited for self-studying and might be a useful refresher, although depending on the courses you've taken and how much you recall from them, it may be too elementary for you. I posted a more detailed description of the book in a different thread on here a few days ago.
How to Read a Book is a great book along these lines. It changed how I approached my reading list in some pretty dramatic ways.
Practice is paramount for philosophizing, more you read, discuss, and learn the more efficient you will get at it. It never gets easy, its always a lot of work, but you more or less learn the motions to it. Honestly one of the best books i have ever read was http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Touchstone-book/dp/0671212095 How to read a book. Best damn 15 i spent!
If you are always "zoning out" when you read, then you're simply not engaging the material you're reading. You need to take a more active approach to reading. For me, it took a mindset shift—I used to subconsciously think that just passing over the words will magically transfer all the author's knowledge to me. No, I have to work hard at it, to understand what the author is really trying to say, and then figure out if it's true or not. I have to dig into the book and work hard to uncover the little gems of insight that it contains.
This book completely changed how I read:
http://amzn.com/0671212095
I can give you a brief summary of how I generally apply the above book (I generally read non-fiction, so this is aimed towards that). First, read the ToC, Preface, and summaries of each chapter, trying to understand the basic structure and flow of the book. Try to figure out what the book is about in general, the parts of the book, its structure, and what kind of book it is. Once you've done this, you're ready for what the authors call an "Inspectional Reading." Read it lightly, not worrying to understand difficult passages. Understand only what the surface of the book has to teach you, and breeze through sections you don't understand. Once you're done with this, you'll have a much better understanding of what parts of the book are important and which parts you don't understand. Often, much of what you don't understand won't be important anyway!
Then you're ready for "Analytical Reading," in which you dive deep into the book, answering questions like:
You can iterate on these questions for a long time, but at some point you'll decide that you have received all that the book has to offer you, and you can put it down and move on.
How to read a book by Mortimer Adler and Charles Van Doren
Packed with full of insights and guidelines to make one a better reader. Reading leads to information, information leads to knowledge, knowledge leads to understanding, and understanding leads to wisdom.
A better reader, a smarter person. Happy reading ;)
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>Originally published in 1940, this book is a rare phenomenon, a living classic that introduces and elucidates the various levels of reading and how to achieve them—from elementary reading, through systematic skimming and inspectional reading, to speed reading. Readers will learn when and how to “judge a book by its cover,” and also how to X-ray it, read critically, and extract the author’s message from the text.
http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Intelligent-Touchstone/dp/0671212095
I'd recommend you to read and study this book by Adler and Van Doren, titled "How to Read a Book".
There are several types of reading strategies. Sometimes, a surface-level reading where you quickly scan through content is called for. At other times, you will need to buckle in and go through dense material with a pencil and dictionary app in hand. Reading literature versus philosophy versus scientific literature all has variations of technique, but there are a few strategies that apply across the board:
There are other suggestions I could post, but they would be stolen from How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler just like all of the above advice was stolen from that excellent book.
The first 150 pages of this book is all u need. I was in the same boat with you earlier this year. Since march I've read 100+ books
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Intelligent-Touchstone/dp/0671212095
There's also another book: how to read better and faster
I would move onto the second book if u feel like u want to read even faster but buy the first book right now.
Online Great Books is a paid community that reads and discusses the great books together. Jordan Peterson appeared as a guest on their podcast in this episode. Enrollment is currently closed but you can sign up to be notified when it opens again.
They basically follow the reading list from Mortimer Adler's How to Read a Book, minus the Bible and some of the scientific and mathematical works. You can find the list on Wikipedia too.
Any Great Books reading list is going to take years to complete. Don't be intimidated and don't feel like you need to rush.
I read everyday with my coffee. I also carry a book with me everywhere and read on line, in waiting rooms, etc. Try some of the advice in How to Read More - A Lot More by Ryan Holiday.
For heavy texts, my approach depends on the type of book. I mostly follow the method Mortimer Adler set out in How to Read a Book.
I set my objectives with the book. Look at the table of contents, back, index, etc. get an idea of what is in the book, skim and dip, then I plow through the whole book not spending too much time getting sidetracked or looking stuff up, take some notes, re-read at a slower pace. Try to get the 'unity' of the book; what is the author trying to say?
For fiction, poetry and plays, I just plow through on a first read. Don't get too worried about missing things or understanding everything. In a re-read, I create an outline of major characters and plot points.
You'll never get everything out of a great book on the first read. Accept that and try to get at least something out of it.
Yeah, I got turned on to marginalia a long time ago. But, if you're skittish about writing in a book, you can write in a notebook as you go along. I don't even think it's so important to go back over your notes. Writing them is the main thing.
Of course, I think that there is a wide variety among human beings when it comes to reading comprehension. Some people seem to be able to read at a very quick pace and retain what they read, even with technical books presenting new topics. But, I'm not one of those people. I do what I can.
The institutes are surprisingly very readable. I read that somewhere in a couple places, and my experience reading them bears out this truth. Try out this article, note this:
>1. The Institutes may be easier to read than you think.
J. I. Packer writes, “The readability of the Institutio, considering its size, is remarkable.”
Level of difficulty should not determine a book’s importance; some simple books are profound; some difficult books are simply muddled. What we want are books that make us think and worship, even if that requires some hard work. As Piper wrote in Future Grace, “When my sons complain that a good book is hard to read, I say, ‘Raking is easy, but all you get is leaves; digging is hard, but you might find diamonds.'”
There are few works in history that had the influence the Institutes had, and had the effect of changing the course of history as this work did. One more though, I also own this version of Calvin's Magnum Opus, am about 250 pages in, it's the easiest version to read, I find, because it is shorter than the 1559 version and the headers and other aides makes this translation quite a treat, for me, a Calvinist.
I would definitely start with Machen, you cant go wrong. World Magazine said it's one of the 100 best books of the millennium:
>It was named one of the top 100 books of the millennium by World magazine and one of the top 100 books of the twentieth century by Christianity Today. / “An admirable book. For its acumen, for its saliency, and for its wit, this cool and stringent defense of orthodox Protestantism is, I think, the best popular argument produced [in the controversy between Christianity and liberalism].”
One last to share, I listened (ironically) to Dr. Adler's classic How to read a book which is a great one for whatever level of reader we find ourselves to be. We read and are driven to this endeavor because we seek to grow our minds. I don't mean to pile on, but you asked hehe. A few books to add to your list, believe me, when you start asking and keeping a "to-read list" it always seems to grow. There's lots of good stuff when you know what to look for :-)
Grace and peace.
Allow me to recommend How to Read a Book. In addition to giving a guide to educating yourself through your own reading, he gives a large list of important books for a well-round literary education that may (or may not) prove useful.
After many verbal recommendations from him, I finally borrowed How To Read a Book from a friend. It's an incredible book, and it has a lot to offer especially if you've never been trained in logic, liberal arts, or just how to read arguments well.
I'm an engineer by training and trade (with the reading/writing skills of one to boot) but enjoy reading 10-15 (mostly nonfiction) books a year. I've never known there was more to reading than just starting on page 1 and plowing through. With the advice from this book, you'll be able to cut to the core propositions of a theological, philosophical, historical, and even fictional argument without losing appreciation for the work as a whole.
Read "How to Read a Book"
http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Touchstone-book/dp/0671212095/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321631804&sr=8-1
Adler's How to Read a Book sounds cliche but I highly recommend it.
You seem to have the will and desire, which are more important than an education and natural intelligence. Diligence and discipline are everything in writing, not how 'smart' you are.
There are two roads you must take here, both simultaneously. First, you must become a great reader. Start off by reading authors who are 'accessible,' meaning they do not initially make great demands on their audience. In the west, these are authors like:
1.) Mark Twain (Huckleberry Fin)
2.) George Orwell (Any of his books)
3.) Ernest Hemmingway (Check out his short stories)
4.) Jack London (Call of the Wild)
5.) Jane Austen (Pride & Prejudice)
Here are the rules of reading:
1.) Read slowly. Imagine each scene in your head. Evoke your memory to make the text come alive.
2.) Read everything twice.
3.) Have a dictionary on hand and look up EVERY word you don't understand.
Here is a book recommending some of the best books in history. Each book has an introduction; flip through it and see what interests you.
Here is a book that provides a guide on how to read anything well.
Second, you must become an addicted writer. You must write everyday, it doesn't matter about what. The only key thing is that you enjoy it. Once you get into the habit of reading+writing, and you enjoy it, start looking into books that help you improve your writing. There are a lot to choose from; here are two examples:
1.) How to Write a Sentence, by Stanly Fish
2.) Elements of Style, by Shrunk and White
If you continue to read and write everyday, pushing yourself into more difficult books and more elaborate writing, you'll start to develop a taste for good reading/writing yourself, and be able to distinguish it in the world around you. From there, it depends on what your goals are. Good luck.
How to Read a Book.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0671212095
Reading is your skill, approach it that way and you'll be ahead of the rest.
You might benefit from reading this.
Looks like I'll be starting with Jung! I have Modern Man In Search of A Soul and The Essential Jung - picked that one up randomly so I hope it's valuable.
As much as I'd love the guide that it seems MoM gives (I'm considering going back to school for philosophy, despite the risk, and would love some extra encouragement to "aim properly"), I can put it aside for now. If tackling Jung and Hegel gives me a critical eye to MoM, all the more reason to hold off.
I respect Peterson a lot, and I'm a big fan, but I always want to be able to look at ideas critically and judge them on their full merits.
Is your knowledge of Hegel and Jung self-taught? I'm currently reading Mortimer Adler's How To Read A Book in order to prepare myself to tackle these texts.
Interesting quote you pulled from the Philosophy subreddit. My interest in Hegel stems from my Christian background. I can't help but feel that Hegel, Jung, and (by extension) Peterson, are touching on a way to bring Christianity into the 21st Century.
How To Read A Book
how to read a book on amazon
Have a look at How to Read a Book: The Classical Guide to Intelligent Reading by Mortimer J. Adler and Charles van Doren.
First I would say that your state of confusion is normal at your age. The brain matures around 25 and time should help you find a bit more peace but only then.
I would suggest to find a mentor : someone you respect, can look up to and are confident that they have your best interest at heart. Could be a family member or a counsellor perhaps. Expose your questions and take his or her input seriously.
Also, do not underestimate the power contained in good books. This is the most condensed wisdom one can find. Start with How to read a book and ask your mentor for reading advice as it is easy to drown in the quantity.
Only if it suits your goals.
How is your health? How is your routine? What is your idealistic lifestyle? 5-years? 10-years? 20-years?
What influences have driven you without your knowledge (parents, teachers, impulses)?
Write a 10-page paper on the benefits of college. A 10-page paper on its opportunity costs. And a 10-page paper on what lifestyle you want to build. Or a 20-page paper. Hell, just go for a book, and sell that. The bottom line is the more you put in now, the better off you will be in your "choice" (which is basically a rationalization of whatever limited information you currently have in a given moment).
Think of your ideal goals or just general thoughts of life:
Will it involve kinky foreign sex at 18?
Will it involve biking?
Will it involve long work hours?
Do you wish to fix things in your life? Work out, exercise, interact with people more often?
Did you know hypnosis is real? Especially the erotic type.
Did you know most people cannot properly read a book? Here is a good starting introduction.
Honestly I would wait and delay it until you find the best college for your needs. Plus right now your frontal lobe is still developing until 23-25 which makes long-term planning a little difficult to perceive at times. And you are getting the spam of "GO TO COLLEGE" non-stop which is priming your own cognitive choices to be "well should I go to college or " instead of "this is what I have, my goals, what should I do to meet them?"
In the meantime, the independence, work experience, and savings rate at your age (with compounding interest) is critical to your own future education. By self-discovering and molding your thinking, you will be ahead of your peers that just go to college without the experience.
Can you make $50,000 now per year? Can you save a significant portion? Do you have a goal outside of work/school? A lifestyle you want to build?
You could go to college now or go to college with experience, more maturity, and a higher net-worth. Which translates to less pressure and more education for your own understanding. You get better choices and better results. You could go travel for the knowledge, meet experts in the field, and overall understand yourself on a higher level.
Check out /r/financialindependence, /r/leanfire, and you probably alright know about /r/cscareerquestions
And then there is /r/simpleliving (for happiness), /r/digitalnomad (for options), /r/Flipping (for turning waste into profit), /r/churning (travel rewards) /r/Entrepreneur (business expansion)
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Classic-Intelligent/dp/0671212095/
Perhaps not in the exact same archetypal analysis that Jung, Peterson and Campbell pursue, but Mortimer Adler wrote an entire book about "active reading".
Here's my summary post of that book from a while back..
In particular, understanding certain works of literature, I would say, falls under the category of "coming to terms with the author", as per what Adler describes in his book.
Perhaps even deeper than that, if you presuppose that "people don't have ideas, ideas have people", then working and analyzing within the metaphorical and mythological frame of reference could be seen as a way of getting to terms with an idea itself, to which the author is only a harbinger of.
I'm currently reading this.
You might want to give it a shot. The least it will do is give you a purpose for reading. There is supposedly a pretty good recommendation list as well (I refuse to look at it until the end, in fear of quitting the book).
There's a book about that...
It's actually pretty good.
Ok, I am being completely serious. I am not trying to insult you. I was floored by this book, and I use it still. It is one of the greatest books I have ever read and teaches people how to LEARN!
I thought I knew, I'm a college graduate, I program for a living. I can read and learn already, right?
No...
Please, please, please, consider reading this book and don't be turned off by the title.
How to Read a Book
[EDIT] Also, you since you like comics, I highly recommend Understanding Comics, it's a mind-blowing view of how comics work.
How to Read a Book. No joke. Just getting into reading. Only read most of the Harry Potter books as a kid and just sparknoted everything I've had to read for school. So I need to learn the basics.
After that, I plan on reading What Liberal media by Eric Alterman. I torrented all episodes of The Daily Show a few weeks ago and in one of the earlier episodes Eric came in for an interview to plug the book. It's basically about how our "liberal" media is just establishment media.
After that I'm not sure, but there's a million books I want to read and I need more time on my hands...
EDIT: Actually no, after HTRAB I'll be reading Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind by V. S. Ramachandran and Sandra Blakeslee as it's a much easier read than What Liberal Media. Already read some of it, it's very fascinating.
Thank you. Looking through the links you gave helped me find a book that's more along the lines of what I'm looking for. Do you know if this is any good?
You could start with a book like this: E. D. Hirsch's Cultural Literacy or Mortimer Adler's How to Read a Book or How to Think About the Great Ideas.
Or you can, like you've said, gather some info. about certain historical periods or cultural eras and decide to learn more about them. It's not easy, but you're living in a time where you can easily and freely access a lot of information.
Read this book. Seriously. I will make you a better
How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Readin
You know what? I have an awful memory. My SO gets mad at me all the time because she'll tell me things and I'll inevitably forget them.
Which is to say that your memory isn't holding you back. It's the way you interact with information you want to retain that is the problem here, much like it was for me.
My background is that I wanted to "become smarter". Didn't know wtf that meant but I figured reading book was important to that goal so that's what I did. I've read some really awesome books and I can tell you that I don't remember a lot of them.
However, there is a book that you should absolutely read to learn to how correctly interact with the information you're trying to retain: How to Read a Book, by Mortimer J. Adler. The book is an instruction manual on how to read books effectively, so as to learn from them and really really understand them.
Nowadays, I can't say that I remember specific parts of books that I read, but I absolutely can recall the general idea of a book (which is often helpful in conversation) and whereabouts in the book I read something so I can look it up again if I need to.
And this information can be applied to literally anything you read.
As far as learning in general, Make It Stick was alright. Would recommend, but it's pretty basic.
It depends on the subject matter and what you need to do with it. How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading has great advice for the different purposes. Don’t just trudge through each reading from page one. Scan, skim. Be careful what you decide to give a close reading of.
Keep a journal of your readings and make notes. That will help review the insights you pick up and remember where important references are from.
Instead of one notebook per class I personally recommend keeping all your reading notes in one book. Save the first four pages as a table of contents. Number the rest of the pages. That way when you get a new reading assignment you can add it to the TOC list and next to it note what page it starts on. That way you can skim it quickly to find it again. These tips are from the Bullet Journal method.
> There’s a massive fallacy in thinking that just because you read something means you understood it.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Intelligent-Touchstone/dp/0671212095
There are 3 reasons about this:
a) For a huge segment of the population, the act of reading a whole book is an accomplishment in itself. Once you've done such an epic thing, how can you tell yourself that now you have to actually go and understand what you were reading? :D
b) Just like breathing, just because you can, doesn't mean you're good at it. But it feels trivial so it's easy to assume that you have the skill, when if fact you don't.
c) Some people read without the intention of understanding, but for other reasons, such as pleasure or peer pressure.
I'll close off with my favorite phrase that pisses off people: "50% of humans have a below average IQ".
I have three of them. Meditations, Tao Te Ching, and Man's Search for Meaning.
I read Tao Te Ching many years ago. I think it was above my reading level at the time as I can't recall much about it. I wasn't really paying attention to what I was reading or properly digesting it.
I have the Gregory Hays' version of Meditations. It's up next after I'm done Flow. So far Flow mentions quite a few things I recognize from Stoicism. Directly mentions Diogenes in the first chapter.
Man's Search for Meaning will probably follow shortly after Meditations.
I've only heard of the Bhagavad Gita, so that's as familiar as I am with it. I assume it's a book of wisdom or something like that from India.
I do make notes of the books I read, so if you'd like I can forward them to you when they're ready. Currently putting together some for How to Read a Book, The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance, and Atomic Habits.
Thank you for sharing this.
Dr. Peterson said this in abbreviated form during one of his Q&A sessions. He emphasizes setting aside the reading after encountering a significant idea and then re-synthesizing it by writing your thoughts on it and how it relates to your existing body of knowledge (i.e. adding memory "hooks" to the new information).
Also, the book How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler dispels the assumption that all reading is equal. Essentially, there are different forms of reading which are suited for different types of material and goals. The passive form of reading most people do is best suited for recreational reading (i.e. magazines or novels) where retention of information is not the primary goal. This form is less taxing, thereby promoting the relaxation/recreation goal. The deeper forms of reading where retention (and more importantly, understanding) is the goal, require a form of reading much different than the "start at the beginning and read sequentially" form to which most are familiar.
The concept of "chunking" is interrelated to all these sources: Waterloo, Dr. Peterson, Adler, et. al. - which is the concept of actively relating new information to existing information. This helps by literally increasing the number and strength of neural connections to the physical site of the new memory, as well as structuring the new memory in such a way as to assign meaning to it. Chunking is also how brains become capable of dealing with concepts of increasing complexity. The vast majority of those who are regarded as super-intelligent in some field do not process more chunks of information than the average person. As an example, Bobby Fisher didn't rely on an extraordinary short-term memory to think so many moves ahead in his chess games; instead, he had synthesized his knowledge of chess so extensively to be able to think of entire sections of the board and entire sequences of moves through time as single chunks of information, whereas a beginner would think about individual pieces during the current turn as chunks. So each are dealing with the same number of chunks, more or less, but if information were ice - one is chunking in terms of ice cubes and the other is chunking in terms of ice bergs, with corresponding "weights" of ability.
While I'm certainly no expert by any means, I believe things that can help include reading and practice.
A friend once told me reading good books helps you learn good writing, and good writing I would imagine also leads to good speaking.
Practice would be helpful too. Even if we don't write well, we get better by just forcing ourselves to write, and similarly with reading and speaking.
A popular book on reading books that I've noticed is ["How to Read a Book" by Morimer Adler.] (http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Intelligent-Touchstone/dp/0671212095)
I'm a bit late but I hope you see this.
I was in the same boat (although more into non-fiction) and can strongly recommend two books:
The first is How to Read a Book. When I first saw the title I though: "Pfft, I know how to read a book", but then you start reading it and realise that you don't know shit. This book deals with comprehension mainly, so it seems perfect for your situation.
The second book is less important but one I'd recommend to anyone who does a lot of reading. Breakthrough Rapid Reading talks about "speed reading" and is set out like a six week course. You can do 20 mins every evening to increase your reading speed whilst maintaining (or even improving) comprehension. There are a lot of speed reading resources out there, but I think this is one of the best. Certainly worth a look as you can make pretty rapid gains early on.
How to read a book
I´m serious...read this book. It will give you the discipline and the will to keep reading. After you read this you will realize you were doing it wrong.
Mortimer Adler put together a great [list] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_books#Sample_list)
He also makes an important distinction between being well read and being widely read. (It's about what you can get out of it)
So i would advise his inimitable [how to read a book] (http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Intelligent-Touchstone/dp/0671212095)
How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading
My father has recommended this to me on numerous occasions. I just haven't picked up a copy. It may be useful to you
How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler
How to Read a Film by James Monaco
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Classic-Intelligent/dp/0671212095
I would suggest to do 3 things before you dive into any philosophy books.
The first is enroll and take the Coursera Learning to Learn course(it's free). The second is to read Mortimer J. Adler's How to read a book, and the third is to read Susan Wise Bauer's The Well Educated Mind.
After finishing those, pick up a general history of philosophy book, and dive into the primary sources, starting with the early philosophers, such as Plato and Aristotle, and branching off into any branch of philosophy that interest you.
The /r philosophy subreddit can be a useful tool in learning where to go once you start, I suggest a couple 'where to begin' searches to get a reading list.
How to Read a Book :
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0671212095/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1414263573&sr=8-1
I mean there are basically two ways. One: improve your fundamentals. That's like the long-term strategy. Basically, read like crazy. New Yorker, the Atlantic, New York Times, non-fiction books, and what not. It's like if you don't even have the muscle to throw a three-pointer, then it's pretty much pointless to practice 3pts.
Second is to learn some reading skills. Annotations, skimming & scanning, etc. Personally I'm not a big fan of these, but they do come in handy if you don't have, like 5 months to incrementally improve your reading.
If you do have the time, I would recommend the following two books:
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Literature-Like-Professor/dp/0062301675/ref=pd_sim_14_7?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0062301675&pd_rd_r=35Q5NY3NKYMXGNRRAZZ6&pd_rd_w=4BP03&pd_rd_wg=oJkPO&psc=1&refRID=35Q5NY3NKYMXGNRRAZZ6
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Classic-Intelligent/dp/0671212095
If you're into reading critically, I'd join a book club so you can discuss the book afterwards. That should help you recreate some of the classroom feel, that you're missing out on. Here's one on reddit if you're interested. I haven't participated in it, so I don't know the quality of discussion, but it seems to have a lot of members.
You could try reading sitting up, slower, at a desk, and taking notes with a pen. That might help you pay attention and develop thoughts about the book.
I remember a book being talked about here a while ago called how to read a book that might be worth looking into. I personally haven't gotten around to reading it, but it seems to be highly recommended and is supposed to help with intelligent reading.
Sorry for a jumbled response, but I hope that gives you some ideas about where to start.
My question for you is why? If you do this, know that your work prospects will go down. If you plan on going into full time ministry that will pay you, great. If not, just be aware. Source? I got my BA in Biblical Studies and was unemployed for two years after graduating. Didn't get much employment help from the school either. Now to your questiom.
It depends. History classes study....history. Ethics classes study.... ethics. I know it sounds like it's a whole specialized field unto itself but you will study the same topics you would at most other school. With one exception. If it's a good school, it will teach these things from a decided and unashamed Christian worldview. A good intro to that would be the book The Univers Next Door by James Sire. Read a lot and make sure you read How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler as well as a good Systematic theology (like Wayne Grudem's or Millard Erickson's) to get grounded in the basics. You're going to do a lot of reading and writing so be ready for that.
>If you guys are actually reading full books of the Bible that are of this length and/or longer every single night I would highly suggest stopping, taking your time through a single one in a longer period of time so you glean more from it,
There are different kinds of reading, and a place for each kind. An overview reading such as /u/CrucifiedBruxter is doing provides heaps of contextual information that you wouldn't get if you just spent a year mining everything you could out of Romans. The problem comes if you only survey (and forgo depth) or if you only dig (and forgo context).
Helpful text recommended by Dr Michael Horton
How to Read a Book
Mortimer Adler - How To Read A Book
I did a word search in this thread for the titles of these books but I did not see them. If they've somehow been mentioned already, sorry.
How to Read a Book
Yeah yeah, a book called how to read a book. This book has a lot of information to help you filter out the crap you don't want to read from the crap you do, and in the back it has a huge list of good books to read. This book is a good place to start.
Remember Everything You Read
If you google speed reading, Evelyn Wood's face appears. This is a book about speed reading with a focus on education, and it reads like one of those "the secret" type success gimmick books, but even if you don't care about reading faster, get this for the all-important retention techniques.
There is a lot more to the skill of reading than knowing the language in which the book was written. These two books are like keys to locked doors.
"How to Read a Book"
http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Touchstone-book/dp/0671212095
Adler and Van Doren's How to Read a Book is a classic.
Here is my advice to anyone going to college or wanting to learn: Read How to Read a Book. I'm not insulting you, I was 35 when I read it and it's a life changing book.
Ok, if you want to be a programmer, I recommend reading The Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs. It's not a light read but will get you solid understanding to work from. Learn C, work with pointers and get to understand them. If you do graphics this will be invaluable. Oh, and start writing code. There is no substitute for experience, I've seen people with masters degrees in software who couldn't write code. That being said, get a general degree in Computer Science or Electronic Engineering. It's a great fallback and you might enjoy writing code for F-22s more than writing video games. (Just saying)
Oh, write your own game. Write pong and pac-man. If you are good at what you do you will always have a place to do it. The universe is funny like that.
This one might help.
Step 1
Step 2: Practice
Check out this book.
It's actually not. Tai Lopez reads a book in 10 minutes which is ridiculous. This method is a part of a 4-part method created by the man who literally wrote the book on how to read a book, Mortimer Adler.
There are 4 reading levels: elementary, inspectional, analytical, and synoptical. Analytical readings are meant for books that deserve deep analytical reading, and synoptical readings are for topics that require more than one book to fully grasp mastery.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, however you look at it), self-help books fall into the category of reference books. That means that you're reading the book for information and trying to pull actionable items out of said book to incorporate into your daily life. This also means you don't need to read the author's whole life story and how when he was 2 he was diagnosed with ADHD and his mom didn't have enough money for meds, or whatever the story is. Just look for actionable items and start incorporating them into your daily habits.
I agree with what you said about Tai Lopez 100%, I alwayst tell people to stay away from him. But what he's claimed as his secret to success is just one of a 4-step process stolen from Adler and made into this "secret weapon for success (and lambos)."
This is actually something I've confirmed with Shane Parrish from Farnam Street Weekly, and he states the same thing in his "How to read a book" course. In terms of intelligence and dedication to the art of reading, Shane is light-years ahead of snake-oil salesman Tai Lopez.
You can read more here:
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Intelligent-Touchstone/dp/0671212095
http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/06/17/how-to-read-a-book/
https://www.farnamstreetblog.com/how-to-read-a-book/
My favorite books by him include How to Read a Book and Aristotle for Everybody.
I would highly recommend this author for anyone looking to study Thomas Aquinas - or for anyone who simply would like an introduction to philosophy.
How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Classic-Intelligent/dp/0671212095
Start here.
Thanks. My answer to your 1st paragraph: I mean 'reading skills' like How to Read a Book by Mortimer J. Adler
or the following tip from Peter Smith, Teach Yourself Logic 2016: A Study Guide, p. 8:
>I very strongly recommend tackling an area of logic by reading a series of
books which
overlap
in level (with the next one covering some of the same
ground and then pushing on from the previous one), rather than trying to
proceed by big leaps.
Your 2nd paragraph: No offense at all, and thank you for the correction! As I fixed it, should you edit your comment to remove this to forestall confusion?
How many times have you read the books?
You could be falsely assuming the cause is your quick reading and not that you've only read the available literature once instead of three times.
I think understanding that there's more to be found and a desire to look for it should be enough to slow you down. If you find yourself zoning out and reading in a more skim-like manner, go back a few paragraphs to what you remember reading last and start over.
Or if you really want a good resource, get How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler. It's about reading and reading closely and when the two are appropriate and whatnot. Adler was a great man. He's the one who also spearheaded/managed the Great Books of the Western World organization/movement. Not everything he recommends needs to be applied but it's good to know how to (as someone learned thinks you should) properly read closely when you want to.
How to Read a Book is another book along the same lines that I usually recommend.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Classic-Intelligent/dp/0671212095
Mainly about reading books but can be applied more generally.
http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Touchstone-book/dp/0671212095
Classic book on how to read - a must read!
http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Touchstone-book/dp/0671212095
Howard Hendricks' Living by the Book is a great place to start, or the classic How to Read a Book is quite useful also.
Using the reading techniques from the books above and some basic notes for insight into the culture and other translator's issues can get you pretty far. The .NET translators' notes are probably the best free resource, along with the many different translations available online.
You will probably eventually want to at least learn enough Greek grammar to be able to muddle through with a good lexicon, perhaps with Logos or Accordance.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Intelligent-Touchstone/dp/0671212095
A classic that might help:
http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Intelligent-Touchstone/dp/0671212095
You should take notes in some sort of organized and integrated system. I personally recommend taking notes in the books themselves and then transferring them to an external notebook. It's also a good idea to read things multiple times, particularly after you've made some preliminary notes.
For a more comprehensive look at what you should be doing, see this
First, http://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Intelligent-Touchstone/dp/0671212095
Then, The Everlasting Man.
Obviously, I'm not Bill Gates, but you might consider picking up How To Read A Book.
1.) This, by the end of three weeks my reading speed increased by about 100 wpm. The cliff notes is to basically use your index finger or pen to mark where you are on the page (that increased my wpm by about 50 wpm) the rest was just practice/patience.
2.) This one helped me to read more efficiently.
I'm a 6 ft 4 blonde, blue eyed German with an IQ of 130.
No problems getting laid, thank you.
Get back in the Gym and stop projecting online big guy.
I'm interested in the biochemistry of the sexual experience. So what? Knowledge ist the weaponry of the mind (and dick, in this case). So you better stay a dumb boy, so you can get cucked by your sister and raise her african sons.
For you
Sure it does, and what I'm asking for isn't even in that section.
Here, this should help you in the future.
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Classic-Intelligent/dp/0671212095
You could go read that and then write a snide review. What bot-level fun.
>You have no idea what you are talking about
Yup looks like a total lack of reading comprehension, here I'll walk you through it real slowly.
>I know you’re a racist because you took an entire population of people and just referred to them as “blacks”.
Notice how he doesn't say you are white here? He just says you're racist.
>Cant wait to here how you’re not racist though because you call people whites...
And here he says that you'll make the excuse that you aren't racist because you refer to white people the same way. Once again, he doesn't say anything about your race.
>I bet you are a white person that lives in a rich suburb. PS: I am black. I will wait for your racist remarks about black folk supporting Trump.
I don't really care who you're saying you are today, save your autobiography for someone who gives a shit.
Honestly a total lack of complex reading comprehension may be the best excuse for supporting Trump. He talks in nice short sentences and doesn't get too complex with his thoughts, and all the reports of his crimes use big words and take more than a minute to read.
If you wanna brush up on those skills I highly recommend [Adler's "How to Read a Book"] (https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Classic-Intelligent/dp/0671212095/ref=sr_1_1?crid=189G3HDZUS039&keywords=adler+how+to+read+a+book&qid=1551383567&s=books&sprefix=adler+how+t%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C211&sr=1-1)
You need to learn how to read. You haven't asked a proper question or formulated a proper response to the facts. The only proper response here is to ignore anything that is not a direct question, i.e. an attempt to ascertain the facts, or to speak legitimately according to limited knowledge, which you do not even have.
https://books.google.com/books?id=Z5PpkQadm5EC&q=disagreeing#v=snippet&q=disagreeing&f=false
Especially poignant section: http://puu.sh/vlzl7/3d7ae87aba.jpg
https://www.amazon.com/How-Read-Book-Intelligent-Touchstone/dp/0671212095/