The World's Best Book Summaries
Want to know how to critique a book the right way? Why is it important to critique the books you read? According to Mortimer Adler, the author of How to Read a Book, your job as a reader is to determine which of her problems the author has solved, which she has not, and decide if the author knew she had failed to solve them— because there is no book that is free of fault. This is how you properly critique a book according to Adler.
What are the four levels of reading from Mortimer Adler’s How to Read a Book? Why are most adults still reading at an elementary level? How can you improve your reading level? The four levels of reading are elementary reading, inspectional reading, analytical reading, and syntopical reading. With Adler’s guide and some time and practice, you, too, could reach a syntopical reading level. Continue below to learn about each of the four levels of reading.
How did the print culture of previous centuries differ from the entertainment and media culture of today? How has our approach to media consumption changed over the years? The print-centered discourse of 18th and 19th century America was rational, substantive, and serious. In comparison, the entertainment culture of today is shallow, prioritizing entertainment over intelligence. Here’s how the age of print culture differed from our current-day society.
Why is syntopical reading the most difficult form of reading? What are the seven major steps for syntopical reading? According to Mortimer Adler, syntopical reading is the most difficult level of reading because you must first read and analyze a multitude of books, compare them to one another, and understand and compare the opposing viewpoints. In essence, you go from being the student to the master. Here is everything you need to know about syntopical reading.
What are the four components of analytical reading? What is the goal of reading a book analytically? Mortimer Adler’s How to Read a Book describes analytical reading as the third level of reading. At this level, the aim is to understand to book and its background as much as possible in an unlimited amount of time. Keep reading to learn about the four components of analytical reading.
How can inspectional reading help you comprehend a book better? How do you read inspectionally? Mortimer Adler’s book How to Read a Book describes inspectional reading as the second level of reading. At this level, a reader can understand the main concepts of the book by skimming it and reading its high-level content. Learn how you can understand a book in just 15 minutes with inspectional reading.
What is the first level of reading from How to Read a Book? Why do many adults still read at an elementary reading level? In How to Read a Book, Mortimer Adler describes elementary reading as the most basic form of reading. Unfortunately, once you’re taught how to read as a child, you are rarely taught how to read better. This leaves many adults in the elementary reading stage. Here’s what it means to read at the elementary reading level.
Why should you examine a book’s structure? How can x-raying and categorizing a book help you level up your reading skills? According to Mortimer Adler in How to Read a Book, examining a book’s structure is part of inspectional reading. Adler says that if you can’t articulate the book in one sentence and make an outline of the major points, then you can determine that a book is poorly written. Continue reading for more of Adler’s tips on how to examine a book.
What were the early hopes for the invention of the television? How did entertainment value slowly replace trustworthiness? Are we amusing ourselves to death? In his book Amusing Ourselves to Death, Neil Postman discusses the impact that television has had on our society. Postman argues that television directly attacks literacy and suggests that we should judge everything based on entertainment value rather than importance. Keep reading to learn why Postman believes that we are amusing ourselves to death.
What is the major benefit of reading? What questions should you ask yourself while you read? How do know which books you should read? Mortimer Adler says that the reason you should read is simple: reading is learning. And to be well-read is not to have read a large number of books, but to have a high-quality understanding of good books. Here’s Mortimer Adler’s advice on how to read better and how to choose which book to read next.