How to read a book

At the end of last year, I made a promise to myself. I am going to read a book every month. And where better to begin than on How to read a book by Mortimer J. Adler.

Mortimer Jerome Adler (December 28, 1902 — June 28, 2001) was an American philosopher, educator, and popular author. As a philosopher he worked within the Aristotelian and Thomistic traditions. He lived for long stretches in New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, and San Mateo, California. He worked for Columbia University, the University of Chicago, Encyclopædia Britannica, and Adler’s own Institute for Philosophical Research.

When I’ve decided to write a few sentences about the book, I looked at what other people have to say about it. Everyone just outlined the reading rules or four types of reading given by the author. Good thing I haven’t look at these articles before I started reading.

So why should you read this book? You already know all the letters. Can you become a better reader? The author says you can. Am I a better reader now after I have finished it? Just a little bit. Becoming a better reader is a process, and like any other skill, you want to acquire it takes time and practice. One book alone can’t do very much. But this one can give you the basics. Then it’s all up to you to use that knowledge and develop the techniques of reading.

How to read a book is practical work. Not only you’ll find the rules about how to read more analytically, but you’ll also learn a lot about communication as well because, as the author says, reading and listening are the same art. By adopting these norms, you’ll become a better listener, a better student, and a better reader. And a beautiful thing about the work is that anyone can read it — doctor, student, engineer, you name it. You don’t need to have any special or pre-knowledge. If you like to read practical books, novels, science, philosophy, history, plays, biographies, or social science, there is something for you too.

To go back to those articles I mentioned at the beginning and why I didn’t like them. By outlining the rules, they didn’t say anything about the book and why should we read it. And the rules are given, without the context, sound like something you already know.

The primary goal of analytical reading is to reach enlightenment. And enlightenment is achieved only when, in addition to knowing what an author says, you know what he means and why he says it. There is no easy way to enlightenment and any kind of “Read like CEO” app can’t help you. But this book can. Read it. Underline good stuff. Make notes. And finally, apply that knowledge every day. Results will come. You just have to be patient.

Thanks for reading :)

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