How to Read a Book (Book Summary)

Do you Struggle to read?

Especially the long and boring books and articles. But there's a way to read even driest book fast and efficiently.

How to Read a Book?

Reading is like paying "throws and catch" with the author. An interesting book like a novel is an easy catch for you. When reading isn't for entertainment, we'll need to make efforts to be an active catcher.

#1 Elementary Reading

Before you read a book, you have to understand the basic level of grammar and vocabulary.

Example - "THE CAT ON THE MAT"

If you don't know the word "cat", you won't be able to understand the meaning of this sentence.

#2 Inspectional Reading

To start inspecting the book, you first need to go over a particular part of it. That means Skim-reading over the title page, table of content and editorial blurb. From there, skip to particular chapters and paragraphs that are relevant to you.

#3 Analytical Reading

First, identify it's them by looking at it's superficial properties, such as the title.

#4 Understand the Author.

Like Keywords, surrounding words or argumentation.

#5 Evaluate the significance and logic

#6 Syntopical Reading

You can apply your reading expertise to several books on the same topic at the same time. When you read this way, you will be able to identify the topic you want to write about and select the relevant passage. This is what top-level technique: Syntopical Reading is all about.

The key is to actively absorb and understand the text don't take the author's ideas for granted, question them.

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This is a short summary of popular books. You can have an overview of what this book is about within minutes, thus save you a huge amount of time.

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Originally published: 1940

Author: Mortimer J. Adler