How To Read A Book

How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading by Mortimer J. Adler, Charles Van Doren

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How To Read A Book by Mind Map: How To Read A Book

1. Claims

1.1. Most people don't know how to read well?

1.2. Consider the newspaper, are you truly learning anything new? Do you consider the writer your superior when it comes to knowledge in the subject? Odds are probably not. That means you’re reading for information.

1.3. There’s nothing wrong with that; it’s how most people read. But you’re not really learning anything new. It’s not going to give you an edge or make you better at your job.

1.4. Learning something insightful is harder, you have to read something clearly above your current level. You need to find writers who are more knowledgeable on a particular subject than yourself. It’s also how you get smarter.

1.5. Reading for understanding means narrowing the gap between reader and writer

2. Authors

2.1. Mortimer Adler

2.2. Charles Van Doren

3. Quotes

3.1. “Marking a book is literally an experience of your differences or agreements with the author. It is the highest respect you can pay him.” — Edgar Allen Poe

3.2. Francis Bacon once remarked “some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.”

3.3. As Pascal observed long ago, “When we read too slowly, we understand nothing.”

4. The Four Levels of Reading

4.1. Elementary

4.2. Inspectional

4.2.1. Systematic Skimming

4.2.1.1. Quick check of the book

4.2.1.2. Reading the preface

4.2.1.3. Studying table of contents

4.2.1.4. Checking the index

4.2.1.5. Reading the inside jacket

4.2.2. Superficial Reading

4.2.2.1. "Just read"

4.2.2.2. Don't ponder argument

4.2.2.3. Don't look things up

4.2.2.4. Don't write in the margins

4.2.2.5. If confused or don't understand - move on

4.3. Analytical - Thorough Reading

4.3.1. Rules To Analytical Reading

4.3.1.1. Classify the book according to kind and subject matter.

4.3.1.2. State what the whole book is about with the utmost brevity.

4.3.1.3. Enumerate its major parts in their order and relation, and outline these parts as you have outlined the whole.

4.3.1.4. Define the problem or problems the author is trying to solve.

4.4. Syntopical/Comparative Reading

4.4.1. Finding the Relevant Passages

4.4.2. Bringing the Author to Terms

4.4.3. Getting the Questions Clear

4.4.4. Defining the Issues

4.4.5. Analyzing the Discussion

5. Four Main Questions

5.1. What is this book about?

5.2. What is being said in detail and how?

5.3. Is this book true in whole or in part?

5.4. What of it?

6. Considerations

6.1. Are you reading for information or understanding?

6.2. Idea 3