How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1940

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Preface-Part 1, Chapter 5

Part 2, Chapters 6-12

Part 3, Chapters 13-19

Part 4, Chapters 20-21

List Mortimer J. Adler and Charles Van Doren’s reasons for revising the first edition of How to Read a Book (published in 1940) in 1972. Do you agree or disagree with these changes?

Explain Adler and Van Doren’s use of analogies in Chapter 1 and Chapter 7. Aside from practical expository books, which types of books make effective use of analogies, and why?

What purpose does systematic skimming serve in the second level of reading, inspectional reading?