Comments on: How to Read Classic Books Effectively

By: Maine

Maine — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:40:14 +0000

thanks for the tips! these would be great help for our home reading report

By: jenny

jenny — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:53:33 +0000

What is considered a “great” classic? Who determines and guards the Western canon? I personally enjoy reading classics, but at times I do wonder why this set of texts is considered more “great” than perhaps texts from other parts of the world. Great classics, as the label goes, are unquestioningly defined as literature from Western (and Eastern, counting Russia, of course) Europe. If we’re honest with ourselves, then we have to admit that the label is elitist. Perhaps the question is not how to read a classic, but how to read any book. I have not looked at The Well Educated Mind, so it might be presumptuous of me to say this, but the title itself assumes that one must read that privileged set of books labeled “great classics” in order to be “well educated,” and if we are not well versed in the works of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Gogol, Austen, Dickens, Melville, etc., etc., etc., we must not be “well educated.” How about Mario Vargas Llosa, Knut Hamsun, Jorge Borges, Jorge Amado, Salman Rushdie, Wendy Law-Yone, Naguib Mahfouz, Jose Rizal, Y.B. Mangunwijaya, Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Putu Wijaya, Isabel Allende, Bao Ninh, Surangkhanang, Ahmad Tohari, etc.,etc? Are the works of these authors to be relegated to the “not-so-great” literature because the gatekeepers of the great canon cannot read or understand them? Of course, the lack of translations is a problem in this world. My point is, the question of “how to read a great classic” is a fatuous one. Perhaps we need to question what constitutes a “great classic” and if the privilege imbued in such works should pass without challenge.

By: TigerTwoTiger » Blog Archive » There’s nothing new in the world: the battle to come up with unique content

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:08:59 +0000

[...] Books – remember them? The ones with paper pages, dog ears and actual cardboard bookmarks with tassels on them. You don’t always have to go for the latest releases either. Plenty of lessons, information and ideas can be gleaned from older books, which can give you ideas to write about from a slightly different viewpoint. Have a look at Life Optimiser for some great tips on reading older books effectively. [...]

By: This Week’s Links to Check Out | Be Healthy and Relax

This Week’s Links to Check Out | Be Healthy and Relax — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 00:44:11 +0000

[...] list, but I know I have always had problems reading some of the must-reads out there. Check out How To Read Classic Books Effectively and become a [...]

By: Tigertwotiger » There’s nothing new in the world: the battle to come up with unique content

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 20:07:10 +0000

By: Donald Latumahina

Donald Latumahina — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 14:19:00 +0000

Leisureguy,
I understand your point of view, and I agree that in such case the synopses could reduce the pleasure of reading.

Fortunately, I can still control my eyes :) I think getting familiar with the structure of the book before further reading could help us determine what to read and what to skip. There’s no reason for me not to learn as much as possible from a book just because some parts of it should be skipped.

By: Leisureguy

Leisureguy — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 14:29:25 +0000

Regarding the one-page synopsis, take the example of Madame Bovary. This is a novel, and presumably Flaubert intended the reader of the novel to some extent be motivated by wanting to find out what happens. The one-page synopsis details what happens, in that sense: it describes the plot twists and the ending. No real surprises left in that department. But it does provide the big-picture view of the novel, while leaving it lifeless. Why, then, did Flaubert himself not include a one-page synopsis at the beginning? Perhaps because he felt the book would work better without the big-picture view? In fact, none of these writers, good as they are, include one-page synopses at the beginning of their books. It’s good to think about that.

So far as the synopses being optional—my eye reads where it looks, faster than I can control. Safest for me to avoid Bauer’s book altogether. YMMV.

By: Donald Latumahina

Donald Latumahina — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 01:32:11 +0000

Leisureguy,
Yes, there are one-page synopses of the books. I personally find them helpful because they give me the big-picture of the books. But it’s true that for some others, it may destroy the pleasure of reading.

So I think we can see them as optional. If we find them helpful, we can read them. Otherwise, we can just skip them. And prior to the synopses there are guidelines on how to read each kind of books which I think will be helpful for everyone. Overall, I don’t think it’s fair to say that it’s an evil book just because of the synopses.

Mina,
I agree with you. I’m a beginner myself, so it takes some time to get used to the style. But I believe it’s really well-worth the time.

By: mina

mina — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:39:05 +0000

I love classics, but the style is very different from today’s literature. But after a few books, you’ll get used to it.

By: Leisureguy

Leisureguy — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 23:40:34 +0000

I got The Well Educated Mind from the library, opened it, and was stunned to see that it was filled with one-page synopses of books—sort of a Cliff Notes of Cliff Notes. The synopses missed quite a bit, but never missed a spoiler. The total effect of anyone unfortunate enough to read them would be to destroy much of the pleasure of reading the works for the first time. I would say that it’s an evil book.