Although the world rapidly advances, with information flooding in from every angle, consciously reading books remains challenging. Yet, it's one of the best ways to learn, understand new ideas, and grow.
Knowing how to read a book effectively is crucial for intellectual and emotional development, especially when tackling complex issues.
'How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading' (which will be called 'Adler's guide' here) offers timeless advice on improving your reading skills.
This guide will explore the methods these American authors recommend, discuss the differences between reading paper and digital books, and examine how reading habits vary across cultures. It'll also explain how to apply these techniques using the Headway app.
Adler's strategies for reading efficiently
The art of reading intelligently is more than just absorbing the words on a page. It involves actively engaging with the text by questioning, analyzing, and understanding the information.
Mortimer J Adler and Charles Van Doren's 'How to Read a Book' is a valuable guide that helps readers improve their reading skills and text comprehension. It teaches readers how to engage deeply with texts through four levels of reading — elementary, inspectional, analytical, and syntopical — emphasizing active reading, questioning, and annotation to enhance understanding and retention.
Understanding the four levels of reading
Adler's guide outlines four levels of reading that progressively deepen the ability to understand and engage with books:
Elementary
Inspectional
Analytical
Syntopical
Each level builds upon the previous, introducing new skills and perspectives. Let's dive into each to grasp Adler's approach better.
Elementary reading
Elementary reading is the foundation of literacy. All other reading skills are built upon it. At this level, the focus is on mastering basic reading abilities such as recognizing letters, understanding simple sentences, and developing a fundamental vocabulary.
The elementary level covers the early stages of literacy, aiming to decode words, make sense of straightforward texts, and begin to appreciate the joy of reading. This foundational stage is crucial as it sets the groundwork for more advanced skills, enabling readers to engage with more complex materials as they progress.
While explaining the elementary level of reading, Adler states:
"The child is a "mature" reader in the sense that he is now capable of reading almost anything, but still in a relatively unsophisticated manner. In the simplest terms, he is mature enough to do high school work. However, he is not yet a "mature" reader in the sense in which we want to employ the term in this book. He has mastered the first level of reading, that is all; he can read on his own and is prepared to learn more about reading. But he does not yet know how to read beyond the elementary level."
Start from your inventory
Once you've established basic reading skills, the next step is to apply them in a way that fosters growth. Adler suggests beginning with books from your personal collection, local library, or other easily accessible sources matching your reading level and interests.
This approach allows you to engage with both familiar and challenging material.
Start with simpler texts that align with your comprehension level, such as children's literature or young adult fiction, and then gradually move on to more complex works as your confidence and abilities grow.
This method not only improves your reading skills but also keeps you motivated by aligning the content with your personal interests.
Develop a reading habit
To truly benefit from reading, developing a consistent habit is essential.
Adler emphasizes the importance of setting aside regular time for reading, even if it begins with just a few minutes each day. Start with shorter sessions that fit comfortably into your routine and gradually increase the duration as your focus and comprehension improve.
The key is to make reading a pleasurable and rewarding experience rather than a chore. As you train yourself to read consistently, you'll find that your ability to understand and engage with texts deepens, making reading not just an activity but a fulfilling habit that enriches your life.
Inspectional reading
Inspectional reading involves skimming a book to get a sense of its central ideas and structure. This approach helps you quickly gather information to decide whether a more in-depth read is necessary.
By mastering inspectional reading, you can efficiently determine if a book is worth your time for a more thorough examination.
The focus is on capturing the essence of the book without delving into every detail, allowing you to make an informed decision about how much further engagement the book requires.
As Adler rationalizes,
"Skimming or pre-reading a book is always a good idea; it is necessary when you do not know, as is often the case, whether the book you have in mind is worth reading carefully."
When holding a new book in your hands for the first time — even if it's a bestseller — it's hard to know whether it's worth investing your time or money in reading it. Adler's advice can be beneficial in making that decision.
Let's explore the essential techniques Adler outlines for inspectional reading.
Techniques for skimming
Pre-reading: Review the book's table of contents, index, and introduction. This method helps you understand the structure and main topics the author intends to explore, setting the stage for a more informed skimming process.
Skimming: Read chapter headings, subheadings, and summaries. This technique lets you capture the book's main ideas and key points without diving into the details. As you move through the text, take note of emerging patterns and themes. These will give you a clearer picture of the book's content and relevance to your interests or needs.
Superficial reading: Quickly read the book without stopping to analyze or reflect on every part. It allows you to grasp the overall essence of the content, giving you just enough information to determine whether a more in-depth reading is necessary. This technique is handy when quickly assessing a book's relevance, ensuring that your reading hours are devoted only to the most worthwhile content.
Tools like the Headway app can save you time by providing precise and concise book summaries, allowing you to quickly grasp the main points without reading the entire book.
To further enhance your brain's productivity, we recommend Jim Kwik's 'Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life.' You can find a brief review of this book in English on Headway.
To improve your study skills, read our blog post, Three Best Study Skills Books, where you'll find reviews of key books we recommend to enhance your learning techniques.
Analytical reading
In contrast to inspectional reading, which provides a quick overview, analytical reading digs deep into the text. It emphasizes careful analysis and full comprehension. This approach turns reading into a detailed examination of the content.
Adler emphasizes:
"Reading a book on any level beyond the elementary is essentially an effort on your part to ask it questions (and to answer them to the best of your ability)."
Asking and answering questions to the best of our ability as we read a book develops our analytical skills, which are crucial for the first reading.
According to Adler's guide, analytical reading involves developing a deeper understanding of a book by breaking down its arguments and examining its structure and themes.
This practice improves text comprehension, which can be enhanced even further by active reading strategies.
Strategies for active reading
Read actively: Engage with the text, ask questions, and highlight key points.
Apply critical thinking: Analyze the arguments, evaluate the evidence, and identify key concepts.
Take notes in the margins: Use a pencil to mark the text. For example, put a question mark if you disagree with the author or have hesitations about a statement; use an exclamation mark if you find it noteworthy. Mark key sections and underline relevant terms. It will make it easier for you to review the book later.
Use context clues: Pay attention to what is said before and after the passage that caught your attention. Consider the cultural, historical, or other context of its presentation.
Re-read: If something is unclear, simply go back and re-read it. A "second pass" can reveal important details that went unnoticed initially.
More strategies to improve text comprehension
In a notebook (or a digital app), write down important points, questions, and reflections.
After each chapter, summarize the key points.
Discuss the book with others to gain different perspectives and deepen your understanding.
This now leads us to Adler's fourth level of reading: syntopical.
Syntopical reading
The term "syntopical" comes from the Greek words "syn" (meaning "together") and "topos" (meaning "place" or "topic"). Thus, it refers to bringing together various topics or viewpoints for comparative analysis.
This method is particularly valuable in scholarly research, helping to create a more comprehensive view of a subject matter by integrating diverse perspectives.
"The syntopical reader," Adler explains, "tries to look at all sides and to take no sides."
According to Adler, syntopical reading involves comparing and synthesizing information from multiple books on the same topic, allowing for a broader understanding. It's a skill that can be developed with practice.
How to develop the skill of syntopical reading
To improve your syntopical reading skills, practice the following:
Comparative reading: Identify common themes and differences across various texts.
Suppose you're studying the concept of democracy. So, you might read 'The Federalist Papers' alongside Alexis de Tocqueville's 'Democracy in America' and John Stuart Mill's 'On Liberty.' By identifying common themes (such as individual freedoms) and noting differences (like different views on the role of government), you can gain a richer understanding of democracy, grow your competence in the subject, and form your own position.
Synthesis: Integrate insights from different sources to form a cohesive understanding of the topic.
Imagine you want to research "Climate change policies." You could check the reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), journal articles on renewable energy, and a good book like Bill Gates's 'How to Avoid a Climate Disaster.'
By integrating insights from these diverse sources, you can form a comprehensive view of how scientific evidence, policy recommendations, or even the opinions of globally recognized leaders interact to address climate change.
Critical evaluation: Assess the strengths and weaknesses of arguments from multiple authors.
While studying artificial intelligence (AI), you might read George Gilder's 'Life After Google.' It argues that the current dominance of big tech companies (such as Google) is unsustainable and will soon shift to a new paradigm centered around privacy, security, and individual ownership of data.
In contrast, Kai-Fu Lee argues in 'AI Superpowers' that AI will replace many jobs and create new opportunities. Lee goes even further, predicting that China, as opposed to the US, will become a global leader in AI development.
By comparing and assessing the strengths of these arguments — Gilder's AI paradigm shift warning versus Lee's ideas advancing AI and promoting China's role — you can develop a more balanced perspective on the ethical challenges of AI.
Now that we've outlined Adler's four levels of reading a book let's move on to mastering specific techniques for effective reading.
Techniques for effective reading
In his guide on 'How to read a book,' Adler explains,
"The art of reading, in short, includes all of the same skills that are involved in the art of unaided discovery: keenness of observation, readily available memory, range of imagination, and, of course, an intellect trained in analysis and reflection."
Practically, Adler's techniques for effective reading include active reading, critical thinking, and applying these skills to different types of books.
Active reading
Active reading involves engaging with the text by questioning, annotating, and summarizing to stay focused and retain information.
Tips for active reading
Annotate: Highlight key phrases, underline important points, and jot down thoughts in the margins or a notebook.
Question: Ask questions about the text's meaning, implications, and connections to other ideas.
Summarize: Write concise summaries after each section to reinforce your understanding.
Critical thinking
Critical thinking is essential for analyzing and interpreting texts. It involves assessing arguments, evaluating evidence, and identifying biases.
Strategies for critical thinking
Identify arguments: Determine the author's main arguments and evaluate their validity.
Assess evidence: Examine the evidence presented to support claims and consider its reliability.
Explore assumptions: Recognize any assumptions underlying the author's arguments and consider alternative perspectives.
Applying the techniques
Adler's methods can help you to enhance reading skills and comprehension across various genres, from fiction to nonfiction.
Reading fiction
When reading fiction, focus on understanding the plot, characters, and themes.
While reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, employ Adler's techniques to explore the social commentary behind character interactions and the deeper meaning of themes like marriage and class.
In F Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, analyze the symbolism of the green light and its connection to the American Dream.
Reading nonfiction
Nonfiction requires a more analytical approach, as it often addresses pragmatic issues and helps people solve real-world problems. This type of literature usually covers topics like business, social science, and personal development.
When reading Yuval Noah Harari's 'Sapiens' apply active reading and critical thinking to evaluate his arguments about the development of human societies.
As you study Charles Duhigg's 'The Power of Habit,' assess the evidence presented for the role of habits in shaping human behavior and connect these ideas to broader concepts of behavior change.
The best strategy for reading nonfiction
To maximize your understanding and retention of nonfiction books, consider employing these strategic steps:
Outline: Create an outline of the book's main arguments and supporting evidence. For example, when reading Daniel Kahneman's 'Thinking, Fast and Slow,' note the main distinctions between "System 1" and "System 2" thinking.
Compare: Relate the author's ideas to other texts and real-world experiences. For instance, compare the concepts from Clayton Christensen's 'The Innovator's Dilemma' to actual case studies of companies that succeeded or failed in innovation.
Reflect: Reformulate the main ideas in your own words. Consider how the information can be applied to personal or professional contexts. Meditate on the strategies in David Allen's 'Getting Things Done' and decide what changes you must make to improve your productivity at work.
Advanced applications
Compare: Relate the author's ideas to other texts and real-world experiences. For instance, compare the concepts from Clayton Christensen's 'The Innovator's Dilemma' to actual case studies of companies that succeeded or failed in innovation.
Reflect: Reformulate the main ideas in your own words. Consider how the information can be applied to personal or professional contexts. Meditate on the strategies in David Allen's 'Getting Things Done' and decide what changes you must make to improve your productivity at work.
Advanced applications
Reading techniques are vital for academic and professional development. Many scholars prioritize the habit of reading. Let's consider two examples:
Academic development
In academic settings, syntopical reading involves comparing theories, arguments, and evidence from multiple sources, helping you gain a deeper understanding of subjects. These skills helped the renowned historian and scholar Tony Judt synthesize vast amounts of historical data on European history.
Professional development
Business leaders and entrepreneurs also benefit substantially from advanced reading techniques:
Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, is an avid reader who credits his fast reading skills and habit of reading a wide range of books with helping him stay ahead in the technology industry and make informed business decisions.
Similarly, Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors in the world, spends a significant portion of his day reading nonfiction books and reports, which he believes is crucial for making well-informed investment decisions.
About the authors
Mortimer J Adler was an American philosopher and advocate for general education who championed the study of Western literature. He is known for his contributions to the development of the Great Books program.
Charles Van Doren was an American writer and editor. He also co-authored 'How to Read a Book.'
Both authors were born in New York City in the first half of the 20th century.
Resources and tools
In addition to Adler's and Van Doren's 'How to Read a Book,' there are many helpful resources to support effective reading, including other books, apps, websites, and reading communities. Here are some of them:
Books:
Rostyslav Semkiv's 'How to Read the Classics' presents a concise and insightful guide to understanding classic literature and its profound impact on modern readers.
Kam Knight's 'Speed Reading. Learn to read a 200+ page book in 1 hour' offers practical techniques to improve reading speed and text comprehension.
Headway App: Explore book summaries and learning resources to enhance reading skills and knowledge.
Reading tools: Use digital tools such as Amazon Kindle Unlimited (which provides access to a vast library of eBooks and audiobooks) or Amazon Prime Reading (which, included with an Amazon Prime membership, offers access to a rotating selection of eBooks, magazines, and audiobooks).
How the Headway app can help increase your reading productivity
By following Adler's and Van Doren's techniques and using resources such as the Headway app, you can significantly increase your reading effectiveness and achieve your career or personal growth goals. First-time users may find the app helpful for quickly obtaining essential takeaways from great books.
Every good reader values quality content and doesn't want to waste time on something that lacks value. The Headway app provides a curated list of books and topics, helping you:
Sort out the books with the highest value for your goals.
Save reading time by excluding the sources you're not interested in.
Access practical books relevant to your real-life situation.
Headway's resources include many more works similar to 'How to Read a Book,' helping to increase your reading speed, improve text comprehension, and master the art of reading in general.
Whether you're a student, professional, book club fan, or avid reader, the strategies outlined in this article will empower you to read with purpose, deeper understanding, and enjoyment while saving time.
